By Pastor Alex Ruelo
We have been talking about the unshakeable kingdom but we will all be shaken. The question is, what will be your response? If you notice, the number one people who are shaken are the leaders of the church. When the devil cannot get you right away, he calls for reinforcement until you fall. Until when will you stand?
John 17:4-6 says, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do now. Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” I want to emphasize that all of these, everything that is happening to us, has been planned by God even before He created the world. He planned salvation and Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind for God is not bound by space and time.
John 17:9-12 says ““My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”
This is Jesus’ prayer for the citizens of heaven. His time has come and He is bidding them goodbye. People on earth are shaken because they are experiencing heaven on earth. And the enemy does not want that. But when you are being shaken, that is the time that you experience God more. It should not be something to be sad about. You need to look at suffering in a different angle. There is heaven on earth only when you are happy. What about when you are unhappy? When you are being shaken, what is your response? We should experience God not only when we feel good but all the time.
Experience God - Job 42:5 says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” It is nice to hear how God is working in the life of other people but it is sweeter if we experience Him ourselves. When you are being shaken, that is when you experience God.
Harmonize like God - John 17:21-23 says, “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” The Greek word for Trinity is homoousios, which means “of one substance, or of the same variety.” Just like how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united is how Christians should be united. But no. Even churches are divided into so many sectors. What if everyone is united in spirit and in truth? Supposedly, we are no different from the Trinity, for they are one. But then again, that is not the case. Jealousy and envy inside the church is rampant. In Acts 2:42-47 says, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” All the believers were one during this time. But nowadays, it is a different scenario. Most of the time, people cannot accept what other people are doing, thus they begin to stay away from them. Many Christians leave the church because they feel like they do not belong. We cannot accept that they too are being sanctified. Not because they are church workers or worship leaders does not mean that they will not make a mistake. We need to learn to harmonize and unite for the glory of God.
Commune with God. Hebrews 10:19-23 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” This was written for Christians who are Jews. In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter the most Holy Place, behind the curtain where the Ark of the Covenant was. When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain broke in half and everyone could now go into the Most Holy Place. That is why we need to learn how to commune with Him and experience Him in everything that we do. We can now experience the presence of God anywhere. Even in your troubles, you can experience the presence of God. Even in suffering and pain, you can experience the presence of God. Because Jesus Christ died on the cross. You do not need the high priest anymore because we have the Great High Priest. Everything that is messing with our minds have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing can stop you now.
When Jesus came to earth and died on the cross, we can now experience heaven on earth. Just like a baby in a mother’s tummy; it is there but not yet totally in the world. We are looking forward to a bigger and greater glory that God will give to those who have faith in Him.
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