Rewarding Response

There is something about the letter to the Church in Philadelphia that has always made me feel like a child sitting on a father's lap and listening to him tell of the wonderful things planned for the days ahead. It is a safe, comfortable and yet exciting feeling of anticipation. God has "a joy" planned for us that He anticipates opening to us, His children. There are thousands of His children who are looking to Him with joyful, loving hearts that say a heart-felt "Yes!" to His Word and expectation of obedient worship. It is the response of Job who said, "though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!" Their focus is not on their own comfort or desires but on His desire. To please Him, to serve Him and to respond to His plan and purpose is their greatest desire. To spend time with Him in precious communion of thought and worship is the best part of any day. To these, He has a special message of purpose.

Revelation 3:11-13(NASB) 11'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

The ear to hear is the ear tuned to the Spirit of God, given to us to guide us, counsel us, and comfort us. He opens to us the realm of spirit where God is enthroned. His temple is that awesome place where worship is continually heard and Light dwells and music is visible. To most people this is a place they anticipate to see when they die because they "dwell" in this realm. When Jesus said, "if you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you," and this word "abide" means "dwell", He was not talking of heaven or life after death. I do not read this passage and say, "when I die", but I reach for this now. I want to dwell in His temple now, with praise and worship in my heart and on my lips, with His Light radiating in my spirit. I want to be a pillar in His temple now. (A pillar is a stable, permanent part of His temple!) I don't want to ever leave it no matter what circumstance may be in this realm! I can only do that if I overcome the control this realm has on me. I can only do that if I enter into His Rest! I can only do that if my control is given over to His hand and I refuse the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so I can eat of the tree of Life! I have to be an overcomer! I have to "dwell" in Him, not be an occasional visitor. My emotions can't be tapped by circumstances to go back into worry, frustration, discouragement and anger. You don't live with one foot in depression and one foot in joy. You can't live in two places at once. You only visit one or the other. When Jesus prayed that we would not be removed from this realm, He asked that we not be "of" this realm. I must confess, I feel like an "alien" most of the time. I can't feel a part of the "tube" or of most "casual" conversations. If you want to discuss His Word or His goodness, I can talk all day with you, but I can't think of much to say otherwise. I praise God I am beginning to make that switch to abiding in Him, but I haven't made it all the way, so I need the prayers of all of you. I pray for you that your heart will yearn more for Him than anything in this earthly realm. To hear His Voice, to understand His language, to dwell in His temple! The blessing of God go with you and fill your day!