OUR BLESSED POSITION

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness.

BEAUTIFUL FOR SITUATION, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a Refuge." (Psalm 48:1-2)

THE PLACE OCCUPIED BY THE SAINTS OF GOD is altogether glorious! It is marked by the blessing of the Lord, which "makes rich, and He adds no sorrow" (Prov 10:22). The Psalm under consideration boldly declares this to be the case. The "city of our God" is a synonym for the people of God – those among whom God Himself dwells. The "mountain of His holiness" speaks of the elevated realms in which they dwell – called in the Apostolic doctrine, "heavenly places." "Mount Zion" is the place of blessing, and is where "the great King" bestows His blessing. It is where the blessing of God is realized, experienced, and no longer something about which men merely speculate. In these realms "God is known," or comprehended, by the heavenly citizenry. He is their refuge, joyfully embraced and known by all. It is a blessed "situation," indeed!

SATAN IS AGGRESSIVE to turn the eyes of believers away from their real habitat. He tempts them to look at their circumstances, and ponder their lot in earthly life. With hateful initiative he tempts them to judge according to appearance, look at things that can be seen, and evaluate their status by their earthly circumstance. Those who fall into his snare will be discomfited, cast down, becoming morose, and discouraged.

THIS WORLD IS NOT GOOD to the people of God. Jesus said, "in the world, exalted shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). He also revealed the reason for their hatred. "because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19). That situation was not the cause for storing up canned goods, fleeing for safety into a desert, or compromising their testimony. Rather, Jesus admonishes, " . . . but take courage; I have overcome the world." This simply is a circumstance with which the saints must live. However, they are to take courage, and not be intimidated by it.

WE HAVE BEEN "raised us up together [with Christ], and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6). It is God Himself who raised us into these marvelous realms – He who is "rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins." He made us alive [or sensitive] to Himself "with Christ." That condition is evidence that "by grace we are saved" (Eph 2:4-5). Now, in these heavenly realms where God has placed us with Christ, we are "blessed with all spiritual blessings" (Eph 1:3). We got there by grace. We stay there by grace. We enjoy the benefits of this loft realm by grace.

EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO MAKE IT SAFELY from earth to glory is provided for us. The Scripture refers to these resources as "all things that pertain to life and godliness" ( Pet 1:3). They are staggering in number, and remarkable in effectiveness. This is why we are admonished to seek them, long for them, and develop an appetite for them. The Holy Spirit puts it this way. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:1-3). You can have them if you want them bad enough to desire and seek them. What is more, your personal faith will enable you do fulfill both of these requirements.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE TIME to look away from your circumstance to the Lord who loved you and gave Himself for you. Cease for a while to ponder what this world has done to you, and consider what your Savior has given to you. Turn your eyes away from things that are seen – temporal things – and let your heart and mind dwell upon the unseen things that are hidden in Christ Jesus.

THIS WORLD HAS NOT RESERVED anything of eternal consequence for you, but God has. It is written, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet 1:4).

SURELY YOU CAN SEE IT. The church of the living God is "beautiful for situation" – or "beautiful in elevation" (NKJV). It has been placed in high places, into which Satan and his wicked horde cannot enter (Eph 2:6). It is too high for the world to molest them, and too exalted for "the flesh" to survive. It is close to God and far from the world; near the blessing, and far from the cursing. Beautiful for situation, indeed!

– Given O. Blakely