JC Blog

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek" ( Hebrews 6:19-20 )

Anchors have been around since the beginning of nautical travel. An anchor holds a ship in place in the midst of the most tumultuous seas. This has always been a safeguard for vessels keeping them from being thrown to shore in the middle of a storm.

As believers we also have an anchor that is steadfast and secure, it is hope. This hope is placed upon Jesus Christ himself. This is because this hope rests on God’s promise to Abraham and the oath taken that this promise would come to pass ( Hebrews 6:13-18 ). Since the two, the promise and the oath, are intermingled and dependent on each other, we know that our hope is steadfast and secure. This acts as an anchor for our soul keeping our hearts at rest so they cannot be tossed about or dislodged from a place of peace.

This hope ushers us into the very presence of God, behind the veil and into the Holy of Holies. In the past, the High Priest was able to enter into God’s presence once a year with the sacrifice for atonement. There were many regulations that first had to be met. The High Priest did not enter in with confidence. In fact, the High Priest had to take a censer of coals and incense with him so the smoke would cover the mercy seat to shield him from seeing it, lest he die ( Leviticus 16:12-13 ). This was sacred ground because God was present. Now, we have a hope that brings us into the very presence of God, a way opened up and paved by Jesus. Unlike the Israel’s High Priest, we are to enter boldly, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” ( Hebrews 4:16 ).

In fulfillment of both the promise to Abraham and the oath taken by God that it would come to pass, we have been invited to this place that was never accessible before. This is because Jesus went before us and operates as our High Priest before God having made atonement for us. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” ( Hebrews 10:19-23 ).

The reason we can enter boldly into the Holy of Holies is because Jesus is there waiting to welcome us. His blood has removed all traces of sin making us clean ( Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 8:11-12; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 10:18 ). As High Priest he makes intercession before God on our behalf ( Hebrews 7:16; Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 10:19-21 ).  He eternally holds the rank of Melchizedek ( Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:16, Hebrews 7:24, Hebrews 7:28 ) and has fulfilled the promise made to Abraham that through his Seed a great nation would be born ( Galatians 3:16-17 ). As believers, we are the result of that promise. All of this combined gives us the hope needed to enter into God’s presence. This is the anchor for our soul keeping us steadfast and secure no matter what life holds.

"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" ( Hebrews 6:11-12 ).

Perseverance is a necessary characteristic for believers. Judging by the world around us it would be easy to become discouraged by the events continually surrounding us if we did not know the hope we have in Jesus and cling to it until the very end.

We are encouraged to show the same diligence as those who went before us in realizing and inheriting the promise. Paul noted in Corinthians, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” ( I Corinthians 9:24 ). Forget what surrounds you, run to win. Looking forward to future with tunnel vision because we know that this world will distract us from accomplishing the mission the Lord has for us. Which is why we need to be diligent and steadfast until the end to make this hope a reality.

We can look to the scriptures for examples of those that went before us and draw encouragement from them. Many of them only saw the promise of Jesus in the future, never realizing it while they were still alive. “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” ( Hebrews 11:13 ). But they continued steadfastly because they knew faith would eventually get them there. “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” ( Hebrews 11:39-40 ).

Our hope in Jesus has been realized which is why we follow in the patriarchs example of perseverance through faith. We have already inherited what was promised and as we continue to grow in the grace of God we naturally will move into maturity just as the writer of Hebrews has been instructing at the closing of chapter 5 and beginning chapter 6. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” ( Romans 15:4 ).

I have prayed for many people over the years for various things. One girl, in particular stands out because her body was sick and robbing her of life. The doctors could do nothing for her and as we talked, I looked into her eyes and saw that she had no hope. I remember thinking to myself, that this was a great place to be... fed up with the circumstances and hopeless for a solution.

No matter what anyone says, we all have faith. Because of this, we put our faith in what we believe. If we believe we will receive the answer from the doctor, then we will exercise our faith by seeking that answer, from the doctor. If we believe we have a chance at the million dollar jackpot, then we will buy a lottery ticket. If we believe the building we are in, is on fire, then we will leave the building. When we believe something, it show by how we appropriate our faith in that belief.

In this example from Abraham, he used his faith to believe God. The difference between us and Abraham, is that 'against all hope, Abraham in hope believed'. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be." ( Romans 4:18; Amp ). His human hope was gone because there was no possible way physically, that he should father a child by Sarah. Both well pass the age or capability. But the scriptures say, that he didn't hope with his limited understanding, instead he hoped through the supernatural hope imparted by God.

He took what had been spoken to him as fulfilled even before it had begun. To do that, faith first has to rise on the inside. Hoping with a supernatural hope in the promise of God. When we base our faith in God's word and what he has promised, then our faith is based in truth. Thank God that Abraham operated in faith because he saw the fulfillment of God's promise and we were also blessed through it. The circumstances surrounding him, ceased to exist when he clung to that hope, riding on God's word.

In the same way, the lady, whose eyes held disappointment and hopelessness, lit up at hearing this very scripture because all of a sudden her hope wasn't based on anything but God and his word. As we spent a couple hours pouring over this passage in Romans, faith rose on the inside of her until she couldn't contain herself. As we prayed together for her body to heal and the sickness to leave in Jesus' name, she showed that she believed God's word by her faith. And her faith made her well that very hour. Every day she grew strong and healthier until it was physically evident that her health was completely restored. She choose to operate in faith, believing God for the impossible according to human standards. She hoped in hope, and saw fulfillment of what had been promised her in the scriptures.

Today, I encourage you to find just one promise in God's word and believe it with all your heart, mind and strength. Whatever you are needing from him. Find it, read it, meditate on it until you believe it with all your heart. When you start operating in faith, based on truth, then you will be blessed and completely changed by it. And like Abraham, your faith and the fulfillment of the promise will also bless many others as well! Amen.

Tonight at my small group, we were discussing the importance of hope. Several examples were use of how hope carried a person through a tough situation. The hope stemmed from believing a certain thing then that belief moved them towards that goal. In the end, we agreed that hope was the necessary vehicle to achieve desired results. Hope is a must!

Hoping in the promises of God will never disappoint us because God is faithful to deliver on the promises spoken in his word. Abraham's hope, activated his faith and became the catalyst to receive the fulfillment of the promise. In the same way, our hope can trigger our faith into action. For without faith we will never realize victory. Without hope for the victory we will never initiate our faith in the first place. The two work together hand in hand.

Hope is a crucial thing. Paul is reassuring us that we are hoping in something that won't disappoint us. He is basing this solely on God's love for us. Chapter five in the book of Romans delivers an amazing expose on God's love for us. That is evident in the first couple of verses by the fact that God has given us his Holy Spirit, deposited into our hearts testifying to this very fact. The Holy Spirit confirms with our spirit that we are his own. Knowing this should settle once for all any question about the depth of God's love for us.

Because God loves us and has demonstrated his love to us through his Son Jesus, we know that nothing stands in the way of relationship with Him. Through faith in Jesus we are completely justified by his grace. Today I praise God that he has given us this blessed hope and that hope is based on who he is. Just as the scriptures say, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." ( Romans 10:11 )

I love being around optimistic people, perhaps because I am a ‘glass half full' kind of girl. I love when people can see the silver lining in the midst of situations despite circumstances or obstacles. But the more I know people, the more I realize that this characteristic is a precious commodity.

However, Paul reminds us, as Christians we can rejoice in the midst of any circumstance because of where our hope is placed. Hope is the highway that gets our faith from point A to point B. Hope is what keeps us moving and rejoicing through whatever circumstances life throws our way. So how do we have hope to see our faith realized?

We have hope when our faith is resting firmly in Jesus. Then it doesn't matter when suffering or persecution comes our way, because hope lets us rejoice in the midst of it. James chapter one says something similar, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." ( James 1:2-3 ). Both Paul and James knew that a byproduct of suffering at the hand of this world was perseverance.

The King James Bible interprets preservation as patience in both passages. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit and necessary for Christians. Unlike the world's definition of patience, it is not a passive word, but rather a strong active word. The heart of patience denotes endurance, consistency and perseverance no matter what happens.

Patience allows our faith to mature and produce hope. Hope gets us through to the end goal, which is the glory of God. As Christians we should always be optimistic looking forward to Jesus' return for us. Jesus said, "in this world, you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." ( John 16:33 ) He knew the hope to which he was calling us, and this blessed hope is what we await patiently for enduring and conquering in his name until his return. Praise God that this kind of hope does not disappoint!

I recently celebrated my tenth wedding anniversary. To commemorate this momentous occasion my husband and I spent the weekend downtown Chicago. During the course of our time there, my husband surprised me with tickets to the Broadway Show, Mary Poppins at the famous Cadillac Palace. The tickets had been paid for long before we arrived at the theatre, but having the tickets with us is what granted us admission to see the show that night.

In the same way, our faith is like those tickets. Our faith is what grants us access to God. While it is true that the admission has been paid for by Jesus, we still need faith as the entrance pass to the Father. By firmly relying on Jesus as our savior, we are justified through faith and have peace with God. Our faith is the conduit for that justification to take place.

Our faith grants us access into the grace of God. Grace is unmerited, undeserved favor and kindness. God's grace is bestowed upon us based solely upon what Jesus did for us and it is based upon us accepting that payment for our sin and relying on him for salvation. The payment has been made and our faith is the ticket granting us access to the grace of God.

When we stand in this grace through faith, then we can be fully assured before Him. Because of this, we hope in the glory of God. Hope is an amazing thing and a necessary for Christians. Because of what God did for us, we can hope in the midst of trial and tribulations because we know that we have not been left as orphans. We have a promise from God that He will return for us very soon. Knowing this, we hope for that which is to come.

Chapter five of Romans, starts out reminding us several important things. First we have been justified by faith, because of it, we have peace with God. Our justification and the resulting peace only comes by believing in Jesus, when we totally rely on him, then we stand in grace before God, which is a place of favor and mercy. Knowing that this is our position before God, brings us hope in seeing his return very soon. This hope gives us strength to live a life worthy of him. Today, I praise God that he has done all of this based solely upon his love for us. Our future is bright because we are called children of God.

In a world that seems ever increasingly dark and hopeless, as Christians our hope is based upon the promise of God. This promise is our salvation. While we have already received the first fruits of our salvation, the promised Holy Spirit, we are still waiting for the rest of the promise to be fulfilled. Because of this, we groan inwardly and long to be reunited with the Lord in heaven, waiting for our adoption as his children to be revealed ( Romans 8:23 ). However, based on this hope we can wait with patience and with purpose until we see our final eternal redemption.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure" ( Romans 8:25 Amp ). Patience is not an inactive thing. Many misconstrue the meaning of patience to denote that we passively endure everything thrown our way as we wait to go to heaven. But this is not the picture painted for us in the Bible of how we are to wait. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" ( John 14:12 ). Jesus didn't sit back and go through life passively or aimlessly, he broke the power of darkness everywhere he went. Then he commissioned us to do the very same things and gave us the Holy Spirit to enable us to do it.

Waiting patiently with composure separates us from the world. Having this hope inside of us brings us peace in a world where trouble and heartache abound. Jesus reminded us in John that the Holy Spirit whom he's given us is the first fruits of our redemption and part of his job is to keep us in a state of peace. "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" ( John 14:26-27 ). Knowing this, we can be encouraged that we can live separately from the world waiting in patience and in hope for the Lord's return.

Paul instructs us in this very truth to encourage us to remain hopeful with an eternal perspective in mind. Paul himself longed to be reunited with Christ Jesus, but knew that remaining in the world was more beneficial for everyone around him. "I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body" ( Philippians 1:23-24 ). He could speak this because he knew that waiting patiently did not mean waiting passively. He knew that by remaining in this world meant salvation for those he came in contact with. He was so convinced of this that he exclaimed, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" ( Philippians 1:20 ), in other words, for me to go on living in this body means that people would see Christ and be forever changed.

While we wait in patience, it is important to understand the reason behind it so we don't lose hope. Peter explained these things to his brethren who were looking for the Lord's return, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" ( II Peter 3:9 ). He went on to say, "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation... ( II Peter 3:15 ). And so it is necessary for us to keep this in remembrance while we wait for Jesus to return. He is not willing that any should perish and so in His grace he waits for others to come to him. Since he has commissioned us for this specific purpose, he is waiting on us to fulfill this great commission, in order that he might come back and redeem a full and powerful church.

So hope is necessary for life, hope with patience will keep us focused on the task at hand. A few of Paul's concluding thoughts in the book of Romans seem very fitting for today's thoughts, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" ( Romans 15:13 ). Today it is my prayer that you rejoice in the hope to which you were called. May you experience the peace that only God can bring and may you abound in the power of the Holy Spirit to be Christ in this world, amen!

Hope is an amazing thing. Hope is the catalyst to our faith. Hope based upon the sweet and precious promises of the Lord is what keeps us moving forward in this life. Paul said in yesterdays passage that our bodies were groaning on the inside as we wait for the redemption of our bodies and adoption as sons and daughters. In today passage he writes, it is 'in this hope that we were saved'. We are longing to be clothed in our heavenly garment and to be with Christ throughout eternity. This hope is the realization of our salvation but while we are on this earth we are still waiting expectantly for it .

The dictionary defines hope in these ways: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to desire with expectation of obtainment; to expect with confidence. Hope is not a passive thing. Hope is knowing God and knowing that what he promised He will provide. To have hope, you must have faith. The writer of Hebrews said in chapter 11, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" ( Hebrews 11:1 ) the King James version says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for..." and the Amplified reveals, "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]" ( Hebrews 11:1 Amp ). Faith is a substance, a tangible reality. Faith is activated by hope and they work together. To have hope, you must have faith.

In other words to have faith carry you through to realization of what you hope for, you have to be fully convinced in what you are hoping for, this takes faith. Basing your hope upon a promise of God will awaken faith when everything seems hopeless and that faith will carry you through until you have what you are hoping for. Hebrews says "let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" ( Hebrews 10:23 ). Faith is what moves you and is what moves God. Knowing God and His promises will propel you into the realm of hope. Remember, hope is to expect with confidence and knowing God brings confidence because he is faithful to what he has spoken.

Paul said in today's passage that our hope is resting on the Lord. He will return for us and redeem our physical bodies to be reunited with Him forever. Paul has encouraged us to remain in hope, resting securely in this precious promise. Faith is what sustains our hope us as we wait for this promise to be fulfilled. Paul said in I Thessalonians to "... be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ). He knew that a helmet protects the head and that the hope of our salvation is what protects our mind and thoughts. Today, I pray that you let the knowledge of this hope protect and guard your heart and mind. I pray that you rejoice in the hope to which you were called in Christ Jesus and you wait in expectation of this hope to be fulfilled, amen.

Isn't is amazing that part of our redemption was the total restoration of all things. Jesus came to get everything back that was sold into slavery at the fall. Adam plunged everything lock, stock and barrel into death and decay, this included creation. But since that time, creation is waiting expectantly for the sons of God to be revealed ( Romans 8:19 ) so that it will be liberated from bondage along with mankind ( Romans 8:21 ).

Through faith in Jesus, we have been redeemed. Which means Jesus purchased us with his precious blood and brought us restoration with God. The idea of redemption was not a new thing, in the Old Testament a person could redeem a slave, in which they were enabled to repurchase or buy them back to exist once again in their household. In the New Testament, our redemption is synonymous with both deliverance from sin and freedom from sin's captivity. Jesus purchased our freedom through his sacrifice upon the cross and because of it we are completely free from everything that held us in chains before this time. This redemption by Jesus was foretold back in the garden and since then mankind and creation looked forward to fulfillment of this promise. Through acceptance of this gift, by faith we have been restored to God's household. We are now called his children and we are blameless before him just as if the garden and Adam's trespass had never existed. Galatians tells us that through Jesus we now belong to the promise given to Abraham. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" ( Galatians 3:26-29 ).

Just like creation we long to be restored in bodily form to our original state. However, on this earth we are waiting for full redemption. Right now we have receive a part of it. We have been given a new born again spirit as a down payment to our physical redemption that is coming very soon. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory" ( Ephesians 1:13-14 ).The Holy Spirit was given to us as our guarantee that we would see full redemption. Our new spirit is the part of us that testifies that we are God's children ( Romans 8:16 ). And if we are his children then we are his heirs ( Romans 8:17 ). The Holy Spirit operating in the sons and daughters of God on this earth, testifies to the rest of creation that it will see fulfillment of God's promise as well. Currently we have only received the first fruits of this redemption, but as the old saying goes, 'the best is yet to come!'

Paul goes onto say in Romans 8, "For in this hope we were saved..." ( Romans 8:24 ). Today, I am thankful to have received a down payment of my coming bodily redemption. Peter tells us "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" ( I Peter 1:18-19 ). In the cleansing act of this blood you have been justified and redeemed. Through the Holy Spirit you have been given everything needed to navigate this world. Creation is rejoicing in the fact that you are a child of God. Today, my this revelation of your precious redemption change your life, Amen!

Unlike Adam, creation didn't have a choice when it was brought into the bondage of the kingdom of darkness. That is because creation and all that was in it was given to Adam in the garden. In Genesis, God told Adam, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so" ( Genesis 1:28-30 ). God created everything, but he gave authority for everything that he created to Adam. It was passed from God to Adam and Adam was the representative before God for mankind, the animals, the earth and all of creation.

Now when the serpent deceived Eve in the garden and she coerces Adam to partake, Adam was the one responsible before God not Eve. Because Adam was the one given authority for everything created with instructions by God. He disobeyed a direct command by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because of it, Adam's authority and everything he ruled over legally passed over to Satan and the dominion of darkness. Since God gave it to Adam, he couldn't rightfully take it back from Satan when Adam gave it to him. Because of this transgression, he plunged mankind into sin and this became our new nature. Creation was also part of that transaction. Our world, created to be a paradise, experienced decay and death after the fall as well. Paul said in today's verse, that "creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope..." ( Romans 8:20 ). The hope it is referring to comes in the next verse, "that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" ( Romans 8:21 ).Creation is waiting expectantly to be liberated when the children of God are revealed.

When all of this happened in the garden, God provided a way out for all of mankind and all of creation. Even as he deal with the situation at hand, he told the serpent, there is one coming who will crush your head ( Genesis 3:15 ). He knew from the very beginning that if he was going to go through with his plan to create a mankind that we would screw it up. So before he even started to do what he wanted to do, he had the plan in place. Jesus would be the One who would crush Satan's head. I Peter 1 tells us that Jesus was the lamb slain chosen before the foundation of the world ( I Peter 1:19-20 ). With the plan in place, with the sacrifice chosen, with the way to undo what would eventually happen, God went ahead and created everything he wanted out of his desire for a family.

Now Jesus came in human form, a hostage to Satan, under his rule, dominion and authority. Since Adam gave over mankind and creation to this kingdom in the garden, God had to take it back legally and rightfully. He did this by sending Jesus in the disguise of sinful man to fulfill the entire law. The law outline how to break free of the curse yet we were powerless to do it because of the sin nature that we were in bondage to. So when Jesus did it, he earned eternal life free from bondage of death which was part of the curse, stemming from the fall in the garden. In other words, by defeating death, he took back all authority, rule and power that Satan had got from Adam. He completely defeated and disarmed him on the cross. "having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" ( Colossians 2:15 ). So through Jesus living a perfect life, fulfilling the law, being our sin offering before God, dying for us and being raised to life, he took back all the authority that was stolen by Satan in the garden.

After he defeated them he did an amazing thing, II Corinthians 5 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" ( II Corinthians 5:21 ). He took his right standing with God and offered it to us free of charge. He took our sin, our shame and our weakness and traded it for his righteousness, his forgiveness and his love. He justified us before God, which literally means that he took us back to the state that mankind was in before the fall, as if there had never been that transgression in the first place. He did what he originally intended to do in the garden, that was to create a family. He chose us and through faith in Jesus, we choose him. Through this union we become children of God and he sends his Spirit into our hearts to testify to this very fact ( Romans 8:16 ). This is what creation is waiting for, because it knows that it's redemption is drawing neigh.

The amazing thing about all of this, after everything he went through, after getting all authority back under his control, Jesus then gave the authority back to His church. We are join heirs with Christ which means that everything he has, he shares with us. He is the head, but we are his body. We are his ambassadors on this earth to do the amazing things which he has called us to do. Paul said in Ephesians that he wants us to understand "... his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" ( Ephesians 1:19-23 ).

We are now called into a wonderful partnership with Christ. We have been given His authority on this earth to operate as he operated on this earth. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven he commissioned us, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" ( Mark 16:15-18 ). He did this by saying in Matthew, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." ( Matthew 28:18-19 ). In all of these things we operate as his dear children whom he loves. Jesus undid everything that happened in the garden and we reap the benefits of it. Like creation we are waiting for our final redemption, knowing that time is short, but also knowing that while we are here we have a job to do.

Today I am so blessed to join with creation in hope that God's children will continue to be revealed upon this earth. Today, I pray that you know who you are in Christ Jesus and what he has provided for you so that you will go and make disciples for Jesus, all stemming from his love and authority. Amen!