The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Heaven To Come. Heaven That Came"
"We must remember and affirm that the Heaven to where we will one day go has already come to us through relationship with the Lord of Heaven."
Those who will go to Heaven upon leaving this lifetime are those who have had Heaven come to them during this lifetime.
"I will come to you… Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" (John 14:18; Galatians 4:6).
Being born again by God's grace received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ establishes a family relationship between God and the believer. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12). Heaven became our home when we believed - "our conversation (citizenship) is in Heaven" - meaning that we will one day go to Heaven because by nature we belong there far more than we belong here. In fact, the Apostle Paul declares in the past tense that born again believers already spiritually "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6).
Because this present world so demands our attention and application, we can forget or neglect the truth of the heavenly Presence that already abides with us. We presently "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7). Our spiritual enemies also aggressively seek to counter our confidence in the relationship with God that constitutes the truest and most vital reality of our existence. Thus, we must remember and affirm that the Heaven to where we will one day go has already come to us through relationship with "the Lord of Heaven" (Matthew 11:25). The indwelling Holy Spirit resident in all believers provides the firstfruits of the grace we will one day know in full. Indeed, even to the "carnal" Corinthian church, Paul wrote, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Corinthians 3:3; 16).
An already provided relationship with God through Christ will provide entree into our Heavenly home. We we will go there because we are family. Presently, we remember that our Lord has already come here, that is, He dwells with and within us as the Life of our lives. Yes, the present world is with us. We must navigate its roiled and often dark waters. We do so in the light of the world to come, which already shines within our hearts and will enable to live our earthly lives as citizens of our Heavenly life to come - and the Heavenly life already with us.
"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."
(John 17:3)
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life."
(I John 5:13)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Cleanse Thou me from secret faults."
(Psalm 19:12)
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