Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 4:6-7
4:6 Before the throne there wasa sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, werefour living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
4:7 The first living creature waslike a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature waslike a flying eagle.
There were four living creatures in the midst and around the throne. The four living creatures refer to four men who ever lived in the world in the ambience of the throne of Heaven, until they were really lifted up to the Heaven. They are Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Lord Jesus. Having two witnessess means that the matter is legal, having tree means it is perfect, and having four means we as the church of God can also be lifted up to the Heaven.
The conditions of the four living creatures are as follows.
The connection among the four conditions will form a cross.
The four living creatures refer to four men who already experienced the cross, so they can live in the ambience of the throne of Heaven in the midst of the world that is crooked and unclean. The only way to enter the throne of Heaven is the way of the cross.
Why must we be in the way of the cross?
John 16:7
16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Jesus goes away means He dies on the cross, raises, and goes up to the Heaven to do two things as follows.
God knows that no matter how great a man in the world is, without Holy Spirit he is just as a fragile wood stick. Being fragile means easily doing sin up to its peak. This kind of life will only lead to perdition. No matter how great a Gentile in this world is, he is just as the Samaritan woman who is never satisfied. He will look for satisfactions in the world until falling in sin up to its peak, that is sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. The Gentiles just appear as the dog and swine which are naked and ashamed, and will be destroyed forever.
If we are on the way of the cross, we will receive the anointing of Holy Spirit which will give us extra strength to live in the midst of this crooked, evil, and unclean world.
The daily practices of receiving the cross of God are as follows.
God blesses us.
Revelation 4:6-7
4:6 Before the throne there wasa sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, werefour living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
4:7 The first living creature waslike a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature waslike a flying eagle.
There were four living creatures in the midst and around the throne. The four living creatures refer to four men who ever lived in the world in the ambience of the throne of Heaven, until they were really lifted up to the Heaven. They are Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Lord Jesus. Having two witnessess means that the matter is legal, having tree means it is perfect, and having four means we as the church of God can also be lifted up to the Heaven.
The conditions of the four living creatures are as follows.
- Like a lion refers to the character of Jesus as the King.
- Like a calf refers to the character of Jesus as the Servant.
- Like a man refers to the character of Jesus as the Man who suffered up to His death on the cross.
- Like a flying eagle refers to the character of Jesus as the glorious Son of God.
The connection among the four conditions will form a cross.
The four living creatures refer to four men who already experienced the cross, so they can live in the ambience of the throne of Heaven in the midst of the world that is crooked and unclean. The only way to enter the throne of Heaven is the way of the cross.
Why must we be in the way of the cross?
John 16:7
16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Jesus goes away means He dies on the cross, raises, and goes up to the Heaven to do two things as follows.
- To prepare a place for us in the throne of Heaven.
- To pour Holy Spirit for us who still live in the world.
God knows that no matter how great a man in the world is, without Holy Spirit he is just as a fragile wood stick. Being fragile means easily doing sin up to its peak. This kind of life will only lead to perdition. No matter how great a Gentile in this world is, he is just as the Samaritan woman who is never satisfied. He will look for satisfactions in the world until falling in sin up to its peak, that is sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. The Gentiles just appear as the dog and swine which are naked and ashamed, and will be destroyed forever.
If we are on the way of the cross, we will receive the anointing of Holy Spirit which will give us extra strength to live in the midst of this crooked, evil, and unclean world.
The daily practices of receiving the cross of God are as follows.
- We must look the cross when we face bitterness in life.
Exodus 15:23-25
15:23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they werebitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
15:24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
15:25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showedhim a tree. When he cast itinto the waters, the waters were made sweet.
The proof is not grumbling, not being disappointed or desperate in facing anything, but always giving thanks to God. We do not blame the others and God, but we correct ourselves through the sharpness of the sword of the Word. If there is sin, we must confess it to God and the others. If there is no sin, we must keep silent and surrender everything to God. Thus, Holy Spirit as the Comforter will be poured to change the bitterness to sweetness and joy, and the failure to success. - We must always raise and appreciate the cross when facing deadlock as the Israelites.
Exodus 14:16,21
14:16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry groundthrough the midst of the sea.
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go backby a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land,and the waters were divided.
The proof is stretching out both our hands to God and fully surrendering our life to Him. We do not rely on something from this world, but we keep being obedient to God. Thus, Holy Spirit as the Helper will be poured on us. Holy Spirit is able to divide the Red Sea, meaning solving all impossible problems right on His time.
Holy Spirit also pours the gifts of Holy Spirit to do the ministry, so we are used in the revival of building the body of Christ to the spiritual Canaan or the New Jerusalem. The gifts of Holy Spirit and the ministry is our place in the body of Christ. The ministry of building the body of Christ is started from within marriage, shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the perfect body of Christ. We need to sacrifice everything to serve the building of the body of Christ, but we are placing Jesus as the Head to arrange and be responsible for our life up to the eternal one.
The measure of success in the ministry of building the body of Christ is not having a big church or many members of the church, et cetera, but being obedient. - We must bear the cross, that is experiencing the fiery trial or flesh suffering without any sins because of Jesus.
1 Peter 4:12-14
4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you,for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
The result is the Spirit of glory (shekinah glory) is poured on us. The greater the fiery trial, the greater the glory of God that we experience, the greater God's usage on us, and the greater the blessing and miracles that happen in our life. The greatest miracle is life renewal from the flesh man to become the spiritual one as Jesus. We become as a newborn baby. The mouth of baby only drinks the breastmilk, meaning we only hear and obey the shepherding Word, so we experience spiritual growth from living in righteousness, holiness, up to perfection. The mouth of baby only cries, meaning praising and worshiping God with a contrite heart. Thus, the Spirit of glory is able to move us from the cursed world to the ambience of the Paradise. When Jesus comes a second time, we will be renewed as glorious as Him and we will no longer stumble in word.
James 3:2
3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he isa perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
We only cry out "Alleluia" to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds. We enter the marriage supper of the Lamb of God, the Paradise, until we sit on the throne of Heaven forever.
God blesses us.