Enter into the Joy of My Father

"You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows."  Psalm 46:7   This verse provides the key to a joy-filled life, which is our attitude toward obeying God (Be faithful in little) and completely rejecting anything that causes us to compromise what we know is right.  When this verse is quoted again in Hebrews 1, it is a description of Jesus' life, but it clearly also speaks of what the presence of the Lord desires to accomplish in us. Jesus asked why we say "Lord, Lord" and not do what He says.  Becoming a new creation means our life thoughts, emotions, and choices have also become new and are changed.     

Poor God!  He has to depend upon us to show the world what He is really like.  "He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  We choose righteousness to represent His name.  We are His light to the world.  Needless to say, we often fail, but that doesn't change the responsibility and that doesn't mean that we should quit desiring to be like Him.  It follows that we need His help to be a witness. Jesus promised, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me."   Notice we have been given the power and we shall "be" witnesses.  

Jesus endured the cross, according to Hebrews 12, because of the joy set before Him.  I always suggest that the joy set before Him was you, being set free and made holy so you can share His glory forever.  We know Jesus was motivated to choose the Father's will over His own with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Hebrews 9:14 states "who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself with spot to God"   We have been given that same Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead gives life to our mortal body, which also leads us and guides into all truth.  Romans 8:13 further declares that by the power of the Holy Spirit we can put to death the deeds of the body.

You and I have our most important appointment of our existence yet to come.  Psalm 42 asks "when will I come and appear before God?"  What an incredible joy it will be to lay our crowns before Him and to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master."  He promises that we will not lose our reward for every action and choice, even something as simple as giving a child a glass of water.  Yes, each one of us will stand before God and give an account for every word, for every deed done in the body.  What a person sows he will surely reap. Therefore, be wise not foolish, and lay up your treasures in heaven by letting the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit direct your steps and the choices you make.  The time will most surely come, when you stand before God, and with joy overflowing, have every iota of your life reviewed and rewarded.

What an awesome and beyond imagination experience to stand pure and holy before God!  Let that joy motivate you to make wise choices, to love and do what is right and hate evil.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the same attitude and commitment toward doing what pleases God that Jesus demonstrated, and hating, completely despising, the evil deeds of the flesh.  God promises fullness of joy in His presence as you agree with Him and do His will.  You reflect the true light of the world, and He invites you to "enter into the joy of My Father."  

You Rule on your Knees with Lifted Hands

Hear the Word of the Lord: "Rule in the midst of Your enemies!" 

Yes, we rule.  According to 1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:5 we have been made a royal priesthood (or kings and priests) in the Kingdom of God.  Believers have been given authority "to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy" by Jesus (Luke 10:19). This truth is amplified in Romans 5:17, "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."   

One look at the news today shouts the truth that death reigns in the world, but the Good News is that "much more" do the ones who receive the abundance of grace (I suggest salvation, being transferred from Satan's domain into the Lord Jesus' kingdom) and the gift of righteousness (notice it has nothing to do with how good we are, but rather "He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God") reign in life.  Jesus desires us to reign with Him "in life."  As Psalm 110:2 declares "The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.  Rule in the midst of Your enemies!"  

How do we rule?  We have been given the keys to the kingdom, the tools to walk in and release the power of God.   In the New Testament, 1 Peter 2:5 states it this way, "as living stones, [we] are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."  The key work of priests is offer sacrifices.  Therefore, the way we rule with the Lord Jesus is through our royal priesthood of spiritual sacrifices.  Hebrews 13:15-16 further explains this call, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."  The sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise is powerful for ruling in every situation by acknowledging all He has done.  He has overcome, and by our faith we overcome with Him.  

Whether you realize it or not, you rule through the praises and thanks you give.  We are seated with the Lord Jesus in heavenly places and rule with Him by the declaration of our mouth and the agreement of our hearts.  God entrusted the earth to Adam, who unfortunately gave this authority to Satan, but through Jesus' death and resurrection, man's authority to rule the earth has been restored.  Therefore. as Proverbs 18:21 declares, "death and life are in the power of the tongue" and God calls us to choose life.  Speaking words of life out of the overflow of our hearts, releases the life of God.  Prayer, praise, thanksgiving, worship, and prophetic declaration are keys and tools to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth, or as Jesus taught us to pray, "Come, Thy Kingdom, be done, Thy will, on earth as it is in heaven." 

Rule today.  Utilize the authority and position God has given you through worship, praise, and thanksgiving.  Know that God's Word will not return void, but He will surely establish the purpose for which He sent it. He who calls you (to rule in His name and authority) is faithful, and He will do it!

Revelation of Jesus Christ

Do not fear, only believe.  Even though Jesus says this to His people, many are fearful about the coming events of the end-times.  They don't even want to think about it, yet alone read the book of Revelation.

Would you allow the Holy Spirit to change your mind?  First, God promises a special blessing to those who read or even hear the words of this prophecy.  Second, and most important, in verse one, this book is "The revelation of Jesus Christ" rather than just a description of the "terrible" things to come that it is feared to be.  The book of Revelation reveals Jesus' heart, power, and leadership in preparing the nations for God's glory.  The main theme is Jesus' return to earth as king to rule all the nations (Rev. 1:7) and to remove all that resists His kingdom of absolute love.  God is love. 

God deliberately chose to give us this revelation of Jesus to prepare us for the end-time drama that will transition the earth to the age-to-come, and to equip us to endure persecution and temptation so as to overcome in victory (Rev 12:11, Rev 15:2).  Rather than instill fear, God promises these words will give grace and peace to His believing church (Rev 1:4). 

"Behold, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye shall see Him" (Rev. 1:7) so every person will see His royal procession back to earth.  If we humbly open our hearts to read Revelation correctly, it causes us to love Jesus and trust His leadership and dramatic plan to transition the earth to where "the kingdoms of the earth have become the kingdoms of our Lord."  His wise and loving plans combine God's sovereignty, human free will, and overcoming the arrogant Satanic rage, which produce an awesome end-time harvest of souls and a victorious Church, without violating justice or man's free will.  Both love and wickedness will come to full expression and receive their reward.  God is not mocked, what a person sows he will reap. 

Jesus will judge wickedness and oppression to remove all that hinders love (Rev. 19:2). The Antichrist and the kings of the earth will declare war against Jesus (Rev. 17:14; 19:19; cf. Ps. 2:2). Jesus will war against them (Rev. 19:11).  Jesus’ judgments in the Great Tribulation do not happen to God’s people as helpless victims of Satan, but are released through them as they partner with His sovereign leadership. As the book of Acts describes the power of the Spirit released through the early church, so the book of Revelation describes the power of the Spirit to be released through the end-time church.  The type of miracles and judgments seen in the books of Exodus and Acts will be multiplied and released worldwide through prayer in the Tribulation. The greatest demonstrations of power in history will be released by the praying Church operating in unity under Jesus’ leadership. 

Let's look at an overview of Revelation that will help us grasp the understanding of the message through seeing the way the events unfold.  There are 4 parts in the structure of the book of Revelation with the fourth part being the largest consisting of 5 chronological sections in which the events occur in sequential order.  

Part 1: John’s calling to prophesy about the end times (Rev. 1). John gave truths about Jesus’ majesty that formed the way he prophesied about the end times. These revelations of Jesus' character are necessary to give knowledge of His nature and also to equip us for this time. 

Part 2: Jesus gave 7 letters to the churches (Rev. 2-3). The instructions Jesus gave to these churches about overcoming sin also give insight into what the end-time church must overcome. 

Part 3: Jesus takes the scroll (Rev. 4-5). Contains the earth’s title deed and His plan to cleanse it. Jesus takes a 7-sealed scroll from the Father. The scroll represents the title deed of the earth and the battle plan to judge, cleanse, and prepare the nations for Jesus’ rule over all the earth, while bringing the Church to a mature Bride who partners with Him in the plan (Rev 6-22). 

Part 4: Jesus’ battle plan (Rev. 6-22). Includes Great Tribulation judgments against the Antichrist. Jesus reveals His main storyline of love to cleanse the earth of evil. His battle plan is seen in 5 chronological sections describing the main storyline of the 21 judgment events (7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls) that are released on the Antichrist’s empire in sequential order. 

After each chronological section, an angel explains to John why the events just described are necessary. The angelic explanations function as a parenthesis that puts the storyline on “pause.” They answer questions arising from the chronological sections: Why is God’s wrath so severe? What will happen to the saints? Angels explain to John what happens to God’s people including what Jesus will do to help them, and what the Antichrist will do to persecute them.   

Chronological Section #1 (Rev. 6). The seal judgments against the kingdom of darkness. Angelic Explanation #1 (Rev. 7). We receive protection from judgments and falling away. 

Chronological Section #2 (Rev. 8-9). The trumpet judgments against the Antichrist’s empire. Angelic Explanation #2 (Rev. 10-11). We receive direction by increased prophetic ministry. 

Chronological Section #3 (Rev. 11:15-19). Jesus’ second coming royal procession and the rapture leading to Jesus replacing all the kings and top governmental leaders on earth. Angelic Explanation #3 (Rev. 12-14)—the Antichrist’s violent confrontation with the saints deserves Jesus’ judgment and the replacement of all his evil governments. 1. At the 7th and last trumpet (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52; Rev. 10:7), Jesus will rapture the Church and travel across the sky in a royal procession so that every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7). 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. (Rev. 1:7) 2. After this, Jesus will enter Jerusalem and stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4). 

Chronological Section #4 (Rev. 15-16). Bowl judgments destroy evil infrastructures in society. Angelic Explanation #4 (Rev. 17-18). The seduction of Babylon’s evil religion will permeate and infiltrate all the structures of society, requiring that Babylon be totally destroyed. 

Chronological Section #5 (Rev. 19-20). Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21:8). Angelic Explanation #5 (Rev. 21-22). The restoration of all things, Acts 3:21, (Rev. 21:9-22:5). 11 I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns…15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them…16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS…19 I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him… 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet…these two were cast alive into the lake of fire…21 The rest were killed with the sword… 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of…Satan, and bound him for a thousand years …3 so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished…4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them…they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev. 19:11-20:4)  

We will proceed step by step in coming posts to help us understand the powerful truths of this revelation of Jesus that God chose to provide for our benefit. 

The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus in the book of Revelation, and will use this revelation to lead us into all truth which prepares us for the events coming.  Fear not, avoid not, excuse not, and read this crucial book for the time is at hand.  Be blessed as you read and hear the words of this Revelation!

All Rise!

 He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  The early church would celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by declaring this powerful truth and the response in agreement.  One Easter morning I was sharing the Word and encouraged my audience to respond in like manner, shouting, "He is Risen!" and they would respond "He is Risen indeed!"  Unknown to me, there was present a lady who had pneumonia but was allowed to leave the hospital to attend Easter services.  As she was leaving the church, she stopped to say there was a strange warmth and presence in her chest as we declared He is Risen, and that all of a sudden she could breathe normally.  Later doctors confirmed that she was healed.

There is power in the resurrection.  Jesus Christ "was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:4).  The resurrection also establishes Jesus's complete victory over death, sin and sickness.  After the resurrection Jesus announced to His disciples "all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  No wonder then, that the Word (Acts 4:33) records that the apostles "with great power gave witness to the resurrection from the dead."  

This overcoming power and authority is available to all who believe Jesus Christ is God's Son who died and rose for them.  Romans 6:5 assures us, "If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall in the likeness of His resurrection."  Paul, even after all his preaching and miracles, had one overwhelming request, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection."  The person of the Holy Spirit makes this reality a part of our daily experience, as the Word says in Romans 8:11, "the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."    

God's eternal plan for man is past, present, and future.  The resurrection of Jesus 2000 years ago settles the fact of Jesus' love and victory for all men.  Through the Holy Spirit this released power equips us today to walk in overcoming faith and victory.  However, 1 Peter 1:3 blesses God who "according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."  This living hope is a sure future promise to rise with Him and be with Him forever.

Therefore, this foundation doctrine of the resurrection provides eternal assurance that Jesus' "It is finished" statement from the cross is confirmed.  Man sinned and lost his dominion authority over the earth to Satan.  Jesus destroyed the works of the devil, brought man back to God, and paid the supreme price to re-establish man in the righteousness and authority of God Himself.  We are now called to rise up and walk in the triumphant, overcoming power of the living God.  Believers in Jesus Christ and His resurrection have passed from death to life.  We are now to reckon ourselves dead to sin (and its consequences) and alive to God.  All rise, and give glory to God by walking in His resurrection power.      

Better and Better Forever!

In college my dorm was about a mile from the local airport which, especially in difficult moments, inspired me to delight in the freedom and grace of the planes as they took-off and landed.  One night in a dream, I was next to the airport runway overwhelmed by the magnificence of these giant fortresses gently lifting off and settling in.  And the Lord spoke to me that this was a picture of life in Him, and what's even more, it would just get better and better forever!  

How does God in His Word describe the Christian life?  Consider some of the phrases such as "have life and life abundantly," "exceedingly abundantly above all we could think or imagine," "every spiritual blessing," "has given you everything you need for life and godliness," and  "filled with the fullness of God."  The Word declares amazing superlatives about God's gifts to us, such as in Ephesians 1:17-19, that God "may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead...

The Kingdom of God has come.  Obviously, His gift of salvation, which is defined as "being delivered from," sets us free from all the limitations and consequences of sin and welcomes us into His kingdom where we are able to "partake of divine life." (As 2 Peter 1:4 declares).  When we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, we become a new creation, "a new man which was  created according to God in true righteousness and holiness."  (Ephesians 4:24).  Even though our natural feelings and thinking may not grasp this truth, we have passed from death to life and our spirit man now shares the very nature and goodness of God,  Jesus told the devil that man lives not by bread alone, but by the Word of God, so we live now by His truth which sets us free, and enables us to be built up to receive the inheritance God prepared for us.  The ultimate gift of God is Himself, therefore, He desires and continually reveals His goodness to us so that He may become "All in all."  

God is so good.  That is more than an expression.  His nature and His gifts to us are a million times more than our fallen natural minds can perceive.  Whenever the disciples experienced "divine moments" in the life of Jesus, they were completely humbled and overwhelmed. Note Peter's reaction when they caught the two boat loads of fish, or when Jesus calmed the stormy sea, or when He was transfigured on the mount before their eyes.  Jesus walked in the flesh because He left His "divine-ness" in heaven (Philippians  2:6-7), but the Father confirmed He was His beloved Son.  And clearly now He enjoys "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9).  And the next verse says we are "complete in Him."  

Why then, do so many believers not seem to know or experience all the good God has given to us?

  

Focus with me on 2 Peter 1:2-4, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him.  who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."  Let me break this down: 

1) This grace and peace comes through knowing God, having a relationship with Him.  2)  It is finished.  All things that pertain to life and godliness are already given (past tense). 3) The second time the word "knowledge" is used, it is a different Greek word than in verse 2, this word means "acknowledge" which suggests you ascribe and declare what God has revealed that He is.  4) The provision of God is in the promises, His exceedingly great and precious promises.  When the Israelites were given the promised land, Joshua was instructed "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you."  In other words, what God has promised is already given, but we need to acknowledge it belongs to us, and stand firm on it, and hold on to the promise even when the world and the enemy tries to tell us differently.  We stand by believing in our heart and declaring with our lips until it comes to pass.  Faith and patience inherit the promises.

Continue hearing  His promises, open your heart to receive what the Word declares about your situation, declare this promise with confidence until you "see the salvation of God."  He always leads us in triumph and things are going to just get better and better forever!  In the name of Jesus, I agree with you.  (Let me know if there is anything specific that I can agree with you. Write in comments below or directly to ceaderwoodchristn@aol.com)