His Throne is Everlasting and Expanding

"Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?" (Isaiah 66:1)

"Heaven is my throne" says our Daddy God.

Did you know that heaven--or rather the heavens--is expansive and growing?

From Google.com:

The American astronomer Edwin Hubble made the observations in 1925 and was the first to prove that the universe is expanding. He proved that there is a direct relationship between the speeds of distant galaxies and their distances from Earth. This is now known as Hubble's Law

So, what does that say about God's throne?

His throne is ever-expanding!

What does this mean? His authority is never-ending.

In fact, His glory and power over all things seen and unseen is not static.

Why should we care?

His authority over any or all our cares is great. Anything new that comes into conflict in our lives, His throne, His authority has that covered.

We have the promise of this related in the Psalms:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Psalm 110:1)

God the Father is seated, and Jesus is seated at His right hand.

God's throne expands, which means that His enemies--our enemies--face certain defeat, even the ones we have not met yet!

Jesus provides us the victory, of course:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37)

And also:

"[H]e [God the Father] raised him [Jesus] from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1: 20-23)

Guess what? We are seated in Christ Jesus at our Father's right hand:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly placesin Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2:4-6)

God's reign is forever and expanding. Our rule with Him in Christ is growing as well!

No matter what challenges we may face, no matter how unique they may be, God's throne, God's power and authority over these hateful challenges is great.

Let us also not forget that our Father makes our enemies our footstool--and that for God, the entire earth is His footstool, too!

God's Grace Toward Us is Super-Abounding

"For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him." (Psalm 103:11)

God's mercy is great. His chesed for all of us, His Covenant kindness for us is so wonderful.

Yet did you know that it is actually expanding?

His Covenant kindness  to us is not a fixed entity, but never-ending, even growing!

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5:20)

Scientists have no affirmed that the heavens, space all around the earth and throughout the universe, is actually expanding, too!

So, the Pslamist is not taking about a fixed albeit grand mercy that God shows to us.

If that is not enough, look at the verse which follows:

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

How far is east from west? In order to establish one direction, we have to go further in the other direction. The more that we try to establish that other direction the further we must continue to go.

In other words, the two directions are forever distant, and to ensure that accuracy of that distance, we have to keep going and going in one of those directions!

God has not only removed our sins, but they keep being removed further and further away from us. Their distance from us can never be pinned down.

God's promise to us regarding our sins is as ironclad as His promise affirmed by the rainbow:

"9For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

"10For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee." (Isaiah 54: 9-10)

So, remember that God's grace is indeed so great that we cannnot take it in, and yet its greatness cannot be measured, cannot be contained.

Like the heavens which are boundless and growing, and like the distance between East and West which is never-ending, so to is God's grace toward us .. superabounding!

God the Father Provides for us Through His Son

8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8)

So many of us are obsessed with trying to give God something.

But if we are honest about our state, as all of us were born dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:2-4), we have to recognize that we have nothing to give our loving Father of ourselves:

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." (1 Chronicles 29:14)

Notice that in the above verse, David was offering sacrifices to God.

Yet what indeed could we offer, that God Himself has not already given to us?

Back in Genesis 22, what we see with Abraham and his son Isaac is a test not of Abraham's resolve to give, but rather the test that Abraham would trust God to provide all things.

Did he really trust the LORD?

The answer is yes!

Of course, Abraham's obedience to offer his own son had already occurred long before:

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

What occurred at Mount Moriah was the simple trust manifested:

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" (James 2:21)

Remember, within the context of James' letter to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Abraham's action justified his faith before man. His faith had already been established in Genesis 15:6, when God swore an oath that Abraham would have descendents as much as the stars in the sky or the sand on the sea.

So, what do we find in Genesis 22:8?

The proof that The LORD does indeed provide for us in our greatest need.

And  He did so for Abraham:

"11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." (Genesis 22:11-13)

That burnt ram speaks of Jesus!

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes our sin, and in whom we receive all things:

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

Of course let us not forget what Abraham called that place where God provided the lamb:

"14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen [lit. the Lord is Provision]." (Genesis 22: 14)

Jesus Over-Answers Us When We Cry Out

One of my favorite accounts in the Bible takes place on the Lake of Galilee.

Then the wind and storms started to rise, yet Jesus is still calmly asleep in the boat.

The disciples, however, cannot stop being afraid.

Let me present to you first the entire passage:

35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

First, let's remember what Jesus told the disciples: "Let us pass over to the other side."

He said they were going over to the other side. It's an established fact. They are going to get over to the other side.

Now, let's focus on the fearful outburst from the disciples:

"Master, don't you care that we are perishing?"

Yes He Does!

Jesus just simply woke up, rebuked the sea, and there was a "mega calm" which followed.

Notice that the disciples simply asked "Don't you care"?

Jesus not only cared, but He shut down the storm.

He not only cared, but take note that the ship was full of water (v. 37), but after Jesus spoke, the boat was no longer full.

Seafare is often a rough business. The seas oalong hte Lake of Galilee are choppy as a rule. Notice that Jesus not only calmed the storm, but there was a "great calm", literally a "mega calm"--a calm along the storm which the fishermen and travelers in the boat had never experienced!

The disciples were just shouting at Jesus in complete frustration.

Jesus not only responded to their cry--as offensive as it may have been--and he over-answered their cry. Not once did any of them pray for Jesus to help them.

But Jesus came through, didn't He!

Never forget that even when we just cry out, He answers us! And He over-answers!

The Gospel Brings Health, Wealth, and Prosperity to the World

Pastor Joseph Prince of Singapore (my pastor by proxy, if I may add), has noticed that with the preaching of the Gospel has followed immense health, wealth, and prosperity. Historians secular and sacred have noticed the strong correlation, too. With the preaching of the Good News, from the Roman Empire to the Reformation to the Charismatic rivals of the 1970's to the Present Day, our world has become richer and finer with the Word.

Indeed.

The message of the Gospel comforts all who are lost that in Christ they are found again. Despite the alienation of sin, set in motion by our forefather Adam, the Second Adam, we can be granted life and truth through His Son Jesus.

The Gospel takes us from death to life; from poverty to prosperity; from depression to celebration.

It is indeed Good News, especially to a sighing, crying, dying world.

Here is the Gospel made simple out of the mouth of the Apostle Paul:

38Be it known unto you therefore, men andbrethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

The Gospel

Here are the guarantees that come with the Gospel, for those who believe on Jesus as Savior: here, now and forevermore!

"In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death." (Proverbs 12:28)

And

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25)

Let us never forget the promises outlined to us in the New Covenant which God the Father has cut for us through His Son Jesus Christ!

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Jesus did not die on the Cross only for us to avoid death and hell.

He wants us to reign in life: His Life!

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (Romans 5:17)

What about John's most important words to his friend Gaius?

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)

How do we prosper our souls?

3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 3-4)

The Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, brings health, wealth, and prosperity to the world, to all who believe on the name of Jesus!

The Kingdom Which Seeks Us

In Matthew's Gospel, the account which focused on Christ Jesus as King of the Jesus, our Savior declares to His disciples:

32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6: 32-33)

For a long time, this passage used to cause me great confusion.

If I seek His Kingdom, who will take care of everything else?

Incidentally enough, Jesus answers this question:

"25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"

"Take no thought for your life", Jesus says.

How is this possible??

We need to accept a harsh truth first.

Man on his own does not have life to begin with.

He is born dead in his trespasses, all because of Adam's fall!

"12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5: 12-14)

God was not mincing words when He warned His beloved creation about the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: "The day that you eat from that tree, you shall surely die."

We don't have to worry about our life, when we realize that Jesus came to give us life, and that more abundantly (John 10:10)

Notice in Matthew 6:26, Jesus points out that God the Father--our Daddy God!--feeds the bird of the air. Aren't we worth more? Yes, and there is a clear reason why:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

God values us so much, that He gave His Son for us!

So, we can rest assured that He will take care of us.

The Gospel affirms how much Our Good Shepherd loves us:

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

So, what's going on? In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples to seek the Kingdom.

But in Luke, Jesus says God the Father wants to give us the Kingdom

Keep in the mind the audiences to whom Jesus is addressing Himself.

The disciples saw Jesus as a pattern to follow, a mentor to mind.

Jesus did not come to be an example. He came to be our Savior:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45)

Consider what Jesus did right after His Sermon on the Mount:

1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (Matthew 8:1-4)

Jesus was willing and able to heal this leper. Amazing! The Kingdom of Heaven came down to all of us, to save us from our sins, to heal us from our diseases, and to cause us to reign in life (Romans 5:17)

Indeed, Paul identifies the Kingdom of Heaven for us:

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17)

This righteousness is a gift, and we do not seek it!

We now receive it, because of Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension at the right hand of His Father, and our Father!

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (Romans 5:17)

So, the righteousness that Jesus urges us to seek in the Gospel of Matthew is now ours for receiving as a gift, one which we keep receiving, especially when we fail, when we fall, and when we falter.

This wonderful gift of everlasting righteousness (Daniel 9:23) enacts God's new and wonderful Covenant with us:

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Now, let's go back to "Seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness ..."

Notice that under the New Covenant, as outlined in Hebrews 8. our Daddy God will be a God to us! He will guide us and care for us. Why? Because He will not remember, no longer recall our sins ever again!

That's called "righteousness." When we believe in Jesus, and we accept His gift of righteousness, we are allowing God our Father to protect us, to provide us, to grant us all things:

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32)

I know that this post is an extended commentary on the goodness and grace of God, but I cannot help but share and report. So, when we understand that our Daddy God has our backs, that He us covered before and after, we have the answer to the rhetorical questions which Jesus asked on behalf of the disciples in Matthew 6.

Thank you, Jesus, for being my sacrifice. Thank you, Jesus, for becoming sin, that I might be  made the righteousness of God in you! (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Thank you Jesus for fulfilling the Old Covenant and bringing me into a New Covenant with your Father ... and with Mine!

AMEN! I am so happy, so blessed to be a citizen of the New Kingdom! (Ephesians 2:19)