August 5 Unshakeable

Revelation 3:12-13 “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
 
DO you trust God is holding you firmly in his grasp, even when troubles strive to shake your faith? Is God your “refuge and strength, and ever-present help in time of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)? This is Jesus’ unshakeable promise to his church in Philadelphia.
    Philadelphia was an earthquake zone. Sometimes after an earthquake, pillars of a building would be the only structure standing. When Jesus promised to make a pillar in the temple of my God, he is assuring his everlasting, unmovable presence. Nothing can remove him from his church. His people will know that he is forever their God. Once in God’s temple – in his presence – his faithful followers will always remain in his presence.
    This sure promise reflects God’s words to his people in the exodus journey. As he was preparing the people to leave Egypt, he said to them: Exodus 6:7-8 “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.” He was moving them from the bondage of slavery and pagan worship into his full, protective presence. This now available to all who enter into faith in Jesus. Jesus is the Promised Redeemer, who is the sure way to heaven.
    One thing I hope you’ve learned in Revelation to this point is a greater understanding of the Lord’s love. He chooses to call and then keep his own securely with him. When the Spirit quickens your heart to faith, you can believe you are in faith’s Promised Land, God’s eternal presence.
    Be always awake to the Lord’s extreme love for you his church. He died, so the Spirit would enter and be formed in you and in the world. Heaven is prepared for all his church to be one day in the new Jerusalem, where God will perfectly be with you. You will have a new name that correlates with your citizenship there. Indeed, in Jesus you are a new creation. The new is prepared for you.
    I pray you live in joy and peace with an unshakeable faith in your unshakeable Lord. Worship the one who has said to you, “I will be your God, and you will be my child.”
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your message of extraordinary love for me. Amen.