Tag Archives: presence

MOLLY AND ME – PRESENCE

Christian Life, ,

Molly and I are aging! You can see it by the whitening of our hair, Molly on her muzzle and paws and me on my head. However, with aging comes new experiences of togetherness and closeness. We’ve been together for almost nine years. 

Molly loves my presence. She doesn’t fuss when I leave her for a while but her “welcome home” greeting is extravagant to the extreme, no matter how long or short my time away might be. Time has no significance for her. She measures her desire for my return by the level of her delight, expressed in squeals and wriggles. 

Sometimes, in the evening, when I am in the shower and she is resting on her bed in the lounge, I hear her call…not in words but in her special bark, “Where are you?” or, “Please fetch me,” if she is in the garden. I answer with reassuring calls of my own…”I’m in the shower, baby,” or “I’m coming!” if I’m inside. She stops barking, and is content to wait for me knowing that I’m nearby. 

She likes to feel my closeness at night by resting her head on my leg or lying against my body. No matter how hot the night, my warmth, my presence comforts her. To her, sleeping in her own bed is a sign of my displeasure to which she reacts by sulking! 

Molly submits to the many times she needs treatment for one or other ailment. Her periodic ear infections are a particular trial to both of us, for me because I must treat her ear with drops, and for Molly because she hates the long nozzle and the cold stuff I must squirt into her ears. We have finally reached a truce because she trusts me. 

Sometimes, before it’s time for a bath, I rub her tummy with hand cream or sprinkle baby powder of her to mask her doggy smell. She lies in my arms like a small baby and submits to Mama’s “whims”with silent resignation. 

All these actions and gestures are part of the “presence” that is so special to both of us, even those things I do for her good if not for her pleasure. 

In the Word, I read of my Lord’s assured presence, of even greater significance than my presence in Molly’s life.  

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How often, in times of crisis, have I looked for reassurance in the amount of money I have rather than in my God. How foolish is that! 

There is something about God’s promise that has recently become more real to me than ever before. Having watched, on YouTube, some of the the many stories of ex-Muslims who, in their crisis time of need, have met Jesus in person, I have realised that He didn’t just “show up” when they called on Him. He was there, with them until they called, but He only revealed Himself in their realm when they called. 

This truth has changed the way I respond to His promise…

 “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭20‬b NIV‬‬

I don’t need to ask Him to come when I call. He is already here, unseen, but with me, every moment, day or night. In fact, in the person of His Spirit, Jesus is in me! Get that! When Molly needs me, I must go to her. When I need Jesus, He is not even a heartbeat away. 

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”…

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭7‬-12, 17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Not even sleep can separate me from His presence. Amazing as it seems, I’m always on His mind… and so are you. 

ONE THING!

Christian life, ,

We all have wishes and desires and wants and dreams, don’t we …and they cover a variety of aspirations, from money and wealth to health and happiness and everything in between? What would you ask for if God promised to give you anything you want? Would He give you what you desire or would He say, “No!” because it would not be good for you?

David also had a desire, so strong that he called it ONE THING. He didn’t only ask for it; he sought it with all his heart.

ONE THING I ask of the Lord., this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple (Psa. 27: 4).

What! Spend your whole life just thinking about God! What benefit is there in that when there’s so much going on around you?

David was the king of Israel but he was also a man after God’s own heart. God loved him dearly – in fact, his name means “beloved.” He had everything his heart could desire. He had wives and children, fame, success, wealth and power. Yet, of all the things he could have desired, he most wanted to be in God’s presence to gaze at Him!

“Well,” you might say, “if I had been David, I would have asked for…”, something tangible to make my life a little easier or more comfortable.

For David, one thing was more important to him than anything else – to be in the presence of the Lord.

Two other Bible characters had one thing on their minds. Mary, Martha’s sister, sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him. When Martha complained that Mary wasn’t pulling her weight in the kitchen, Jesus gently reminded her that it was Mary’s choice to be with Him and no one could take that ONE THING from her (Luke 10:42).

The apostle Paul also had ONE THING on his mind.

But ONE THING I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13b-14).

The difference between these desires and ours is often the difference between what is eternal and what is transient. These three people set their hearts on the eternal. Another guy in Scripture chose his money over Jesus. He has kept all the commandments, yet he lacked ONE THING – fellowship with Jesus. That makes up for everything else. When you have Jesus, you have everything.

 

 

In His Presence

Pastor's Desk,

Dear Family

I am enjoying our “Journey through the Psalms” on a Sunday morning so much. Never before did I realize just how rich and complete the psalms actually are. It’s clearly no wonder that these were used by the ancient (and present) lovers of God to express their devotion, confidence in, inner feelings, fears, faith, hope and pure love for the God of Gods. They are filled with real life people, in real life situations, with real life questions and answers as they interact with a real life God.

One of the many questions which can be found in the Psalms is David’s human attempt to understand who is actually entitled to be found in God’s presence. In Psalm 15 he provides an answer to his question, “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary”, listing 11 things:- blameless walk, does what is right, speaks truth, no slander, no wrong to neighbour, no slur against fellow man, despises a vile man, honours those who fear the LORD, keeps his word, lends money without interest, does not accept a bribe. That’s quite a list! It would become a burden above burdens were we to attempt to follow that for the sake of following it by the letter, every day, all day. If you think otherwise, just start with always walking blamelessly and always doing the right thing or being righteous. It’s just not going to happen—if you think you are then you’ve already missed the plot!

I prefer to think that these things are the fruit of true God-lovers. These things will follow those who follow hard after God, who love him with fullness of heart, soul, mind and strength. God’s attributes flowing through his people. The new covenant teaches us in many different ways that “It does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” It’s really all about what he has achieved on our behalf—his righteousness become ours because of what he has done for us. What a relief! My end of the agreement to is keep loving him and allowing him to change what needs to be changed. Co-operation with his ways, led by his Spirit is what’s needed, not an exhausting attempt to keep a list of rules and regulations.

When I look around at the practices of some “Christian” churches and see the cloaks of religious practice in order to please God, I am just so thankful that this is not what Jesus came for! I choose to enter His rest rather than my struggle.

Prayer – Lesson 3: The Environment Of Prayer – God’s Presence

Prayer, ,

LESSON THREE

THE ENVIRONMENT OF PRAYER – GOD’S PRESENCE

INTRODUCTION

Part of our concept of prayer is to get God to come into our realm and our situation and do something to change it or help us.

This is not Biblical prayer. Prayer is not about bringing God to where we are. Prayer is about changing our awareness from ourself-absorbed self-consciousness to a consciousness of God’s presence. He is Emanuel – God with us.

The first time prayer is mentioned in the Bible governs the meaning of prayer throughout the Bible – called the Law of First Mention.

“At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD,” Genesis 4:26 (NIV), the original Hebrew word for “call” suggests the idea of “turning the head to face the one who could bear the burden.” Turning the head implies changing one’s awareness.

1. GOD IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE

We cannot take or bring God anywhere. He is already here.

God’s presence fills heaven and earth. We are in His presence like a fish in water.

Solomon prayed: “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built.” 1 Kings 8:27 (NIV).

“‘Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:24 (NIV).

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7 (NIV).

We must begin by acknowledging God’s presence and worshipping Him for who He is, otherwise our problems will loom bigger than God and we will want to call Him in instead of realising that He is already here.

Question: If God is everywhere, where is heaven?

Heaven is not a place. It is the environment in which God dwells and rules.

Changing one’s awareness is not only about acknowledging God’s presence but also about recognising who He is.

Everyone has an idea of God that is shaped by our imagination. Our imagination is influenced by our culture, upbringing and environment.

These are all “images” and not reflections of the true God. We are to gain our understanding from revelation, not imagination.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NIV).

Question: Who is “He” in this verse?

He is the God who exists and who rewards those who earnestly seek Him. That means that He is the God of revelation, the God whom we meet in the Bible and who made Himself known primarily in His Son.

2. GOD IS PRESENT IN THE FULNESS OF WHO HE IS

In any human situation God is present with everything He is and everything He wants to and is able to do.

No matter what the crisis, there are three facts that never change:

God is here

God is functional (good

God is in charge

True prayer is engaging God on the basis of our motivation and the recognition of His presence. It’s not about getting our needs met. It’s about recognising who God is in our situation and giving Him the opportunity to act according to who He is so that He can put Himself on display.

Getting our needs met is His way of showing us who He is so that we can acknowledge His glory.

“Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him….When He saw them, He said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus feet and thanked Him – and he was a Samaritan.”  Luke 17:11-15 (NIV).

Question? Why does God not always answer our prayers?

There is no pat answer to this question. God is God. He is not obliged to give us any explanations or reasons. However, there are conditions to prayer. We shall discuss them in our final lesson.

1. We may have the wrong motivation.

2. We may be praying to the wrong god, the god of our imagination and not the God of revelation.

3. WE CANNOT WELCOME GOD INTO OUR PRESENCE

That is an arrogant misunderstanding of our relationship to God. We are not on the throne – He is. If we approach Him, it is on the basis of the blood of Christ and the mercy and grace of God.

It is His right to accept us and welcome us into His presence, otherwise we are doomed.

“Therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, opened to us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22 (NIV).

Let us not become sloppy in our understanding of who God is.

He is our Father but we owe Him honour, reverence and holy fear because He is God. Since He fills heaven and earth, there is no place where He is not. It is our place to draw near to Him as He waits to receive our worship and adoration.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe , for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” Hebrews 12:26 (NIV).

CONCLUSION

1. Prayer is about changing our self-awareness to God-awareness.

2. We cannot “bring” God into our situation through prayer since God is everywhere.

3. God is present everywhere in His fulness.

4. It is a misunderstanding to welcome God into our presence. He is God and has made provision for us approach Him.