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What is the sum of the believer’s blessings in Christ? Heaven, because it eventually physically places us with God. Not as now in the presence of His sight (Pro 15:3), but latter, in the presence of Himself (Rev 21:2, 4). The thought of Heaven has no equal as to its exhorting encouragement when you “set your affections on things above,” more than “on things on the earth” (Col 3:2). After all, it’s not this world from which we are to seek “things,” but from “above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (v 1).
NC
Is the Lord Jesus “in heavenly places”? Am I united to Him there now, or am I only going to be united when I die? Am I now in this very place before the Father, “raised up together” with the Lord Jesus, and so “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ehp 2:6)? It is quite evident that the doctrine of Ephesians is that we are so; it is notorious that the doctrine of most Christians is that we cannot be so till we die.
Now, why is it that people do not enter into this truth? A primary reason is, you cannot be both an earthly man entering into that which occupies men here below (earthly centered—NC), and a heavenly man too (heavenly centered—NC); but the natural mind would like to make the best of this world, and the best of the next too. The truth is, I must cross the Jordan now as a Christian; nay, I have crossed it in Christ if I am a Christian. So you will observe that I am not going to point out to you what you have to do, but I wish to make plain what God has done for you, if you are a believer. How blessed it is that Christianity does not hold out what I must attain to in order to be saved (other than receive—which is manifested in our walk—NC), but is a revelation of what the Father has given me in His beloved Son!
Our Father gives us a salvation so full, that it not only means that we have been brought across the Red Sea (thus made pilgrims and strangers in this world), but that we have been brought across the Jordan into heavenly places, and blessed with all spiritual blessings there (Eph 1:3). You say, perhaps, it is mysticism. No such thing. It is the very negation of mysticism. For this turns the eye to the Lord Jesus in glory, and the Father’s work in Him! Whereas mysticism occupies the heart merely with its feelings about Him.
If the Lord Jesus is my life (Col 3:4, 10; 2Pe 1:4; “seed” e.g. new nature – 1Jo 3:9), and He is seated there, it is evident that I have by the Spirit if God who dwells in me, and who has been sent by the Lord Jesus (Jhn 15:26; 16:7), a divine link with Him who has entered there. It is thus that the Father speaks of us according to that which is true of His Son. That is, He being there and He being the life of the believer, and the Holy Spirit the power of that life, we are spoken of according to the place that the Lord Jesus has entered.
I beseech you to hold fast this vital truth. You have passed across the Jordan as truly as you have marched through the Red Sea (since your rebirth—NC). You are not only to remember that you are a pilgrim in this dark world, but that you have a living link in heaven; be sure you regard it as your own proper home. The wilderness is merely a place of sojourn, but the heavenly places are our only abiding position. The Father’s purpose to have us in heaven with Himself was decreed before the world was (in my understanding He’s always known who would not “resist” His drawing—NC). The world has become sinful (majority of mankind—NC) and so has become a wilderness, for there would be no wilderness if there was no sin, but the Father has delivered us in grace from our sins, and has also brought us in spirit through the wilderness into glory. As a matter of fact, indeed, we have sin, and are passing through the wilderness; but in title and position, and as united to the Lord Jesus as our life we are clear from both. May the Father in His grace give us to enter more into this truth, and to live in the reality of it!
- W Kelly
Excerpt from MJS devotional for August 22:
“We come to feel our need, and often attempt independently to supply it by our own means; the Lord must confound us in the attempt; but having done so, He leads in dependence to find and acquire an inconceivably greater answer to our wishes than even that which we prescribed for ourselves. The prodigal only sought ‘sustenance’ from the citizen in the ‘far country,’ but back in his father’s house he found not bread merely, but abounding welcome and a fatted calf.” –Miles J Stanford
NC
No Place Like Home!
Is the Lord Jesus “in heavenly places”? Am I united to Him there now, or am I only going to be united when I die? Am I now in this very place before the Father, “raised up together” with the Lord Jesus, and so “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ehp 2:6)? It is quite evident that the doctrine of Ephesians is that we are so; it is notorious that the doctrine of most Christians is that we cannot be so till we die.
Now, why is it that people do not enter into this truth? A primary reason is, you cannot be both an earthly man entering into that which occupies men here below (earthly centered—NC), and a heavenly man too (heavenly centered—NC); but the natural mind would like to make the best of this world, and the best of the next too. The truth is, I must cross the Jordan now as a Christian; nay, I have crossed it in Christ if I am a Christian. So you will observe that I am not going to point out to you what you have to do, but I wish to make plain what God has done for you, if you are a believer. How blessed it is that Christianity does not hold out what I must attain to in order to be saved (other than receive—which is manifested in our walk—NC), but is a revelation of what the Father has given me in His beloved Son!
Our Father gives us a salvation so full, that it not only means that we have been brought across the Red Sea (thus made pilgrims and strangers in this world), but that we have been brought across the Jordan into heavenly places, and blessed with all spiritual blessings there (Eph 1:3). You say, perhaps, it is mysticism. No such thing. It is the very negation of mysticism. For this turns the eye to the Lord Jesus in glory, and the Father’s work in Him! Whereas mysticism occupies the heart merely with its feelings about Him.
If the Lord Jesus is my life (Col 3:4, 10; 2Pe 1:4; “seed” e.g. new nature – 1Jo 3:9), and He is seated there, it is evident that I have by the Spirit if God who dwells in me, and who has been sent by the Lord Jesus (Jhn 15:26; 16:7), a divine link with Him who has entered there. It is thus that the Father speaks of us according to that which is true of His Son. That is, He being there and He being the life of the believer, and the Holy Spirit the power of that life, we are spoken of according to the place that the Lord Jesus has entered.
I beseech you to hold fast this vital truth. You have passed across the Jordan as truly as you have marched through the Red Sea (since your rebirth—NC). You are not only to remember that you are a pilgrim in this dark world, but that you have a living link in heaven; be sure you regard it as your own proper home. The wilderness is merely a place of sojourn, but the heavenly places are our only abiding position. The Father’s purpose to have us in heaven with Himself was decreed before the world was (in my understanding He’s always known who would not “resist” His drawing—NC). The world has become sinful (majority of mankind—NC) and so has become a wilderness, for there would be no wilderness if there was no sin, but the Father has delivered us in grace from our sins, and has also brought us in spirit through the wilderness into glory. As a matter of fact, indeed, we have sin, and are passing through the wilderness; but in title and position, and as united to the Lord Jesus as our life we are clear from both. May the Father in His grace give us to enter more into this truth, and to live in the reality of it!
- W Kelly
Excerpt from MJS devotional for August 22:
“We come to feel our need, and often attempt independently to supply it by our own means; the Lord must confound us in the attempt; but having done so, He leads in dependence to find and acquire an inconceivably greater answer to our wishes than even that which we prescribed for ourselves. The prodigal only sought ‘sustenance’ from the citizen in the ‘far country,’ but back in his father’s house he found not bread merely, but abounding welcome and a fatted calf.” –Miles J Stanford
