Our Lord cried out to His Father to bring heaven’s government to earth to replace the corrupt activities of sinful mankind. Unredeemed mankind has resisted from the beginning (really.)
But what about “His people?” What about God’s people that had been translated out of this world into the Kingdom of the Son of His love? Are we a shining example of heaven brought down to earth? Can the unredeemed world look at us in awe at our dedication to our Lord and to the blamelessness of our lives? Need we ask? Some “yes” – most “no.”
Heartbreaking, isn’t it? But despite it all, our heavenly Father loves us and His Son (knowing our sinful nature), laid down His life for us.
Our Heavenly Father isn’t believing in us. Oh no. He knows what is in mankind. But He believes in His only begotten Son. And because we believe in His Son, also, we are gathered into the relationship of love between them. We are made part of the family. Blessed beyond blessed are we.
Therefore
We personally cannot change unredeemed mankind, but we can allow the Lord to change each of us, His children. We keep looking “out” when we should be looking “within.” It can be “on Earth as it is in heaven” for each of us individually if we allow Christ to replace the “flesh” within our souls.
How is this done?
There is nothing you, personally, can do to bring this about. The Holy Spirit takes you through a series of tests. Each test you pass removes a quotient of that “flesh” and replaces it with Christ. You cannot test yourself – nor set up the tests. They are like pop quizzes – surprises. Each test is passed by choosing Christ over satisfying the “flesh” nature.
We say we want to be closer to Christ or grow in Christ or know our Father better. If this be true, we are able to experience more of heaven on earth right now. Pick up your own cross and follow our Lord to Calvary.
Remember the old saying from the Evangelicals:
1. I am saved (your spirit.)
2. I am being saved (the replacing of the flesh in your soul with Christ.)
3. I will be saved (the eventual replacing of your earthly body with a heavenly one.)
Civilizations may crumble about us, but our task has never been to rescue the dirt of this planet, but to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as he rescues us out of the dirt that is our flesh.
Our Daddy wants family. May we not be distracted from His purposes for us. Heaven awaits.
We are not having our open prayer meetings at the moment.
