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How to Practice the Presence of Jesus
"Lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).
by Tom Stewart
Ask the LORD Jesus the following questions concerning your circumstances:
First, What wilt Thou have me do? God's answer, in plain speech: The necessity
that is uppermost in your mind is what needs to be done. "I
have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me"
(1Corinthians 9:16). That is the leading of the Holy
Spirit. "And thine ears shall hear a Word
behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah
30:21). Remember the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the proud persecutor
of the early Christians? It was not man but God that initiated the sequence of events
that secured the conversion of the future Apostle Paul, i.e., "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from Heaven" (Acts
9:3). God's timing was perfect. Saul was ripe for the picking. There
was little else that Saul could do, so "he
fell to the Earth, and heard a Voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou Me?" (Acts 9:4). He knew that
the followers of Jesus of Nazareth claimed their Messiah to be the Divine One, so
everything in Saul's troubled heart must have come crushing down, when Jehovah
responded audibly to Saul's question, "Who
art Thou, Lord? And the LORD said, I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest: it is hard for
thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:5). At that time Saul's worst fears were confirmed-- Jesus is Jehovah!
He truly is the Son of God, the Son of David, the Messiah! A converted
Saul immediately began to Practice the Presence of Jesus with the query, "LORD, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). A humbled, contrite Saul asked, and the
LORD graciously answered, "Arise, and
go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do"
(Acts 9:6). The same Gracious Jesus that answered Saul expects
to do the same for you, as well. "And,
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world"
(Matthew 28:20).
Second, How does this affect my understanding of Thee? If we were the world,
we would not bother with any such investigation; but, we, as the Children of God,
enjoy the company of God, as a loving family enjoys each other's companionship.
"Grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of
our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2Peter 3:18). Even more, our God is an Unlimited Reservoir for discovery that Eternity
can never exhaust. "12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely
given to us of God. 13 Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the
Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (1Corinthians 2:12-13). This writer recalls past
days of youth when the foolish talk of companions would repine: I wouldn't want
to go to Heaven yet because I've got so much living left to do. Wouldn't Heaven be
kind of boring? What would you talk about forever? "A
fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself" (Proverbs 18:2). If such thoughts should ever creep
into your head, petition the LORD immediately for a fresh filling of His Spirit!
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians
5:18). We have not been left here accidentally but with the predesign
that we grow in our heart-knowledge of God. "As
newborn babes, desire the Sincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (1Peter 2:2). "That
ye might walk worthy of the LORD unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians
1:10). Just as our necessity suggests the teaching occasion, our yearning
to know more about Jesus, will give us fresh revelation of our LORD, even as the
Holy Spirit provided the Ethiopian eunuch a human instructor in the middle of the
desert to expound Isaiah's revelation of the Suffering Messiah. "26 And
the angel of the LORD spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto
the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man
of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians,
who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in
his chariot read Esaias [Isaiah] the
prophet. 29 Then the
Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard
him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except
some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with
him. 32 The place of
the Scripture which he read was this [Isaiah 53], He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb
dumb before His shearer, so opened He not His mouth: 33 In His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who
shall declare His generation? for His life is taken from the Earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said,
I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth,
and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus"
(Acts 8:26-35).
Third, What Scripture sheds light on my circumstances? Since 1999, world population
surpassed 6 billion people. With people so many and life so cheap in many parts of
the world, why should God be so concerned about me and my circumstances? "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout
the whole Earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward Him" (2Chronicles 16:9).
If the world were exponentially more crowded, still the Father "gave His Only Begotten Son" (John
3:16) for all the world. And greater still, the Father and
the Son have an even More Special Love for you and me, if we are numbered
among those who obey Christ. "He that
hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth
Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to
him" (John 14:21). That relationship
between our obedience and further manifestations of the LORD Jesus to us, is also
the key to a greater heart-understanding of God's Word. "Through
Thy Precepts I get understanding" (Psalm 119:104). John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism,
wished himself to be "homo unius libri," a man of one book-- the Bible--
just as we need to be, if we would find Scriptural Light for our circumstances. "The Judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than
honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:9, 10). The very fact that you are even investigating the Word of God indicates
your willingness to be taught of God. "Lead
me in Thy Truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I
wait all the day" (Psalm 25:5).
Do not neglect some unconfessed sin that would prevent you from being taught of God.
"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh
to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded" (James 4:8). If we truly learn the Scriptures, then
we will be taught about the Person of God, i.e., "Search
the Scriptures... They are They which testify of Me" (John
5:39).
Fourth, What promises may I claim to help me overcome my situation? God has
wisely designed life that our problems would be the occasion for our Ongoing Sanctification
in which our necessities would draw us closer to the LORD Jesus-- our Overcomer--
when we choose moment by moment to trust Him again and more to overcome our problems.
"These things I have spoken unto you,
that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), an English Baptist
preacher of London's Metropolitan Tabernacle, wrote for us a devotional, Faith's Checkbook ---New Window, in which he put forth a promise for
each day of the month, to be cashed like a check. "Whereby
are given unto us Exceeding Great and Precious Promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust" (2Peter 1:4). Promises
are not just a special part of the Word of God, but the Scripture appropriates for
All of Itself, the title, "The Word of
Promise" (Romans 9:9). Whenever
we receive the Word of God with the premise that something will happen if we fulfill
the Divine Condition, then we are treating the Word of God as the Word of Promise.
"God is not a man, that He should lie;
neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do
it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?"
(Numbers 23:19). It is in our best interest to accumulate as
many promises as we can to fortify our claim upon God to fulfill His Word to us;
but, in truth, we need but one promise. "We
will rejoice in Thy Salvation, and in the Name of our God we will set up our banners:
the LORD fulfil all thy petitions" (Psalm 20:5). Samuel Clarke (1684-1759), an English academic and
theologian, gave to the Church a small handbook of promises, now called Precious Bible Promises ---New Window, in which God's
promises are catalogued and classified-- waiting for some thoughtful, needy Saint
to employ. "Unto whomsoever much is given,
of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48). The overabundance of promises from Scripture make it easy for us to choose
one, but we must not give up or we will never see the promise fulfilled. "36 For
ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the Will of God, ye might receive
the promise. 37 For yet
a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith:
but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul"
(Hebrews 10:36-39).
Fifth, How can this help the rest of the Body of Christ? In keeping with the
Law of Love, we are to seek the good of our neighbour as ourself, but "especially unto them who are of the Household of Faith" (Galatians 6:10). "3 Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of others" (Philippians
2:3-4). Perhaps our intended action may be used by God to reach someone
for Christ; but, even if that someone is not reached, it justifies God in the Judgment
Day that He did all that could have been done to prevent that someone's Final Damnation.
"For there is no respect
[Greek, prosopolepsia, partiality] of
persons with God" (Romans 2:11).
We understand that the Presence of Jesus is with the humblest Saint, who seeks not
"his own, but every man another's wealth" (1Corinthians 10:24). Since the rest of the Body
of Christ needs as much of a revelation of Christ as we do, can this intended action
help? "If I then, your LORD and Master,
have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:14). Our attempted ministry to the Body
of Christ is always received by the LORD as a ministry to Him. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
My brethren, ye have done it unto Me" (Matthew
25:40). Even if the Body of Christ is unable to receive our ministry
to them because their preconceived notions of the Truth are imprecise and they misunderstand
our message, then have patience that God will find a way to work it out for their
good. "All things work together for good
to them that love God" (Romans 8:28).
And, if the Professed Body of Christ is adamantly unwilling to receive our ministry
to them, again, be patient, for God will break the rock. "So
shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My Mouth: it shall not return unto Me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto
I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). As we
attempt to minister for Christ, we will become like Christ, for in so doing, we will
"follow His Steps"
(1Peter 2:21). Beg of the LORD for His Mercy that we would
"not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians
6:9). In the end, whatever we accomplish for Christ in this life will
be a product of the character and life of Christ developed in us through our own
Ongoing Sanctification. "Abide in Me,
and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine;
no more can ye, except ye abide in Me" (John 15:4).
Sixth, How can this hasten Your Soon Return? God has always known when He
would Return the Second Time to judge this planet. "Known
unto God are all His works from the Beginning of the world"
(Acts 15:18). Our confidence in Him Who Holds Tomorrow breeds
in us Peace, i.e., "Thou wilt keep him
in Perfect Peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3), but that causes us all the more to
render to Him the obedience in praying for the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy. "I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus
saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to
do it for them" (Ezekiel 36:36, 37).
If indeed this is the Will of God that we contemplate performing, then we will certainly
be advancing His Return and His Kingdom. "And
He said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be
Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, as in Heaven, so in Earth" (Luke 11:2). It has been the experience of the Church,
as discovered from the Prophetic Scriptures, that certain actions are pointedly conducive
to promoting the Return of the LORD Jesus Christ. "He
which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come,
LORD Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
For example, the 19th Century Church understood Christ's words, "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the End come" (Matthew 24:14), to compel them to evangelize the
world in their generation (by the end of the 1800s), for if all the world had the
Gospel preached to them-- "then shall
the End come"-- the LORD Jesus would return. [See our
article on a key promoter of this concept-- A. T. Pierson-- "Meet Mr. Philadelphia" ---New Window.] Another example that has only recently become forcefully apparent to
this writer is the Salvation, in particular, of the Jews hastens the Coming of the
LORD. An excerpt from the Preface of another of our articles, "His Resurrection Is The Highest Proof That Jesus Is The Messiah" ---New Window:
We may not always find such a connection, but we should try, for how do we know that
the action we are contemplating may not be the last thing necessary to complete Christ's
program before He Raptures His Church and begins the Tribulation Week preceding His
Return? "37 For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come,
and will not tarry. 38 Now
the just shall live by Faith: but if any man draw back, My Soul shall have no pleasure
in him" (Hebrews 10:37-38).
Seventh, Will this stand for Eternity? If we lack wisdom, we are to "ask of God" (James
1:5) and Christ will reveal Himself to us as our Wisdom. "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God" (1Corinthians
1:24). In truth, those things which are done with a right heart, unselfish,
and without sin, regardless of how mundane, they are the "gold,
silver, precious stones" (1Corinthians 3:12), for which we will be rewarded, and will stand for Eternity. At the Bema
Seat Judgment for the Believer, the question of sin will not be discussed, instead
rewards will be based upon the "gold,
silver, precious stones" (1Corinthians 3:12) that result from Christ-centered, unselfish actions, while "wood, hay, stubble" (1Corinthians
3:12) will be burned up, since those actions are worthless because
they were sinful. They will not be mentioned against us, because we have already
repented of them; but, just as a "mortgage burning" signifies that a debt
has been paid off, no debt is owed and cannot be mentioned against the former debtor.
Just so, the "wood, hay, stubble" are ceremonially annihilated by fire. "13 Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and
the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14
If any man's work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward" (1Corinthians
3:12-14). [See our article, "The Judgment Seat of Christ" ---New Window , for a better understanding of this
event that concerns all True Christians.] We only ask this question about our intended
action's relationship to Eternity to insure that our focus is always on Christ. "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of Our
Faith" (Hebrews 12:2). How could
the Presence of Jesus ever be with those "who
mind earthly things" (Philippians 3:19), who do not look "unto the King
Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the Only Wise God" (1Timothy
1:17)?
Maranatha!
[The above was excerpted from our article, "Nothing Happens By Accident" ---New Window .]
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