Following God's heart for the world.

Even before someone is born God is working to bring them to Him in the generations before them; to construct everything they need to choose him. He wants everyone to enter new life through Jesus, knowing and being with him as he has always wanted. People and events are all
put in place to bring someone to God. There
are no coincidences or bad luck or good luck. God works throughout their life yearning and longing for them to turn to Him; to be called his sons and daughters.

The point at which we a Spirit filled Christians obediently speak his truth into their lives as He leads us, this is just one point in the whole plan and scheme of God in that persons life - he collides us with them for His purposes at that point. God brings us into His plan as part of His family, he shares this wonderful work with us by His Spirit which fill us and guides us.

God goes out of his way to find the sheep that is lost. We share in His continual work in people's lives as we lay ourselves before God - available and surrendered to His heart.

God's Perfect Time

I was trying to explain my role as a father to my kids the other day. My daughter had asked me for a chocolate biscuit right before our evening meal. I naturally said no and tried to explain why. As a minor tantrum ensued I attempted to explain my 'father' role to her like this; I love giving you nice things like chocolate biscuits when you ask; but it is my job to do that at just the right time. Then it struck me that God as our father gives us everything we ask for at just the right time....not too early and not too late.

I realise that when we ask him for something and he is not forth coming, it is because it is not the right time. If he were to do as we asked then and there it would actaully be bad for us. But by waiting for the right time what he gives us becomes amazing and astounding. He know how to give us gold when we ask for brass.

So it's all about trust. Abraham had to trust God for the right time when he was waiting for a son, and so we as his decendants by faith, can exercise that faith even more so by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus has given us.

Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Jesus across the testaments

OK, I've just been thinking about how Heaven is rarely talked about in the Old Testament. Now I realise that this is not because the Old Testament was juxtaposed to the New, but more so; the whole of the Old Testament was waiting for the coming of God's Son Jesus!

I always try and marry the Old up with the New. But really the New covenant is a completion or fulfillment of the Old covenant BY JESUS. So all the new revelations about the new life everlasting from Jesus under the New covenant is completion of all that has come before. The whole of creation was waiting for God to reveal his master plan in Jesus from Noah to King Herod. And now this world is now being prepared for the new heavens and earth where we will live with our King forever (Isaiah 65:16-18). All this in mind I now understand the meaning behind the thinking that we are in the last days; yes we are. Jesus has started the train rolling for the real promised land, all we have to do in make sure we are on board and live our lives for him alone.

[As a footnote I've just come across a striking old testament text that clearly describes heaven and hell; Daniel 12:1-3 ¹ “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book. ² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
³ Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.