For those who are born-again, there is a promise of a great finish and a home in glory where there is no more pain, no more lack, no more pressure, and more love, more joy, and more peace. Ya'know PARADISE!! We can believe God's Word and we can believe in this coming day where we will be with Jesus, and oh what a day that will be! Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the human heart, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” In other words, it is going to be way more than we can ever imagine and it will be awesome! In Revelation 2:7 John wrote 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ But for now, we live in the middle. What do we do while we are living this life NOW in the present?
God's plan is very evident in scripture of what to do while on this earth. Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. So the time in the middle is to be a time of "transformation" and change is a daily thing for believers. The moment we reject God changing us is the moment we have said "I'm good. No need for anything new to happen in my life." At that point, the gravity of life (which is very heavy) begins to really push down on us. The intent of that gravity is to weigh us down and keep us from experiencing the joy of our salvation. The end result will be a listless life without purpose and passion.
God's plan for us is to have an abundant life, but we must believe and accept that truth.
In John 10:10. Jesus told of His plan for us and it is to have this 10 I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. In fact, Jesus said I came so that we would have that kind of life. His very purpose is for us to experience an abundant life that is centered around Him and His teachings and His plan. The first part of that verse speaks to another's plan for us and this part of the verse says 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 1 Peter 5:8 explains what our attitude should be when thinking about our adversary the devil. 1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
So there is a battle going on while we are here in the middle. A battle that includes God fighting for us and satan fighting against us. The best way to come out on top in that battle is to trust God and His power. Ephesians 6:12 says 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. For the believer, we live our lives in the middle, in the power of the Holy Spirit, our helper. When the enemy comes against us, and it is constant, we trust God to fight our battle for us and He does. But we need to take on battle armor which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the preparation of the gospel of peace, and the shield of faith. These is all weapons we need to take hold of so we can fight. Paul wrote to Timothy, his son in the faith, these words in 1 Timothy 6:12 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
So we have a fight while in the middle, but God goes before us in battle, and the victory of Jesus over sin, death, and the grave ensures our victory on a daily basis. So keep on fighting and keep on accepting the changes that God wants to make in your life. Sir Isaac Newton said Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces impressed upon it. Our constant battle with satan can get us down, but we fight and get our energy for the continued fight from the Holy Spirit, our helper.
The Pilgrimage Continues...
David Warren
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