Experiencing The Presence of God

 

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 ESV)

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:4-5 ESV

Christianity is uniquely rational and mystical, historically accurate, and experiential. "Christ in you the hope of glory" is factual and can be perceived by our senses. All followers of Jesus have the spiritual capacity to "taste and see that the Lord is good."

The key to the Christian life is to stay connected to the Vine. The Apostle Paul writes: 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." - Colossians 3:1-4 ESV

 

Our spiritual life flourishes when we realize we are in Christ and Christ is in us. The truth of being in Christ is both biblical and experiential. We can't earn God's manifest presence; we can only position ourselves spiritually to perceive Him.

A mind focused on Christ will attract the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

 

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." - Psalm 16:11 ESV

Joy can't be learned or earned; it can only be experienced. Joy is one of the benefits of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11 ESV)

God gives us the means to experience his presence.

Some warn against meditation and contemplation, and rightly so. It's possible to fall into error if we lack truth and sound doctrine. Meditating on the truth of Scripture and praying it back to God (not emptying your mind) is a safe passage into God's presence. The focus of our meditation is Scripture. Our contemplation is on God himself. Meditation should lead to contemplation. Taking Communion (also referred to as the Eucharist)  deepens our experience with Christ.

Contemplating the cross of Christ, with the sobering realization that our sins necessitated his sacrifice, is a profound truth. Jesus is our source of strength, and the cross serves as his means to transform us. When we embrace it daily, the power of the cross revolutionizes our lives. On a practical level, the transformation into Christ-likeness is a lifelong process.

My Prayer:

"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God." - Psalm 42:1

Divine Meticulous Providence or General Providence? A Reflection

 

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer.

“Creatures are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what He has knowingly and willingly decreed” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 16, Paragraph 3).

I concur with many of John Piper's and Jonathan Edwards' views, yet I respectfully dissent from the belief that God ordains every specific sin ever committed. Both men have affirmed Calvin's doctrine of divine determinism. Or, what scholars refer to as meticulous providence

"Some theologies hold to meticulous providence: God ordains and controls everything that happens. Others hold to general providence: God attends broadly but not exhaustively to what occurs."  (1)  I believe the latter.

Why would God secretly decree people to commit the very acts he condemns in Scripture?

Am I misunderstanding something?

Piper says: "Therefore I conclude with Jonathan Edwards: " God decrees all things, even all sins." Or, as Paul says in Ephesians 1:11, "[He] works all things according to the counsel of his will."  (1)

 Evil resides in the human heart, not in God's. The Gospel of Matthew makes this clear.

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." - Matthew 15:19

Mark Talbot in his book edited by John Piper makes the following claim: 

"Ephesians 1: 11 goes even further by declaring that God in Christ “works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Here the Greek word for “works” is energeō, which indicates that God not merely carries all of the universe’s objects and events to their appointed ends but that he actually brings about all things in accordance with his will. In other words, God brings about all things in accordance with his will. It isn’t just that God manages to turn the evil aspects of our world to good for those that love him; it is rather that he himself brings about these evil aspects … This includes— as incredible and unacceptable as it may currently seem— God’s having even brought about the Nazi’s brutality at Birkenau and Auschwitz as well as the terrible killings of Dennis Rader and even the sexual abuse of a young child.” (2)

"It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin." - Luke 17:2 

I hold a belief in God's providence over human affairs, as taught by Scripture. "...that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28.) 

God has the power to redeem acts of evil against His children. However, the Scripture does not state that He is the cause of it. 

 

"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one." - James 1:13 

God does not instill evil thoughts in people's hearts. However, God may allow those who do not acknowledge Him to be influenced by a "depraved mind."

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper..."  - Romans 1:28 NASB 95 (Read the entire chapter)

To gain a true understanding of God the Father, one should examine the life of His Son, Jesus.

"Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?" - John 14:9

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." - John 10:10

(1) Allison, Gregg R.. The Baker Compact Dictionary of Theological Terms (p. 209). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

(2) John Piper, Desiring God, page 347.

(3) Mark Talbot, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, p. 42, edited by John Piper

Wesley’s “Rules of the Band-Societies,” December 25, 1738.

John Wesley wrote his "Rules of the Band-societies," in 1738. Putting these rules into practice in Church small groups might be a good idea! Accountability and transparency among believers are needed like never before. It may seem a bit strict or legalistic to the modern mind. But why not try it? It could be life-changing. It could help us become more like Jesus. 

"The band meeting, a proven discipleship model for growing in love through the accountability of small, same-gender groups, was one of the defining characteristics of the Methodist movement started by John Wesley in the mid-1700s. In reflection on Wesley’s class meeting and band meeting structure, George Whitfield once said, “My Brother Wesley acted wisely, the souls that were awakened under his ministry he joined in class, and thus preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand.”  - www.seedbed.com

                 John Wesley's Rules

"The design of our meeting is, to obey that command of God, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”

To this end, we intend –

1. To meet once a week, at the least.
2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason.
3. To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer.
4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting.
5. To end every meeting with prayer, suited to the state of each person present.
6. To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest, in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins, and temptations.

Some of the questions proposed to every one before he is admitted among us may be to this effect: —

1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins?
2. Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ?
3. Have you the witness of God’s Spirit with your spirit, that you are a child of God?
4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?
5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?
6. Do you desire to be told of your faults?
7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home?
8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you?
9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you?
10. Do you desire that, in doing this, we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?
11. Is it your desire and design to be on this, and all other occasions, entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart without exception, without disguise, and without reserve?

Any of the preceding questions may be asked as often as occasion offers; the four following at every meeting: —

1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?
2. What temptations have you met with?
3. How were you delivered?
4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?
5. Is there anything you desire to keep secret?" 

Enjoying The Trinity

 

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” – 2 Corinthians 13:14

"...we see that the Father, Son and Spirit, while distinct persons, are absolutely inseparable from each other. Not confused, but undividable. They are who they are together. They always are together, and thus they always work together." (1)

The mystery of all mysteries is that the One true God comprises three distinct persons. For reasons I cannot comprehend, God desired to create people to enjoy him and to cultivate the earth, under his leadership.

God does not need us, but thankfully, He desires us. He has never been lonely, nor has he ever needed a relationship outside of himself. This Divine community that theologians call the Trinity experienced perfect union and fellowship before the world's creation. If God were a solitary God (which some religions believe) how could he love us? God is love. God is three persons. Our trinitarian God was in a community of love before he created anyone.

Our union with Christ grants us access to the throne room of God by the Holy Spirit. Jesus seated at the Father's right hand guarantees that he hears our prayers (Hebrews 4:16.)

But, our communion with God serves a greater purpose than to answer our prayers. Answered prayer is good, but experiencing God as Father is the ultimate joy.

The reality that we can enjoy God is a foreign concept to many.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not a hard taskmaster. We get to see the Father in the life of the Son.

Jesus said that his yoke was easy and that his burden was light (Matt. 11:30.) And, if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father(John 14:9.)

The Father sent Jesus to earth to reveal his heart to those who would become his children.

The Father and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that we could be filled and indwelt with the very life of God.

May we all learn to enjoy the mystery of our Trinitarian God. As we look forward to the redemption of our bodies (Rom.8:23.)

“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Cor. 2:9)

(1) Delighting In The Trinity, Michael Reeves, page 34