This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “THESE ARE THE ONES I LOOK ON WITH FAVOR: THOSE WHO ARE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE IN SPIRIT, AND WHO TREMBLE AT MY WORD.” (Isa. 66:1-2) Heaven is the throne of our Abba Father’s glory and government; there He sits, infinitely exalted in the highest dignity and dominion, ABOVE all blessing and praise. The earth is His footstool, on which He resides, over-ruling all the affairs of it according to His will. What our Abba Father is looking for is a humble and contrite, (remorseful, repentant) heart as a living temple for Himself; that will be His dwelling and it is the place of His rest, with those who tremble (chârêd: fearful, and reverential respect for Him and His word!)
“I press on toward the goal TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too GOD WILL MAKE CLEAR TO YOU. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” (Phil. 3:14-16) Paul understood the awesomeness of God and made up his mind to press on to obtain that goal and called us to join him in pursuing to obtain the magnificence of our Abba Father’s full presence in our lives – because I want you to: “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THOSE WHO LIVE AS WE DO. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ…But OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under His control, WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY.” (Phil. 3:17-21) When we were “born again” and became a “new creation” in Jesus Christ with a new Abba Father, we became “bone of His bone” one with Him! We are no longer of this world even though we still live here in the flesh! Our Father, our King, our Lord is now holding us in His Right Hand – WE BELONG TO HIM!!!
OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. AND WE EAGERLY AWAIT A SAVIOR FROM THERE, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
-Bill Stockham