Some of the bonds of love and friendship being established now in the Body of Christ may be of eternal quality. Paul implied this by stating that the people to whom he ministered are to be his crown in the Day of the Lord.

The holiest of all the statements made by the Lord Jesus are contained in John 17:21-23. Here is the Most Holy Place and it has to do with our union with God through Christ and with one another—a union that will last for eternity:

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:21-23)

The union of the Father and the Son is total, perfect, eternal. We are being called to be a part of this indescribably holy union. The truest, highest aim of every human being on the earth is to enter this rest, this union, this Amen.

One of the dangers to which the modern Charismatic is exposed is that of seeking to gain the power and glory of Jesus apart from union with Jesus. Antichrist and the False Prophet attempt to be like Jesus apart from union with Jesus.

We hear people praying for power, for wealth, for health, for this, for that. There are times to pray for necessary things and other needs. But such objectives should form a minor part of our prayers. The truest, highest prayer is for union with Him who is the Source of all things and benefits. When we are in union with the Amen of God, who is Christ, we have everything of value in the universe. But when we are not in union with the Amen of God we are void of everything of value. Apart from Him we have no place in the Kingdom of God.

The great tribulation will cause the Lord's chosen to understand that only in union with Him is there righteousness, peace and joy.

We enter the rest, the Amen of God, by faith—faith that what God spoke in the first chapter of Genesis indeed will come to pass in our life.

God knows the relationships that are essential to our being, that alone can bring the joy that gives us reason to be, to behave, to be fruitful, to exercise dominion. We enter rest only when we turn over to God all our relationships, saying Amen to His perfect will.

Fruitfulness. Man has been charged with reproducing the image of God throughout the universe. It is the will of the invisible God that the image of Christ be found in every person, thing, and circumstance in the entire creation of God.

To this end the Church, the elect of God, has been chosen from among the ranks of mankind.

To be continued.