A Contrite/ Humble Heart- Citizens of Heaven

Isaiah 66:2 "My hands have made both heaven and earth, and they are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! This is the one I esteem: He is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word."

"Trembles at my word" is translated in the Hebrew as: "who reverences my words."

God blesses, looks to/ esteems one with a contrite and humble heart who has reverence towards the word of God. I want a heart that is continually broken, receptive and sacrificial to the Lord Jesus Christ. There the heart has Spirit filled direction, guidance, assurance, hope, life, joy and is focused upon our heavenly home. We have peace no matter if we are understood, hated, loved, liked, disliked, persecuted, hunted, sick, because the more we know God's love the more Jesus' love flows through us. The word of God has meaning and depth that is not just understood on an intellectual meaning but a deep heartfelt sense in which we understand it in a very real living source. The words of God have become so real they have become like food which our soul finds strength and nourishment from.

Sounds crazy to the unbeliever that words on a page can become so real that they are as real as something we can live in and touch. To the unbeliever this sounds all like foolishness but they are confounded by the wisdom of God. They are confounded that someone would value and die for their faith. But we know God is mightier then anything that might come into our lives- even death cannot keep God's love from us that is why we don't fear when others do fear.

We as Christians do not fight flesh and blood but those dark spirits that puppet the emotions, understandings, actions of our haters, oppressors, persecutors, abusers and killers.

Those who hate us don't know they are doing humanity a disservice. They don't even know why that hate, judge and accuse us? For having a faith in the only Savior named Jesus Christ- That is a threat? They don't even understand why they outlaw the word of God for if they understood the word of God and it's saving message they would hold it up in high regard. They would shout the saving message of Jesus Christ from the roof tops.

I am reminded of Paul and Silas in the book of Acts chapter 16. They are in prison but their minds and hearts are not. They have been stripped and severely beaten with wooden rods and taken into the inner dungeon and clamped in stocks. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening and suddenly there was a great earthquake and the prison was shaken and the doors flew open and the chains of every prisoner fell off. The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped so he drew his sword to kill himself Paul shouted of the darkness of the dungeon, "Don't do it! We are all here!" Trembling with fear, the jailer called for lights and ran into the darkness and fell before Paul and Silas seeing their merciful actions had saved his own life. He brought them out of dungeon himself and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Paul's and Silas' reply, " Believe on the the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with your entire household."

"Why didn't they run and escape?"

Paul and Silas had something more valuable. They had the privilege of having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and even though they were physically in prison and were pain their mind and heart was focused and honed on God and their heavenly home. Their hearts were broken for the Lord and they poured their lives out for the Lord. They did not fear death or their circumstances. They knew they where citizens of heaven and their heart and mind was set upon their heavenly home not this world in which they lived.

In other words- their bodies were in this reality but their mind and heart were set on the realities of heaven. They let heaven fill their thoughts and did not just think of things down here on earth. They knew their real life was in Christ where he sits in the place of honor and power at God the Father's right hand. The cares of this life were not the emphasis but their resurrected life in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 3:14 would be a good place to read this information.)

(Think about this for a second. When something is broken, like a bone, you can feel every little movement that is attached to that bone. When we have a broken or contrite heart for the Lord we can feel the Lord's presence and his guiding and directing. We can “live” in the hope that God provides and we have “joy” because we feel His unfailing and faithful love. We don't put any emphasis on our life or the things of this world but on God because He is the only one that satisfies and fills our life with all good things.)

Philippians 3:19 "Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere."

Revelation 3:7 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He is the one who has the key of David. He opens doors, and not one can shut them; he shuts doors and no one can open them. I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. You have little strength, yet you obey my word and did not deny me. Look! I will force those who belong to Satan- those liars who say they are Jews but are not- to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love. Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. Look, I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write my God's name on them, and they will be citizens in the city of my God- the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And they will have a new name inscribed upon them. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

We must work hard to remember and retain this information and to renew our mind with these truths every moment of everyday. We must put our trust and hope in our heavenly home where Christ, who loves us, encourages us to finish this "experience of life" in faith. And in doing this our lives can't help but glorify and bring honor to God who is the source of our strength.