the world beyond this world - god's supernatural world.

DEVOTIONAL READING
Colossians 1, Verse 16 - For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him.

​Genesis 1, Verse 1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Excerpts from book, "The Faith Once and For All" by Jack Cottrell, Chapter 5 and 8 - 
"The first things to note about the nature of angels is that some are unfallen and holy, remaining as they were originally created; and some are fallen and sinful. The latter are the devil and other evil spirits, or demons."
"As part of the invisible universe angels are not composed of physical stuff but are spiritual entities, 'ministering spirits'. Spiritual substance is real substance, but metaphysically different from physical matter. It has different properties, e.g., it is invisible to human eyes. But though angels are normally invisible, they can take on a visible human form; and human eyes can be given the ability to see them as they are."
"Our understanding of the nature of Satan and other evil spirits depends on our understanding of their origin. Four major views have been defended by Bible-believers. One is that demons are the spirits of wicked men who have died. A second view of the origins of evil spirits is that they are the disembodied spirits of a superior but rebellious race of creatures who inhabited the earth prior to Adam. A third view is that demons are the offspring of a perverse mating between angels and human women. The fourth and best view is that Satan and other evil spirits are fallen angels, the 'angels that sinned'."

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
One of the philosophers said there is only the natural, physical world. What we cannot see or measure does not exist. And so, God cannot exist for this philosopher. But I believe in God. God transcends all realms and his spiritual kingdom exists on our physical earth and in the supernatural realm. To make things clear as mud, even in the invisible realms there are natures, attributes and characteristics of those creatures there and in the world within which these creatures spend their time. But I refer to this nature as supernatural. And so it is physical, natural worlds vs. spiritual, supernatural worlds.

Some attributes of God go beyond the nature we are accustomed to in the physical world. Some of his characteristics overarch time-space relevancy, others transcend the natural world. Many of these attributes belong to God without the Creation, for God existed before then. The nature of God is spirit, self-existent, infinite, eternal, transcendent, sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. 

God has creatures in both the natural (animals, humans) and supernatural worlds (angels, demons). Where matter exists, we do, and matter is energy at a low vibrational level. Other forms of energy - gravity, light, electrical sparks, may not contain the attributes of matter, but they are visible or measurable. On the other hand, the spiritual and supernatural world and its creatures are usually invisible and unmeasurable. God is active there and His influence on our earthly livelihoods is often spiritual or supernatural.

The references to angels and demons are important because they interact with our world from theirs and God created our world and theirs. It is difficult to understand what we cannot see but we can be rest-assured that we have temptations from Satan through his messengers and blessings from God in Heaven carried out by angels. Will you be tempted today and give-in? Have you had a prayer answered before? Have you almost died or had a near-miss? Have you found yourself in your own personal hell - bottomed out? Angels and demons have likely been at work in your life. And so, where are you striving now and with whom in this world, and in the supernatural world are you aligned? Who shall have your heart? God has mine.

DEVOTIONAL PRAYER
Dear God, We know that You are not an earthling - not human, nor an angel, nor an alien. We know You exist outside of time-space, but are also present within our world and other worlds. The visible world is all around us with its beauty and light, with its darkness and pain; and the invisible world is all around us intervening in our lives for both good and bad through angels and demons both. Existence is a blessing and also a curse sometimes, but I count it mostly a blessing - Earth is an amazing place and we hope things improve ever more so. I am lucky to have friends, family, a spouse and maybe kids to etch out this existence I have on Earth. I have bottomed out, I have survived near-death, I have given into temptation, and I have had prayers answered. I will not give up or give in to a dreadful position. Reality as You have made it is complex and I still scratch my head after more than 30 years of curious wondering. Your attributes and existence are a wonder and wonderful both. Thank You God for adopting me as Your daughter. Amen.