THE RECOVERING OF CHRIST

PART VII

– HARVEST – EXPECTATION –

APPEARING OF LORD OF GLORY

We trust that we will allow the Spirit of the Lord to speak to our hearts such things as the Spirit says and hath said IN CHRIST JESUS. We have been dealing with a particular truth in a series with regard to the recovering of Christ specifically regarding the New Creation, that you are, in Christ Jesus. Our primary focus has been upon the purpose of that creation. We also dealt with the disruption of the world - one world passing away. Obviously we are not talking about the trees, the grass and the ground but rather the world order, the world system - the old man, the old creation - passing away. We found that that judgment took place in the cross of Christ. John's gospel the 12th chapter beginning at verse 23 through verse 33 tells us that clearly. It is during that time that the Son of Man is lifted up, signifying what manner of death he should die that He brings that judgment into the world. And at that time the prince of the world is literally cast out, having that creation that he has so long subdued and dominated brought to a nothingness, with the purpose of a New Creation coming forth in Christ Jesus.

Purpose of New Creation

Now we want to deal with the purpose of New Creation. I am not talking about some creation that is yet to come. We are talking about the New Creation that you are IN CHRIST JESUS! If you know your Bible and you are scripture searchers, surely you are aware of the places and the volumes that are involved in the scriptures declaring that you are a NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST JESUS. A few of those verses being Ephesians 2, the volume of that chapter, particularly verse 10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…" (Eph 2:10). The entire letter of II Corinthians speaks with regard to a New Creation but most specifically the 5th chapter beginning with verse 14 and on through verse 17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]..." (2Cor 5:17). The scripture says that he is a New Creation. How is it then that we are still looking for a New Creation? Quite simply: you are either a New Creation, or you are not in Christ. If you are not in Christ, then you are not part of God and you are not born again. If you are born again of His Spirit, then you are in Christ. If you are in Christ, then you are a New Creation.

References:

1Ptr 1:23

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Jn 1:12-13

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jn 3:5-7

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

1Jn 4:13-15

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

2Cor 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What is the purpose of that New Creation? We have been comparing the old with the new. In other words, we have been finding the pattern of the new established in the old. We have been finding the perfection of that pattern, the fulfillment of that pattern, only coming forth in Christ Jesus. Only there do we realize our full potential as a creation of God, a creation created in Christ Jesus. And only there do we realize, not only in comprehension but in experience, the purpose of being a New Creation at all. What is your purpose today? We dress up, sit in a building, and call ourselves the Church. I am asking you, "WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?" It is a sad epitaph that most Christians are finding more purpose in their jobs than they are in Christ. Most Christians are finding more purpose in their families than they are in Christ. Most Christians are finding more purpose in their social clubs and in their holiday activities. Think about that. What is your purpose in Christ Jesus?

God has created a New Creation and has brought that forth through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord. "But God,...for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:4-5). If God has gone to all the time and trouble (say nothing of the death, burial and resurrection) and expense of bringing forth in His Son a New Creation, there must be some purpose that goes beyond just being a New Creation.

Pattern of Purpose

We have found the pattern of that purpose in the old creation. Why did God create, in Genesis, a creation? He created it for a man! He created it for a harvest. We have been using three words - SEED, KIND, and HARVEST. That gives the earth its purpose for existing. God put in a seed after its own kind in expectation of harvest. That is the purpose. All of that is shown in type in the old creation, and the pattern of the old creation is fulfilled in MAN. Though the old man never comes to the full intention of God, the full intention of God is declared in that man. God declares in the first man, Adam, an intention concerning Himself. That intention is to have a creation, the center of which is a man in whom God can find the very full harvest, the full increase of His own self. All of that is only set forth in type in the old creation; it is fulfilled in the new creation.

Seed Sown for Harvest

In the New Creation God has ONE SEED. You are born of that seed, which seed is CHRIST. The purpose of that seed is to bring forth after His own kind. The purpose of that kind is to come forth as a full harvest of the fullness of the Lord Himself. It is for God to receive unto Himself a full harvest of His Son in a people, after the good pleasure of God's own heart. You have read the parables - bear fruit - fruit, more fruit, then much fruit. The Lord Jesus is saying that it is with much fruit that the Father is well pleased. Although we have not dealt with those specifics of the harvest, surely we understand that the fruit spoken of there is the fruit of the Spirit, which is the very character and nature and fullness of the Son Himself! Surely we understand that the fruit that God is after, that He gathers unto himself, is the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ coming forth in a people who are purposed for that very harvest. The creation is not the harvest, but the creation is purposed for a harvest. The SEED is sown for a harvest. That seed that is sown in the New Creation is CHRIST HIMSELF that He may come forth as a blade, then as a stalk, and then as a full corn in the ear. It is that He may come forth in thirty and sixty and hundred fold which speaks of a three-fold harvest - the harvest of the Passover, then of Pentecost, and then of Tabernacles. It is in that last harvest, that hundred fold harvest, that He is brought forth in a people who are dwelling in Him - in a full harvest of Tabernacles. Hallelujah to God! Tabernacles - all of that gathered up in one dwelling place of the Lord - the full harvest. That leads into the time of the Jubilee. All of that is set forth in type in the Old Testament to be fulfilled in the new.

References:

Mtt 13:23

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Jn 15:4-5, 8

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. …Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Gal 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Mrk 4:28

For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

Fausset’s Bible Dictionary: FEASTS

…The three great feasts had a threefold bearing. I They marked the three points of time as to the fruits of the earth. II They marked three epochs in Israel’s past history. III They pointed prophetically to three grand antitypical events of the gospel kingdom. I (1) At the Passover in spring, in the month Abib, the first green ears of barley were cut, and were a favorite food, prepared as parched grain, but first of all a handful of green ears was presented to the Lord. (2) Fifty days (as Pentecost means) after Passover came the feast of weeks, i.e. a week of weeks after Passover. The now ripe wheat, before being cut, was sanctified by its firstfruits, namely two loaves of fine flour, being offered to Jehovah. (3) At the feast of tabernacles, in the end of the common year and the seventh month of the religious year, there was a feast of ingathering when all the fruits of the field had been gathered in. There was no offering of consecration, for the offerings for sanctifying the whole had been presented long before. It was not a consecration of what was begun, but a joyful thanksgiving for what was completed. See for the spiritual lesson #Pr 3:9 Ps 118:15. ...

Harvest = Appearing of the Lord of Glory

Now we did not deal with the aspect of that three-fold harvest, all of the types and shadows along with the parables wherewith the Lord deals with that very harvest and then the reality of it set forth in Christ Jesus, but it is all there. I purposely jumped over that harvest because I wanted to deal with something concerning what all of that is really about, everything that is spoken with regard to that creation we are. Finally it is all summed up in the APPEARING OF THE LORD OF GLORY. It is all pointing to and speaking of that. A harvest coming forth, seed sown, seed watered, seed gathered - a harvest coming forth, is all speaking of one thing: the coming and the APPEARING OF THE LORD OF GLORY - IN HIS NEW CREATION! Hallelujah to God. It is not you and I appearing. It is HIM appearing IN you and me. So we are jumping ahead and bringing it to a conclusion, because this is where it is all coming.

Christ Appearing In You

Our purpose for being in Christ is that CHRIST MAY APPEAR IN US. Our purpose for being in Christ is that He may be revealed in us and that we may come to be a manifestation of Him in the earth. That is what all of the harvests are talking about. That is what all of the feasts are talking about. That is what those things said in the Old Testament and then given to us in parables in the gospels, are talking about. Paul in writing the epistles gets to the core of it with the Church. He brings it right into the Church telling them that they are the body of Christ, and their purpose is to grow up in Him and manifest His fullness in the earth. All of that involves Him being revealed in us, His appearing in us and us manifesting Him.

References:

Col 3:4

When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Eph 4:13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

2Cor 4:10

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Instead of diagramming the old creation, we are just going to put the cross. We found out that the cross is the end of the old creation, so we will just make it our beginning because the end of the old is the beginning of the new. Out from the cross then comes a New Creation - you and I. I often put a large circle representing Christ and then smaller circles representing us in Christ, being brought forth in Christ Jesus - a New Creation. But we are dealing with more than just the existence of a New Creation. We are looking at the purpose of a New Creation. What is the purpose of it?

Purposed Unto Glory

The New Creation is purposed unto GLORY. The end of salvation and the end of everything that the Holy Spirit is doing in us now is the GLORY OF GOD. It is all towards the glory of God, but do we know what the glory of God is? Do we understand even what the Hebrew and Greek definitions of the glory of God are? The term "glory" which is translated in the Greek as the little word "doxa", is defined as "THE SELF REVELATION OF GOD." It is God revealing Himself in a people. He does that by His Spirit in the person of His Son. Many Hebrew and Greek words have a second or even have a three-fold meaning. The first part of "glory" is God revealing Himself in a people. The second part of "glory" is God revealing Himself through a people. I define this as: "THE DIVINE NATURE OF GOD IN EXPRESSED FORM - IN EXPRESSION." The glory of God is not stagnant. The glory of God is not dormant. The glory of God is "…Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). The Greek word for "hope" is "expectation". The word "expectation" tells us something. Not only is the glory of God Christ in you, but it is Christ in you with an expectation. It is that expectation that we are going to be talking about. So the word "glory" is not just Christ in you in a dormant, stagnant way, but Christ in you fully expecting to be manifested through you to become an expression. It is Christ in you waiting to be manifested through you. Consequently the word "glory" is fulfilled in its definition there, not just in a dormant way, but in an expressive way.

References:

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Col 1:27, "glory" <1391>

1. doxa ^1391^, "glory" (from dokeo, "to seem…It is used (I) (a) of the nature and acts of God in self-manifestation, i. e., what He essentially is and does, as exhibited in whatever way he reveals Himself in these respects, and particularly in the person of Christ, in whom essentially His "glory" has ever shone forth and ever will do,…the exhibition of His attributes and ways;… (b) of the character and ways of God as exhibited through Christ to and through believers…

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

Online Bible Greek Lexicon: Col 1:27, "hope" <1680>

1680 elpiv elpis el-pece’

from a primary elpo (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); TDNT-2:517,229; n f

AV-hope 53, faith 1; 54

1) expectation of evil, fear

2) expectation of good, hope

2a) in the Christian sense

2a1) joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation

3) on hope, in hope, having hope

3a) the author of hope, or he who is its foundation

3b) the thing hoped for

Jn 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jn 1:14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.

Jn 14:7

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Mtt 11:27

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Gal 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

For Glory

You and I are brought forth in Christ FOR GLORY. Hallelujah! We are there to become the very expression of Him. He is in us with great expectation. Now the Bible is full of examples of this. One example is when Jesus talks about the sower. He put a seed into the ground with expectation! Nobody sows a seed for dormancy. If you want it to be dormant, put it on a shelf somewhere. Do not put it in creation; do not put it in the ground. If you put it in the ground, it is not going to remain stagnant, stationary nor dormant. It begins to fulfil AN EXPECTATION - Hallelujah! Do we not understand that the living seed of God dwells in this New Creation? The living seed of God, "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which LIVETH and abideth forever" (1Ptr 1:23, emphasis added). Christ in you is not some kind of dormant or stagnant seed. He is sown with full purpose. That purpose is that HE MAY REPRODUCE and be formed. Paul put it this way, "…Christ be formed in you" (Gal 4:19). There is and should be a formation taking place in every believer who is walking in the Spirit and learning Christ, in every believer whose heart is set upon His appearing, in every believer who is allowing the work of the Spirit to be ongoing. THERE IS A FORMING OF CHRIST IN YOU. If there is not a forming of Christ in you, then something is wrong in you with regard to the work of the Spirit, because we know there is nothing wrong with the seed. God does not sow bad seed.

References:

Jn 17:21-23

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Mrk 4:3

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

Jas 5:7

Mrk 4:20

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Jesus now talks about several kinds of ground but there is nothing wrong with the seed in any of the scenarios. There is never anything wrong with the seed. If we can see that we are good ground, a New Creation, then you and I should be in full expectation. But the pitiful thing is most believers are not because most believers have not been properly watered with the Spirit of Truth. They might have been watered with the Spirit of Excitement, but not the Spirit of Truth. I do not mind you getting excited, as long as you get excited about the TRUTH!. But too many believers just want to get excited - period. And after that excitement is all over, they do not know what they were excited about. We do that week after week, month after month, year after year, and we are just an excited people but do not know what we are excited about, and we are bringing forth very little of Christ.

Reference:

Mrk 4:4-5, 7-8

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: …And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

The Lord of Glory

EXPECTATION – When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will begin to work an expectation in creation. The focus of that expectation is not just glory, but the LORD OF GLORY. We are not just looking for glory. Many people are just looking for glory, but what is glory? Together we will find in our scripture searching that until the LORD OF GLORY appears, there is NO glory. We look at the Old Testament and we see the glory of God shown in smoke and fire. That is a type; that is not the real glory of God. Smoke and vapor is a type that God used. I just told you that the word "glory" is the self-revelation of God. The word "glory" is the divine nature of God in expression. Now if the Lord is not there, how is there going to be a revealing of Him? If the Lord is not there, how is there going to be an expression of Him? If the Lord is not there, how shall there be any glory? That is why He is called the LORD OF GLORY. Hallelujah! That is why, in I Corinthians 2:8-9, we are given to understand that if the principalities and powers and rulers of the world had understood what God was doing in His Son by the cross, taking away one creation and bringing forth another, they would not have crucified THE LORD OF GLORY!

References:

Jn 15:26

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Jn 16:13-14

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Ex 13:21-22

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Num 14:14

And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

Neh 9:12

Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

Neh 9:19

Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

1Cor 2:8-9

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

A Creation In Waiting

We have already established that we are a New Creation. Now, we are a creation in waiting. "…They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Is 40:31). This does not mean that we will not get tired. It means that we will not grow weary in well doing. My wife and I travel a lot among the Lord's body, and we are often asked, "Don't you get tired?" I just say, "Yes, I stay tired. I stay tired all the time. If I get rested that is something new." But that is a physical condition. The promise is not that we will not get tired. The promise is that we will not weary in well doing. There is a difference between getting weary and getting tired. We do not distinguish that in our English language, but there is a difference. When you get weary with something, you are ready to quit. When you get tired sometimes you just rest, get up and go again. If you ever get weary of something, you are coming close to quitting. "…They shall not grow weary…" (Is 40:31) means that they shall not consider quitting.

Reference:

Gal 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

EXPECTATION is the reason. They that wait upon the Lord are brought into great expectation. They are running a race in expectation. They are walking in faith in expectation. They are standing - immovable in expectation. Whatever type you want to use, I can show you in the very scripture that you will find those types, it is in expectation of HIS APPEARING.

References:

1Cor 9:24

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Heb 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Tit 2:13

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

1Ptr 1:7

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

The Church

A woman is the closest type of the Church we have in the earth. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that the only purpose of a woman is to get pregnant and have kids. What I am saying is that the purpose of God, seed and kind is increase. We have already settled the fact that increase is not necessarily a bunch of something but rather the nature and character of something. But when a woman is having a child she is fulfilling the type that she is of the Church. She is bringing forth the increase of the seed, which is in her.

References:

Gen 1:28

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Eph 5:23-25

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Eph 5:32

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1Sam 1:10-11

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Expectation

Those who have had children know that as the time approaches, expectation grows. Expectation begins to dominate and control their very being. It controls where they go, how they get there, where they do not go. It controls what they do, what they eat, what they talk about, and what they think about. Every fiber of their being is soon controlled - in expectation! And the closer to the moment (that no man, regardless of how smart he is can actually determine), the greater the expectation. Now what are they waiting on – just a birth? It is a little more specific than that, is it not? They are about to give birth but they are waiting on a child! In the same way, what are we waiting on? Are we simply waiting on glory! No, it is a little more specific than that. We are waiting on the LORD OF GLORY because until the Lord of Glory appears there will be no appearing of the glory of the Lord. There is a difference. We will deal with that difference later.

Lord Appearing In You

I am speaking right now about the Lord of Glory appearing IN YOU and you as a creation being filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. I realize that the earth is involved in a great manifestation in the end, but I am speaking of the Lord appearing in his holy sanctuary, the Lord appearing in his people, the Lord appearing in the heavens, the Lord appearing in His New Creation. That is the expectation. We have so diluted this in man-made doctrines that there are comparatively few Christians today that are truly waiting on the Lord to be revealed in them. Most are just waiting to get out of some circumstance, either individually or collectively. This speaks of motivation. Would you walk up to an expectant mother and say, "Well now, I can give you a way out of here." There might be some women that would take it, but a mother would not. In the throes of childbirth, her way out is to bring forth! Oh, that the Church had at least enough understanding to realize that our way out is to bring forth. Our way out is to MANIFEST CHRIST in every situation rather than to run, either individually or collectively, from the situations.

References:

Col 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

2Cor 4:6

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Is 6:3

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Is 11:9

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Gal 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

2Cor 2:14

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Phil 1:20-21

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

If the earth is going to be filled, as the Bible says it will, with the knowledge of the glory of God, someone must manifest Christ there. I am not trying to deal with end-time doctrines or end-time events. I do not care about them on that level. I am dealing with the reality of Christ in you and the purpose for which you are set in Him - that the Lord of Glory may be revealed in His creation, that the Lord of Glory may be revealed in you, that you may enter into a great expectation and live everyday in that expectation OF MANIFESTING HIM, that you may enter into your workplace, your family dwelling (it does not make any difference), that you enter in there every day, day after day, in the expectation of the Lord! It is not in some expectation of getting out of it, but in the expectation of bringing Christ forth in the midst of it.

References:

Hab 2:14

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

2Tim 1:9-10

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

2Tim 4:8

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Waiting

I will tell you how to wait and not get weary. If you do not want to do it this way, then do it the way you want to…and get weary. There are Christians quitting all over the world, because they are tired of waiting. They tire because they do not know what they are waiting on. They try to figure it out with a calculator and when that fails to work, many more quit the Lord. It is a pitiful situation. God's people need to wake up and understand what they are waiting on - what the true expectation of salvation is all about. Then, we need to begin to produce it and begin to live it. Hallelujah! Let the New Creation begin to bring forth the glory of the Lord. But we will only do that when the Lord of Glory appears.

Glory In Us

We will look at Romans chapter eight. The first half of the chapter is from verse 1 to 17, where it deals with walking in the Spirit, the life of the Spirit, and finally the purpose of the Spirit - which is the revealing of Christ in you. We dealt with the Spirit of Adoption before; the very Spirit of HIS SON entering into our hearts crying, "Abba, Father", creating in us a tremendous expectation of His appearing. Then we come to verse 18 and Paul says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom 8:18). I would like for you to make special note that this has nothing written there about anything being revealed to you. It is in you. Christ in you is the expectation of glory. If you will read Romans 8 with a willing heart (do not even let me persuade you), just read it with an open mind, asking the Spirit of God to bring you into an understanding of Christ, and read it until the Spirit of God really opens your eyes, you will become a creation in waiting. You will become a creation in expectation. You will become one who says, "I tell you. There is nothing that I am faced with that is even worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." You will come into an expectation that will literally recharge, rechannel and change your very life. Instead of a creation that is dormant, dead and stagnant, you will become a creation revived in divine expectation. Hallelujah! Your whole heart, mind and soul will be set for the earnest expectation of the creation. (The King James Version translates that word "creature", but it can also be translated creation). "For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature [creation] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him [God] who hath subjected the same in hope [expectation]" (Rom 8:19-20). God has an expectation when he plants the seed. He does so with an expecting heart.

References:

Strong’s Greek Lexicon: Rom 8:19-20, "creature" <2937>

2937. ktisiv ktisis ktis’-is; from 2936; original formation (properly, the act; by implication, the thing, literally or figuratively):— building, creation, creature, ordinance.

Strong’s Greek Lexicon: Rom 8:19-20, "hope" <1680>

1680. elpiv elpis el-pece’; from a primary elpw elpo (to anticipate, ususally with pleasure); expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence:— faith, hope.

Jas 5:7

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

His Expectation

Now He is about to bring His creation into HIS expectation so that we will get as excited about it as He is! He is bringing His Son to be formed in a people and to be manifested in a people. Hallelujah! One Son manifested in many sons - Glory to the Lamb of the Living God! A harvest coming forth unto the Lord - blessed be His Holy Name! What is that all about? Look at Romans eight, verses 28 and 29, and just agree with me that we are not talking about fifteen different subjects. We are in the same letter and the same chapter, so follow on through. We are skipping some verses which you can read for yourself. We are not starting on one subject and ending on another. We are talking about a creation in waiting - in expectation of the glory of God. "And we know that all things work together for good..." (This is in the light of what we are talking about -this creation. "...to them that love God..." (The Concordant Literal New Testament translation says, "who are loving God"). "...to them that love [are loving] God, to them who are the called, according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28). He is working everything toward His purpose. We know and comprehend that. We finally lay hold to that. I would not suggest that He is not in control of all things everywhere, but I am saying that the focus of it is upon this creation, this New Creation, IN CHRIST - wherein God is working to bring forth His Son and all things work together for the good. For whom do all things work together for good - to John Doe? NO - to those who are loving God and are the called according to his purpose. The next verse states this purpose – this purpose of creation - this purpose of harvest. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate..." (Rom 8:29). Who did he foreknow? We found that before the disruption of the world He chose this creation in Christ Jesus. Before He destroyed one creation He knew another. He purposed another. He planned another. He chose another - IN HIM - from before the foundation of the world, from before the disruption of the world. Those He foreknew, He did predestinate. There is a predestined purpose for our being in Christ. He has a purpose.

References:

Rom 8:28-29

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Heb 2:10-11

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Eph 3:11

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

When you put a seed into the ground, you have a predestined purpose for that seed. Hallelujah to God! You are already anticipating the harvest. You already have it in view. God the Father already has it in view. He already foreknows it. It is not taking Him by surprise. He is employing all the power of heaven towards that harvest. He is employing all the fullness of the Spirit towards that harvest. EVERYTHING IS SET IN EXPECTATION! What is that purpose? "...To be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:29). Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! "Moreover whom he did predestinate [this New Creation, those of this New Creation] them he also called: [with a divine and holy calling] and whom he called, them he also justified: [through the death of His Son and through death] and whom he justified, them he also glorified [brought them into glory]" (Rom 8:30). Hebrews 2 verses 5-9 lead up to verse 10, where it says, that he might bring "…many sons unto glory." HALLELUJAH TO GOD!

Reference:

Jn 12:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Waiting For Him

What is this whole creation in expectation for? This whole creation is in waiting. You see, we get it all backwards. Leave it to us to completely reverse everything. Even in our wedding ceremonies we have the groom waiting on the bride. But in Christ it is the opposite. Everything is waiting FOR HIM that He may clothe it with Himself, so that whole creation may become in representation, in form, in manifestation, the appearing of Him. It is the manifestation of Him! That is the volume of the book. That is the volume of the scripture. I do not care where you read. Just go to the scripture and look there and let your heart begin to be set on fire of the expectation of His appearing. In that appearing, He transforms a people into the very image of the Son, that He may be the firstborn, the first fruit bringing, as it were, in the expression of Himself, a whole harvest. Glory to God! Yes, blessed be the Lamb of the Living God.

References:

Eph 5:25-27

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

2Cor 5:2-3

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

Rom 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1Cor 15:22-23

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Everything is waiting for His coming. The key to the whole creation is in the appearing of the Lord of Glory. Psalms 24, beginning with verse 1. You must understand something now. If this does not seem right with your spirit, get in the scripture and ask the Lord to bring you into a view of this. You must understand that the Bible is a prophetic book and a spiritual book that is speaking far beyond itself. You must understand that a New Creation is being spoken of in this psalm. Here we are dealing with a creation that finds its whole fulfillment in God. We find that one creation fell from that, and another is brought forth in Christ Jesus. It is just like we read in places like Zerubbabel and know that is a prophesy concerning Christ. If we search enough, we know that. It is hidden, but we know that.

Reference:

Hag 1:14

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

"The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps 24:1). If we can hear this by the Spirit and see this prophetically of that creation in Christ Jesus, then we will see, and we will be able to say, "Yes, that is so!" "For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods" (Ps 24:2). We know that must be speaking prophetically. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Ps 24:3). The hill of the Lord is Mt. Zion. His holy place is his sanctuary. That is speaking of a New Creation. "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah." (Ps 24:4-6). Here it prophetically speaks of Christ, and this term "SELAH" seals it and says think about this because only the Spirit of God can reveal this unto you. That is what "Selah" means. Stop and consider these things. It is like the Lord saying, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [you]..." (Rev 2:7, 11, 17). This is the generation.

Reference:

Fausset’s Bible Dictionary: SELAH

Seventy-one times in the Psalms, three times in Habakkuk. From shelah, "rest." A music mark denoting a pause, during which the singers ceased to sing and only the instruments were heard. Septuagint diapsalma, a break in the psalm introduced where the sense requires a rest. It is a call to calm reflection on the preceding words. Hence, in #Ps 9:16 it follows higgaion, "meditation." The selah reminds us that the psalm requires a peaceful and meditative soul which can apprehend what the Holy Spirit propounds. Thus it is most suggestive, and far from being, as Smith’s Bible Dictionary alleges of this sense, "superfluous." Delitsseh takes it from saalal "to lift up," a musical forte, the piano singing then ceasing, and the instruments alone playing with execution an interlude after sentences of peculiar importance, so as to emphasize them.

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in" (Ps 24:7). The everlasting gates, the everlasting doors belong to the city of God, which city YOU ARE. That city is the center of a New Creation. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God - whose throne is established there forever! THE KING OF GLORY SHALL COME IN. "Who is this King of Glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of Glory. Selah" (24:8-10). He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Church. Hallelujah!

References:

Heb 12:22

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

Rev 21:9-14

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Lift Up Your Head

Everything in this creation is waiting in expectation for His appearing. The term "lift up your head" is to "exalt your soul into a higher spiritual realm". "Lift up your eyes", some 150 times or so, it is bringing the soul to a higher spiritual realm – "Lift up your head". Paul would say it this way, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above [set your affections]..." (Col 3:1). That is the way Paul would say it. "Set your affections on things above…" (Col 3:2). He would go on to say "...for ye are dead [as to that one creation] and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). Then he would go on to say in verse 4 of Colossians 3, "When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him [as one with him] in glory." HALLELUJAH!

References:

Gen 13:14

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

Is 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Ps 86:4

Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Ps 121:1

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Strong’s Greek Lexicon: Gen 13:14, "look" <7200>

7200. har raÆah raw-aw’; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):— advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, ( e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.

Online Bible Greek Lexicon: Gen 13:14, "look" <7200>

7200 har ra’ah raw-aw’

a primitive root; TWOT-2095; v

AV-see 879, look 104, behold 83, shew 68, appear 66, consider 22, seer 12, spy 6, respect 5, perceive 5, provide 4, regard 4, enjoy 4, lo 3, foreseeth 2, heed 2, misc 74; 1313

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Gen 13:14, "SEE, PERCEIVE" <7200>

A. Verb.

ra'ah ^7200^, "to see, observe, perceive, get acquainted with, gain understanding, examine, look after (see to), choose, discover." This verb occurs only in Moabite and all periods of Hebrew. It appears in the Bible about 1,300 times.

Basically ra'ah connotes seeing with one's eyes: Isaac's "eyes were dim, so that he could not see" <Gen. 27:1>. This is its meaning in <Gen. 1:4>, its first biblical appearance. The word can be used in the sense of seeing only what is obvious: "...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth..." <1 Sam. 16:7>. This verb can also mean "to observe": "...and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport" <Judg. 16:27>. The second primary meaning is "to perceive," or to be consciously aware of-- so idols "neither see, nor hear" <Deut. 4:28>. Third, ra'ah can represent perception in the sense of hearing something-- God brought the animals before Adam "to see what he would call them" <Gen. 2:19>. In <Isa. 44:16> the verb means "to enjoy": "...I am warm, I have seen the fire." It can also mean "to realize" or "to get acquainted with": "When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth..." <Eccl. 8:16>. The rebellious men of Jerusalem tell God they will not "see sword nor famine"; they will not experience it <Jer. 5:12>.

This verb has several further extended meanings. For example, ra'ah can refer to "perceiving or ascertaining" something apart from seeing it with one's eyes, as when Hagar saw that she had conceived <Gen. 16:4>. It can represent mentally recognizing that something is true: "We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee..." <Gen. 26:28>. Seeing and hearing together can mean "to gain understanding": "...kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider" <Isa. 52:15>. In <Mal. 3:18> the verb means "to distinguish": "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked...." The word can mean to consider the fact that Israel is God's people <Exod. 33:13>.

In addition to these uses of ra'ah referring to intellectual seeing, there is seeing used in the sense of living. "To see the light" is to live life <Job 3:16>; cf. <33:28>. It can mean "experience" in the sense of what one is aware of as he lives: "Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity... reap the same" <Job 4:8>. In <2 Kings 25:19> the verb is used in the unique sense of "having trusted concourse with" when it speaks of the five advisors of the king.

A fourth idea of seeing is "to examine": "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower..." <Gen. 11:5>. This examining can have to do with more than looking something over; it can refer to looking after or supervising something <Gen. 39:23>. Used in this sense ra'ah can imply looking upon with joy or pain. Hagar asked that she not be allowed to look on the death of Ishmael <Gen. 21:16>. This verb may be used of attending to or visiting-- so Jonadab said to Amnon: "...when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him..." <2 Sam. 13:5>. When Joseph advised Pharaoh "to look out a man discreet and wise," he was telling him to choose or select such a man <Gen. 41:33>. "To examine" may also be "to observe" someone in order to imitate what he does <Judg. 7:17>, or "to discover" something (find it out; <Judg. 16:5>).

B. Nouns.

ro'eh ^7203^, "seer; vision." Ro'eh, which occurs 11 times, refers to a "prophet" (emphasizing the means by which revelation was received; <1 Sam. 9:9>) and to "vision" <Isa. 28:7>.

Several other nouns are related to the verb ra'ah. Re'i appears once to mean "looking-glass" <Job 37:18>. Ro'i, which occurs 4 times, means "looking, appearance" <1 Sam. 16:12>, NASB. Re`ut occurs once, and it means "look" <Eccl. 5:11>. Mar'ah means "visionary appearance" or "(prophetic) vision" <Gen. 46:2> and "looking glasses" <Exod. 38:8>; this word appears 12 times. Of its 15 occurrences the noun to'ar means "form, shape" in <1 Sam. 28:14> and "stately appearance" in <1 Sam. 25:3>. Mar'eh occurs 103 times; this word and to'ar are descriptive of blessing in <Gen. 39:6>: "Now Joseph was handsome in form [to'ar] and appearance [mar'eh]" (NASB). Mar'eh refers more to external "appearance" <Gen. 2:9>, and the word can also connote "sight" as in a range of vision <Lev. 13:3> and "sight" in the sense of a supernatural "sight" or manifestation <Exod. 3:3>.

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

We are a New Creation, and we are set for His appearing. And when the Lord of Glory doth appear, is revealed, then the glory of the Lord shall abound.

FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE, THE GRACE THAT IS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS WITHOUT END. THANK YOU FOR THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHO IS COME INTO A NEW CREATION, THAT HE MAY OPEN THE EYES OF OUR UNDERSTANDING AND BRING US FORTH IN THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON. OH, THAT HE MAY BRING FORTH IN US UNTO FULLNESS. NOW SPIRIT OF GOD, ACCORDING TO THAT PURPOSE, WORK IN OUR HEARTS. WE JUST THANK YOU FOR IT, IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN.

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