Longing for Heaven 5-7-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I fix my focus on You. A moment ago I woke from a strange dream that reminded me of the frailty of life on earth and our destiny of security in heaven through You. ... "For we know that if this earthly tent that we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling -- if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be clothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee" (2 Corinthians 5:1-5). Father, You have created me to live forever with You in the house of God, the heavenly temple which speaks of Your eternal presence. You have placed the hope of eternity and the sense of the freedom of forever in my heart. The truth and life of Your Holy Spirit living in me continually lifts my face to the fullness of eternity even while my feet are fixed in the frailty of my earthly journey. My spirit that was created for freedom and longs for fulfillment of my eternal life groans under the burden of my earthly life. For this season of life between heaven and earth, I must live out my life and walk out my journey in both of these worlds -- with eternity in my heart and earth in my soul. But "He who has prepared us for this very thing is God." You have prepared me by giving me all I need for this journey -- the very Spirit of Your very presence "as a guarantee" to constantly affirm to me Your truth and constantly remind me of the coming fulfillment of my destiny in You. My hope and my confidence is in You. "Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him" (2 Corinthians 5:8-9). Though I may groan with the longing for my heavenly dwelling, keep giving me the grace to live faithfully in this season of eternity in my earthly dwelling. Let my heart and my aim be to please You whether in heaven or on earth. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, or to order my teaching and prayer dvd's (and now cd's) for spiritual transformation through inner healing and deliverance, write to me at Messiah Ministries MessiahMin@aol.com"Preparing the Way of the Lord." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, Kentucky 40502: www.messiah-ministries.org Come to The Fountain the 3rd Friday night of every month at 7 pm for our citywide gathering for prayer, praise, and healing worship. Daily archives of my devotional: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com