Pastor Jim submitted the following on 4/25/16…
Not long ago I saw a sign on someone’s front yard which simply read, ‘Jesus is coming!’”
FRIENDS, while I respect the enthusiasm of that person but I think have better news than that; Jesus is already here! Sometimes we are so focused on the “second coming” that we forget that Jesus is already present in us!
Jesus said in John 15:26…
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me“
(NIV—emphasis added).
Read John 14:15-18 for another example…
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
NIV
Jesus is clear throughout His life and teachings that although He would die on the cross, rise on the third day, and would return to Heaven, He would still be with us. Recall Jesus’ words from Matthew 28:20b, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us,
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
In his prayer at the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon said,
““Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us” (1 Kings 8:56-57).
The Old Testament prophet Haggai reassures God’s people with these words,
“Then Haggai, the LORD’S messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD” (Haggai 1:13).
When He ascended to Heaven Jesus has not abandoned the world. Because of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians, Jesus is here!
What If we lived ___…
- … every moment as though Jesus was all around us?
- … as though nothing could happen to us that God could not take care of?
- … as though our sins and failures were gone in the mind of God?
- … as though the power of the Holy Spirit was a real living presence
in our lives? - … as though we were walking around in a world created by God,
loved by Him and blessed by His continuing presence? - … believing that evil did not stand a chance because of Jesus’ victory,
and that it is only a matter of time until it is gone altogether? - … though every person, all of us, were made in the likeness of God?
- … as though we were not meant to be alone,
but an important part of the family of God, the Church?
What if we saw the glory of God everywhere we look? What if the very sight of a tree or cloud inspired us to worship, and we lived our life as an expression of deep gratitude and thanksgiving?
What would the world be like IF all who call themselves “Christians” lived like that? How different would our world be? How different would our lives be? How different would our family, spouse, children, parents, neighbors, teachers, or boss be? How different would our churches be?
Trusting in and claiming God’s promises that He is with us here and now creates a new awareness, a new attitude, and that could literally change our life, our world, our churches. It is possible, Jesus is here!
Shalom,
Pastor Jim
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