His Presence

Just finished the gospel of Mark. And again, how I love this Savior. Some of the challenging passages that I have seen in this Gospel was training my mind to think with heaven's principles. For example the incident of the withered tree where the Master came looking for fruit. Because He lived by Heaven's mandate and knew
what He was looking for in the tree... didn't find it commanded it to die. It fascinates me that He addressed it as living creature. If I had read this passage a few years ago I would have thought boy that was harsh and cruel to curse a tree when its not the season to bear fruit. It was naturally doing what it was supposed to do.  but now I see His kindness, His love and even His nurturing through this incident. Shouldn't have the tree known who was it that was asking fruit?

Anyway that's not the point of the post...I wanted to record here about His presence and paint the picture.  Some thoughts I have had is if we are to live by Heaven's thinking, Heaven's principles and seeing through His perspective we cannot take His presence for granted. The presence of God was taken for granted in the first Garden. The scriptures say in the first Garden, The Lord came to walk with Adam in the cool of the evening. In the second garden at the tomb, when Mary Magdalene encounters the risen savior she holds on to Him and Jesus gently tells her that He has to go so that the Holy Spirit can be send. His Spirit is in us and we need to grab on to Him as HE prepares us from Glory to Glory. Bill Johnson in his book "Hosting the Presence of God" states accurately - "use now your faith to discover God's abiding presence on your life. He never disappoints. The overwhelming outcome is learning to live from the Presence of God towards the issues of life". This Jesus did perfectly.

Our last vacation to California was a stressful one - traumatic news of mother's cancerous tumor, a ticket from the state patrol, the car's air conditioning blown out, irritations with the home in CA, surviving an accident that left us side swiped with dinged doors. As I thought all of this and ran into the presence, I am reminded that I have been given power and authority over issues of life  - as all authority in heaven and earth is Jesus's. We are indeed seated in the heavenly places with Him. And if we are His ...overcoming and enforcing the King's domain into the world is our new reality.

My prayer from my journal - "O Lord make aware and help me to live from heavenly places. O Lord hear my prayer it is your desire and will that I exercise my authority. I cannot afford to have thoughts in my mind that are not yours. I know your promises over my life define my purposes. And my purposes are centered in Your presence, you have promised your purpose and my partnership with You will automatically position me in Glory and help me to stand for your Glory be it in plenty or in want...my soul will thrive and prosper."

Amen Amen
SDG