The Devotional

What Does Papa “J” have to Say?

It is even hard for me to think of the wisdom of God as foolishness or a stumbling block. This is because I am taught by faith that the foolishness of God (if there be any) is wiser than men and the weakness of God (if He is weak in any) is stronger than men. Proverbs 10:13

The Word of God teaches us that we are to live daily a spiritual or supernatural life. This would not be like a plastic costume that one wears to parties or holidays. Also it is not a countenance of pastel smiley, placid or sad faces on Sunday mornings or at other religious events. Most of us carry a bag of what I call (spiritual apparel) and when needed we smile or cry and look pious. (Not for God mind you, but for the people around us). This is to our shame! Oh! Now I have not singled you out here, I am as guilty as you at times, so what is it that I am driving at? I wonder, if we were to bump into the LORD Jesus today what face or costume would come out of the bag?

Jesus stated clearly that He was going away to prepare a place for us and that He would come back and take us to that place. Have you ever wondered what that place might look like, or better yet have you ever wondered what goes on there? One of the Old Testament prophets once made reference to the kingdom that Jesus is making ready for us. There will be no plastic costumes nor will there be any religious piety in this kingdom because we will see HIM as HE really is. Zephaniah 3:17. Notice Zechariah 12:10, there will be mourning in the kingdom, but God Himself will wipe away all tears with His countenance of Joy, we will sing with Him a new song.

This subject will take up the remainder of this devotional. The reason is simple: We simply see God through the eyes of darkness (1 Corinthians 13:12) and if we search the scriptures we will find out some interesting things that God has not hidden from us about what goes on in His Kingdom. When we studied Revelation a year or so ago, we found that much tribulation was going on, on the earth. If you remember we said that the events on earth were revealed to us as though we were watching a play at the local playhouse. We also said that there were intermissions and that during the intermissions, we were brought back to the kingdom and throne room of God to see what was going on in the kingdom. Each time of intermission was a time of great joy, wonderful songs, fellowship and praise to and with our God. Revelation 4:1-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 10:15-18 and Revelation 21:1-7. Now there are other periods of rejoicing in Revelation, but I leave that up to you to find them.

One last point on this. We look at God through the eyes of a sinner, we are either a sinner saved by grace or we are a sinner who has never experienced the gift of grace through faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-10 so we are always looking up to the holiness of God in wonder and awe. As He reveals Himself to us, He has to remind us daily that He sees us a perfect in Christ. One of the themes of the Book of Hebrews is the Perfect Kingdom of God and how faith in God makes us perfect in Jesus. Study this Book and allow God to teach you the joy of heaven. We should not think that there is not total joy in heaven, nor should we believe that God does not rejoice over our saved soul. Ezekiel 18:1-18, these are difficult passages, but these do speak of the joy of the LORD.