No Eye Has Seen??

We have all heard, or read the verses in 1 Corinthians were Paul states:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Its an amazing scrpiture taken out of Isaiah 64, which speaks of the mystery and glory of our God...the problem we tend to run across is cutting the verse short and missing the AWESOMENESS that follows. Most people look forward to heaven like that is the place where all the worries and suffering will be taken away...That we can never understand God's ways here on the earth, but that as soon as we enter that realm we will suddenly understand His glory. This verse a lot of times is used at funerals to comfort the loved ones sufering loss, and to remind us that we have something to look forward to "In Heaven"....BUT, lets finish Pauls statement shall we??

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us... (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

WOW!! Paul starts off quoting Isaiah that No one can imagine or see the glory of God, but then hits us with the truth that God has revealed it all to us by His Spirit! That means that my eye can see Him..My Ear can hear Him..My mind can imagine and understand Him...all because I LOVE HIM!!

We don't have to wait until we die and enter heaven to see the glory of God...it is fully available to us everyday because of what Jesus did on the cross...that was the whole point! God's Spirit lives inside us and reveals the thoughts of God to us daily...we have full access to the throne room, so lets make the most of it on this side of eternity....why wait till Heaven to see God and know His ways when it is ours for the taking...Jesus gave us the keys to the kingdom...lets use em all!

GRACE!

Running...

What are you running after in this life? What are the things that motivate you and keep you getting out of bed every morning? In a world with limitless possibilities and choices...what path are you choosing to follow? I think of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9

You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. (Message)

If the goal of our life is to inherit eternity, then how do we train to keep in the race...I want to win! Im sure you want to win! I have been thinking about professionals in every field and the sacrifices they make to be succesful. Football, Basketball, Soccer players work out and eat healthy...Singers take care of their vocies, and do vocal exercises...Chef's are always learning new recipes and trying new things....runners condition themselves all year to stay the best.

So the challenge is to stay in the race, and to stay running we need to be in shape....check out this verse:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:1-3 -

The goal is to choose to throw off everything that hinders (STOPS) us from running the race....Once you say yes to Jesus the only way to stop running is by choice. No one can knock you off the track, or the enemy wear you out. The choices we make daily keep us running..or slowly walking...or sitting down watching others run. What choices are you making? Are they helping you run, or slowing you down? Do the choices you make keep your spirit in shape to run? We were made to run the race hard after Jesus, and all of Heaven is cheering for us....So if your tired and weary....out of breath...fix your eyes on Jesus and remember who you run for and the prize of eternity thats your reward and KEEP RUNNING!