Our Divine Calling to Seek the Heavenly Country

Join me as I explore the profound journey of living a Kingdom-centered life. We will delve into the divine gift of HIS righteousness, the Holy Spirit's role in cultivating a HOLY desire within us, and the foundational "Five Solas" of Kingdom living: by faith alone, by grace alone, by His Spirit alone, by the Word alone, and all for His glory alone.

I aim to illuminate how we, as HIS lamps holding HIS light, are called to SHINE HIS GLORY to the world, confessing His truth and our sins, while eagerly awaiting His glorious appearing, while resting in His grace.

Before we get started, let’s pray. Let’s seek the LORD to align with HIS PERFECT WILL.

We Made Righteous to Pray as Righteous Men

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”

The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

But here’s the question that haunts so many: Am I righteous enough to pray powerfully?

And the answer shocks the religious mind: You don’t BECOME righteous enough. You ARE righteous - because HE MADE YOU righteous.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

We BECAME the righteousness of God IN CHRIST.

Not “we are working toward righteousness.”

Not “we are trying to be righteous enough.”

WE ARE the righteousness of God.

Past tense. Done. Accomplished. HE MADE us righteous.

Romans 5:17 “For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

The GIFT of righteousness.

Not earned. Not achieved. Not accumulated through good behavior.

GIFT.

Received by faith. Given by grace.

And this righteousness - HIS righteousness - makes us pray as righteous men and women.

Not because we deserve to. Not because we’ve measured up. But because HE made us righteous, and His righteousness in us prays powerfully.

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A Divine Desire: Seeking a Better Heavenly Country

Hebrews 11:13-16

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country which they left, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they long for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”

They long for a better country, that is, a heavenly one.

This is not natural human desire. No fallen human naturally longs for a heavenly country.

This is a DIVINE desire.

This is a desire implanted by the Holy Spirit.

This is THE faith OF Jesus operating in us, drawing us toward the Kingdom.

Where Does This Desire Come From?

Philippians 2:13 - “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

God is at work in you.

Both to WILL (to give you the desire)

And to WORK (to enable you to act on that desire)

For HIS good pleasure.

You didn’t manufacture this desire to seek the Kingdom. He put it in you.

You didn’t work up this longing for His appearing. He created it in you.

The very fact that you desire the heavenly country proves that God is at work in you.

The Divine Calling

Hebrews 3:1 - “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus.”

A heavenly calling.

Not earthly ambition. Not self-promotion. Not building kingdoms here.

A calling FROM heaven TO seek heaven.

2 Timothy 1:9 - “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

Called with a holy calling.

Not according to our works.

But according to HIS purpose and grace.

Granted to us from all eternity.

Before the foundation of the world, God planned to give you a divine desire to seek His Kingdom.

This is THE faith working in you.

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Living in the Kingdom of God

By Faith Alone, By Grace Alone, By His Spirit Alone, By the Word Alone - All for His Glory

The Five Solas of Kingdom Living

These are not just Reformation slogans. These are the foundation of how we live in the Kingdom of God NOW while we wait for its full manifestation THEN.

1. BY FAITH ALONE (Sola Fide)

Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

By faith. Not by works. Not by religious performance. Not by self-effort.

By THE faith OF the Son of God.

Everything in Kingdom living operates by faith:

- We are saved by faith
- We are justified by faith
- We are sanctified by faith
- We walk by faith
- We pray by faith
- We love by faith
- We overcome by faith
- We will be glorified by faith

1 John 5:4 - “For whatever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.”

Our faith - but remember, it’s THE faith OF Jesus operating in us. His faith. His victory. His overcoming power living through us.

2. BY GRACE ALONE (Sola Gratia)

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

By grace. Not by deserving. Not by earning. Not by merit.

Grace - the unmerited favor and empowering presence of God.

Grace saved us. Grace sustains us. Grace transforms us. Grace trains us. Grace will glorify us.

Titus 2:11-12 - “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age.”

Grace INSTRUCTS us. Grace teaches us how to live in the Kingdom.

Without grace, we would have nothing. Without grace, we could do nothing. Without grace, we would be nothing.

By grace alone.

3. BY HIS SPIRIT ALONE (Sola Spiritus)

John 6:63 - “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life.”

The Spirit gives life. The flesh profits nothing.

We cannot live Kingdom life in the power of the flesh. We need the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:16, 25 - “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh…If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.”

Walk by the Spirit. Live by the Spirit. Follow the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit:

- Convicts us of sin
- Reveals truth to us
- Teaches us all things
- Guides us into all truth
- Empowers us for service
- Produces fruit in us
- Gives us gifts for ministry
- Intercedes for us in prayer
- Transforms us into Christ’s image

Romans 8:14 - “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.”

Led by the Spirit. This is how sons of God live.

By His Spirit alone.

4. BY THE WORD OF GOD ALONE (Sola Scriptura)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

All Scripture is inspired by God.

Beneficial for teaching, rebuke, correction, training.

So that we may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

The Word is our authority. The Word is our guide. The Word is our foundation.

John 17:17 - “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

Your word IS truth.

Not one of many truths. Not a collection of helpful suggestions.

THE truth.

Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Living and active. Not dead letters on a page. Living.

The Word doesn’t just inform us. It transforms us. It judges us. It shapes us.

By the Word alone.

5. ALL FOR HIS GLORY ALONE (Soli Deo Gloria)

1 Corinthians 10:31 - “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God.”

Do ALL things for the glory of God.

Not for our glory. Not for human applause. Not for self-promotion.

For HIS glory alone.

Isaiah 42:8 - “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to idols.”

He will not share His glory.

And why should He? Everything good comes from Him. Everything is by Him, through Him, and to Him.

Romans 11:36 - “For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

From Him. (Source)
Through Him. (Means)
To Him. (Purpose)
All things.

To Him be the glory forever.

This is the foundation of Kingdom living:

BY FAITH ALONE
BY GRACE ALONE
BY HIS SPIRIT ALONE
BY THE WORD ALONE
ALL FOR HIS GLORY ALONE

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Because We Love the Word: Crying Out for His Glory to Come

The Word Given as a Gift of His Grace

John 1:1, 14 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Word IS Jesus.

When we say we love the Word, we’re saying we love JESUS.

When we say the Word was given as a gift of grace, we’re saying JESUS was given as a gift of grace.

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

He GAVE His only Son.

The Word made flesh. The greatest gift. The supreme act of grace.

And because we love this Word - because we love Jesus - we cry out for His glory to come.

NOW Is the Time to Receive His Glory to Glorify the Son in the Father

John 17:1, 4-5 - “Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You…I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. And now, glorify Me together with Yourself, Father, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.’”

Glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You.

This is the divine dance of glory:

- The Father glorifies the Son

- The Son glorifies the Father

- The glory flows back and forth in perfect unity

And we - the Bride, the Body of Christ - participate in this glory.

John 17:22-23 - “And the glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me.”

The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them.

Jesus gives us His glory.

Not our own glory. Not human glory. HIS glory.

And this glory produces unity. The unity of THE faith. The unity of the Spirit. The unity of love.

Crying Out in Faith for His Glory

This is the prayer of the righteous:

“Father, glorify Your Son in us!”

“Let Your glory come!”

“Let Your Kingdom come!”

“Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!”

We cry out because we love the Word.

We cry out because we’ve tasted His glory.

We cry out because we long for more.

Psalm 27:4 - “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.”

One thing: To behold His beauty. To see His glory. To dwell in His presence.

This is the cry of faith: “Father, let Your glory come! NOW is the time!”

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We Are the Lamp, His Light Set Upon a Hill for All to See

Matthew 5:14-16. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

You ARE the light of the world.

Not “you should be.” Not “try to be.” You ARE.

How? Because HE is the Light, and He lives in you.

John 8:12 - “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’”

Jesus IS the Light of the world.

And we, by having Him living in us, become lights to the world.

We are the lamp. He is the Light.

The lamp doesn’t generate light. The lamp holds the light. The lamp displays the light.

We don’t generate righteousness, holiness, love, or power. We hold HIS righteousness, HIS holiness, HIS love, HIS power. We display HIS glory.

Set Upon a Hill for All to See

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

This is not optional. This is not “if you feel like it.”

If you are a lamp containing His light, you WILL be visible.

The question is not WHETHER you’ll shine. The question is whether you’ll try to hide the light (put it under a basket) or let it shine (put it on a lampstand).

Kingdom living is visible living.

Not showy. Not performance. Not seeking attention.

But authentic, transparent, real life in Christ that cannot be hidden.

When people see your life, they should see:

- His love
- His joy
- His peace
- His patience
- His kindness
- His goodness
- His faithfulness
- His gentleness
- His self-control

Galatians 5:22-23 - The fruit of the Spirit made visible.

So That They May Glorify Your Father

This is the purpose of our light shining:

Not so they glorify US.
But so they glorify THE FATHER.

If people look at you and praise you, the light is misdirected.

If people look at you and praise God, the light is properly positioned.

John 3:30 - “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

More of Him. Less of me.
His glory. Not mine.
His name lifted up. Not mine.

This is what it means to be a lamp on a hill.

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We Receive His Word and Confess His Truth

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

Speak the word of God with boldness.

We receive His Word - not just intellectually, but as living truth planted in our hearts.

James 1:21 - “Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”

Receive the word IMPLANTED.

The Word doesn’t just sit on the surface. It’s planted deep. It takes root. It grows. It transforms.

And once we receive it, we confess it.

Confessing His Truth

Romans 10:9-10 - “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

With the heart a person believes.

With the mouth he confesses.

Confession is not optional. It’s essential.

What we believe in our hearts must be confessed with our mouths.

Matthew 10:32-33 - “Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Confess Him before people.

This is not just a one-time salvation confession. This is ongoing, daily, moment-by-moment confession:

“Jesus is Lord.”
“Jesus is King.”
“Jesus is my righteousness.”
“Jesus is my healer.”
“Jesus is my deliverer.”
“Jesus is my peace.”
“Jesus is my life.”

We confess His truth because His truth is reality.

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We Confess Our Sin

1 John 1:8-9 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us.

Confessing His truth and confessing our sin are not contradictory. They’re complementary.

We confess His truth: “Jesus is Lord. Jesus is righteous. Jesus has made me righteous.”

We confess our sin: “But I still fail. I still fall short. I still sin. I need His cleansing. I need His forgiveness.”

Both are true. Both must be confessed.

What Is Sin? All Forms of SELF? YE!S

This is the revelation that often comes in the School of Kingdom Living:

Sin is not just “bad things we do.” Sin is SELF operating apart from faith.

Romans 14:23 - “But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”

Whatever is not from faith IS SIN.

If it’s not flowing from THE faith OF Jesus, if it’s not operating in HIS life, if it’s SELF trying to do it apart from Him - it’s sin.

This includes:

SELF-ambition - Building my own kingdom instead of His

SELF-promotion - Seeking my own glory instead of His

SELF-protection - Guarding my own reputation instead of trusting Him

SELF-preservation - Saving my own life instead of losing it for His sake

SELF-assurance - Trusting in my own abilities instead of His

SELF-assessment - Judging myself by my own standards instead of His

SELF-governance - Ruling my own life instead of submitting to His rule

All forms of SELF apart from FAITH are sin.

James 4:6 “But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’”

God opposes the proud (those operating in SELF).

God gives grace to the humble (those who confess they have no life apart from Christ).

To confess our sin is to confess: “Lord, SELF rose up in me again. I tried to do it in my own strength. I tried to be my own savior. Forgive me. Cleanse me. Restore me to living by YOUR faith.”

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We Ask for Repentance: To Repent from Our Sin

The Gift of Repentance

Here’s something many miss: Repentance itself is a gift.

Acts 5:31 - “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”

To GRANT repentance.

You cannot repent in your own power. You cannot turn from sin through willpower alone.

Repentance is a gift from God.

2 Timothy 2:25 - “with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”

If perhaps God may GRANT them repentance.

So when we ask for repentance, we’re asking for:

- The desire to turn from sin (He gives the desire)

- The power to turn from sin (He gives the power)

- The grace to walk in a new direction (He gives the grace)

This is what we pray: “Father, grant me repentance. Give me the desire and power to turn from SELF and walk by faith. Grant me grace to die to SELF daily and live by the faith of Your Son.”

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And the Grace to Enter His REST by Faith for His Glory

Hebrews 4:9-11 “So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.”

A Sabbath rest REMAINS.

This is the 1000-year Kingdom reign. This is the Millennial Sabbath. This is when we rest from our works and reign with Christ.

But there’s also a rest we can enter NOW by faith.

Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”

I will give you rest.
You will find rest for your souls.

This is the rest of ceasing from our own works and living by HIS faith.

This is the grace we ask for: “Father, give me grace to enter Your rest. Grace to stop striving. Grace to cease from my own works. Grace to live by the faith of Your Son. Grace to trust You completely. Grace to wait for Your Kingdom in peace.”

All for HIS glory.

Not so we can be comfortable. Not so we can be lazy.

So that HE receives glory when people see us resting in Him while the world frantically strives in SELF.

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In Divine Gratefulness, in His Humility

Receiving What We Could Never Earn

This is the posture of Kingdom living: Divine gratefulness.

Not human thankfulness (which says “thank you for what I deserved”).

But DIVINE gratefulness (which says “I deserved nothing but death, and You gave me everything including life”).

Ephesians 2:4-7 - “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Even when we were DEAD in wrongdoings, He made us alive.

We deserved death. He gave us life.

We deserved wrath. He gave us love.

We deserved condemnation. He gave us righteousness.

We deserved separation. He gave us adoption.

This produces divine gratefulness.

In His Humility

Philippians 2:3-8 - “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

HIS humility.
Not self-generated humility.
Not fake humility.
Not religious humility.
HIS humility living in us.

The same humility that:

- Emptied Himself
- Took the form of a bond-servant
- Was born as a man
- Became obedient to death on a cross

This humility says:

“I have nothing apart from You.”
“I am nothing apart from You.”
“All I have is gift.”
“All I am is by grace.”
“All glory goes to You.”

We receive this humility. We walk in it. By faith.

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We Sing a New Song: A Song of the Goodness of God in Faith, a Kingdom Song

Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’”

A NEW song.

Not the old song of SELF (“Look what I did! Look what I accomplished!”).

The NEW song of FAITH (“Look what HE did! Look what HE accomplished! All glory to Him!”).

The Song of the Goodness of God

Psalm 107:1 - “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His faithfulness is everlasting.”

He is GOOD.

This is the foundation of the Kingdom song.

Not “God is good when things go my way.”

Not “God is good when I feel blessed.”

“GOD IS GOOD - period, always, unchangingly, eternally.”

Romans 8:28 - “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

ALL things work together for good.

Even the stripping. Even the breaking. Even the suffering.

Because HE is good, and He is working everything for our ultimate good - conformity to Christ’s image.

A Kingdom Song

This song declares:

“The Kingdom is coming!”
“The King is returning!”
“We will reign with Him!”
“Justice will be established!”
“Righteousness will fill the earth!”
“The curse will be removed!”
“All things will be restored!”
“Glory to God forever!”

Psalm 96:1-3, 10, 13 - “Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples…Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples fairly.’…For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.”

The LORD reigns!
He is coming to judge the earth!
He will judge in righteousness!

This is the Kingdom song we sing by faith.

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Knowing That All Who Seek Him Will Find Him

Jeremiah 29:13 “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

You WILL find Him.

This is not “maybe.” This is not “possibly.”

WILL.

Guaranteed. Certain. Promised.

If you seek Him with all your heart, you WILL find Him.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Everyone who seeks FINDS.

No exceptions. No qualifications. No “unless you’re not good enough.”

EVERYONE who seeks finds.

Why Are We Confident of This?

Because He is already seeking us.

Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

HE came to SEEK us.

We don’t seek Him in our own power. We seek Him because HE first sought us.

We don’t find Him by our cleverness. We find Him because HE reveals Himself to those who seek.

The very desire to seek Him is evidence that He is drawing you.

John 6:44 - “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

The Father draws us.
We respond by seeking.

And we find Him - because He wants to be found.

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In THAT DAY: The Day of His Glory, the Glory of His Grace

When We Receive Glorified Bodies That Glorify Him

1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 49 - “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.”

In THAT DAY:

Perishable → Imperishable
Dishonor → Glory
Weakness → Power
Natural body → Spiritual body
Earthy image → Heavenly image

We will receive bodies that GLORIFY HIM.

Not bodies that glorify us. Not bodies that make us look good.

Bodies that reflect HIS glory. Bodies that display HIS image. Bodies that bring HIM honor.

The Glory of His Grace

Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14 - “to the praise of the glory of His grace…to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory…who is a first installment of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Three times: “To the praise of His glory.”

THAT DAY will display:

The glory of His grace - that He saved us who deserved nothing

The glory of His power - that He transformed us who were dead in sin

The glory of His faithfulness - that He completed what He started

The glory of His love - that He never let go of us

The glory of His wisdom - that He worked all things for good

The glory of His sovereignty - that His plan never failed

And we - glorified in that day - will be living testimonies to the glory of His grace.

For all eternity, when angels and redeemed humanity look at us, they will say:

“Look what grace did!”
“Look what He accomplished!”
“Glory to God forever!”

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As We Wait for His Appearance and Love His Appearance by Faith

2 Timothy 4:8 “in the future there is reserved 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.”

To all who have LOVED His appearing.

Not just “believed in His appearing.”
Not just “acknowledged His appearing.”

LOVED His appearing.

What Does It Mean to Love His Appearing?

To love His appearing means:

1. You eagerly expect it

Philippians 3:20 - “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly await for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Eagerly await. Not dread. Not fear. Not reluctance. Eager expectation.

2. You live ready for it

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 - “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.”

Alert and sober. Living ready. Watching. Prepared.

3. You long for it

Romans 8:23 - “And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.”

Groaning. Waiting eagerly. Not satisfied with this present world. Longing for the next.

4. You talk about it

Malachi 3:16 - “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened attentively and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.”

They spoke to one another. About the Lord. About His coming. About His Kingdom.

5. You live for it

Colossians 3:1-4 - “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Seeking things above. Setting your mind on things above. Living for THAT DAY.

This is what it means to love His appearing.

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We Know All Mysteries of the Kingdom of God

Matthew 13:11 “And Jesus answered them, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.’”

It has been GRANTED to you to know the mysteries.

Not “you figured them out.” Not “you earned the right to know.”

GRANTED. Given. Gift.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10, 12 “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory…Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

The Spirit was given so that we may KNOW the things freely given to us by God.

The mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

What Mysteries Do We Know?

1. The mystery of Christ IN us

Colossians 1:27 - “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.”

Christ IN you. Not just Christ FOR you. IN you.

2. The mystery of the Gospel

Ephesians 6:19 - “and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.”

The Gospel is not just “Jesus died for your sins.” It’s the entire plan of redemption, restoration, and glorification.

3. The mystery of His will

Ephesians 1:9-10 - “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He determined in Himself, that in the administration of the fullness of the times He might bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”

Bringing all things together in Christ. This is the ultimate plan. This is where everything is heading.

4. The mystery of the Rapture

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

A mystery. Hidden until revealed. And now revealed to us by the Spirit.

5. The mystery of the Kingdom

Luke 8:10 - “And He said, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.’”

The mysteries of how the Kingdom operates, when it’s coming, who will be part of it, what it will look like - granted to us by faith through the Spirit.

We know these mysteries not because we’re smart, but because He revealed them to us by faith.

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Faith Comes by Hearing, and Hearing by the Love of God

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Faith comes from hearing.

But let’s go deeper: What enables us to hear?

The love of God.

1 John 4:19 - “We love, because He first loved us.”

He first loved us. His love came first. Our response came second.

John 6:44 - “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”

The Father draws us. How? Through His love.

Jeremiah 31:3 - “The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’”

Everlasting love.
Drawing with lovingkindness.

So the flow is:

1. God loves us (everlasting love, from before the foundation of the world)

2. His love draws us (we begin to seek Him because He sought us)

3. We hear the Word (the Gospel, the truth about Jesus)

4. Faith arises (not from us, but from hearing - His Word produces His faith in us)

5. We believe (responding to the faith He gave us)

6. We are saved (by grace through faith, not of ourselves)

It all starts with His love.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing is enabled by the love of God who drew us to Himself.

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Those Who Have Been Given the Gift of Righteousness by Faith Through Grace Will Enter His REST

Romans 5:17 “For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

The GIFT of righteousness.

Those who RECEIVE this gift will REIGN in life.

And ultimately, they will reign in the 1000-year Kingdom - entering His REST.

Hebrews 4:3 “For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, ‘As I swore in My anger, They shall not enter My rest,’ although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

We who have BELIEVED enter that rest.

Not “we who worked hard enough.”

Not “we who measured up.”

We who BELIEVED - by faith through grace.

The rest is guaranteed for those who have been given the gift of righteousness.

This includes:

1. Rest NOW - Ceasing from our own works, living by His faith

2. Rest THEN - The Millennial Sabbath, the 1000-year Kingdom reign

3. Rest ETERNALLY - The New Heaven and New Earth, forever with Him

All by grace. All through faith. All because of the gift of righteousness.

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We Seek Him Because He Has Entered Into Us

The Divine Reversal

Here’s the beautiful paradox:

We don’t seek Him to get Him to enter us.

We seek Him BECAUSE He already entered us.

1 John 4:10 - “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

He loved us FIRST.

The sequence:

He loved us (before we loved Him)

He drew us (before we sought Him)

He entered us (Holy Spirit took up residence)

We began to seek Him (responding to His presence in us)

We find Him (discovering more of who He already is in us)

Revelation 3:20 - “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

I will come in to him.

He comes IN. He enters. He takes up residence.

Colossians 1:27 - “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

IN you.

The seeking comes FROM His presence already in us.

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Having Redeemed Us, Purchased Us with His Own Blood

1 Peter 1:18-19 “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

Redeemed with precious blood.

Not silver. Not gold. Not any earthly currency.

HIS blood.

Acts 20:28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

Which He PURCHASED with His own blood.

We are OWNED by Him.
We are HIS possession.
He BOUGHT us.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

You are not your own.

You have been bought with a price.

This is not slavery. This is liberation.

We were slaves to sin. He purchased us OUT of that slavery.

We were bound to death. He redeemed us INTO life.

We were owned by darkness. He bought us for HIS Kingdom of light.

We belong to Him. And that’s the best news in the universe.

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Returning Us to the Father: The Lost Now Found

Luke 15:4-7 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

The lost NOW found.

That’s us. We were the lost sheep. He came and found us.

And now He is returning us to the Father.

John 17:6, 11-12 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me…I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.”

They were YOURS (the Father’s).
You GAVE them to Me (Jesus).
I kept them in Your name.
I guarded them.
Not one perished.

Jesus is returning us to the Father - the ones the Father gave Him.

We were the Father’s. We were lost. Jesus found us. Jesus kept us. Jesus is bringing us back to the Father.

The lost now found. The prodigals returning home.

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Which He Will Not Lose a Single One

John 6:37-40 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

I CERTAINLY will not cast out.
I will LOSE NOTHING.
I will raise it up on the last day.

This is absolute. This is certain. This is guaranteed.

Jesus will not lose ONE.

John 10:27-30 “My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

They will NEVER perish.

NO ONE will snatch them out of My hand.

NO ONE is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Double security. Double guarantee.

In Jesus’s hand AND in the Father’s hand.

Romans 8:38-39 - “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

NOTHING can separate us.

He will not lose one. Not a single one.

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The Story of the Unity of THE FAITH

Here Is the Story:

Before the foundation of the world, the Father chose us in Christ (Ephesians 1:4).

In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son to redeem us (Galatians 4:4).

Jesus came - the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Jesus lived - in perfect obedience, by perfect faith (Hebrews 5:8).

Jesus died - purchasing us with His own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Jesus rose - conquering death, securing our resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Jesus ascended - sitting at the Father’s right hand (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus sent the Spirit - to dwell in us, teach us, transform us (John 14:16-17).

The Spirit produces faith in us - THE faith OF Jesus operating in us (Galatians 2:20).

We believe - not by our own power, but by the faith He gave us (Ephesians 2:8).

We are justified - declared righteous by HIS righteousness (Romans 5:1).

We are sanctified - being made holy by HIS holiness (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

We are being trained - in the School of Kingdom Living (Hebrews 12:11).

We are being prepared - to reign with Him in His Kingdom (Revelation 20:4).

We live by faith - THE faith OF the Son of God (Romans 1:17).

We live by grace - His empowering presence (Titus 2:11-12).

We live by the Spirit - His life in us (Galatians 5:25).

We live by the Word - His truth guiding us (John 17:17).

We live for His glory - His name exalted (1 Corinthians 10:31).

We cry out for His glory to come - “Thy Kingdom come!” (Matthew 6:10).

We confess His truth - “Jesus is Lord!” (Romans 10:9).

We confess our sin - “Apart from You, we are nothing” (1 John 1:9).

We ask for repentance - “Grant us grace to turn from SELF” (2 Timothy 2:25).

We enter His rest by faith - Ceasing from our works (Hebrews 4:10).

We sing a new song - The song of His goodness and Kingdom (Revelation 5:9).

We seek Him - Because He first entered us (Jeremiah 29:13).

We find Him - Because He wants to be found (Matthew 7:8).

We wait for His appearing - Which we love by faith (2 Timothy 4:8).

We know the mysteries - Revealed by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10).

We are kept by His power - He will not lose one (Jude 1:24).

We are being returned to the Father - The lost now found (John 17:11).

We will be glorified - Receiving imperishable bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42).

We will reign with Him - For 1000 years (Revelation 20:6).

We will enter complete REST - The Sabbath that remains (Hebrews 4:9).

All by THE faith OF the Son of God.

All by grace through faith.

All by His Spirit.

All by the Word.

All for His glory.

This is THE UNITY OF THE FAITH.

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Through Our Only Mediator Between God and Man

1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”

ONE mediator.
Not many. Not multiple paths. Not various ways.
ONE mediator: Christ Jesus.

He stands between God and us.
He bridges the gap.
He reconciles us to the Father.

Hebrews 9:15 - “For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the wrongdoings that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

Mediator of a new covenant.

The old covenant: Law, works, human effort - resulted in failure.

The new covenant: Grace, faith, His work - results in success.

And Jesus mediates this new covenant.

Hebrews 7:22, 25 “so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant…Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

He ALWAYS lives to make intercession for us.

Right now, Jesus is interceding for you before the Father.

Right now, Jesus is presenting His blood as payment for your sins.

Right now, Jesus is advocating for you.

1 John 2:1 - “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

We have an Advocate.
Not “we hope to have.”
WE HAVE.

Present tense. Current reality.

Jesus, our Mediator, our Advocate, is RIGHT NOW standing between us and the Father, ensuring the covenant holds, ensuring we are kept, ensuring we will not be lost.

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OUR PEACE: King Jesus, Our Savior

Ephesians 2:14-18 “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the hostility, which is the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new person, in this way establishing peace, and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”

He Himself IS our peace.

Not “He gives us peace” (though He does).

Not “He makes peace” (though He did).

HE IS our peace.

Peace between God and us (reconciliation)

Peace between Jew and Gentile (unity of the faith)

Peace in our souls (His presence)

Peace in our circumstances (His sovereignty)

Peace about the future (His promises)

Colossians 1:19-20 “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

Having made PEACE through the blood of His cross.

The cross is where peace was purchased.

The blood is what paid for peace.

His death is what made peace possible.

Romans 5:1 - “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We HAVE peace with God.
Not “we hope for peace.”
Not “we’re working toward peace.”
WE HAVE peace.

Through Jesus. By His blood. Because of His cross.

King Jesus - our PEACE, our SAVIOR, our MEDIATOR, our LIFE, our EVERYTHING.

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The TIME to cry out for His glory is NOW.
NOW is the TIME to confess His truth and our sin.

The TIME to enter His REST by faith is NOW.
NOW is the TIME to cease from our works and live by His faith.

The TIME to sing the Kingdom song is NOW.
NOW is the TIME to declare His goodness.

The TIME to seek Him with all our heart is NOW.
NOW is the TIME to find Him - because He wants to be found.

The TIME to love His appearing is NOW.
NOW is the TIME to wait with eager expectation.

The TIME of His coming draws near.
NOW is the TIME to live as citizens of the Heavenly country.

The TIME is already written in the scroll.

NOW is the TIME being unfolded in human history.

All by THE faith OF the Son of God.
All by grace through faith.
All by His Spirit.
All by the Word.
All through our only Mediator, Jesus Christ.
All for His glory alone.

This is THE UNITY OF THE FAITH.

One Lord.
One faith.
One baptism.
One God and Father of all.

Who is above all.
Through all.
In all.

To Him be GLORY forever and ever.

Amen.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” - Romans 10:17

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” - Jeremiah 31:3

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day.” - John 6:39

THE KING IS COMING. THE UNITY OF THE FAITH WILL BE FULLY REALIZED IN HIS KINGDOM.

THE Grace Awakening

THE Grace Awakening Study Guide

Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?

Come Meet King Jesus

THE GRACE AWAKENING for Those Left Behind

The American Remnant - Left Behind Plan