The Son Appears

"It is only our bad temper that we put down to
being tired or worried or hungry;
we put our good temper down to ourselves."
(Clive Staples) C. S. Lewis

The Son Appears

Some time ago the Lord gave me a vision of a forest.

Within its borders there were a wide variety of trees growing.

All the trees started as young seedlings; some of them grew quickly to maturity,

while other matured slowly over the tests of time.

I believed this to be a picture of the church,

whose members often seek to grow quickly to places of ministry and influence.

But this, I believe, is not God’s will for most of us.

(This does not exclude the fact that God will allow new believers to be effective in ministry)
He would rather we develop like an oak tree.

An oak may sit dwarfed in the forest for twenty years and grow only to three feet in height. Shaded by the enormous trees that surround it and starved for light

it lingers and awaits its time in the Sun.

When per chance a large tree nearby falls prey to an ice storm or high winds,

the little oak finally receives the solar nourishment it needs

and begins its journey to becoming a strong and mighty tree.

From such mature trees solid pillars may be carved

that will stand the test of time, and the burdens of life.
Maturity (the character of Christ), often comes at a great price.

It is formed in us when we walk with the Lord in obedience

despite the circumstance we find ourselves in.

God wants us to become pillars of strength, honor and mature in His character

so that He may move through us in power to those around us.

This very thought still amazes me!

He has a plan for us, that we would “set our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2)

and not be consumed with the things or this world.

It is then that we will find ourselves seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.
Jesus is the light of men.

Just as the mighty oak cannot grow without the light of the Sun;

so men cannot mature to display the nature of Christ, without the light of the Son.

To do otherwise is to walk in darkness, seeking the things of the flesh

and to lack understanding and Godly purpose.
John 8: 12 “Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.”
Where light is darkness cannot reside: even the light of a candle in a darkened room

reveals the truth of that room.

Light, always overcomes the darkness.

So where there is pure light

there is no depression, no doubt, no dispute, no callousness,

no disease, simply put, there is no sin.

Is not Christ who dwells in us greater that it all? Certainly it is so!

This is when others will see the Christ in us…

the glory of God revealed through His Spirit birthed within.
Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, Who is our life, appears,

then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.”
Where we at times fail, is when we walk in our own will and selfish desires,

rather than ardently pursuing God’s will.
Proverbs 2:1-5
“My son, if you will receive my words

and treasure up my commandments within you,

2Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly [a]Wisdom

and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding

[applying all your powers to the quest for it];

3Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,

4If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver

and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures,

5Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.”

When we walk outside of God’s design for our lives

it hinders our ability to stand against the attacks of the enemy.
Ephesians 6:12
” 12For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers,

against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness,

against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere..”

This is one reason why it is imperative that we are daily in the Word of God

so that we may be judged by the Word and repent rather than suffer

the consequences of our heart’s folly.
I Corinthians 11:32

“But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord,

we are disciplined and chastened,

so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world.”

So it should be our good pleasure to …. “not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”

(All Bible quotes from the Amplified Bible)

May you know fully the overflow of life found in His Spirit…

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