Presence or Presents?

Jesus promised that He would not leave us orphans...that He would send the Parakletos....the Comforter (He who comes to one's side). That means we need never be away from God's presence. The truth is that we can bask in His presence always. This is the unspeakable gift.

There are different proximities to God and His presence that may be experienced. There is the full presence as the light of the sun (and beyond)....then there is the light of the moon....and the stars. Each has a different proximity and intensity in light and presence. Where are we satisfied? Which proximity to God will we settle for?

If we knew this to be true....that we may experience His presence moment by moment in His keeping power...would we seek for more of His presence daily?

God is also a giver a gifts and granter of petitions.

But which are we seeking most fervently for?

Jesus said that an evil and adulterous generation seeks signs and wonders. What we are to seek for is His life and presence. When we see a miracle from God...do we covet the power itself or the life that brings the power? This can be the difference between a wizard and one who walks in the presence and power of Christ. We should look at the life behind the power. The manifestation of the kingdom is the evidence of the nearness of God. Do we desire that nearness?

Do we see God as a kind of genie that grants us wishes? Do we only seek the Lord when we need something?

When God seems hard to find...is He not where we left Him? If we are happy to have God at a great distance, is it any wonder that He is not there when we feel we need Him the most. Actually those needs are an opportunity to see just how much we need the Lord...always. If not for our own needs...the for the needs of others. How can we help others when we are distant from the God who heals and saves?

So then we ought to fill our days with seeking His face and presence.

amadeus said:

Indeed, if all power comes from God then the one with such a gift who is misusing it as by His left hand could properly be named a wizard.

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The error of Balaam?

"ByGrace" said:

Presence or presents ... BOTH.
Does one negate the other.

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It's the old gift and giver thing. A false prophet looks for the gift...but is unaware of the presence. Otherwise how could Jesus say..."I never knew you" to people who operated in the gifts?

There are certain times when we expect God's presence to be especially experienced. In the meetings when we pray or break bread...there should be a deeper connection to God AND the people that are with us. As we experience the Lord together...fellowship then becomes possible in this deeper spiritual way.

At other times as well, we may experience times of visitation where God's presence is powerful...even fearful. But what brings these times of intensity is the higher normalcy of a soul that is seeking after God.

Our faith acts as a carrier wave of sorts (using a radio analogy)...so that God can speak to us in an ongoing way. He puts a new song in our hearts on that carrier wave. So we stay "tuned" to God's frequency in this way once we realize that God is always there.

What we are to seek is His revival...not just for ourselves but also for the community around us.

I came to the Lord in a small revival on one street. I happened to be living on that street. The presence of God was there...to me it was as a convicting power over my sins so that I went to confession and poured my heart out. That didn't help at all. It is His presence that drew me to Him so that He was able to enter into my heart. I didn't know that there was a church (house church) on that street...or a revival. It was God's presence there alone that convicted me and converted me. I never met any of those brethren until a few years later.

So we are to seek for God's presence....not just for us...since THAT presence changes the world. We gotta let the secret out...

We need to beseech God for revival.

It has been said of God that He is...

More affectionate than any friend.

More just than any ruler.

More loving than any father.

More a part of us than our own limbs.

More necessary to us than our own heart.

More to be desired than our necessary food.

More real than every tangible thing in the world around us.

On the subject of presence....this from an old bishop...

Come my Light, and illuminate my darkness
Come my Life, and revive me from death
Come my Physician, and heal my wounds
Come Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins, kindling my heart with the flame of Your love
Come my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there
For You alone are my King and my Lord.

There is...

...nothing further outwardly than God.

...nothing nearer inwardly than God.