We all have images of what we think God is and what we want Him to be….. Sort of like ourselves…. We have images of what we are and what we want to be. Then there is what God’s image of who He says we are……There is only One reality, God, the Uncreated One. God, who is the Creator of you and me, says who we are to be for He was and is and will always be. Should not we join Him and think and see as He says we are to be. In the eyes of our God, there is one image or standard that He has called the human race to be and become….. The image of the Son.
The image of the Lord Jesus Christ within us is changing us into the image that God, our Heavenly Father, has ordained before time began…… This is why the Bible says: Christ in us is our hope of glory, ( Colossians 1:27)…..
We were called for that purpose and are called for that purpose and will always have the purpose within the heart of every man and woman……In every heart, there is a call for eternity. The knowledge of a place larger than what we can see or what we can imagine…… A place of paradise. Paradise will not be found on this earth, though men keep trying to name it on a land, but it is found in the Lord Jesus Christ… Sometimes in His presence is beyond paradise and we want to stay there forever!! But true kingdom perspective is knowing our God beholds all and as we abide in Him- we are in Him- paradise seems to be quite dim in comparison!!
The Old Testament had a way of showing what the plan of God was for man on the outside, though man fell short of the standard……. But it was a type and shadow of the One who was to be brought forth into our realm- of our Hero, the Lord Jesus Christ. This One did not fall short on the outside works for He lived from the inside out towards our Heavenly Father…. He did only what the Father told Him to do as written in John 5. Check it out for yourself!!!
The law brought a lot of rules for man to do on the outside but it fell short via a few chosen people that God had His hand on. The fellowship that our God desired in Spirit and Truth was not met….. He looked for ones who looked for Him and not as in kindergarten looking for their cookies and milk. He wanted man to learn Him and know their cookies would be coming and in fact…… They might mature enough in His ways to desire other Food…….
There was the parting of the Red Sea for a separation unto God and away from our sinful nature. The outward form of circumcision or baptism. Then there was the discipleship in the wilderness so the learning of Yahweh’s way would be imprinted on the hearts of the Israelites.
When the Lord showed up the people trembled of the sound of the trumpet…… Wow!
Yahweh presented Himself on a mountain that quaked with thunder and lightning bellowed out from His fire…… His people were horrified of the real image of Yahweh versus the Yahweh they thought they knew…….. But some were not afraid, or if they were, it is not written….They heard Yahweh and wanted to know Him. They entered into the mount of the Lord and were rewarded to eat with this Great and Awesome God….. in the midst of the thunderings and fire and lightnings.
God has always wanted to fellowship with man as proven when He walked the garden in the cool of the day to be with Adam, His first created man, as written…… There have always been few to venture into the place of fellowship with the Lord in the Old Testament…… He has always a remnant.
But now, from that mount came a stone cut without hands as written in Daniel 2:44, Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.
Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will be no means be put to shame.
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who were once not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy, ( 1Peter 2:6-10).
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as did receive Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God, ( John 1:10-12).
For by Him all things were created in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through and for Him.
And He is before all things and in Him all things consist.
And He is the head of the body, the church , who is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him He should reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on the earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight- if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I , Paul, become a minister, ( Colossians 1:16-23).
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead, ( Colossians 2:9-12).
The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to the saints.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you the hope of glory.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus……
To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily, (Colossians 1:26-29).
When Nicodemus met with Jesus, Jesus was enlightening him to the way of the kingdom of God…… It was not handed down through man but a work that was going to be done by God and God alone…… Yes, He would be using men and women for His testimony but the work would be by His Spirit alone as written in the book of Zachariah, chapter 4….. By His Spirit alone, would men receive the grace to turn and believe in the Lord. Then Holy Spirit would write the laws and statutes on our heart, as written in Jeremiah and Ezekiel and confirmed in the Book of Hebrews, chapter 8…..
Jesus also gave the upper room talk to the guys at the night of His betrayal- the Holy Spirit would come and dwell in you- chapter 14:7 of John. Then He also confirmed this in His prayer to our Heavenly Father in chapter 17 verse 3 and 23: And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. ………………………… I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
The grace of God was given to all men given through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. So is the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God in man…… as is also the perfection of man—— without spot and blameless- in Him. Jesus Christ is the complete and perfected image of man- God had from the beginning……. In Him we are found- blameless and full and complete….. in Him and Him only.
When the fullness or perfection comes out in any religious person- it is wrong. I hear, well we are never perfect or we cannot be perfect,- we are flawed. What did you say? I say yes, it is wrong- there is wrong image of what perfection should be in man via abiding in Christ. This is not our doing- only obeying the cross and the work of the Spirit within by faith. You and I cannot make ourselves perfect- is not this a given ? Then why do we need a Savior?
If my dog who has colors and freckles and spots says man, I worked hard to get my fur coat this way….. Impossible, right? She was made from God. So will the fullness of God in the complete being of Christ in us. Man cannot be perfected in man, however, in Christ, yes. Where the resurrection power of God resides and is being life eternal to all matters of us….. Yes, we are complete- perfect- in Christ Jesus and we are dead in ourselves by the cross of Jesus Christ- God says our image is the Son Jesus Christ……Is He calling forth what is not to replace what is—- Absolutely!!!!
Remember, Abraham waited how long for the promise of Isaac? Did he prepare? Yes. Did he try to bring forth the perfection of the promise on his own? Yes…… Did he have to wait longer to learn patience and endurance so it would be no question on whose power it was to bring forth the promise? Yes. He learned to perfect His faith in God even through the offering of his promise on the altar….. He learned God would provide as well as we learn God will complete or perfect us in Christ by the resurrected power of Christ within—— This is why Christ in us is our hope of glory.
He must increase as we decrease…… As we partake in the cross in deeper measures of being led by the eye of God, Holy Spirit, we also increase in Christ and Christ increases in us…… We must change the image of our mindset to the etching of the purpose of God….. He will only accept worship in Spirit and Truth. He will only be pleased by our faith in the invisible which is more real than the visible. Faith in His greatness and His love will change our image of what we conceive perfection and completeness in Him to be. We then can give Him an open canvas to paint His will and purpose on our heart and mind. Then start to allow the image of the Lord in us to be free….. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty as written in 2 Corinthians-Look it up!.
How can we complete what we did not start? He called us. He died for us. He bestowed on us His Spirit. He tells us to go or not to go….. to do this or do that…… Why get uptight when the mention of fullness and perfected in Christ is mentioned….. Like all of a sudden this part of His great salvation is up to us. He looks for our faith- that is what is desired and a life that lives that out. Our part is to believe the impossible and then obey to live out His plan and yes, it is inconceivable and very impractical……Yet, this is His plan from His heart. His word shall never perish or have not a mate of fulfillment. We can count on Him to perfect us in His greatness, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is great to count on. In truth, He is the Only One to count on in our days on the earth.
Let us just celebrate the greatness of our God and all He has prepared for those who love Him….. He intently looks for those who instead of seeing the thunder and lightnings and by pass the fire in His eyes to just say YES- I come running to You, My King, for You are our everything.
All we have and all we are is Your handiwork. The prints of Your love and grace and mercy upon the lost now found show your majesty… So here we are, supping You on Your mount. May we enjoy who You are and all You are….. Your Majesty, reign in us, so all You see, is all we are and be. No more images do we behold, only what Your fiery eyes show us to know. For in those eyes, we see the plan of our God which is so great and so vast. No man can stand a chance. Bow to His love and His Might. So then His Spirit will take us in flight. We will reach the heights of His sight.
Please note here the few men, ( seventy plus a few), that entered up the mount to eat with God in the Book of Exodus only two made it into the promised land from the group—- Caleb and Joshua and the next generation were the only ones that entered in to the promised land- their promised inheritance…… Let us make sure we enter the narrow path in His strength to remain in Him and He in us throughout the many lies and deceptions of the enemy. These snares can rise up easily if the spirit of our man is not greater than our carnal nature……. How imperative is it to be in the Spirit of our God and listen to His daily words to us. So then the image of the Lord is found in us today as was before in the beginning and will ever be….. The choice is ours. Come on now, let us take the key and bow before the King to have His reign.
And the work is His and we are to believe in Him and His strength of love that never fails. Amen.
Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone that has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure, ( 1John 3:1-3).
We are His holy mountain- His body as He is the head….. We are His army………Listen He is speaking this day- for all who have ears to hear Him and have bowed His way.
Selah!!
Children,
Do not come to Me with all your fullness…… You will go away from I AM empty. Come to Me with your hands and hearts empty and open wide for then the fullness of My love will be bubbling out from within you to all outside. Do you not see it is how you perceive the Food before you to be?
Is it needful or not? Should I go to Him or not? Should I listen to the One who is like no other? Should I hear the sound that has never touched me before or should I go my way as I have done before?
The plans of men often lead to death. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Or you may take My thoughts of who you are to be and be free.
Do not seek to be big. In the smallest ones, the Great One comes.
Stillness of a heart is a great book where I AM fills the pages with teachings and secrets of My heart. Does your heart quiver as I AM speaks? Do you know the way of My eye for you to be ? There are many stones that make the house a home. Yet, the greatness of I AM is also found in the fragrance of a bent flower carrying the dew on its petals.
Though many a foot pass the small looking for the big of the world and yet, miss My gentle calling……Moses, My friend, found I AM out in the desert as did My David. Almost many missed My hand upon their back for where I AM, so is My servant. Where I AM, so is My servant, whose Words I AM confirms- the Testimony of I AM, Jesus Christ, is the Spirit of Prophecy……. Come and believe and drink from the fountain that will never run dry….. All who are thirsty are drinking this day? Why do you still stay away? Time is not counted forever to be. Only those who come to I AM, will be.
See My hands. See My Feet. I AM has bled for you to come to Me. I AM has covered you from head to toe in My grace that forever flows. So why stay away and keep peeking in- push open and see …. See My delight in the ones who beckoned in…… Some like you stumbled in. Some came flying with tears. Some came holding My cross in great fear. See I AM has not forgotten you, My dear. Some came wondering if I AM loved them too….. Of course I have loved you. I AM has called you and has justified you so you would become the image of My Son. I AM bellows out. Come in here and see. All that I AM has finished for you to be with me.. I AM has been waiting for you. So here I AM at your door again, knocking it and trying not to roar…. Open up and let I AM come in to sup with you. So We may be together forever again.
The bird beckons to the sun. Rise, O light, for the day has come. Let me rest in your light, for it has been a very long night. Hear my song, from this little bluebird…. Your light warms up the coldest night. There is nothing more that I wait for than the sun. So come, O fire, that burns away the night. This is my delight to bask in your warming presence in the day and through the night.
SELAH!!
