The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me. Psalm 16:5-6.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
In our last Life Lesson we were considering the three things that you should know that address the very core and essence of your life. This revelation comes in a prayer from the Holy Spirit penned by My apostle Paul, and he prays that you who believe in My Son may know the hope of My calling, the riches of the glory of My inheritance in the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of My power into you who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19. In these three revelations you find your purpose, the plan, the reward and the power to attain it. It reveals who you are, what you have, and how you achieve it.
He begins his prayer that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power into us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19.
As we stated yesterday, he is praying you may know three things that you can only know by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in true knowledge of who I am, which you have to know in your spirit. For I am Spirit and My call, inheritance and power are spiritually discerned.
In our prior Life Lesson we studied the hope of My calling, which contains the purpose and plan, so today we will move on to the reward and that is what we will cover in this Life Lesson for your inheritance is beautiful and big. In the next Life Lesson after this one we will move on to the surpassing greatness of My power which I have poured into you who believe.
- “so that you will know . . . what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”
What does that mean? “His inheritance in you”? Think and look back and you will understand what you need to know:
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST. Romans 8:14-16.
This is about the reward you receive when you live My purpose and plan for your life. I often speak of reward and it begins now for those who follow Me by receiving My Son as Lord by faith in His resurrection.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6.
And the reward is the inheritance that you obtain because all who receive Jesus are born again from above as My children. I have seated you with and in Jesus and you now live your life through, with, and in him. So you have His inheritance as yours. For in Jesus I have qualified you for you for that inheritance of the saints in light and have rescued you from the power of darkness and brought you into the Kingdom of My Beloved Son.
As Jesus is so are you in this world. 1 John 4:17. He is the firstborn and His inheritance is the double portion and so is yours for you have access to His inheritance:
The mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26-27.
Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs. Isaiah 61:7.
Christ prepared a place, a mansion, for you and will come back to take you with Him that where He is you also may be. I gave Jesus everything, and to you who are in Him I have given you everything as well. He already had it but He came as one of you and won it for you, His brethren, His Body, and His Bride, the Church. In Him you are made complete.
What is the inheritance of Jesus? Same as yours: ETERNAL GLORY.
I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. John 17:4-5.
Did you notice? Look back at your calling.
Just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12.
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11.
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9.
Your calling and your inheritance are both about eternal glory in My Kingdom in fellowship with Me through My Son. It is all about fellowship and glory together, you give glory by manifesting My goodness, presence and power in the earth and I give you glory in My Kingdom for finishing your mission of glory! My glory lights the Kingdom of Heaven.
But there is more to it. It has pleased Me to give you, the little flock of My Son, the Kingdom. And it is My Kingdom and the Kingdom of My Beloved Son and now I have also made it your Kingdom, the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” Matthew 25:34.
And now I would like to share with you some facts about the Kingdom in which you will live and have amazing projects and assignments as you reign with Me forever. All because you loved and followed Me on earth by believing in what I did for you in My Son.
But just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.
I gave My beloved disciple John a vision of the Kingdom to share with you when he was put in exile on the island of Patmos for preaching the gospel of salvation and in his vision of Patmos I showed him the gospel of the Kingdom. And both are good news for you.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Revelation 21:10.
But that is just the beginning. I take you into much more. I mean the divine dimensions and what is in there and from what it is built. Let us start with the dimensions because I think it will surprise you at its size for one city of the Kingdom. It may make you think again about the reward to the good and faithful servant of ruling over ten cities in My Kingdom.
The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. Revelation 21:15-17.
The height, length, and depth of the city is 1,500 miles (12,000 stadia). The distance from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States at its longest point is about 2,800 miles. But this City is much wider and higher (from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico is just over 800 miles). It is 1,500 miles in height just for its wall. Your atmosphere around your planet only goes up to 62 miles and you are off into outer space. The tallest mountain on earth, Mt. Everest, is just 5.5 miles. The heavenly city, the heavenly Jerusalem is just one city of heaven but within its walls and gates is the heavenly Mt. Zion, which is the highest point in the city with the homes and other buildings terraced around it and the wall has to be at the height of 1,500 miles to reach that.
Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1.
It is no wonder I have to create new heavens and new earth to accommodate the joining with earth with My heavenly city which is at the entrance way to the Kingdom, which is vast and peaceful.
And how do you know that in the heavenly Jerusalem is Mt. Zion within the city walls?
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festal garments, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24.
And this is confirmed in the Old Testament as well.
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King. Psalm 48:1.
When I refer to My Kingdom of Heaven it is always directed to the north and the world to the south. That is why the Bread of My Presence (Face) on the golden table was on the north side of the Tabernacle of Moses, symbolizing the Bread come down from Heaven for a man to eat and never die, and the golden lampstand (Menorah) on the south side, symbolizing Jesus as the Light of the world.
My face shines upon you from the heavenly Zion, the church of the firstborn.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. Psalm 50:2.
And I have seated Jesus there in My sanctuary as King of kings and Lord of lords and you there with Him in spirit and in truth.
“But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Psalm 2:6.
And you come with confidence to the throne room on Mt. Zion.
They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, and they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD— over the grain and the new wine and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; and their life will be like a watered garden, and they will never languish again. Jeremiah 31:12.
And your life should be directed and headed towards My glorious Kingdom where Jesus is preparing a place just for you. He paid the ransom for you all to open the heavenly Zion to you.
And the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful singing and shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Psalm 48:1.
Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; declare among the peoples His deeds. Psalm 9:11.
Now let us look deeper into what is going on in this city and its beauty. People try to draw it as a cube, all shut in, but that is not the case. The walls are square in length, width and height, giving square footage in 3D as 3,375,000,000 square miles, but, as you see it in Revelation 21, it contains the crystal clear river of life, streets, trees, and the immense throne room at the top of Zion as well as many homes. It is a busy, thriving metropolis.
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5.
So you see the scenic beauty and that there is no corruption, death, or pain. No poverty. All is full to the maximum with healing and illumination.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4.
It is self-illuminated by My glory.
I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27.
A place of light and honor, a place of instruction and it is only for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.
For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3.
Now let us look at the beauty of this magnificent city created for you. And you will live there for Jesus is preparing a mansion for you. This city is My home and in My house there are many mansions and many lovely spacious gardens and lands.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places (moné (μονή): dwelling, abode, mansion, permanent abode); if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3.
It is Jesus who takes you there. He knows those who are His own. Your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
It is a beautiful city, its brilliance is of precious stones and jewels, spun gold, and pearls of enormous size. I love to create beautiful things for you to richly enjoy with Me.
Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Revelation 21:11-14.
And let us continue to look more closely.
The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:18-21.
These are jewels and pearls like you have never seen in the earth. But you will see them and you will find them lovely and so common in the heavenly cities that no one need take them or covet them. Your own home is adorned with them as well. Truly you will have there what I once promised the Israelites but had so much trouble trying to make them go to take them.
“Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied.” Deuteronomy 6:10-11.
And let Me give you one more glimpse of the heavenly Zion where you are all invited to gather with Me every day at the throne of grace:
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Revelation 4:1-4.
And what else do you see there? Magnificent choirs and worship from grateful hearts to be there.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12.
And amazing places.
Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelation 8:3-5.
Glorious scenes of splendor.
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Revelation 15:2-3.
Do you remember what Paul said? I had taken him up and showed him the Kingdom of Heaven located in the Third Heaven.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
Do not grow weary in well doing in due season you will reap your reward. I have already given you the Kingdom. It is yours and your entrance assured as soon as you finish your fourfold ministry on earth. Delight in it for it is obtaining for you faith’s goal—a Kingdom where you are with Me forever. Do not neglect so great a salvation, do not be deceived by the pressures and enticements of the world. Nothing here is worth losing the lasting Kingdom over.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23.
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:26-29.
I love you. Be careful to always consider where you are looking, what you are seeking, and where you are going. You are headed home into My everlasting arms. Monitor you thoughts, your words, and your actions for you are seeking a Kingdom that is not of this world.
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10.