Heir To The Throne

     "I tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."  (Luke 15:7)

     There has been a lot on TV the past couple days about the new baby born into the English royal family who is heir to the throne of Great Britain.  Before Kate went into labor there were hundreds of news people from all over the world camped out in front of the hospital.  The "due date" had come and people from all over were waiting to see when the baby would actually be born.  Once Kate entered the hospital and labor began the interest was ramped up to a fever pitch.  There were all kinds of reports when the baby was actually born, and then today when the new parents came out of the hospital with the new baby the crowds were overwhelming.  The TV network said there was going to be a special tonight called:  Royal Baby, Heir to the Throne. 

     It made me think of the interest and celebration in heaven that Jesus spoke about in the text quoted above.  Jesus said that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven a person must be "born again".  When a sinner, a rebel against God, repents and gives the throne of their heart over to the direction and keeping of God; when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the individual and there is a "new birth", what joy and happiness must there be in heaven!  It far exceeds the joy and honor shown here on earth.  And the person born anew is now an heir to the throne of the universe! 

     We become children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus.  As God says: "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."  (Romans 8:17)  Think about it!  Not an earthly throne, with a life that lasts a few years and then is gone.  Not a life subject to disease, death, and forgetfulness.  Rather a life that measures with the life of God - an eternity of joy and peace with honor that comes from God and all the intelligent beings God created.  As Jesus says:  "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures unto eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you."  (John 6:27)       "Forgetting those things which are behind,  and reaching forward to those things that are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."   (Philippians 3:14-15)

  

Meditations On The 4th Of July -- Life

     Our Declaration of Independence here in the USA states that humans are, by virtue of their creation by God, endowed with certain rights.  Not all are listed, but 3 are.  1) Life, 2) Liberty, and 3) The Pursuit of Happiness.  Today we are going to share some thoughts on the first of our God given rights - Life.

     Life is given by God.  We are created by God, our life is sustained by the power of God.  No human has the power to give life and therefore do not have any innate right to take away life.  We do not originate ourselves, and  should therefore recognize our dependence on that Power outside of ourselves.  The Bible is filled with references to this fact:

     "Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and we are his"  (Psalm 100:3)     

     "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul."  (Genesis 2:7)

     Life is a mystery.  This ability to know, think, do, grow and remember, comes from the One God Who gives life.  From that moment on we are completely dependent on Him.  Therefore it is essential that we do all we can to find out how God, our Creator and Sustainer expects us to use this marvelous gift.  Too often we think  "this is my life", and  "I'll do it my way".  But it is God's life, given to me so I can share in His infinite love and happiness. 

     However, just because I was given a gift, and therefore it is by rights mine, there are conditions as to its continuance.  Life can only exist under certain conditions.  Since God is the source of life, it can only continue when it is in harmony with Him.  The rules of life are not arbitrary, neither are they unknowable.  They are not something to be guessed at or found out by trial and error.  God's life, and His rules for life, are set in stone.  They are immutable.  They are simple, direct, and easy to understand.  Read them in Exodus 20, then see how they were lived in practical human life in the life of Jesus Christ.