Promises: Doorway to Experience Father's Love

As internally I was having a difficult day, since I had not slept well the night before and the darkness seemed to overshadow me.  I remembered a promise the Lord had given me that I had meditated on in Colossians 1:12-13.  Yet when I pictured myself in the Promise which is what you do through a way to meditate on Scripture called Lectio Divina I was led into a very profound encounter.  There have been many a preacher who has used the verse in Revelation 3:20, "Behold I stand at the door and knock..." as a message that Jesus is inviting the pre-believer into relationship.  There is truth in that but I believe the primary invitation is to the Bride of Christ to come into relationship and intimacy with Him.

There are 750 promises in the New Testament that are all doorways into a new dimension of relationship with Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.  These are also doorway into experiencing the Kingdom of God and a bit of heaven on earth.  Yet for most believers they are content to have them as cute little reminders on their refrigerators.  Could it be that there are profound encounters waiting for each of us with God through these Promises where we are catapulted into new dimensions of relationship with Him?

Whatever situation, negative, or difficulty you may be facing there is a Promise the Father has waiting for you, a doorway to a new dimension.  I think of the wardrobe in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  The Wardrobe was the doorway into another world, the land of Narnia filled with adventure, important roles, and whole new identities.  This is a wonderful picture of the reality that we have been invited into, to live from heaven to earth.  Yet most of our thoughts are of earthly things and concerns.  How can we bring heaven to earth as Jesus instructed if we don't encounter Him in heavenly places?  We are citizens of heaven who are called to experience the reality of heaven now to manifest heaven on earth.

Some will say that if you are too heavenly-minded then you are no earthly good but Jesus in the Lord's prayer connected the two when He said, "On earth as it is in heaven.."  Encounters with Jesus lead to an impartion of relationship and His nature than transforms us into His image, then we manifest Him to others.  Our pastor says that in studying Scripture he realized how imporant encounter is throughout the entire Bible.  The invitation is open to every person who will go through the door of Promise to encounter who God is for you.

A Child of Promise,
Bret