My Father's World

MY FATHER’S WORLD 

Part twelve of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series

 

Genesis 1:28:  “God blessed them and said to them, ‘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 creature that moves on the ground.’”

 

           

            God’s first managers were Adam and Eve.  Jesus came as the second Adam.  His church—all covenant people—is His bride.  Beginning with Abraham in Genesis 12:1, 7, every believer in Christ is Abraham’s seed (Gal 3:29). 

            “So you…are a son; God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:7).  Daniel 12:1 and 13 promises that His heirs are promised their allotted inheritance in Daniel 12:1, 13. 

 

            Believers are children of the King—God the Father.  Kings rule over kingdoms.  A kingdom consists of:  citizens to be ruled, their culture, and land.  Culture [KUL-chur] means what is specific to a place of origin: beliefs, values, art, music, literature, traditions, and customs.

            Fallen humanity’s culture is worldly.  But believers’ culture is godly.  Titus 2:12 says the grace of God “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”  Romans 6:13 urges believers to “offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness,” in contrast to worldly culture.    

           

            Jesus is not a created being.  As both 100% God and 100% human, only His shed blood and sacrifice on the cross has the power to redeem.  Redeem means to free, rescue, save and restore. Jesus triumphed as “the Lion of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) and reigns as the “Root of David” (Revelation 22:16).  He ascended back to heaven “with all authority” (Matthew 28:18).    

            Only triumphant Jesus could take the scroll from the one on the throne and open its seals from Revelation 5:7, 9-10: “With Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and nation and people and nation.  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on earth.”

            Psalm 22:28 says, “for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over all the nations.”  Dominion is both land and authority.  

            Every believer will own land, property where we can settle down and rule with authority on New Earth. 

Take Home Nugget

            Christ will rule with authority over all nations of earth as head of the human race (Psalm 72:8, 11).  Jesus and His co-heirs will fill the New Earth and at last manage what was first entrusted to Adam and Eve.  Revelation 22:5b says, “and they will reign forever and ever.”       

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one. 

Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, 1901

This devotion is adapted from Heaven. Chapter 20, “What Does God’s eternal Kingdom involve?”; Subtitle₁ “Didn’t Jesus Say His Kingdom Wasn’t Earthly?”; Subtitle₂  “Jesus, Worthy King of New Earth”; Subtitle₃  “The Importance of Land”; Subtitle₄  “The Goal of History”; Chapter 21, “Will We Actually Rule with Christ?”.  Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

 

J.D. Griffith

 

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Dstroyed or Redeemed?

DESTROYED OR REDEEMED? 

Part eleven of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series 

Luke 21:33:  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

Ecclesiastes 1:4:  “Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.”

  

            Will earth will be utterly destroyed, or redeemed as New Earth?  “Pass away” is the phrase we’ve seen twice indicating that the earth we know today will not be our eternal home.  It’ll be way better.

            Believers are being made into new creations—2 Corinthians 5:17.  Paul (in Corinthians), Luke (in Luke) and John (in Revelation) use the Greek word kainos for “new.”  The old has gone.  The new is gloriously transformed: we’re different people indwelt with God’s spirit, old earth becomes obsolete. 

            New Earth will be our eternal paradise.

            People appreciate that.   We like earth.  We were made for earth.  We can look forward to living forever in New Earth, familiar with what we love and doing what we enjoy.  We won’t miss what’s passed away: pollution, carcinogenic waste, prickly thorns, stinging bugs or dangerous animals.

            God does not destroy.  God redeems.  

    

            May 18, 1980, 35 years ago, the volcano Mount St. Helens erupted in the state of Washington, United States. 

 

         

            Two months prior, a series of earthquakes and venting steam warned of impending doom.  Then, at 8:32 that Sunday morning, the 80,000 feet (24 km; 15 miles) eruption blew away the entire north face.  This caused the largest landslide ever recorded, exposing molten, gas-and steam-rich mix of lava rock to explode.  This lava and rock raced the avalanching north face toward Spirit Lake, below. 

 

            Eleven states were blanketed with 840 tons of ash.  But the devastation continued.  Simultaneously, snow, ice and several glaciers melted!  A series of lahars, (volcanic mudslides), wormed their way 50 miles (80 km) southwest to the Columbia River.  Rumbling persisted as minor outbursts followed sporadically for the rest of the year—like mountain temper tantrums.

            57 people lost their lives.  Hundreds of square miles were reduced to wasteland.  Thousands of animals died.  The damage exceeded $2 billion (compared to 2014 economy). 

            Spirit Lake shows the cone of devastation and post-eruption lava dome inside, and Crater Glacier surrounding the lava dome.  Two other Cascade volcanoes are pictured, below:

 

          

            That’s destruction.

Earth, like our human bodies, have miraculous healing qualities.  That volcanic area today is preserved as Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Check out the lesson linked below to see refining and redeeming God demonstrates.  What makes us think that He’d destroy His blue jewel, planet Earth?  Fire is God’s preferred way to refine “what is” into perfection.

Take Home Nugget

            Acts 3:21a says, “He must remain in heaven until the time comes when God will restore everything,” answering the title question of this devotion. 

Make me kainos, Lord!           

This devotion is adapted from Heaven.  Chapter 15, “Will the Old Earth Be destroyed or Renewed?”  Subtitle₁ “Burned Up or Refined?”  Subtitle₂ “Redemption Means Restoration.”   Subtitle₃ “The Meaning of New.”   Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

J.D. Griffith

 

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All Things

ALL THINGS 

Part ten of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series

 

Colossians 1:15-20

 

Colossians 1:15-17:  “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.  He is before all things in Him all things hold together.”

 

              As mankind goes, so goes all things—of creation.  All things mean that mankind and earth are metaphysically and inseparably linked.  Human sin infected all things in creation, initiating a downward spiral.  Have you noticed creation’s restlessness:  Heard trees groaning in the cold night wind?  Faced the pain in the eyes of animals?  Smelled the ocean’s salty agitation of pounding surf?  Related to the loneliness of whale cries?

            Admit that you yearn to answer a wolf’s howl.   

            Even inanimate objects crave redemption:  bikes rust; tires flatten; clocks stop. 

            Something’s terribly wrong!

            In the year 1517, an unknown monk, Dr. Martin Luther, protested against people’s ability to buy forgiveness of sin by purchasing Catholic indulgences.  He wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”   (His 95 protest theses launched the Protestant Reformation). 

            Rescuing all things from being buried under the Curse of sin will come after ALL humans’ bodily rise from the dead.  Believers have God’s Spirit living within, and line up with all the rest of creation in reaching out to God for such deliverance.

            As mankind rises to redemption, so all things follow. 

            Believers will be revealed at our resurrection from the dead.  Our adoption into God’s family finalized, redeemed bodies will rise imperishable and glorious.  This picture shows what God intended for people all along.  The Greek “ta panta” means all things in a broad exaggerated sense.   From the smallest particle, quark, to galaxies of planets and stars billions of light years away, all creation awaits redemption. 

            The Master Artist-Creator had redemption in mind before creating all things.  He couldn’t allow anything to permanently trash His divine plan.  After all, the Creator showcased man before a wide-eyed, openmouthed universe.  Sovereign God’s masterpiece exhibits redeemed humans ruling New Earth.

            “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling [will feed] together; and a little child will lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6).   

Take Home Nugget  

            All things have Jesus to thank for our coming redemption.  It boggles the human mind to comprehend the totality of damaging effect that sin had on all things.  The Curse of sin wasn’t limited to the ground in Genesis 3:17.  It went global.  Now the entire cosmos awaits redemption! 

The One who is infinite is also intimate with all things created.

           

This devotion is adapted from Heaven. Chapter 12, “Why Does All Creation Await Our Resurrection?” Subtitle₁ “Broadening Our View of Redemption.” Subtitle ₂  “All creation Wait in Eager Expectation for Man to Be Redeemed.” Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

 

J.D. Griffith

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Reign!

 

REIGN!

Part nine of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series 

Genesis 2:15-22

Genesis 2:15, 19:  “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. …Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air.  He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.”

 

            Believers are children of the King of the universe.  Children of kings inherit kingdoms.  Kingdoms are land and property.  Earth is God’s property; believer’s God-given inheritance.  Believer’s big Brother Jesus went to the cross so that His siblings could share in His inheritance from the Father. 

Jesus cheers when His brothers and sisters claim our inheritance.  God wants us rule on earth, like Adam.  He wants us to “exercise dominion” (apply authority and power) over it, enjoy it.  God wants us to share in His happiness watching His kids run Earth!        

            But people have been dreadful custodians.  Our beautiful Earth is deteriorating while still under the Curse of sin.  Many species of animals that Adam named are now extinct, [ex-TINKT] means gone forever.  Gentle majestic elephants are endangered.  Why?  Ivory tusks are valuable.  

            Ivory can be carved into various trinkets and sold for a lot of money.  The tusks can be ground into fine power used for medicines, or…whatever.   Greedy humans kill for profit.  The elephant is slaughtered in order to remove its tusks.  The rest of this irreplaceable giant is left to rot or to be eaten by other animals. 

            What a waste of precious, priceless creations that our heavenly Father placed in our earthly home!  Burning fossil fuels, like oil and coal, has been proven to create climate change.  “Green” power like solar, wind, natural gas and ethanol can substitute for oil—and leave no carbon foot print behind.   

            People must do better!  Maybe after the Curse is finally lifted, believers will be ready to reign as 2 Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 1:6 predict:  “we will also reign with Him,” …”has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father.”

            The lesson linked below shows who has thrones.

Take Home Nugget

            Psalm 8:6-8 shows human rule, “You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and he beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”  

            In the New Earth, free from the Curse of sin, we can be assured that, “the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9). 

Who’ll reign?

           

This devotion is adapted from Heaven. Chapter 10, “What Will it Mean for the Curse to Be Lifted?” Subtitle “Taking Our inheritance.” Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

J.D. Griffith

 

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Unstoppable!

UNSTOPPABLE!

 

Part eight of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series

 

Revelation 21:1, 3:  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. …And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.’”

 

 

 

            God is unstoppable!  God redeems, even resurrects “what is,” reshaping it to His satisfaction.  God’s plan from the beginning was to defeat death and restore Paradise after His first kids sinned.

 

            1 Corinthians 15:25 says, “For He [God the Father] must reign until He has put all enemies under His [Jesus’] feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  Christ defeated death when He rose from the dead.

            John 3:16 assures that everyone who believes in Jesus will “not perish, but have eternal life.” 

 

            After disobeying God, Adam and Eve assured that physical death was certain for them and for everyone thereafter.  God affirmed that when He said, “for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19b). 

            How could Old Testament people—who never even heard of Jesus—be redeemed of their sins, so that they may have eternal life in Paradise?

            God knows one’s heart.  Abraham believed God that he’d be father of a “great nation, …and that the whole world would be blessed through him” from Genesis 12:1,3.  Romans 4:3, and 20 says that Abraham’s belief was “credited to him as righteousness, …because “he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, …being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” 

            God counts as righteous whoever has this faith.

            Beginning with Aaron as priest in Exodus 30:10 until Jesus’ death and resurrection in Matthew 27 and 28, people’s sins were atoned for by the blood of sacrificed animals.    

             

            The lesson linked below shows how God’s people would be redeemed.     

 

Take Home Nugget

 

            When God walked in the Garden (Genesis 3:8), the Paradise of Eden was His backyard.

 

            God says in Isaiah 66:1, “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool.”

 

            Jesus will restore Paradise with New Earth/ Heaven link!

 

            Let’s finally claim a truth that is rarely acknowledged:  Jesus forever links God’s throne with people’s home.  Ephesians 1:9-10 confirms, “And He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”

 

Praising and thanking unstoppable God for redeeming both people and Paradise!

           

This devotion is adapted from Heaven. Chapter 10, “What Will it Mean for the Curse to Be Lifted?”  Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

 

J.D. Griffith

 

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Curse Compensation

CURSE COMPENSATION 

Part seven of fifteen devotions in Heaven Enchantment Series

Genesis 3:14-19 

Genesis 3:17-19:  “To Adam He said, ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.’”

  

            Compensation [com-pen-SA-shon] means payment for damages done.  

            Why is the “Curse” sin?  There was only one tree from which Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—or God says in Genesis 2:16-17 that they would die.  (Did eternal beings even understand death?)  Check out Genesis 3:1-9:

            Satan, disguised as a snake, asked Eve if she could eat from every tree in the Garden.  Eve confessed the one tree in the middle of the garden from which she may not eat.

            The devil challenged what God said, insisting that she wouldn’t die!  Instead, she’d be like God, knowing good and evil.  Eve decided that she would like that.  The fruit looked good.  She bit into it, and didn’t “die.”  She handed the fruit to Adam.  

 

            Creation held its breath.  Adam ate the fruit.  Eden perfection vaporized.

 

            The sin exposed naked bodies as the Curse began infecting everything.  Their “death” was now certain (Romans 6:23).  The Father called to Adam, who was busy making fig-leaf clothes.  God patiently listened to Adam and Eve’s finger-pointing explanations.  “She said he said, so she did…she said, he did…” 

            God’s attributes—characteristics that make Him God—never change.  God is just. That means that God is fair and always correct.  The Father   expected that sin would eventually infect Earth.  For Jesus witnessed “Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” (Luke 10:18).       

            Genesis 3:14-19 showed that the Father was prepared:

 

            He cursed the snake.  It must crawl on its belly and eat dust its whole life.

            He judged Eve.  She must endure pain in childbirth, and desire only her husband, who’ll rule over her.

            He cursed the ground.  It must make man work hard through thorns and thistles, by the sweat of his brow he’d grow food.  

            He judged Adam.  He must work hard to support his family, and then die. 

             God did not curse His children.  Our heavenly Father already had a plan to compensate for the Curse.  It was perfect.

Take Home Nugget                          

            God’s plan for Curse compensation was to offer His kids eternal life!  First, death had to be defeated, then Paradise restored.   See the lesson linked below that supports God’s Son Jesus’ divine ancestry.

God does not curse you, but offers Jesus to overcome the Curse.

 

This devotion is adapted from Heaven. Chapter 10, “What Will it Mean for the Curse to Be Lifted?”  Alcorn, Randy.  © 2004. Tyndale House of Publishers, Inc.  Illinois.   

J.D. Griffith

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