Hosanna Restoration Church

Psalm 15 tells us that in order to stand in God’s presence we must be blameless. Colossians 1 tells us that Christ has made us blameless. Even though we were His enemies. Even though our evil actions and thoughts made us a bit repulsive, still He brought us back as friends. He had to die to do it, but He still did it. Why did He do it? He wanted us to dwell in God’s presence.

There is just something about the presence of God that changes lives. I have always said that if you could somehow knit God’s presence into a sweater or something that people could try on; they would never want to give it back. And yet we all know how at times we will abandon His presence and favor for our own selfish adventures and attitudes. Still, once we have experienced His presence it is never comfortable to be out of it again. I am so glad that He doesn’t leave or forsake us and that His presence is always close waiting for us to step in.

Everything that we have been looking into as we go through one P word after another is linked to the presence of God. They are all keys to either getting into His presence or the results of being there. At the same time, they the means by which we remain in His presence and produce the fruit of the Spirit which He has so freely placed in us. Time in His presence makes it grow.

I know some will say that God is present everywhere, and of course that is true. There is a difference between acknowledging that He is present, and experiencing His presence. God does not want us to know He is present through head knowledge. He wants us to experience it in our hearts. This is also what he wants for everyone else. This is why Jesus came, so that people could experience God in a personal way.

This is also How Jesus is sending us. Jesus lived in the presence of God and drew others to that same place. All that He pours into us is not just to benefit us, but to benefit others as well. Sometimes our own preferences may have to die in order to show someone God’s presence. We will have to love those who hate us and reach out to those who are not what we think they should be. But what joy we will experience and we see them experience the presence of God.

As we reveal our position, perspective, and the potential of God’s kingdom, others will be drawn into that place where we found it, in the presence of God. All of those P’s are part of the wonderful presence of God. They draw us, they keep us, and they bring others along the way. They all create a hunger for God. May our appetite for Him never be satisfied. There is always more to be experienced in the presence of God.