Dr. Keith Hershey was our guest speaker today. He used Revelation 5 and painted a picture of what's happening in heaven. Most of us were raised in a Christian culture that glorified and placed all the focus on heaven. We were taught that everything would be perfect in the great by and by, but there was no victory for us in the nasty now and now. This is totally incorrect! Even Jesus when formatting the model prayer included this statement..."Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." Luke 11:2 (KJV) Did you get that? Jesus taught us to pray that God's will be done in earth just as God's will is done in heaven!
What is God's will? How can I know God's will? Great questions. The will of God is the Word of God. Think about it this way. When a rich man dies, the family reads the Last WILL and Testament. The will outlines how the assets, property, and belongings of the rich man will be divided and disbursed. Ephesians chapter 1 tells us that we have been adopted into the family of God by the finished work of Jesus. Jesus died and his death paid the price for our sins and made us joint-heirs. Ephesians 1:11-14 says, "We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design. We are called to be an honor to God’s glory because we were the first to hope in Christ. You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory." (Common English Version) 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust." (Message)
We become the sons and daughters of God when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. John 1:12 says, "Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them." (The Living Bible)
Now that we have accepted Jesus three things happened.
1) God has Signed for you - Just like we sign for packages or new car leases, God signed for us with the precious blood of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (The Living Bible)
2) God has Sealed you - You have God's seal of approval! Not because you are good, but because he is Good! Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life." (Message)
3) God has Delivered you - God delivered you from a life of sin! Galatians 1:3-4 says, "Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!" (Message)
So what's going on in heaven? So glad you asked. All the focus is on Jesus! The elders, and the creatures and the angels are all in awe of him. Revelation 5 says, they worship Jesus continually and fall on their faces in reverence and say "Amen". Amen means "so let it be". It's a simple but effective prayer. Until we get to heaven, we can worship Jesus right here on earth and we can agree with the Word of God and say AMEN. Amen to health and healing, because the Word says, "by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) Amen to prosperity and abundance, because the Word says, "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV) Amen to faith and wholeness, because the Word says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Yes, and Amen! Love and prayers, Cynthia
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