Did you ever notice when you view from a high place, it is almost as if you can see forever? Why is that? Why did Paul want us to see ourselves positioned above in the heavenlies with Christ? He first told us that Christ is seated there in chapter 1. Paul then proceeded to tell us that we are there also in the heavenlies seated with Christ in chapter 2.
Did your focus change when you read and then saw yourself seated in the heavenlies with Christ? The world’s view as well as our view of our own lives changes doesn’t it?
Well, the Holy Spirit wants us to see from the view He does…… from heaven above. We can see from the letter sent to Pergamos that there are currently holds or ties of the world in the followers of Jesus. These ties make us bound to the earth or the worldly ways instead relying on the power of God as our Sufficiency and Refuge. We die to the world and live to Christ. Walking in the Spirit is trusting our God for all things. Unless…..
Our own hearts show us our deception if we want the Lord to make our lives full of success according to the world or even the western churches standards of success. Selah…
Remember God did sustain the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years, even their shoes did not wear out….. His arm is not shortened now for us, in fact, with the Holy Spirit within us , our abundance of His life is without limit! We should be choosing the higher life and cutting the ties that keep our thinking and desires earthbound……How can we bow to accept any means of sustenance that the world has to offer as our highest goals or desires in this life?
The best standard of the world is as dung compared to the value of knowing and living with our God daily in close fellowship. When God answers our prayers and we hear His voice to lead us here and warn us of this or that……How can that be measured with this earthly plain? However, we can not have both! The Giver of all, our Great God, who gives life to the dead and who chooses now to reside within us…… or……. this earth which is beautiful because He created it but it is fallen because of man’s ways choosing to close out the God that created it! Choosing the higher life seems to me as a no brainer here, right?
We have died to the world and the world has to died to us. We live only to Christ…. We are after His fame and His Kingdom’s growth, not our own here….. We cannot serve two masters.
We deceive ourselves greatly, if we live what the world says to do to be okay and also do what Jesus Christ says and be okay with Him….. We will lose that battle as the Holy Spirit spoke saying to us from the One who has the sharp two-edged sword. Jesus Christ says in verse 16 of chapter 2, Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
We have to live by the Truth that has been given to us. God has given us the grace to carry and live by His Word, or by the sword by His mouth.
We consistently have to monitor our Food intake…. Where are we getting our comfort and satisfaction and peace? What is the purpose of our Food….. Is it to grow us spiritually or naturally? What are we chasing or pursuing with our waking moments? We may be busy with tasks of the day, but our heart can be turned towards our God. We can take a minute and let Him know we love Him or ask our need of Him….. Our dependence on Him in our every breath should show us, that we need Him in all things…..big and little.
Where is our view? Is it from above with our King? Are we pursuing His rights and His heart? Are we seeking earnestly to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God…..
Expect great views from above revealing the lies and deceptions of the enemy….. We will be lifted up above our enemies as we partake of the Table of Lord that is set before us…..
Peter saw as the Lord saw in Acts. Paul also saw as the Lord saw and, of course, John and many others. If the same view was available to them, cannot we partake of the hidden manna that they lived in? Ask and keep asking…..
Remember God respects our faith. He also tests us, not tempt, but tests us to show us our heart desires. He does not do this for condemnation but for our illumination to let go of the lesser for the better…. He wants us growing in His Spirit as His Spirit will be growing in us, taking a greater reign in and through our lives.
So what is your new name that is written on the white stone that the Lord gives? Keep asking and don’t give up….. I have seen people stand in a line for hours, even days, to get some thing that will be soon outdated or broken or for a show, rides…..
How much tenacity do we have to pursue the One we cannot see, but we believe is waiting…
How much stamina do we have to live before the Audience of One as we believe He is watching…..
How much love does the One who is watching and waiting have for His own ?
He has shown us by stretching out His arms and dying to be with us…. We show our love by dying to the world on our little cross, so we can be with Him where He is……
So we can understand His view that He has died and rose to share with us….. Let us have eyes to see the True Value of the Gift of God to His children……His heavenly children being made into the image of the Firstborn of the dead within them, so we can be with God forever.
Remember, as Paul wrote in Galatians 6:7-8, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For He who sows to His flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting choice.
Every minute, we make a choice towards Him or away from Him. Ask for His strength or grace to go towards Him. He is here with us. Remember how He loves us, His beloved….. His love now resides in us to die for Him to the world and maybe this natural life…. Are we prepared to go to death for His name sake if put before us ? Selah….
The greatness of our God is that He is willing to share Himself with us, but we have to turn away from the world’s stuff that is occupying our hearts and give Him the place to grow in us the Tree of Life by His hidden manna….. Are you hungry and thirsty for His Everlasting Food?…. Do you hear the dinner bell ringing?……. Come up and get it!!!!
