Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast
which thou hast, that no man take
they crown. Him that overcometh will I make
a pillar in the temple of My God, which is
new Jerusalem, which cometh down out
of heaven from My God: and I will write
upon Him My new name.
Revelation 3:12
I apologize for not being able to write my blog the last two days. I had a doctor' appointment to check my recovery from my surgery and whether or not the cancer was growing again: it wasn't as far as they could tell and I will need to be seen again in six months, a better outcome from once every three months to six months. This is melanoma and must be taken seriously as it kills some 10,000 people each year and the survival rate is not good, but, as we have been studying the word of God our faith, my faith, has been strengthened as I come to understand that our God is coming and He will give to all who are converted to Him everlasting life. Until He comes: we must overcome what this world will throw at us because of our faith in Him.
Our salvation is secure as the last blog attempted to point out that we need not fear that God will not accept us because of our failures. We are allowed to go through trials and temptations and God will not stop those trials just because we believe upon Him: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Oh how we want to be delivered from trouble but that is not the case. You are not delivered from trouble, you are delivered in trouble. As a believer, a child of God, the bride of Christ, you will face troubles, but we can in those trouble be of "good cheer." One reason we have trouble facing trouble is our idea of what it means to be a saint. God sees us holy by seeing us through His Son Jesus Christ in whom we have placed our faith. If we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ then when troubles come, and they will, we will overcome them by following in the footsteps of Jesus.
Oh, how we want and overcoming life: but He does not give to us overcoming except as we overcome. God is our strength and Jesus is our strength and this strength is not immediately given to you but is given to you as you add to yourself a life that if following the commands of God. A problem exists when we attempt to overcome our problems by ourselves. Yes, we must act, but we must not just act on commonsense, rather we must spend ourselves spiritually and by this you can have the strength to be an overcomer. Our nourishment that gives us strength is for you to overcome your timidity and take the step that you must take if you are to be an overcomer: take the step and immediately the strength of God is not only your nourishment but gives to you the ability to overcome. You have the help if you will only use it.
Now as an overcomer you will have a new name, and your new name is written on you is the name of God. You are the New Jerusalem: But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all" (Galatians 4:26). The writer of Hebrews adds: But ye are come unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22). I you believe on the name of Jesus Christ you will be saved and your new name is not "sinner," no, it is "justified: "And such were some of you: by ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1Corinthians 6:11). Paul adds: "Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints which is the breadth, ad length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Ephesians 3:13-19).
Ancient Jerusalem foreshadowed and pictured the city of God, the city that is heavenly and will when Jesus returns be brought down to earth for you, a place where you will dwell eternally. You have a new name and a new home and until then you must be an overcomer as God enables you to overcome. It is a partnership, you do your part and God will do yours and by this you can be an overcomer, a person with a new name written on your forehead.
The LORD knoweth the days of the upright:
and their inheritance shall be for ever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time:
and in the days of famine they shall
be satisfied.
Psalm 37:18-19
May your faith be strengthened by His words
Richard L. Crumb
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