Depends on what the meaning of "is" is.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. - John 3:13 (KJV)

The word "is" is very telling of how Jesus thought of himself during his earthly ministry. There was no question in his mind that he was the "Son of Man", and no question he was on earth accomplishing his tasks, yet he did not say, ...the Son of man which was in heaven", he said, "...the Son of man which is in heaven."

He did what he did not being previously in heaven but now on earth, he did what he did being previoiusly in heaven and still in heaven, joined eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

We, too, are to see ourselves currently in heaven, with Christ.

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: - Ephesians 2:5-6 (KJV)

He is expecting us to consider ourselves currently seated with Christ as we live our lives on earth! I want to know it, feel it; have it engrafted (James 1:21) into me and I into it to be part of me!

Ah ha!!! The journey of joy continues; pardon me while I stop to leap for Joy!!!

Wow!! Afterglow scripture:

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, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. - Hebrews 12:22-24 (KJV)

- Fritz
Patrikin - Related through The Father (God): Some things are just, simply beneath us!

What could be lacking?!

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church - Colossians 1:24 (NIV)

I have been cogitating this scripture for a while now (it is actually the search that recently led me to start my Joy Journey) and I think I may have found my sought-after understanding, today in my lunch quiet time.

When Jesus died on the cross he said, "It is finished" (John 19:30), and we, who care about the accuracy of such things, believe the afflictions Jesus suffered were complete with nothing lacking for an unhindered relationship with God.

So what could Paul have meant when he said he was filling up that which was lacking in Christ's afflictions for the Church?

The answer is in looking at the context from Colossians 1:21 through Colossians 1:29. I don't think Paul was talking about salvation, but the fulfillment of his own "dispensation" (Greek word, here, meaning "stewardship") of the word of God. (Colossians 1:25).

Jesus did his work in his flesh (Colossians 1:22), now Paul is completing in his flesh the remainder of afflictions required for the distribution of the good news about that "Mystery" Christ enabled.

Jesus did his required part, in his flesh, purchasing the reconciliation (Colossians 1:22), and Paul is gladly doing the remaining work to make it known to all. (Colossians 1:24-25).

Christ's work is complete, and continuing at the same time. Complete in Him, continuing in us as we fulfill our stewardship of the Mystery!

- Fritz

Reality Check!

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: - 2nd Corinthians 1:8 (KJV)

Inaccurate it would be to let an impression remain that all emotion in Jesus is exuberance.

That false impression can be given because most remarks are made when a pentacle is reached and feelings of excited expression run high. But there are valleys between those peaks, when there is no desire to write, but a hopeful expectation that the path will lead to a destination of better joy than any other path.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: - 1st Peter 1:6

Even in the valleys, though, there is a knowledge that more peaks are coming, with an anticipation of how wonderful they shall be.

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. - Psalms 30:5 (KJV)

Why not all peaks?! Why not all feelings of exuberance?! The next verse after our primary scripture answers that:

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: - 2nd Corinthians 1:9 (KJV)

God knows when we need a reality check!

Another discovery - freedom from fear

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. - 1st John 4:18 (KJV)

There are some things noticed when one has them and others only noticed after they are gone.

Sleep deprivation was like that. Until I used a CPAP machine and experienced real deep sleep, I never knew I was sleep deprived. What I have now is too good, may I never be sleep deprived again!

I did not notice the fear, either, until I realized, today, it was gone. May it never return!

God has touched me and filled me with His love in a special way and I am on a journey I don't know how long will last or where it will go, but I sure like the ride!!

Today was a particularly nasty day at work with people I am trying to serve complaining about the pickiest things. First complaining I did too much, then complaining I did too little, then complaining that what I did was wrong, sending notes up their chain of command to their bosses and my bosses; it was a mess.

What I noticed, praying on my way home, was that I was not concerned - it wasn't a lack of caring, I do care, it was a lack of fear; not being afraid of what someone might think or do nor of what might happen. I then noticed I was no longer afraid of what might happen to my children, either, if they make wrong life choices, not worried about what pain I might feel in my body, or what accident could happen on the way home.

I did not have to tell myself not to be afraid or not to worry - the worry wasn't even there to ignore. Again, it wasn't that I did not care - I care about my life and my family and living; it was that I was not worried or fearful. I knew things would be OK by God's grace.

I remember a friend telling me he was an alcoholic because when he drank he did not have fear; others have told me the same thing. This may be the answer for those struggling with those addictions; I wouldn't know because that is not my struggle.

My inner feelings and thoughts are filled with the peaceful assurance God has delivered me from any authority of darkness (my interpretation: bad things) (Colossians 1:13) and He doesn't just tolerate me and my shortcomings, He is for me, and is blessing my socks off! It is not feeling bad things won't happen, I'm old enough to know better, it is, instead, a strange knowing that God, being for me, is preventing a lot of bad things from happening and making the rest, both good and bad, work for His purposes, my good, and my greatest joy.

Thinking about this on the way home I could understand the scripture that says perfect love casts out all fear. I could see how Paul would write

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31 (KJV)

and the Psalmist could write:

I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. - Psalm 118:5 (KJV)

Good riddance, fear, I am under new management!

Love is easy, when you are touched.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. - Deuteronomy 6:5 (KJV)

Some have wondered how one can feel love for someone who can not be seen. It has also been expressed God doesn't expect us to manufacture loving feelings but to do loving act.

I believe God would not require us to manufacture feelings we don't possess and love is often a choice of action even when it is not felt emotionally, but today I was given a glimpse of how loving feelings arise in our hearts to our unseen Heavenly Father, not out of a effort to feel but a choice to worship.

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. - Psalm 4:7 (KJV)

God has a gladness that goes beyond natural pleasurable events and experiences. When God touches the heart in such a way that makes it more glad than anything else, loving feelings are an automatic response.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - Psalm 16:11 (KJV)

When one gets such fullness of joy in God and pleasures, better than anything else can give, loving feelings can not be stopped.

I am open to the possibility that God's command to love Him is actually a command to come to Him and let Him put His gladness into our hearts that will produce the love He desires.

-fal

Affection - A State of Mind

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. - Colossians 3:2(KJV)

Yesterday I looked up the original word for "affection" in this verse and made an interesting discovery. The original language has it the same word translated in other passages as "mind", as in

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5)

That word is also translated "thought" as in

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." - 1st Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)

St. Paul is not telling us where to put our feelings, he is telling us where to place our attention.

Asking the Right Questions

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.(John 4:10 KJV)

Had the woman at the well known the gift of God and that she was talking to the one who could give it she would quit arguing and start asking.

C.S.Lewis wrote:

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinate joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased"

Jesus said God has a gift, something that satisfies now and forever, and he is the one who gives it out.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.(John 4:14 KJV)

Jesus give me that gift so I don't even want to go to puny wells for refreshment! (John 4:15)

-fal