For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
There is only one way to live days of Heaven upon the earth. What is that? To live your life with Me, in Me, and through Me because that is the way you will live in Heaven forever. Life without Me is hell, even now. It is the realm of darkness while I am the realm of light. And what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14.
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7. “And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3.
I have rescued you from the realm of darkness and translated you into the Kingdom of My Beloved Son, in whom you have redemption by His blood. Colossians 1:13-14. And I have called you into fellowship with My Son and through My Son to Me. 1 Corinthians 1:9. He is the only way into Me. John 14:6. He always comes and brings you into fellowship with Me for that is where He is. He is in My very bosom. John 1:18. The center of the throne, deep within Me, is where My Word resides and comes forth to full expression by My Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16. And that is where you are born again. “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth (apokueó: to give birth to) by the Word of truth, for our being a certain first fruit of His creatures.” James 1:18.
When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Vine, you as the branches, and Me as the vinedresser (vine caretaker and keeper), you see this close relationship of oneness to produce fruitful lives of days of Heaven on earth. A symphony of agreement and partnership, of fellowship and love. This is eternal life, to know Me, the one true God and the one I sent, Jesus Christ. It is a oneness of unending love and fellowship that results in partnership. To reign together.
It is a place of rest where I know you and you know Me and we work in understanding of the beauty of what is coming forth in your life. And your beauty flows in glory from Me to you and you to Me. It is a oneness of will and purpose and a uniqueness of individual being. I am not you and you are not Me but we are One in image and likeness, in love, purpose, will, and goodness. You find what pleases Me good, perfect and pleasant, and I find what pleases you good, perfect and pleasant and give you your heart’s desires. And your beautiful life reflects Me in the world for the praise of My glory. And My glory is My goodness, My presence, and My power. It is the presence of love, light, and joy. And Heaven is a Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. A place filled with love, light, and joy. There is no darkness there for there is no evil and no one desires to do evil. There is no need to hide. All is open to Me and to you and all there. It is a relationship of covenant love, My everlasting covenant of love sealed in Jesus’ blood.
And if you believe in Jesus, if you believe in His Name and love one another as He gave you command, you are walking in that everlasting Covenant of love. There is nothing and no one to fear. Covenant has benefits of oneness and they are legal benefits that cannot be taken from you.
The world as you know it now is passing away, and the worldly empires and corruption will be destroyed and I will make new heavens and a new earth and unite My Kingdom with yours as one. Heaven will come to earth and we will be one as I dwell among you as your God and you as My people and I make all things new with no death, no lack, no pain, no sadness, and no unfruitful lives of wasted destiny.
And bringing this perspective to the business of daily life in the world as it is now makes every moment important and gives it the glow of eternal reward. And keeping your attention on the fact that all these things are to be dissolved gives a different aspect to how upset or involved you let yourself get pulled into in the vagaries of daily affairs. So, what sort of people ought you to be as My people looking to the future of what is to be? Certainly people of integrity, holy conversation and godliness, men and women of good and holy character, who live expecting and earnestly longing for the coming of the day of the return of Jesus to catch you up with Him in the clouds and bring you safe into Me as the destruction of the evil in the world and of the curse takes place.
Do not set your hopes on this world only, for nothing in the world system that operates on man’s ability rather than My power will remain when shaken. My Son told you that when He spoke of the vine and branches. He told you, quite accurately, that you can do nothing without Me. I sustain your life.
But you are not of this world, though you are in the world, and your life should shine forth the good news that you are in the Light and the darkness cannot enter you, unless, of course, you give the devil a place in you by giving in to the devil’s tactics.
Live in the light. Live pure. Live love. How do you do that? With Me, in Me and through Me, by My grace, that is, My divine life in you. But it all begins with a choice of your will to do so. If you are WILLING and obey My Words, as written and as taught and spoken in your heart by My Spirit, then you will have the good of the land, that is, days of Heaven on earth, no matter what is going on in the earth cursed system. But if you refuse and rebel, you will destroy yourself and others by the words of your mouth and the thoughts of your heart, which will then direct your behavior and your fruitfulness.
Fear, depression, unforgiveness, a lack of gratitude and joy over what I have done for you in Christ as well as in the natural realm will keep you from having days of Heaven on earth and give you a taste of hell instead. For fear, worry, anxiety, depression, bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, immorality, are all unclean spirits and influences from hell and you should not be partaking of them no matter what you feel.
It is time to get serious about watching your thoughts, words, actions, and perceptions, which means your imagination, which can be used for you or against you by what you are pondering upon and envisioning for your future. Focus on the good promises of My Word and not only on the circumstances of your life that indicate a dreaded outcome. Which do you do? Up to you.
My Spirit will guide you to all truth and lead you to a prosperous life, but you must pay heed to Him. And you do that by directing your heart to Me in any given situation and being willing to act in love as I do. Yield to My Word and not your feelings. If you feel you cannot forgive, then make the decision to do so and come to Me to help you do it. But if you choose instead to cling to your feelings about it and expect Me to join you in condoning what is contrary to My clear Word on the subject, I will not. You cannot say you love Me when you have hatred and bitterness towards others for you are disobedient and have no concern for complying with My Words. The same if you are living in sexual immorality, perverted relationships, or agreeing with philosophies that are opposed to Mine. Put your eyes on the Kingdom. You do not want to forfeit your benefits for a lie or for your flesh.
My apostle Paul told you that he was not indulgent of himself because he did not want to lose his reward when from his preaching others were gaining great rewards for obeying My Word. Paul was committed to Me and a holy man but he too had to fight feelings of offense, bitterness, grief, and a host of other attacks of the enemy. The devil worked ceaselessly on Paul since he was making such great inroads into strongholds in the gentile nations that Satan had maintained for decades and more. Paul asked Me at one point to make Satan and his messengers leave him alone, but I told him My grace was sufficient for him to overcome all. And he understood. He knew more about My grace, and had more confidence in it, than anyone of his day. But you have his Spirit inspired writings to meditate and act upon.
We left off yesterday in our Life Lessons with Paul arriving for his final trip in this life to Rome. His days on earth were reaching their fulfillment and I had let him know. He wrote to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
When he arrived as a prisoner in Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with a soldier who was guarding him until such time as he would appear before Caesar as I had foretold he would do. And Paul did not waste time in getting down to the business of sharing the good news of the Kingdom and of salvation in Rome. After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, after speaking with them briefly, the leaders decided to set a day to come to hear what he had to say to them. Acts 28:17-22.
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about My Kingdom and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. His heart was to bring My people to the truth of Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” Acts 28: 23-28.
When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves. And Paul stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. Acts 28:29-31. I gave him one more window to open and let the light shine into Rome before I took him home. And he is with Me now, crowned with many crowns. And he is praying even now for you. And here is what he is praying:
“For this reason also, since the day I heard of your faith, I have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” Colossians 1:9-12.
My servant David would like to share with you his words to you today as well: “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3. Would you like to join with him now? You can right where you are. You are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. “For they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.” Psalm 34:10.
I love you and that is what creation, salvation, and the Kingdom are all about. We have reached the conclusion of the written book of Acts but it is still being written by the lives of all those who have believed in Me and My Son from the words of the early believers until now. What you have heard that brought you to faith in My Son comes from their witness and courage to share what transformed their lives so yours could be as well. Is that your heart now that you have received so great a salvation? Remember, you are writing out the chapter of Acts today that is about your life, let us write it together, forever.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may know what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2.