My soul is crushed with longing after Your ordinances at all times. – Psalm 119:20 NASB

Have you ever wanted something very badly or feared something very badly that your day is consumed by this desire or this fear?  If you have ever been in love with another person then you know what it is to be consumed with the desire for the one you love.  And for this reason it said that romantic love is “blind” (or really deaf, dumb and blind) because you are blind to the sacrifices of self that a relationship demands while you are intoxicated by the drug like “euphoric feelings” you have when you are with the person you love. Romantic love is a gift of God at the beginning stage of a relationship in order to bring a man and a woman together for His purpose but later on, to maintain the relationship, you must learn to love one another unconditionally, like Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:24-25).

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

If you fear death or sickness or financial troubles or public ridicule then your mind can be consumed by these thoughts.  Note, thoughts are not “positive” or “negative” like electric current but they are “holy” or “unholy”.  Positive thinking is something taught by humanism to keep you captive to the world, the flesh and the Devil … Jesus wants us to pursue “holy” thinking, which involves thinking about God and trusting in His word.  Solomon gave us wise advice when he said “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

John tells us that “Perfect love casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18).  Paul tells us to “Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).  Jesus tells His disciples to “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1) and David said “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want” for anything (Psalm 23:1).  Our motivation for what we do should not be to increase our gain in this world or please others but our motivation to do good works should be to remain faithful to the One we love … Jesus.

More importantly as those saved by the Grace of God, we are to pray and seek to do the good works that God has prepared for us to do in Christ Jesus by His Grace (Ephesians 2:10).  God wants us to give Him our burdens and concerns so He can guide us, instruct us and lead us in the way that gives Him the glory and rewards us eternally.  Peter explains that we are to “Cast all our cares upon God because He care for us” (1 Peter 5:7).  These are just a few of the holy and encouraging thoughts that remind us that God is in control and our peace and security is found in the unchanging character of God, not the constantly changing condition of the world.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6

It’s actually a sin to worry because it shows a lack of trust in the One you claim to trust with your very soul, the One who has promised to provide for your needs.  “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19).  The key word is “needs” and not wants.  This is why you must “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) … so you can understand the difference between your needs and your wants.  And you can understand how God supplies your needs so you can be a bless others by leading them to the One who takes care of you … Jesus!

Essentially, the logistics to having peace and “JOY” in this world are simple … think of “Jesus, Other, Yourself” … the world JOY is even spelled out by thinking in this order. However, there is something else that goes along with this peace and joy and that is “home sickness for Heaven”.  Thinking about the perfect love of Jesus and His perfect righteousness will increase your awareness of this sin sick world and it’s need for Jesus!  It will make you want to share the good news of the perfect life that is found in Jesus with others, which is a good thing.  However, as you grow closer and closer to Christ you will see the world for what it is … a world lost in sin being run by the deception of Satan and the only sure cure is the return of Christ to reign and rule, make you want to leave this world and go Home to be with Jesus.  

My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. – Psalm 119:20 ESV 

In other words as the Psalmist states that a “true longing” to be with Jesus and have Him rule over evil is like having your soul “crushed” as though nothing else in the world will do.  And this is they way I feel most of the time.  I am so tired and weary of people arguing over what’s important in this world and trying to control the public narrative by their opinion.  Only Jesus makes any real difference in the world, only Jesus’ righteousness matters, only Jesus’ plan of salvation and sanctification matters … He is the only narrative worth discussing.  To be honest, I am even depressed at times because I see the state of the world waxing worse and worse and I see that people have become “set in the way … on their path to destruction” to the point where they don’t want to repent from their sin and have Jesus rule over their life.

My soul is consumed with the longing for God’s rules” to be invoked at all times upon the earth.  And Jesus Christ will rule with a rod of iron during the Millennium upon the earth (plus Satan will be cast into the pit for 1,000 years).  But now, during the Church Age, Christ righteousness is to rule in our hearts, not from our hand.  We are not to rule over others or “take dominion” over things at this time like we are a kings but we are to wrestle in prayer for God’s righteousness to reign in the hearts of people on earth.  We are to pray for people to repent and be born again as “Kingdom Citizens”, we are not to rule over others at this time.  Jesus it the only King worthy of ruling over others now and in the future Millennium Kingdom, where “Resurrected Saints (including the Church)” will rule “with” Christ. 

I want to share a story about being homesick.  When my children were about 10 to 12 years old, I use to take them to a Christian Summer Camp where we would kind of “rough it’ by sleeping in an old barn on mats in sleeping bags.  We would learn about Jesus, sing, play games, hike, fire rifles, shoot bows and arrow, sit around a camp fire, swim, boat, fish … and do lots of outdoor activities with no TV and no phone without interruption of  God’s voice from His creation.   It was a wonderful place and the kids loved it and looked forward to it.  The guideline was that you had to be 9 years old to stay overnight but if the parent was a camp counselor and stayed then of course the child could  be much younger.   Also, “local” children as young as 6 years old could come during day and go home at night. 

I was a camp counselor for young boys and one of the boys was a local boy who was 6 years old.  He had such a good time during the day and his parents who were friends with the owner of the camp said he wanted to spend the night.  Well, this seemed like a good idea during the day because like I said he really enjoyed himself.  Well, when it was time to go to bed, he got a tear in his eye and said he wanted to go home.  I did everything I could to convince him of how wonderful it was at camp and I reminded him of how much he enjoyed the day and how much he would enjoy waking up here at camp to enjoy another day … but none of this registered with him and he solemnly repeated over and over “I want to go home”.  Well, we did phone the parents and they came.  He was sure happy to know they were coming, even happier when they arrived and he came back the next day for more camp fun!

The point of the story is that this little boy knew where his comfort and security came from, it was at his home.  And this is what Heaven is for the believer, it is our place of comfort and security … it is our real home.  It is good to long for our real  home and we should not be swayed or duped to find comfort and security in this world.  In a sense we are camping in a wilderness now on earth, living in tents … which are our earthly bodies that house our soul.  Yes, we have the light of Christ in our soul to guide us in this dark world (the Holy Spirit) and comfort us with the assurance of eternal “rest” in Him but we long to leave this camping experience and cross over the Jordan into the promise land of “rest” … Heaven … our real home. 

We long to have our resurrected Heavenly body, not a tabernacle of skin that undergoes decay but a permanent temple of glory that doesn’t decay and we can enjoy the fullness of Christ with others without misunderstanding, jealousy and division.  We long to be free from this sin nature that condemns us and have the light of Jesus Christ fully illuminated within us and stand in the very presence of His perfect light, enjoying the wonders and home that Jesus has prepared for us … the New Jerusalem … our real eternal home. 

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. – 1 Corinthians 2:9

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:8

I wanted to share this thought … that it’s OK to be consumed and crushed with the desire to be with Jesus.  There is even a reward, a crown in Heaven, for those who love His appearing! 

– Blessings and Maranatha! – Rogersings 

This song by Terry MacAlmon expresses the deepest desire of my homesick heart …. “How Long”. 

How long, how long
Till I awake in Your likeness
How long, how long
Till I become like You

 

Lord, You are calling me
To be all Your own
Yet how I struggle to
Surrender to Your throne
Give me a grace, O god
To die that I might live
In You, in You

 

Lord, You are calling us
To be a spotless bride
Raised up in holy power
That cannot be denied 
Give us the grace, O God
To boldly bear Your name
For You, for You   

Christmas Rapture Song  by Rogersings

 

Chorus:

I wanna go home for Christmas, Home to Heaven

To be with Jesus and live forever

Don’t wanna have no tomorrows, of sin and sorrow

I wanna go home to be with Jesus

 

Verse 1: 

The Christmas lights are glowing

And feet in shops are going

But my heart is grieved in knowing that man has forgotten You

 

Verse 2:

Lord at your first appearing

The people were not cheering

And now my eyes are tearing cause most don’t look for You

 

Verse 3:

I know dear Lord you’re coming

And that last lost child you’re drumming

To join the Saints who’re humming

This song of Jubilee

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