The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. You’ve come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel’s—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.
So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—He’s told us this quite plainly—
He’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.
Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and He won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! Hebrews 12:22-29 The Message
Being truly grateful is an interesting thing. It takes recognition. Becoming grateful is part of becoming ‘mature’. Learning to be grateful focuses a person in the right direction. Becoming grateful to God will lead one into reverent deep heartfelt worship before Him. The more scars, hardships, persecutions, afflictions, and difficulties only magnifies the ‘blessings’ God has bestowed upon us — making the gratefulness that much deeper within the individual. Everyone has a natural tendency to gravitate to real love — but only after being absent from love do you truly realize its power and your need for it. God’s love experienced is life changing… literally. How much God’s love changes you depends much on several things. We must allow God’s love to enter the deepest part of us and do its work in us. Love is the zenith and culmination of ALL the fruit of the Holy Spirit planted by Him as He works all the fruit within our lives. The Holy Spirit works level by level, frequency by frequency, cleaning, working, removing all those things that have wrongfully accumulated within our souls, and then planting the very nature and character of Jesus Christ deep within our soul and spirit. He wants to show us how to forgive as He forgives. He wants us to have a restored conscience. He wants to be allowed to literally dwell within you — but He wants you to want Him deeply and agree to allow Him to dwell and work within your life. He wants a deep and growing intimate ongoing loving relationship with you, moment by moment, day by day, year by year… for all of eternity. We learn to recognize His Word and Truth as we grow in maturity being taught by the very Holy Spirit Himself who enlightens our minds to understanding of His Word and heart towards us.
Hardships, desert experiences, and extremely stressful situations are ‘lessons’ that need to be shaped by the Spirit of God who allowing us to see ‘behind’ the scenes we then can see and understand the benefits of the working of His hands in our lives. Without His perspective we almost always draw the wrong conclusions as our enemy never stops working to malign His Word and purposes in our lives. The enemy’s goal is to get us first to listen to him and then to agree with him. The enemy ALWAYS needs our agreement to enter our ‘territory’ of our lives. Truly having a mature developed characteristic of gratefulness and thankfulness in our lives builds a very strong barrier against the enemy’s lies in our lives.
The value of developing true gratefulness and thankfulness is far more reaching than most understand. Real gratefulness requires an actual change of direction and an effort to begin to walk towards the things of God. Gratefulness leads us away from ‘self’ and into a greater understanding and revelation.
This is the season most are reminded of thanksgiving within America. But like all other Christian holidays the enemy has worked constantly to pollute the history and deep meanings behind the holiday. Just like any tradition or religious liturgy the human tendency is to fall into a zombie like formula of movement – rather than a Spirit-filled celebration brimming with inspiration and revelation that truly enriches our lives.
So WAKE UP sleeper and SHOUT your PRAISES for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ who has delivered you from death, but brought you into His eternal Kingdom! Allow Him to show you the things only He can show you during this season that your might be truly grateful and thankful for all the blessings He has given you.
Maranatha.