Tag: Intimacy

Entering into His Presence

The symbol below is a representation of the Trinity.

Here I am looking at how the Trinity functions and how we are invited in to experience this relationship. I was first exposed to this idea many years ago through the writings of Gene Edwards. He put forth the idea that the Godhead, Father, Son and Spirit had eternally beheld one another with affection and love. I don’t know that we normally think of the Godhead as gazing upon one another but here is a scripture passage.

24  Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25  O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26  And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:24-26 (NKJV)

The reason Edwards raised this was to encourage us to accept the invitation into this same fellowship, as Jesus prayed above, that we would behold His glory. Jesus desires that we would be drawn into this eternal beholding of the Godhead.

John the apostle understood this reality and also invited us to participate.

1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life – 2  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us – 3  that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Furthermore as His children we are always in His presence.

7  Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. Psalm 139:7-8 (NKJV)

And He thinks about us.

17  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18  If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)

And desires that we behold His glory.

18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

Through seeing Jesus.

6  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV)

How about accepting the invitation and sitting with the Godhead and participating in this eternal beholding? 

Honouring His Presence Part 2 – What Jesus Offers

There is the expression, “You can never go home again.” It is akin to the idea, “You can never step in the same river twice.” Time marches on and we need to recognize the impermanence of moments. However, one would expect Jesus to be welcome at home, He was after all a nice guy. He didn’t bully people while growing up, He was helpful at home and in the community and there were now stories circulating of people being healed by Him. Here is what happened when Jesus spoke at the synagogue upon His return to Nazareth.

18  “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV)

After His testing in the wilderness Jesus returned to Nazareth and stood up and read this passage about the coming Messiah and then told them the scripture was fulfilled, that is, that He was the fulfillment (verse 21). This was Jesus first public proclamation that He was the prophesied Messiah. The response – they marveled at His words and when He challenged them to believe it they were “filled with wrath” (verse 28).

What was the outcome of their response?

5  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6  And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. Mark 6:5-6 (NKJV)

When Jesus was not honoured He could do very little in their midst.

It is interesting if we look around at various segments of the body of Christ that those who believe in healing see more of it. Those who believe in spiritual gifts tend to operate in them. This happens because just as Jesus was present in Nazareth, He is also present when believers gather.

20  “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)

Jesus reinforced this message just before His ascension to heaven.

18  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

Since Jesus is with us when we gather why not honour His presence and pursue all that He has to offer?