pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: presence


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Filled to be Emptied

Jesus calls us to believe in the light so that we can become the light ourselves.  Darkness is powerful – only the light can overcome it.  After teaching the people all day, Jesus takes some time in solitude to pray.  It is a hard week ahead.  Even the Son of God needs to spend time alone with God in order to face what lies ahead.

Psalm 71 begins with the encouragement to take refuge in God.  In the midst of the trial and adversaries that surround all around the psalmist, they seek refuge, protection, and safety in time alone with God.  There is the admission that we cannot manage on our own but need time alone with God to find the strength and the ability to face the day or week ahead.

In both of these cases and in our case too our enemies pursue us.  The messages of the world shout out things to chase after and interests to develop that are not the things of God.  These things and people in our lives will challenge our faith.  And like Jesus and the psalmist, we too must take time alone with God.

Today, where will you find the time to be alone with God?  Where will you go to hide from the world as you seek help, protection, and love from God?  It is important to make sure we are full of His presence before we go out into the world to be the light and love that dispels darkness and fills it with Christ’s presence.  After being filled up, go out and give it away.

Scripture references: Psalm 71: 1-14 and John 12: 20-36


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We Must Share

Sometimes we find ourself in a season where we feel distant from God.  Even though this is uncomfortable, we struggle to reconnect.  Even when we try, we feel empty.  Worship just doesn’t rouse anything in us and when we pray we feel alone.  It is a hard place to be.

We must remember that even in these times, God is near to us.  We too must remember that the Holy Spirit and a great cloud of witness – both our present faith community and those who have gone before – are praying for us.  We are always covered in prayer, so we are never truly alone.  God is always near.  Through faith we must also continue to pray, to seek Him, to worship.  And soon we will feel God’s presence all around us again.

Yet there are people who have never known God’s presence.  Life is lived without true meaning and without a higher purpose.  Think back to a time when you were in a ‘desert place’ and remember what that felt like.  Now imagine life being lived like that all the time.  This is why Christ commissioned us all to make disciples of all nations, to connect people to our God.

Many try to walk through grief, loss, loneliness, and such all alone.  As a child of God and as a follower of Jesus Christ, we know how great it is to walk in His love, mercy, and grace, to find strength in Him, to rest in His presence.  It is something we simply must share.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 2: 1-7


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Steadfast and Constant

Hardships are a part of life.  At times we suffer because of choices we make but at other times our trials are simply part of life.  When we are in the midst of a struggle, it can feel like we are out in the wilderness or are lost at sea.  We feel alone and become tired and worn down.  And then, in the middle of the struggle, we cry out to God.

We recall that we are a child of God – like it were some long lost truth – and we begin to cling to Him.  We acknowledge our inability to calm the storm on our own and we begin to trust in God.  Maybe we had been praying all along, but when we cry out to God, when we offer total surrender, when we are turning fully to Him, then His presence is greatest.

When the storm ends, we want to kiss the ground. Once our feet return to solid ground and life becomes good again, we look back to God with a new sense of thanksgiving in our hearts.  In our inner being we know the struggle could not have been won on our own.  We realize God’s unlimited love for us as we come to know our dependence on Him was and is a really good thing.

We thank God for His constant and unfailing love and learn to turn quicker to Him when the next storm clouds gather on the horizon.  Thank God for His steadfast love and constant presence.

Scripture reference: Psalm 107: 17-22


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Our Promises

In many churches the words, “God is good!” draws the response “All the time.”  Then the call, “And all the time,” draws “God is good!”  In our churches we are sure to spread the word that God loves us.  As just one means of responding to God’s vast love for us, we are drawn to give back to God through our churches and their work in the world.

In my denomination we promise to support the church with our “prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness” when we join.  It is much the same in any church for these are the things Christ did when He set us the example of how to live our lives.

I think the list goes from easiest to hardest for most people.  A time of prayer each day or a few prayers here and there is easy to offer up to God.  Being present in church on a regular basis takes a bit more effort but is not really that hard.  Giving back some of the gifts that God has blessed us with is OK for most.  When one begins to speak of tithing it takes a bit more and here is where we begin to see some delineation in what commitment really looks like.  Service requires a higher commitment that basic giving.  It is more that the hour on Sunday morning and often requires some effort to serve.  Here we see more separation.

But that last word – witness – is the most challenging.  It is the promise that takes risk, the one that requires us to really put ourselves out there. It also calls upon us to trust in God and to seek the Spirit’s lead.  His promise is to give us the words we need, when we need them.  When we offer our witness or testimony, God will be fully present with us if we acknowledge our need for Him.  Trust and obey, for God really is good all of the time.

Scripture reference: Psalm 107: 1-3


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Words and Without

“Use your words.”  How many times have you said or heard this?  We tend to be very auditory in our learning and in our communication.  In our worship services we require words for everything we do.  Even in the silence of prayer run through our minds.

Must people of faith are people of the books.  The Jews and Christians each have their Bible and Muslims have the Qaran.  The words contained in the Bible are the teachings and stories that guide our life.  Before any were written down they passed on by word of mouth.

We can also worship and draw close to God without words.  Late at night we can sense God’s presence in the majesty of the stars.  On a walk in the woods we can find a bird’s song draws us to a time with God.  A piece of music can weave its way into our consciousness and can become a holy experience.  Something as simple as sitting and watching a campfire can lead us to a time with our savior.

God is all around us.  He is always seeking us, always waiting time with us.  At times we use words in a variety of ways to draw close to God.  Sometimes we do not use words but find ourselves close to God anyway.  Today, may we choose to draw near in a variety of ways.

Scripture reference: Psalm 19


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Idols

Is there a commandment we struggle with more than the commandment against idols? Today the idea of an idol has grown to represent a wide variety of things: money, possessions, job, position or status, physical beauty, authority, time…  Our own ‘idol’ can really be anything we place before or above God.

It is a fine line sometimes between providing for our families and accumulating wealth or between doing a good job at work and pouring oneself into the job in the pursuit of a promotion.  But when one is in a right relationship with God, then one knows in their hearts when they are nearing or have crossed that imaginary line.

The command against idols is the only command that also has a punishment attached.  Perhaps God knew people would wrestle with this one!  God warns that He will punish out to a person’s fourth generation if one bows down to idols.  However, God also promises that He will love your family for a thousand years if you love Him and follow His commands.  Quite a difference!  Must be important.

In this holy season of Lent, may we spend a little extra time looking at the idols we have in our lives.  May we seek God’s strength and presence so that our idols become less and He becomes more.

Scripture reference: Genesis 20: 4-6


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His Presence

Have you ever had an experience or a moment where you felt God’s presence unexpectedly?  Most of our encounters tend to be either in worship during a song or sometimes during an intense time of prayer.  But have you ever had a visit from God outside of these cases?

At times maybe you have been moved by God from something in nature – a beautiful sunset or a powerful thunderstorm.  Maybe it was in a moment of tragedy or in an experience with an act of heroism where you could sense His presence.

In all of these cases where suddenly God is in our midst, how do we respond?  Are we like Peter, scrambling for something to do, or do we move on quickly, made uncomfortable by the unfamiliar?  Or is yours a different reaction?

When God is present in a song or time of prayer during worship, I hope the moment never ends, that the song or prayer just goes on forever.  I find the same desire to extend His presence during a storm or other event in nature, but that too always ends.  Although all of these experiences come to an end, there is no denying that God has been intimately present.

And what is our repsonse?  What do we do with this amazing divine encounter?  Immediately after the expereience, our common feeling is awe – sometimes we are hardly able to express what we feel in words and sometimes we feel as if we cannot believe what we just experienced.  As the feeling of awe passes we usually move to thanksgiving and often to praise.  It is the natural response of a grateful heart.  It is essential that we always offer our thanksgiving and praise, for we have been directly blessed by the living God.  Today, may you be blessed by our living God!

Scripture reference: Mark 9: 2-9


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Hard to Wait

Our God is an everlasting God.  All that was and is and ever will be is in His hands.  God is the sole creator of all that has life.  He loves all of His creation with a love so big it is unfathomable.

At times we can feel lost and insignificant.  At times we can feel like God is distant.  At times life can be hard and we can question why something is happening or wonder where God is in the midst of a struggle we are having.

When we find ourself here, it is hard to wait for God.  In the tension and uneasiness we want God to fly in and fix it all instantly.  But sometimes we do have to wait.  Waiting for God to act is hard.

Back in Isaiah 40 we hear these words: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…. those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”  In the midst of it, hold onto this hope.  In the midst, be faithful.  Read His word, meditate upon it, go to Him in prayer, seek His presence.  Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

It is hard to wait.  It is hard.  But we must trust in God and in His plan.  He is faithful and He loves all of His creation.  All of us.  Wait in the Lord, rest upon this hope, soak Him up, and He will strengthen you.

Scripture reference: Isaiah 40: 21-31


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Able and Strong

Evil exists in our world in many forms.  It can be in the actions of people who have come to believe all of Satan’s lies.  It can be in the emotions that rise up in us: greed, envy, lust…  It can be in the unkind thoughts we have and in the cutting words we spew.  In many ways Satan is trying to turn us away from God, to divert our attention.

What can we do?  To whom can we turn?

As Jesus taught in the synagogue the people sensed His authority.  The demon in the man called out and acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God.  In our own battles with the forces of evil, do we turn first to Jesus Christ and make the same acknowledgement?  We must, for only He can save.  Our only chance in this battle is to call upon His name and to claim the power and protection that He brings.

Whatever our hurt, whatever battle we are fighting, whatever temptation is pulling at us – it matters not.  Jesus is able.  Jesus is strong.  Jesus is waiting for us to turn to Him and to admit our need because we cannot do it alone.  Then we too can call on the powerful name of Jesus and find healing, comfort, relief.  Step into His presence today and find rest.

Scripture reference: Mark 1: 21-28


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Baptism into the Family

As Paul baptizes the twelve men in Ephesus, the Holy spirit comes upon then and they are filled with its presence.  They cannot deny the change that has occurred in themselves.  Outwardly there are signs as well – they begin to speak in tongues and to prophecy.  Much like the first Pentecost, this is a powerful moment.  It is also a great example of the power of the risen Christ.

Baptism remains a powerful experience.  It is s huge moment in each believer’s life and walk of faith.  As we are baptized, we are formally welcomed into the family of God and we are marked by Him.  All of our lives we carry this mark – child of God.  As part of our church family we are also part of the larger family of God, a huge network of believers past, present, and future.  Many will pray for you as needs arise just as we in turn intercede for others.

Baptism is also our first step towards our eternal destination with the risen Christ.  As the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us, the Spirit guides, leads, nudges, convicts, and prompts us to live a life worthy of our calling as a child of God and as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Our new internal compass is always present and active in our lives.  May we tune into the Spirit’s presence in our lives so that we more closely walk with Christ, our hope and our salvation.

Scripture reference: Acts 29: 1-7