God. In you. In your room.

God is in your body and in your room if you believe that Jesus came. 
Died. 
Rose. 
Ascended.

What else matters?
What else is worth focusing on and living by?
Unless you don’t believe it.

Why do I believe it?

I feel Him in me, listening to me, with me, responding to me.
Just as I felt Him the day I trusted Jesus.
Like a blanket of peace covering me.
Like power flowing over my mind, enabling me to speak for Him.

God is in my body in this room right now.
Nothing else matters.
Nothing else is worth focusing on or living by.
I believe it. His Spirit is why I believe it.

How can you know this is true for you?

It is written,

“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”

If you want to feel God near to you, call on Him in truth.

In total helpless honesty and vulnerability, talk to God right now.
You will feel His listening ear, like when someone looks you in the eyes while you are talking, as if you were the only person in the world to him.

Because of the amazing omniscient mind of God, this is how He listens to you…if you’ll call on Him.

Getting our deepest NEEDS and DESIRES MET!

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”― C.S. Lewis

Only God can touch us all of the time.  This is a revelation of affection.  If we seek constant affection, to constantly touch and be touched, then we seek what is inherently an impossibility physically.  Our bodies can't always touch other bodies, or be touched by other bodies.

But the need remains.
The desire lingers.

For hunger, food exists.
For thirst, water exists.
For sexual arousal, marriage exists.

But what about a hunger we still feel after we eat?
Or a thirst we still feel after we drink?
Or an intimacy we still need after we marry?

Jesus is the bread of life.  He fulfills our deepest hunger.
Trusting him quenches our deepest thirst.
In his presence there is complete joy and eternal pleasure; eternal life is intimacy with him.

Some gorge themselves on ice cream when they are depressed.
Some smoke or drink to relax.
Some watch pornography for fantasies of intimacy.

But it is written,

"Taste and see that the LORD is good."
"Don't be anxious about anything but pray about everything.  And the incomprehensible peace of God will guard your heart and mind."
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Instead of drunkenness with wine, God offers the fullness of His Spirit.
Instead of an intoxicating adulteress or adulterer, he offers an intoxicating wife or husband.
Instead of lies and slavery he offers the truth which brings liberty.

These exchanges are the keys to rebirth by faith in Christ.
Worship the Creator instead of creation.
This is our salvation.

This is how we get our deepest needs and desires met!

God's First Question (Part 2)

Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.  John 8:14

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 
Matthew 3:17

“I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddell

Jesus knew His origin and destination, the answers to God's ultimate questions: 

"Where have you come from and where are you going?"

In knowing these, He felt God's pleasure, the smile of God from the heart of God.

When you fulfill your purpose, when you live according to your origin and destination, you will touch the heart of God and feel God's pleasure in you!

Imagine that!

Imagine being a singer.
Imagine singing your heart out, pouring out your life in your heart song.
Now imagine touching God.  Imagine tears filling the eyes of Jesus.  Imagine overwhelming the Spirit with deep emotion.

This is what it's like when you know and live according your origin and destination.

Imagine being an artist who paints a tree with the moon in the background.
Imagine the sense of fulfillment you have when what you felt when you saw this mysterious scene is perfectly captured in the portrait.
Now imagine God whispering to you, "Finally, someone understands me.  Finally someone sees what I see."

I believe this is what it meant for David to be a "man after God's own heart." 
I believe God finally found someone in Israel who really understood Him, that David alone understood how God felt.

As it is written by the Prophet Jeremiah,

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

 

You are made in the image of God in such a way that you understand and know Him like no other creature. 

 

In this you will feel Gods pleasure. 

This is your origin and destination. 

This is where you come from. 

This is where you are going.

God's first question

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9

Here we are.
Writing and reading.
Why?
What drew you to me and me to you?
What draws me to you is the truth.
The words of God.
The first question of God:

Where

are

you?

Right now.
In life.
You know where you are geographically.
But where are we eternally?
Where are you in life approaching death?
This is the first question God asked the first man.
The question He asks you right now.

Where are you?

 

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  Genesis 4:6-7

 

What are you feeling right now?  And why?

Why are we unhappy?  Why are we angry?

Why do we feel rejected?  Or why don't we care whether we are accepted or rejected?

Do we care to do what is right?

The penetrating questions of God must be answered.  Will be answered. 







The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.  The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”  Genesis 16:7-8

 

God's first questions, and all of God's questions come back to these two questions:  our origin and destination.

 

What are we doing and why are we doing it?

Sooner or later we must answer.

On the day we die we will answer, once and for all. 

But why wait until it's too late?

 

Where are you? 

Where have you come from?

Where are you going?

 



There are only two options in life

There are only two options in life:  Submission to God or Rebellion against God.

The nature of volition is liberation.  Your will should be free.  Free will.
The reason shows options to volition.  The mind distinguishes options or choices.
The emotions fuel volition.  Emotions make us want to take action.

Oppression seeks coercion of volition.  The oppressor forces the oppressed against their wills.
Mental confusion paralyzes volition.  Too many options, noises, voices, or choices make wise choice impossible.
Overwhelming emotion seeks manipulation or seduction of volition.  When there is passion, volition feels it must take action.

But as it is written,
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The Spirit of truth is truth, and he guides us into all truth.  There are only two mental choices or options of focus:  The True or The Untrue.

The Lord is the Spirit.  There are only two options:  His will or our will--Submission or Rebellion:  Obedience or Disobedience.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  There are only two emotions:  Peace or No Peace--  God's pleasure or God's displeasure.

The essence of self control is our will.  The nature of volition is liberation.  Reason reveals options.  Emotions fuel volition towards action.

God's will or our will.
We choose which of these we focus our minds on.  We choose God's pleasure or displeasure.

Being like God: Knowing and Enjoying It!

Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. The Apostle John

Practice makes us righteous in experience.  Not just righteous, but just as righteous as Christ.

Really righteous.

Whoever practices patience is patient, just as patient as Christ. 

Think about it.

If I’m practicing patience, practicing waiting before I speak, what is the difference between what I am doing and what a “patient person” does?  Patient people can wait, and do wait.  If I am waiting, then I can wait, and I do wait, at least at that moment.  But what other moment do I have than right now?

Not only are these things true, but they can be fun!

I remember band practice and choir practice.  What we did in practice, we did on stage.  It was fun on and off stage. 

Or put it another way.

What if you went to school to learn something you enjoy, but needed the degree or diploma or license for a job.  And what if the professor said to everyone in the class, “You all pass.  You all have an A.  You will have your diploma at the end of this course.  Now simply enjoy learning and applying what you are learning!  You're already A students!”?

That’s like what God did for us.

When Jesus died for our sins and rose for our justification, we could become God’s children, if we accept what God did for us in Christ.  Now that I am a child of God, already perfect in God’s eyes, I can simply practice perfection!  Not to gain perfection, but to EXPRESS the perfection that I am!  Just for the fun of it!

After all, I’m sure it’s fun being  God!

Why shouldn’t it be fun to be like God?!?

How to CHANGE and STAY CHANGED

You are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  The Apostle Paul

As many as received Him, as many as believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of human will, but of God. 

The Apostle John

If anyone is united to Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.  The Apostle Paul

We all have default settings, or automatic habitual responses that we learned and practiced to the point of skillful identity.  When we are angry, we have an automatic response.  When we feel anxiety, we react like we always have in the past.  We learned these responses in our families and upbringing, a combination of temperament and environment.

How do we change our default settings?  Our automatic habitual responses?

We must be born again, become new creations, given new default assumptions.

The default setting of believers is belief.
The default setting of unbelievers is unbelief.

Put this another way.
The default setting of unbelievers is SELF TRUST ALONE.
The default setting of believers is GOD TRUST ALONE.

As it is written,

Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

Unbelievers trust in themselves with all of their hearts, and totally lean to their own understandings.  In none of their ways do they acknowledge God, nor do they seek Him to direct their paths.

But those who were born again were born again by faith in the Lord Jesus. 
And their lives are characterized by this very faith, or complete God trust, as it is written,

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

The believer's new, changed life begins by faith and continues by faith.  It is the defining principle of their lives, the new default setting, the new automatic response, the new habitual reaction.

When  believers disbelieve, or do not live by the same faith that changed them, they are not being true to who they are, to their new identity.  This is why they feel convicted by the Spirit in them.  That is what conscience is, consciousness revealed to the soul.

R.A. Torrey said these powerful words,

Every act of sin is an act of distrust in God.  Trusting God deprives sin and temptation of all their power.  The one who trusts God will do right though the heavens fall.

Whatever your default vice is if you are a believer, it is not in agreement with the new principle of your life:  God Trust ALONE.  You used to live by self trust, and thus respond or react accordingly.

How did you express faith in God?  Prayer!  You confessed your sin through prayer, and you accepted God's Son through prayer.

Now live by the same expression of faith.  Pray before, during, and after every action and interaction as an expression of total trust in God and total distrust in yourself; totally seeking God's direction and not your own.

The prayer of faith is your new default setting.

God Addiction

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

"Taste and see that the LORD is good.  Blessed are those who take refuge in Him."  Psalms 34:8

God is better than sex.  Better than drugs.  Better than drinking and smoking and getting high.  Better than money and jewelry and beauty.

Not just theoretically, hypothetically, philosophically, or theologically.
Really.

How and why?
Why and how?

Everything comes from Him and is a reflection or glimpse or likeness of Him.
There is something about God that men and women resemble.  Something about worshiping him that is orgasmic and intoxicating.  These things, orgasms and intoxication, are like the feeling we have when we are with God.

But God is not sex or drunkenness.
He is not Cupid or Aphrodite or any other sex god or goddess.
He is not wine or opium.
He is who He is.  He is what He is.

To experience God as the supreme ultimate pleasure and satisfaction, we must not seek supreme ultimate pleasure and satisfaction in anything or anyone but God.  How?

If you are addicted to anything, how did that addiction begin?
Or if you simply love doing something, how did you come to love it?
How did your addictive habit become a habit?

The first time.
Somehow, you were introduced to sex, drugs, smoking, drinking, money, whatever.  You were told that these things are really fun or feel really good. You took a LEAP OF FAITH and tried it.  Now notice this.  With some things, the reward is immediate, like those who smoke crack once and are addicted.  But for things like smoking (or even sex) or drinking, there may or may not be immediate pleasure.  There may actually be displeasure, like the body rejecting cigarettes--coughing, the green sick feeling shown on cartoons when someone smokes, nausea.  The same with drinking.  There are some who genuinely enjoy the taste of beer, and there are those who hate it--AT FIRST.  But they keep doing it, BELIEVING, that it will get really good.  And it usually does to some extent.

But do you see what happened?  We were told something or someone would be really fun or feel really good.  We took the person's word for it and tried it.

The same thing happens in scripture.
In the Psalms, men of God consistently say things equivalent to  "Try God!  He will supremely please you and satisfy you.  There is nothing and no one better!" 

They do the same things we do when we experience something really fun or exciting.  If we see a good movie, we can't wait to tell someone, to praise the movie. Key word:  Praise.  The joy of seeing the movie isn't complete until we tell someone about it, and take someone with us to see it.

The very same thing is true with God

If you want supreme, ultimate, constant, and eternal happiness, you will find it in only one place:
God Himself.

As it is written,

Taste and see that the LORD is good.

Try God!
REALLY TRY HIM!
Don't give up until you experience Him!
As much effort as you put into whatever you are addicted to, put at least that much effort into finding and feeling God. 

The only worthy addiction is GOD ADDICTION.

Vulnerability: The Risk We All Take When We Love Someone

Bruce:   How do you make people love you without affecting Free Will?
God:  Welcome to my world, son. If you come up with an answer to that one, let me know. From the movie "Bruce Almighty"

"I'm going to make you love me."  Morris to Apollonia in the movie "Purple Rain"

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." From the song "Nature Boy."

I wanted a guarantee that when I loved someone, that someone would love me.

But I had no such guarantee, except from God, who is love, who first loved me, who loved me when I was His enemy.

Love is vulnerability.
Risk.

So be it.
It's worth it.

God regretted making people before He flooded the world.
Think about that.

Think of pouring your heart and soul into someone, knowing  in advance that before you gave him your all, he would spit in your face.  And, knowing what would happen, you give him your all anyway.

Jesus came into the world He made, to the people over whom He'd be king, and was rejected, spit on, and crucified like the worst criminal.

This was God's defining act of love for us. 
He couldn't give any more than He gave when He gave His Son, and later on, His Spirit.

Everyday we spit in God's face.
But He loves us.
He takes the risk.

His calling in our lives is to take the risk with Him.
To love people as He's loved us.
Unconditionally.
Graciously.
Mercifully.
Forgivingly.

The next time you feel hurt, tell the person that hurt you how you feel.
Not in anger or vengeance or with attitude.  But with sincerity and vulnerability.

"I really wanted you to call me back.  I was waiting by the phone and would have picked it up on the first ring.  When you didn't call back, I was disappointed and hurt.  I felt like I wanted to connect with you more than you wanted to connect with me."

You may get hurt even more.
The person may apologize, but be lying.
Or she may sincerely regret hurting you and cry real tears of remorse, never hurting you again.

You don't know.  Love is a risk.
God knows.  He takes the risk anyway...with me...and with you.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  1 John 4:10

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

 

God is love.  1 John 4:16b

How to determine the impression you make on GOD

Positioning...the way to create an impression in the...mind.  Wikipedia

Though this definition focuses on marketing, it applies to my thoughts.
It refers to the first thing that comes to our minds when we hear a brand name or see a symbol for a brand.

It also refers to the first thing that comes to mind when people hear your name and mine.
Impression management deals with controlling that impression, determining how people will see you.

But Jesus said something that very much impacts me:

"I do not receive honor from man."

Jesus' focus was, and is, and forever will be, on the impression He makes on the Mind of His Father. 

This also my focus.
If it's yours, then how do you control the impression you make on God? 
What do you want to come to mind when God thinks of you?

This is the impressin God had, and has, and forever will have, of Jesus:

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

That's how God saw, sees, and forever will see Jesus.

If you want God to see you as His son or daughter, with whom He is well pleased, there is one simple way to do this:  

Have faith in Jesus.

As it is written,

"You are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus."
"Enoch had this testimony:  that he pleased God.  And without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord."

By faith in the Lord Jesus, we become children of God with whom He is well pleased. 
If we choose to have faith in Jesus, this is the impression we will make on God.
This is the position we will have in God's mind.
This is what will come to mind when He thinks of us.

Is there any better impression or position?

My time with Jesus at the park (Part 3)

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed are those who take refuge in Him.

Let’s look at your feelings in light of real experiences.

Alright.

Did you constantly feel as intensely about Mark as you imagine?

No.  Not all the time.

How much of the time?

I don’t know…when we were really connecting and understanding each other it was intense…

But this wasn’t all of the time?

No.  I’m sure if it was I would have married him instead of Samuel, right?

Exactly.  So why are your feelings so intense about Mark when you remember him, or imagine a future with him?

I believe it’s because I focus only on when we connected deeply.  I don’t focus on the fights, or all of the pain we caused each other by being immature or selfish, or just plain not right for each other. 

Do you remember Richard?

Yes, I do.

Do you remember how you didn’t find him very physically attractive at first?

 

Yeah!  I actually do!  I decided to focus only on what was physically attractive about him, and to especially emphasize his personality, which was awesome!

And by doing that, he actually became physically attractive to you, and his personality became intensely attractive. 

That’s what I was doing with Mark.

And what you aren’t doing with Samuel…or Me.

But there’s nothing negative about You!  There’s nothing I have to emphasize or look past in our relationship.

No there isn’t.  So why doesn’t it feel as intense when you think about Me, or when you’re with Me?

Because I don’t focus all of my attention on you.

What would happen if you did?  Would it arouse you physically so that your face is red? 

Maybe, but not for the same reasons.  but i’m seeing that arousal is not the same as…love…or deep connection even.

What do you have with Samuel that you can never have with Mark?

Ten years of faithful friendship…of committed marriage…of seeing each other at our best and worst.

You’re leaving something out.

I know.  I’m leaving out how intense it is when we make love.

Why is it so intense?

Ten years of being one.

Ten years of oneness with each other and with Me.

My feelings for you, and for Samuel, are intense, but in a different way.

How so?

They are intense like the sun is intense…constant, alive, energizing, comforting…at times too hot to handle, but most of the time comfortably unnoticeable.

They're real.

Very real.

 

My time with Jesus at the park (Part 2)

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  Mark 8:34-37

It was summer time, so the sun was still out, though going down. Jesus sat across from me at a picnic table.

I looked down at the table, avoiding eye contact, foolishly hoping the red in my face went unnoticed by Him.  He sat quietly.  His presence, His silence took, the red out of my face, and brought my eyes to His.  Then it all came out.

“Sometimes I don’t know if I really love you or my husband.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“I don’t know, it’s just that I sometimes imagine being with my first boyfriend.  I imagine what it would be like if we were married, and my feelings are so strong when I imagine us together.  I was very connected to him, emotionally and physically, as you know of course.  He was my first true love, the first man I gave my body to.”

“Do you regret marrying Samuel?”

“I don’t know.  My feelings are so strong when I imagine Mark that I don’t know if I think Samuel is the best man I could ever be with.  But there’s something else I’m feeling.”

“What else?”

“Sometimes I think I have stronger feelings for Mark than I do you.  When I’m with you, it doesn’t feel as intense as when I imagine Mark.”

“Think about this.  Imagine that your thoughts and feelings for Mark are completely and utterly real.  That if you were with Mark, it would be exactly as you imagined, even better.  Would you leave Samuel to be with Mark?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“I do love Samuel.  He is a wonderful husband. He’s my bestfriend.”

“What about Me?  Would you leave Me for Mark?”

“Never.  I love you more than anything and anyone in this world or any world.”

“Then what do you make of these intense feelings for Mark?”

“I don’t know Lord.  You do….please tell me what they mean, if they mean anything.”

My time with Jesus at the park

I sat with Jesus in the park.  It was warm, but not too warm.  Just enough breeze.  Overcast.  We sat under my favorite tree.  He sat directly across from me in the grass, comfortably.  I always tried to classify his style, but I couldn't.  He didn't seem to dress in any style, neither in nor out of style. 

I hate my life and everything in it.  Everyone in it.  What’s the point?  Go to work.  Get paid.  Pay bills.  Look for love and never find it.  Never getting ahead in life.  It’s all a big waste of time, energy, money.  And then I go to church and waste more time and money.  Like Your Father needs money.  The bible is so boring!  Church is so boring.   Why aren’t you saying anything?  Why are you looking at me like that?

Like what?

I don’t know.  You’re just looking at me.

I’m listening.

Well it’s just weird.

It’s weird for me to listen to you?  To give you my complete and genuine attention?

I paused.  I never thought of it like this.  Why was it weird to be looked at and listened to?  It didn’t feel bad weird, but good weird.  He saw me, through me, the real me.  Complaining and unthankful.  I felt loved, and thus ashamed.  His look wasn’t condemning.  I felt his love.  But His love showed me I was guilty.  Guilty of ignoring him, never giving him my full and genuine attention. 

I’m sorry. 

I forgive you.

Help me to be like you, to listen and love like you do.

Be with me.  My love will fill you and overflow from you.  You will love me and everyone else with my love overflowing from you.  All you have to do is let me love you.

It’s weird being loved, but good weird.

I understand.

The letter that changed his life (Part 2)

What if I lose the card?

You can't really "lose the card" because you can't lose me.  I am the one with the resources.  The card is the means to the end.

What if I can't bring myself to depend on you?  After all, I'm an American.  Independent.  I work for what I get.

If you choose to work instead of trust me, then you'll have to do it all on your own.  But where did that lead you before?

Hopelessly in debt.

That's right. Now that your debts are cancelled, where will you get the resources to fulfill your identity and destiny?

I'll work for it. 

Alright.  Is that what you want?

I have my pride.

Have it your way.  But you still have the card.  I won't take it from you.

Why are you doing this?

Why do you have a hard time accepting it?

It's too easy.  I don't like getting things that I don't work for.

But I didn't work for my wealth either.  Do you feel like I don't "deserve" to be my father's son?

No, it's not really that.

Then what is it?

It's hard to explain.  I don't feel as good about myself just taking your money.

Why?

I didn't work hard for it.

So you define yourself by what you do, or your accomplishments?

Who doesn't?

I don't.

Of course you don't.  You're a billionaire.

I am Joshua, son of Joseph.

But Joseph is a billionaire.

Joseph has billions of dollars.  But that's not who Joseph is.  My money doesn't define who you are.  It is a means to the end of you being what you are and doing what you were made to do.  So who are you, Adam?

I don't know.

This money won't tell you who you are.  And your work won't make you who you are.

The letter that changed his life (Part 1)

I sat in despair.
There was no way to pay off my school loan debts, or to get out of default.
No way at all in America or on earth.
Not bankruptcy.
Not deferment.
Not forbearance.
Eventually, I'd have to pay.
But I couldn't.
No matter how hard I worked, tried, saved, or even borrowed, I would be in debt for the rest of my life.
I could play the lottery or write Oprah Winfrey.
But beyond these two options, I had no hope.
Until I got the letter.

Dear Adam,

You don't know me, or about me, I'm sure.  I'm one of the world's billionaires, in the top 40 billionaires of the world.  I've changed my name, so that no one really knows who I am.  But that won't be the case for you.

I know all about your debts.  I have so much money that I'm sure it would be hard for you to imagine or believe.  Put it this way.  It would take 274 years to spend 1 billion dollars if you spent 10,000 dollars a day.  I am worth 10 billion dollars.

And now, you are worth 10 billion dollars.

Enclosed is a credit card.  It is black with gold letters, real gold.  Go to the site enclosed and enter the card number, expiration date, and security number on the back.  Enter your full name.  That's it.

I've paid all of your debts, so much so, that it's like you were never in debt.
Not only this, but you are as wealthy as I am.
Why?
My only joy in life is giving.  It is better to give than to receive."
Why you?
I didn't earn this wealth.  I was born wealthy.  My father gave all he had to me. 
I chose you as a simple act of love.  You don't need to do anything to "repay" me.  How could you?
Accept this gift, and use it to be free to fulfill your destiny, to experience your truest identity.
I'm sure you've asked yourself, "If money were no option, what would I do?"
Now money is no option.
Do it.

I give this gift, and write this letter, in pure love.
If you are willing to trust me, go to the site, enter your name, and live by my name.

Sincerely,
Joshua Joseph

P.S.  I will be just finger tips away for the rest of your life.

GOD: In the room. In our bodies. (Part 2)

What’s the difference between being actually conscious of God’s presence and being actually conscious of the truth that He is present?

Think about that for a moment.

What is the difference between being actually conscious of the presence of germs, and being actually conscious of the truth of the possibility of germs?

I hate to put God and germs in the same thought.

But they are both invisible and deserving of our respect, though they are intangible.

With germs, we actually hope we don’t experience them, or the results of their presence.  We try to avoid being infected by them, so we do what we must to prevent infection. 

But how do we know we’ve succeeded?  By not getting sick?  In some ways.  But there are germs with us and in us that don’t make us sick.  Of course we could get microscopes and other instruments to detect them.  But how do we know that what we're seeing under a microscope is a germ? We trust scientists or experts, those who have studied and observed them.

We should do the same with God.

There are those who’ve gone before us who have experienced God directly, who lived in actual consciousness of God’s presence.  They tell us that God is with us and in us who believe in Christ, and everywhere at once, whether people believe in His presence or not.  Just as we act upon the knowledge of scientists and doctors who tell us there are germs we must protect ourselves against, whether we’ve experienced them or not, we should act upon the knowledge of those who know God, whether we’ve experienced Him as they have or not.

GOD: In the room. In our bodies.

To put ourselves in the presence of God, or to live in the presence of God, as spiritual writers express it, means to become actually conscious of God as present, or at least so to live as though we were thus actually conscious.  Catholic Encyclopedia, Presence of God

We live by faith, not by sight. The Apostle Paul

Everyone who follows the Lord Jesus believes two things about God:

1.  He is actually and literally present everywhere.

2.  He is actually and literally present inside of each believer’s body.

What interests me in the Catholic Encyclopedia’s words is the idea of at least living as though we were actually conscious of God’s presence.  Why shouldn’t we do this, since we know that God is actually and literally present, in us and with us who believe? 

When we wash our hands, we act as though there are literal and actual germs present, though we can neither see, hear, taste, touch, or smell them.  We know that they can and will act upon us if we don’t respect their presence.  But do we know the same of our Creator?

How would we think if we knew God heard every thought, or saw all we imagined?  We know that He does.  How does this knowledge affect our thoughts?

If we know God is in the room with us, listening to what we say, and watching what we do, how does this affect our words and actions?

If it doesn’t, either we don’t know God is with us and in us, we don’t believe He is with us and in us, or we simply don’t care that He is with us and in us.

The issue isn’t consciously feeling God, at least at this moment of our discussion. 

The issue is how we would act, or should act, KNOWING that God is really in the room and in our bodies.