Living In His Glory

In the beginning when God created, everything was in its finished, fully mature form. He also placed seed in every living thing so that it could reproduce after its own kind. (Genesis 1:1-31) Therefore, the essence of creation goes like this, God spoke, it was so, and it was a completed work. Out of all creation, man was the only thing created in the image and likeness of God. Man is God’s crown jewel of creation, "For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]." (Ephesians 2:10 AMP) 

God created the Garden of Eden and placed Adam there to tend it. (Genesis 2:15). The word garden means, enclosure; to hedge about; It is something that protects, defends, covers, surrounds. Eden means, pleasure; delight. God’s design of Eden was the perfect setting for man, because it was the place of His glory and presence on earth. We get a glimpse of this, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." (Genesis 3:8) Although this was after the fall, we see God’s presence, His glory, in the Garden with Adam and the woman. Before the fall, Adam and the woman were surrounded by, protected by and continuously lived in God’s glorious presence. It was never God's desire for man to live outside of His glorious presence. 

Look at the Psalmist portrayal of man, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas." (Psalm 8:4-8) Notice that God is mindful of man and cares for him, "casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].(1 Peter 5:7 AMP) 

Next, take note that the word angel is the word "elohim." Verse five can be written this way, “For you have made man a little lower than yourself and you have crowned him with glory and honor.” The Hebrews word glory means weight. However, when used figuratively, it is in the sense of splendor; abundance; and honor. It is used to describe an individual’s wealth, power, majesty, fame, reputation, recognition, beauty, magnificence, strength, dignity, splendor, respect, excellence, holiness and greatness. Therefore, the glory of God, expresses the very attributes of God. God crowned man with His glory. In other words, man was created to be filled with and also to be continuously in God's presence, His glory. Not in some nebulous way, but in a real, tangible, experiential way.  

It was Adam's treason, the fall, that separated man from be continuously in the glory and presence of God. Adam did not know physical difficulties such as, pain, sickness, poverty or death. He did not know mental stresses, worry, anxiety, etc., because in God’s glorious presence, none of these things exist. In the glory of God, in His manifest presence, everything is complete. Every need of humanity is met. Jesus' ministry as the Son of Man was the first time that God's glory was present in a man on earth since prior to man's fall. In Jesus' prayer for all believers recorded in John's Gospel chapter seventeen, we find some incredibly good news, He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:22) Then Jesus says, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me." (John 17:24) 

First, by virtue of being born again, we receive the same glory that Peter, James and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration radiating forth from Jesus. The brightness of God's glory in Jesus was simply manifesting on the outside. Not only do we have God's glory within, but Jesus also tells us, "that they may behold (to look at; to see; to perceive with the eyes; to participate in and to enjoy the presence of) My glory…” The Greek word for glory means, splendor; brightness; magnificence; excellence; preeminence; dignity; grace; and majesty. Therefore, combining both the Hebrew and Greek words for glory, we find that, the glory of God is the total sum of His attributes, character, nature and virtues, that is, the very essence of God is His glory. The glory of God is the essence of all that He is. 

With that said, we need to understand that God’s Glory is infinite, boundless, having no restrictions. It is beyond human comprehension and the imagination. His manifested glory on earth is the supernatural, experienced in the natural that makes everything complete and meets every need of humanity. For some this may be hard to comprehend, but that is where faith comes in. Many believers are settling for far less in their relationship with God as they serve Him. So, let me ask you, "Did the Father through Jesus, fully restore humanity or not? Has Christ completely redeemed us or not? Has God recreated us or not? The answer to these three questions is absolutely, yes! 

The final objective of redemption through Christ was to restore humanity to the realm of God’s glory, for which we were created as we saw in the Garden with Adam and now we see in Jesus' prayer in John seventeen. Believers have a complete redemption. Again, this means that the same glory that was and is in Jesus, is in the believer by virtue of being born again by the Holy Spirit. The great news is, God wants us to participate in and to enjoy His glory. This is not to be a once and a while experience, but a continuous one as it was with Adam, and moreover, with Jesus. Believers are in fact carriers of God’s glory and presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, we will never realize such an wonderful fact without faith. The Lord desires to manifest His glory and presence continuously and tangibly in His church, that is, in every believer, both corporately and individually. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory..." (Hebrews 2:10) This is the objective of redemption through Christ! Glory, Hallelujah...  

The Splendor of the Lord

In His final instruction to His disciples concerning all believers to come, Jesus said, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me..." (John 17:24) The word "behold" in this verse means more than to perceive with the eyes, but moreover, to enjoy the presence. Jesus would not have said this if it were not possible for believers to encounter. It is important that we understand that Jesus was not simply talking of His glory as the risen Lord now seated in heaven, but also His glory manifesting on earth. This should be a desire of all believers, that is, to have and enjoy the glory of the Lord manifesting in the here and now on earth. Why?

The glory of God releases and produces something in the hearts of people that cannot be received directly through hearing teachings, reading books, or receiving an anointing through the laying on of hands, even though these are good things to do and can point us to the glory. However, if we sincerely want to be changed and transformed, we must have an insatiable desire to enter into His glory, into His presence. The Psalmist David said, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4) and "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy..." (Psalm 16:11) It is in His presence where believers will experience things that are, "...exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think..."
(Ephesians 3:20) It is the place where we "all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

However, to experience continuous transformation, we also need to know how to respond when the glory of God manifests. There is no formula, method, or manual regarding how to do this, but we must be prepared for His presence to come. Sometimes, His presence comes to heal or deliver, and people are aware of it, but they do nothing about it; they don't respond in faith. Even though God acts according to His sovereign will concerning this, our part is to worship Him, or to say, "Lord,I receive my healing. I receive my deliverance." We have to respond to Him when His presence comes. If we have wrong attitudes towards His presence, we may find ourselves missing His coming. This very thing happened to Jacob, "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:16) Even worse, we may find ourselves grieving the Holy Spirit.

As we see, it is possible for us to be in the same place where the glory of God is present and not realize it. His presence is a gift so, let us not ignore or reject Him. God does not manifest His presence where He is simply tolerated, He comes where He is celebrated. We need to remain sensitive to how the Spirit of God is moving. The next time we recognize His presence, we can respond in faith and worship. When Jacob did realize that God was with him, he set up a pillar, marking the place, and anointed it with oil. (Genesis 28:17-18)

I believe God is raising up a new generation of men and women of all ages who will know how to respond to His presence. This generation will thirst for His glory to manifest on earth. The darkness in the world will become denser each day, and wickedness will multiply, but the manifestation of God on earth will also become more powerful with each passing moment, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:10, 13) It will be this generation of believers, of every age, every nation and tongue, that will impact the world and gather the greatest harvest of souls ever seen.

I believe that entire cities and nations will be shaken by His glory and we will see some of the greatest miracles, signs, and wonders taking place where they will recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior. My question to you is this; are you willing to be transformed and be a part of the new generation? If your answer is yes, God will take care of everything because He does not want His people to waste their time following religious norms. He wants us to enjoy the highest dimension of His glory. So, let us move on to perfection in and through His glory. 

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." Jude 24-25)

From Glory to Glory

The Lord desires to manifest Himself among His children. Jesus said, "...he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21) To manifest is to show, to make appear, to place before the eyes so that an object may be seen. Again, Jesus desires to manifest Himself among His people, to show himself to them that they should see and know that he is their Lord and Savior. He continues, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23) God will manifest himself to believers as a Father and again, Jesus will manifest himself as Lord and Savior. To make their home in believers is a figurative expression implying that the Father and Jesus would manifest themselves in no temporary way, but that believers are to enjoy their presence continually.

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul reveals, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16); "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you..." (1 Corinthians 6:19); "...For you are the temple of the living God..." (2 Corinthians 6:16) As we see, believers can enjoy God's presence continuously because He has set up residence in us. But this goes even further. Jesus reveals to us in His prayer to the Father in John gospel chapter seventeen, a very exciting things for all who would believe in Him  through the preaching of the gospel. He prays, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one...Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:22, 24) 

The very glory that the Father gave Jesus would also be given to every believer. What does this mean to the believer? "Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." (Matthew 17:1-2) This is the glory of the Father in Christ being reflected on the outside of Jesus that these three disciples got to see in which all future disciples would come to participate in. Jesus says it this way, "that they may behold My glory which You have given Me." The word behold means, to be a spectator; look at; to view attentively; to see; to perceive with the eyes; to enjoy the presence of. The very glory that the three disciples saw, is the very same glory that Jesus said believers could view attentively, perceive with the eyes and or enjoy the presence of.

For many this may be difficult to believe, that believers can enjoy the very presence of God beyond Him living inside, but to physically see His glory, His presence, manifest among us. This is a part of the tremendous redemption that the Father restored to man through Christ, that Adam had forfeited. It is not difficult to believe if believers will accept the truth without doctrinal prejudices and then learn how to create and atmosphere where God can manifest His glory. In other words, God does not manifest Himself where people tend to carry out an agenda, a predetermined program, or where He is simply tolerated due to poor attitudes during a church service. He will always manifest Himself where people have an insatiable desire to reverence, celebrated and honored Him with their whole heart.

You might ask, "Is it possible for us to be in the same place where the glory of God is present and not realize it? Look at the situation the Jacob encountered, "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:16) As we can see, yes it is possible for believers to be in the same place where the glory of God is present and not realize it. There are many reasons for this, such as a lack of knowledge of such things, teaching that opposes this or not being willing to accept change from the same old order of a church service that we have grown use to. However, most often, it is sin. It could be bitterness, resentment, a lack of forgiveness, poor attitudes, or it may be that we are totally absorbed in our own problems, so that our spiritual perception is completely turned off.  If any of these things are the case, they must be dealt with so that we can be sensitive to how the Spirit of God is moving. 

Although we may be creating an atmosphere for God's glory to manifest, we need to keep in mind, that God alone takes the initiative, to manifest Himself among us. We must learn not to rush or be in a hurry, but to rest in His sovereignty, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and permit Him to have His way in our midst. Our priority should always be to a1low His glory to manifest. Sure, it may be difficult to break free from the same old way of doing a church service, change usually is. It simply comes down to whether we desire continuing in religious rituals or desire the presence of God which is able to transform lives in an instance. In our day, I believe that God is raising up a new generation of people of all ages who will know how to respond to His presence. This generation will thirst for His glory to manifest not only in our church services, but also over the entire earth. 

Although darkness in the world seems denser each day, and wickedness seems to be multiplying, the manifestation of God on earth will also become more powerful with each passing moment. I believe that this new generation of people who hunger for God's presence will impact the world and gather the greatest harvest of souls ever seen. Entire cities and nations will be shaken by His glory and will recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior. I believe that we will see the most remarkable manifestations of His presence through miracles, signs, and wonders that will take place around the world. So, let us be this new generation being assured that God will take care of everything because He does not want us to waste our time following religious norms. He wants us to enjoy the highest dimension of His glory. As Jesus said, "...that they may behold (to perceive with the eyes; to enjoy the presence of) My glory which You have given Me..."

Shout...Glory

Did you know that every believer has been recreated for the habitation of God's glory? The glory of God was a part of man's being in creation, and it is also the inheritance of every child of God. Jesus reveals in His prayer for all believers, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:22) What a wonderful prayer and truth. When the Bible speaks of God's Glory, it is referring to His very presence. To enter into His presence, is to receive all that He is and has, such as, His love, His grace and His divine power. It is His power, which transforms lives by healing, delivering, providing etc.. It also reveals His majesty. Yet many believers have never experienced God's presence where these things manifest. Many are settling for far less in their relationship with God.

The glory of God, is the spiritual atmosphere of heaven, like air is the physical atmosphere of earth. Because the glory is the essence of who God is, everything is complete in His glory, nothing is incomplete. Looking at creation and especially the Garden of Eden, we see this very thing. Everything in the animal and vegetation realm were made in complete form with the ability to reproduce after it own kind. (Genesis 1:11-13, 20-25) This same glory was the life and environment in which the first man, Adam, lived. God created Adam, out of the dust of the earth, and gave him His "breath of life." (Genesis 2:7) Adam was never an infant, a child, or a teenager. He did not have to undergo the growth process that his offspring, or we ourselves experience. The same was true for the woman. They were created and formed as fully mature adults.

In creation, we can see that in God's glory, again, His presence everything is complete and every need that man could ever possibly have, was met. Therefore, we can say without question, the same applies even today for humanity. However, it can only be realized by faith to those who confess Jesus as Lord and receive Him as Savior. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us,  "and you are complete in Him, (Christ) who is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:10) In God's glory we can expect healing, deliverance, and miracles (even creative miracles, such as new organs being formed and even lost body parts completely restored), simply because this is the heart of God of humanity.

Think about this way, Jesus, though surrounded by numerous people, when a woman with a issue of blood stretched out her faith, came behind Him and touch His garment, virtue, glory, power, flowed and she was instantly healed.  (Mark 5:25-30) When the leper approached Jesus, he says to Him, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:2-5) These wonderful things flow forth in God's glorious presence. Again, this is the heart of our Heavenly Father.

Looking back to the Garden, when man was first created, there was no sickness, poverty, or death because, in God's glory, there is no sickness, poverty, or death. Not only were none of these things present, man himself had no knowledge of them. The Psalmist tells us, "The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord..." (Psalm 97:5) If the mountains melt like wax in the presence of the Lord, then sickness, poverty, death, etc., will also melt, that is, will vanish! Yet, after man sinned by rebelling against God, he had to be removed from God's presence, and he began to experience these dreadful things. (Genesis 3:23-24)

To comprehend what it means to live in God's glory, let's begin by looking at the contrast between the environment in which man lived, in the Garden of Eden before the fall and the environment in which he lived on the earth after the fall. In Genesis one, every aspect of creation on the earth was to prepare the perfect environment, the Garden of Eden, in which God would place man. The word Eden means, pleasure. The word garden means, enclosure and comes from a root word meaning to hedge about, that is, something that protects, defends, covers, or surrounds. When we are in God's glory, it is a pleasure (actually a pleasure beyond human comprehension) and we are protected, surrounded by His presence.

Tragically, man's existence in God's glory did not last. Adam and the woman sinned by choosing to go against what God had told them by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result, they were disconnected from the life of God and were exiled from Eden which, subsequently meant, from God's glory. The very thing that connected them to God, the very thing that gave them direct contact with God, had now become enveloped in their flesh, that is, the mind, will, emotions (the soul) and their body. In other words, man's spirit no longer dominated his soul and body, but now his five senses became the dominating factor of his life. In a sense, he was no longer a spiritual man but a natural man. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

When Adam and the woman sinned, they died spiritually. However, it took 930 years for Adam's body to stop functioning. (Genesis 5:5) I have no scriptural reference, but I believe the glory of God that was present during creation did not simply leave the earth when Adam sinned, but a residual of God's glory was present and is what kept Adam physically alive for that length of time. I also believe that his descendants lived long lives due to the same residual glory of God that remained on the earth in those days. I say this due to the diminishing years that man experienced from the fall. I believe as time moved forward and sin did its awful destructive work, the residual of God's glory on earth dissipated and the number of years of a man's life on earth also diminished. The Psalmist records, "The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years." (Psalm 90:10)

However, we see, when a person is reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit, and their spirit is instantly recreated and restored back to a, "...new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) Our spirits are brought from death to life, (Ephesians 2:1) and we have access to His glory. (John 17:24) Once again, through faith in Jesus Christ, man can live spiritually in the environment of heaven, that is, in God's glory. Keep in mind, we still die physically because physical death has not been eliminate yet. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

Through the meritorious work of Christ, God's glory is in every believer and Jesus' atoning blood gives us access to the Father and once again connects us with His presence while our bodies wait to be completely redeemed from death. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:10) This refers not only in heaven but by virtue of God living in us in this life, we are sons (and daughters) of His glory. In Christ, we are all carriers of God's glory wherever we go, through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We know that God is everywhere, all the time, but He doesn't manifest Himself everywhere on earth today. He manifests Himself where He is welcomed and where people are in right relationship with Him. Although the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer, every believer must actively seek God
and His glory until the day we are in His glorious uninterrupted presence in Heaven. I want to encourage us all, to always have an insatiable desire to know Him, to know His ways and to desire His glory to manifest in, through and around us. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...

Glory, Hallelujah

In the beginning when God created, everything was in its finished, fully mature form. He also placed seed in every living thing so that it could reproduce after its own kind. (Genesis 1:1-31) Therefore, the essence of creation goes like this, God spoke, it was so, and it was a completed work. Out of all creation, man was the only thing created in the image and likeness of God. Man is God’s crown jewel of creation, "For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]." (Ephesians 2:10 AMP) 

God created the Garden of Eden and placed Adam there to tend it. (Genesis 2:15). The word garden means, enclosure; to hedge about; It is something that protects, defends, covers, surrounds. Eden means, pleasure; delight. God’s design of Eden was the perfect setting for man, because it was the place of His glory and presence on earth. We get a glimpse of this, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." (Genesis 3:8) Although this was after the fall, we see God’s presence, His glory, in the Garden with Adam and Eve. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were surrounded by, protected by and continuously lived in God’s glorious presence. It was never God's desire for man to live outside of His glorious presence. 

Look at the Psalmist portrayal of man, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas." (Psalm 8:4-8) Notice that God is mindful of man and cares for him, "casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].(1 Peter 5:7 AMP) 

Next, take note that the word angel is the word "elohim." Verse five can be written this way, “For you have made man a little lower than yourself and you have crowned him with glory and honor.” The Hebrews word glory means weight. However, when used figuratively, it is in the sense of splendor; abundance; and honor. It is used to describe an individual’s wealth, power, majesty, fame, reputation, recognition, beauty, magnificence, strength, dignity, splendor, respect, excellence, holiness and greatness. Therefore, the glory of God, expresses the very attributes of God. God crowned man with His glory. In other words, man was created to be filled with and also to be continuously in God's presence, His glory. Not in some nebulous way, but in a real, tangible, experiential way.  

It was Adam's treason, the fall, that separated man from be continuously in the glory and presence of God. Adam did not know physical difficulties such as, pain, sickness, poverty or death. He did not know mental stresses, worry, anxiety, etc., because in God’s glorious presence, none of these things exist. In the glory of God, in His manifest presence, everything is complete. Every need of humanity is met. Jesus' ministry as the Son of Man was the first time that God's glory was present in a man on earth since prior to man's fall. In Jesus' prayer for all believers recorded in John's Gospel chapter seventeen, we find some incredibly good news, He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:22) Then Jesus says, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me." (John 17:24) 

First, by virtue of being born again, we receive the same glory that Peter, James and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration radiating forth from Jesus. The brightness of God's glory in Jesus was simply manifesting on the outside. Not only do we have God's glory within, but Jesus also tells us, "that they may behold (to look at; to see; to perceive with the eyes; to participate in and to enjoy the presence of) My glory…” The Greek word for glory means, splendor; brightness; magnificence; excellence; preeminence; dignity; grace; and majesty. Therefore, combining both the Hebrew and Greek words for glory, we find that, the glory of God is the total sum of His attributes, character, nature and virtues, that is, the very essence of God is His glory. The glory of God is the essence of all that He is. 

With that said, we need to understand that God’s Glory is infinite, boundless, having no restrictions. It is beyond human comprehension and the imagination. His manifested glory on earth is the supernatural, experienced in the natural that makes everything complete and meets every need of humanity. For some this may be hard to comprehend, but that is where faith comes in. Many believers are settling for far less in their relationship with God as they serve Him. So, let me ask you, "Did the Father through Jesus, fully restore humanity or not? Has Christ completely redeemed us or not? Has God recreated us or not? The answer to these three questions is absolutely, yes! 

The final objective of redemption through Christ was to restore humanity to the realm of God’s glory, for which we were created as we saw in the Garden with Adam and now we see in Jesus' prayer in John seventeen. Believers have a complete redemption. Again, this means that the same glory that was and is in Jesus, is in the believer by virtue of being born again by the Holy Spirit. The great news is, God wants us to participate in and to enjoy His glory. This is not to be a once and a while experience, but a continuous one as it was with Adam, and moreover, with Jesus. Believers are in fact carriers of God’s glory and presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, we will never realize such an incredible fact without faith. The Lord desires to manifest His glory and presence continuously and tangibly in His church, that is, in every believer, both corporately and individually. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory..." (Hebrews 2:10) This is the objective of redemption through Christ! Glory, Hallelujah...  

When is Enough, Enough

In every area of life, someone or something determines when enough is enough. When one has had enough to eat; sleep; work; learn and so on. But what about for the believer, especially when it comes to the Christian experience. When does a believer ever forgive enough; love enough; serve enough; give enough, etc.? Although believers have freewill, is it really their decision when they have had enough of the Christian experience? Whether we want to believe or not, the answer is no. Now with that said, God certainly is not going to forbid believers from exercising their own will, but the truth is, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) 

You see, many believers like the idea that all aspects of salvation such as grace, righteousness, prosperity, healing etc. are all free and they are, meaning that we cannot earn them by our works. However, they still come with a price. The moment that a person confesses with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, believes in the heart that God raised Him from the dead and takes Jesus as their Savior, they are instantly born again, but it does cost a price.  First and foremost, it cost God the Father the greatest expense of all. The death of His only Begotten Son. If one truly takes Jesus as Lord and Savior, then, as Paul tells us, "you are not your own? For you were bought at a price" meaning, you and I have just relinquished our rights to the Lord Jesus.

Numerous times Jesus spoke to His disciple about the cost of being one of His disciples. For instance, Jesus says, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21); “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23) "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:25-26) Jesus goes on and talks about the cost involved in building a tower and going to war. In other word, believers should never come to a place where they have had enough of the Christian experience. In the world, we work hard to earn a living, to perfect a skill, or to become stronger and better in what we do. But do we honestly put as much effort into becoming a stronger, better, child of God? Do we really desire to be such?

Moses was a man who went from a prince of Egypt, to a shepherd, to a man used of God to perform incredible miracles. He often had unspeakable encounters in God's glory, from the burning bush (Exodus 3); to receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19 - 20); to meeting with God in the tabernacle of meeting that he pitched outside the camp of Israel (Exodus 33:7) Yet in all of these supernatural encounters with God he was not satisfied. He asks God, "Please show me Your glory." (Exodus 33:18) Honestly, for most believers to be in the glory of Gods presence just one time, like the burning bush, would be enough for most, but not for Moses. He wanted more of God.

The apostle Paul reveals the same, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)      

Every thing that most would consider advantageous to get along or even get ahead in the world as viewed from the natural sense, Paul considered them rubbish in what he had gained in his service of Christ. If that was not enough. he goes on to say "that I may know Him." Without doubt, Paul had a close intimate relationship with Christ. We can ascertain this by the "abundance of revelation" that he received from the Lord. (2 Corinthians 12:7) Yet, like Moses, he wanted more. Paul desired to become fully acquainted with Christ's nature, his character, his work, and with the salvation which He had made available to man. This should be one of the highest objects of desire in the heart and mind of every believer, to know Christ in a deeper more intimate way. To desire to live in the glory of God's presence. 

Although to some this may sound impossible or even far-fetched, but it is not only possible, but a desire of God for His children. Jesus gives us an invitation, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 13:28-30) He also tells us, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit." (John 15:5) What an intimate connection believers have with the Savior. In His prayer for all believers,  He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them." (John 17:22) The writer of Hebrews says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) The Apostle Peter exhorts us to, "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18) The Apostle John tells us, "truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) 

As we can see, God has a desire to fill us to overflowing and then some. He is inexhaustible in everything. As a matter of fact, Paul tells us, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." (Ephesians 3:20) So let us never be satisfied with our Christian faith at any time. Let us desire to be in God's presence 24/7. As the Psalmist said, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) Let our desire be HIM!!!                

The House of God

In past, we saw what the scriptures tells us about God the Father and His family, that is, believers. What an incredible privilege it is to receive new birth and immediately become a child of God. Now every believer is a legal partaker of all the promises of God and are now members of the house or household of God. The house of God is often referred to in the Old Testament as a physical Tabernacle or Temple. Many in the church today still hold on to that concept that the House of God is a material building or structure where believers gather together for church functions. However, the Bible paints an entirely different picture. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) The apostle Peter tells us, "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house..." (1 Peter 2:5) Both Peter and Paul are not talking about an edifice, but believers themselves are the temple, the spiritual house of God, His dwelling place. Paul also tell us, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)

Here God's Family is given a very choice name, "the Household of Faith." This reveals an incredible truth. All believers are blood-brothers (and sisters). We have partaken of the same nature, as well as being heirs and joint heirs of Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:17) We are not Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Pentecostals, Charismatics or even non-denominational. To those who have come into new birth through faith in Jesus Christ, we are God's sons and daughters, God's Family, His house on earth. As members of the Family, we are to minister to each other and watch over each other in love. Paul tells us, "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19)  All believers everywhere need to drop everything that we use that separates us from one another and realize this very important fact, God desires to live with His children. He does not want to be simply a guest in our individual lives, no, He wants to have a Father's place in our lives and hearts (John 14:23) and as children of God, we are to be one. (John 17:22)

Think about this. Perhaps the most wonderful fact is, God did not create the whole human race at the same time, but He created one man and one woman and permitted them to be the father and mother of His house to produce for Him more children. This shows the eternal responsibility of fatherhood and  motherhood not only in the natural sense, but moreover, in the spiritual sense. The Apostle Paul says it this way, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) But how can Christ be formed in believers, His house, the church, if we do not want Him. What do I mean by this? No matter what denomination, group of churches or whether an independent congregation, according to statistics, the average church service lasts approximately one hour. 

We may say things like, "we come together to meet with God", "we come together to worship God", but the reality is, for most, we come together to practice our religion in the name of being "sensitive each others time or to those we are trying to reach." We sing songs instead of truly worshiping in spirit and truth. We hear so called relevant sermons that makes us feel good about ourselves, but rarely have any spiritual affect upon those who hear, because they are meant to play upon the emotions and not spiritual transformation. In stead of making disciplines, we fill the church with numerous programs that are simply therapeutic and not spiritually life changing. The sad thing is, we twist the meaning of scripture, to appease our conscience and fit our religious experience so we can justify what we do or not do. Think about it. How many marriages would survive if a husband and wife squeezed each other into a one hour a week meeting? This is why most congregations never experience a true encounter with God in their church services or programs, but equate an emotional response as an encounter with God.  This is not to say that we cannot be emotional, but that emotions cannot dictate a true encounter with the Living God. Transformation is the results of encountering God. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Jesus said, "..."If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23) This is not referring to the new birth experience, but the continuous presence of God in the church. In Jesus' final instructions to the disciples, He also prays for those who will believe in Him through the preaching of the gospel by the disciples. He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:22) He also says, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold (to look at; to view attentively; to see; to perceive with the eyes; to enjoy the presence of) My glory which You have given Me." (John 17:24)     

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) This is not about revival, per se, it is about the continuous manifestation of God in His house, the church. Honestly, where is the manifestation of the Lord in His house? Where is the manifestation of oneness in His house? Where is the manifestation of His power in His house? Where is the manifestation of His glory in His house?  Why has the majority of the church become an institution working at pleasing man rather than a living Body seeking to please God? Look at the words of the Apostles Peter and John, "But Peter and John replied to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you (man) and obey you (man) rather than God, you must judge [for yourselves]." (Acts 4:19 AMP) They said this under persecution. They wanted to please God, not man and were willing to face the consequences, be what they may. Look at the words of the Apostle Paul, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) I guess we can say, if Paul were to please man, he would not be pleasing to Christ.

Jesus finish up what we term "The Lord's Prayer" with these words, "For Yours is the Kingdom, Power and Glory forever, Amen." (Matthew 6:13) I certainly cannot speak for all who read this, but I desire the manifestation of God's Kingdom, Power and Glory wherever I am, especially in a church service, than trying to get through religious acts and programs of man that do not transform lives. A congregation that is more concerned about peoples scheduling than desiring the manifestation of God's Kingdom, Power and Glory, should never expect to experience the manifestation of such in their meetings. Jesus tells us, "Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20)

I am certainly not trying to be critical toward any congregation, but Jesus did say, "I will build my church." (Matthew 16:18) So, let's open the door of our heart. Let's open the door of His house and stop trying to fit God into our schedules, but let Him takes us into eternity by permitting Him full access to His house on His terms and on His schedule. Let's throw religion out of the church and let the King of Glory in. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.