Lesson 236: “AIM HIGH”
“The Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have been thinking less of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one. Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither” (C. S. Lewis).
Since the “fall” man has not been naturally inclined toward God but Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, was convinced the Spirit of God worked (and still works) on and in human hearts. Paul explained all of this in his sermon from Romans entitled, in my version, “life through the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-17). God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful man so that through Him that human sinful nature could be condemned. What a glorious gift we have been given that we might shed the sinful nature, accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and live according to the Spirit of God who lives within each Christian (John 14:17-18). Paul, having been called by grace, aimed his message to the Gentiles, saying that it made no difference to him who they were before. God does not judge by external appearances and all saw that Paul had been entrusted with preaching the gospel. His aim was to unite all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, being neither Jew nor Greek (Gal. 3:1-29).
Peter turned everyone’s eyes to the Lord when he preached at Pentecost assuring them that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21); “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, preached in the midst of the false witnesses brought against him and kept his eyes on Jesus Christ. Then Stephen “looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” and then he ‘fell asleep’, with the help of the stoning he was given (Acts 7:5-60). John related that he had heard, seen, looked at and touched the living Christ (1 John 1:1-10) and he kept right on looking at his goal through out the book of Revelation. So faithful was he that God pulled back the curtain of eternity and gave him a glimpse that he might share with us what is in store for all who aim high (1 Cor. 2:9).
You may have received the Holy Spirit but not all have accepted or made use of the power that goes on between God and man when you pray for the Holy Spirit to “refill/refuel you”. Read the, messages, trials and tribulations of these men once more. Something happened to them when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Why did their sermons pack such a wallop? The Holy Spirit! Why were they willing to suffer? The Holy Spirit! What moved them? The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit was a restoration factor to give the writers of the New Testament an anticipation of the coming of Christ. As we aim toward this coming we feel a deepening of the Spirit just as did they. These promises written in the books of the bible were not essays for the moment but a possession for all time. Leave the elementary teachings about Christ and aim for maturity (Heb. 6:1). Jesus came to perfect the Law and the Levitical Priesthood and we are to continue to strive toward this perfection (Heb. 7:11). This can be done only with the help of the Holy Spirit.
There is a continuous aim toward the Holy Temple (Ps. 5:7), looking for the Lord (Ps. 25:15), God bringing someone out of the pit (Jon. 2:1-7) and lifting up hands toward the Lord, pouring out of hearts like water in His presence (Lam. 2:19) throughout the bible. This is the infilling of the Holy Spirit that comes continuously after salvation (Acts 19:4-7, 4:31, John 20:22, Acts 1:5). I know and believe that the power of the Holy Spirit can be loosed in lives for prayer (Rom. 8:26-27), hope overflowing (Rom. 15:13), and sanctification (Rom. 15:16). The Holy Spirit gives the gifts (1 Cor. 12:1-11) as He determines. Ask God to allow the Spirit of truth to come and teach you all things and you will come into a deeper understanding (John 14:17, 26). The definition of sin is to “miss the mark” telling me that we are aiming at a moving target. We know that heaven is on the move since God sends ministering angels (Heb. 1:14), a rustling in the tops of the mulberry trees (1 Chro. 14:14-15) and the Holy Spirit. All of these movements keep your armor polished and your sword sharp and drawn against the movements of hell. Oh, yes! Satan is on the move too since he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).
Paul aimed high; striving for that perfection that he knew and we know will be only after our journey through this physical life has come to an end. This body we live in is just a temporary tent which we will shed at death, continuing our life spiritually in our new home with Christ. Aim high! Heaven is our goal! We should always be looking for that City (Heb. 11:10)!