Do you have a Sense of God’s Presence?

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith . . .” (Ephesians 3:17).

A good friend asked me, “Do you feel you are adequately experiencing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit?” That is a probing question every Christian should pause and consider.

I firmly believe that every born again believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but not every believer is yielded to His control. Our experience of His divine presence depends upon our yielding to Him moment by moment. If the Holy Spirit is to have a larger part of our lives we must make a deliberate choice and allow Him to take control.

The Spirit wants to fill our lives so that Christ may settle down and make Himself feel completely at home as a permanent resident in our hearts (Eph. 3:17). Our prayer should be that Christ would settle down, even now, in our hearts and take control as the rightful owner.

Imagine what it would be like to experience the “fullness of God” (v. 19). Paul was praying that we may be filled up to or unto all the fullness that is in God Himself. That will not take place until we stand complete and perfect in the likeness of Christ at His coming, but it can be our prayer and vision now. Paul was praying that we would be filled and filled and filled and filled forever, as God out of His infinite resources increasingly pours Himself into His redeemed people.

David Brainerd wrote in his diary April 21, 1742, “O My sweet Savior! Who have I but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.” Then he added, “If I had a thousand lives, my soul would gladly have laid them all down at once, to have been with Christ. My soul never enjoyed so much of heaven before; it was the most refined and most spiritual season of communion with God I ever yet felt.”

Oh, for a mature, intimate love relationship with Christ. The Holy Spirit always points us to Him and in that a felt presence and power that is wholly beyond man.

It is from that inner resource of “the riches of His glory” that we are “strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in your hearts and through faith. . .” (3:16-17).

The filling and control of our lives by the Holy Spirit is not automatic. We are baptized once when we believed on Christ as our savior, but filled many times. It is a deliberate choice we make each day. This empowering presence of the Holy Spirit within us enables us to live an abundant spiritual life.

“Do you feel you are adequately experiencing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit?” Why did you respond that way?

When He is in control, our minds are set on the things above (Rom. 8:5).

Do you have a richer, fuller desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ and fellowship with Him? That is the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

Who is in control of your life? Have you made a conscious deliberate choice to let the Holy Spirit be in charge of your life? Is He a dynamic, shaping, controlling presence in your life today? How can He become an ever-present reality in your daily life?

Will you make a conscious decision to let Jesus Christ rule your life from this day onward? From that moment on begin each day with a solemn commitment to let Him take control of your life through out the day.

“Lord Jesus I give this day to you. I make myself available to you to live Your life in and through me. Take these hands and feet, this tongue and these eyes, and let them express a heart full of Thee. Here, come live in and through me this day. I yield myself to You.”Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006 Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

When You Walk

 The eyes of the Lord are on those who do what is right and good. His ears are open to their cry. Psalms 34: 15-16 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

I remember a show on TV when I was a little boy where the woman would hold up a mirror and say she could see you. It used to freak me out even though they it was not true.

On the other hand, Jehovah is always watching you us like a loving father.

That is comforting when you walk hand in hand with Him.

There has been so many times when I had no one to talk with about problems. Either they were not interested or offered stupid advice ( you should have heard some of it woo. ). I felt as if I was the only one on a very lonely planet.

Then, I would take it to Jesus. It felt comfortable pouring out my hurt, anger, and or worries to Him. Believe me sometimes I really let lose on Him. When I was finished there was a warm comforting feeling completely envelope me. It was as if Jesus was right there giving me a reassuring, loving hug.

I was filled with a Divine peace.

Many times He would speak to me later through devotionals, on line sermons, Bible verses or someone would come into my life and offer Godly advice on the subject.

Jesus is the best therapist. He has gone through everything we do. And, He loves us and cares about us like no one else can. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

Prayer: Thank you Jesus Christ Immeka (Judges 6:12 The LORD Is with You) for always being there for me.Thank you for being so loving, comforting and encourging to me. I praise You in Your amazing loving name. Amen

indeovi vas ( may you live with Jesus in Latin )

Seleh- stop and think about it.

This photo and article @ Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah 2024

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it but it may not be sold without authors consent As you think so too you are. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD SITE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH TOXIC PEOPLE AND GET HEALING IN A CHRISTIAN MANNER PLEASE GO TO https://www.youtube.com/@Kris_Reece/videos HER ADVICE HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY

Do You have Eternal Life?

Jesus Christ said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3). How do you obtain eternal life? Have you experienced the real thing? What is this knowledge of eternal life?

Life eternal is God’s life in us produced by His Holy Spirit. It issues in a personal encounter with a holy God who in His grace forgives us of our sins based on the atoning death of Jesus Christ. No one can have His life and not be changed. God is holy and His Spirit makes us aware of our sinfulness and of our deep personal need of His grace. It is by His grace that we are turned to Christ who is our Savior. This knowledge occurs only where God’s Holy Spirit is at work beforehand to make it possible, and it always changes us, issuing in a heart response and true devotion to Him.

When we become aware of the true and living God we are confronted with our sinfulness and depravity as opposed to His holiness and righteousness. We are all together corrupt and He is altogether holy. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Our sin bars our entrance into the presence of a righteous God.

Have you ever been really disturbed knowing that you must ultimately deal with One in whom is no sin at all, who cannot tolerate sin in any form and who must judge it?

All knowledge of God begins with His holiness and the reality of your sin.

It is good to remind ourselves that we cannot fool God. He is always aware of who we are and what we are thinking and doing. Only the fool says, “No God!” “No God!” Nothing catches the LORD God by surprise. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

This is where the good news of Jesus Christ is so very important to us. God applies these truths to us personally. God’s free gift is eternal life to those who will respond to His free offer of saving grace.

Jesus Christ went to the cross and died for sinners. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for (instead of and in behalf of) the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). Moreover, “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8).

We are without excuse because God has taken every measure to demonstrate His love for lost sinners. He has made us aware of His holiness, our sinfulness, and God’s saving grace through faith in the death of Jesus Christ.

The good news which you have just read is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. . . For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1:16-17). Our holy and righteous God is both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (3:26). He can be so because Jesus paid our debt for sin.

Eternal life is this personal knowledge of God who has revealed Himself to us by applying these truths to us by the work of His Holy Spirit. Eternal life is to be found in this knowledge of Him in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The fullness of God’s personal revelation of Himself is found in the One who died for us, paid the price of our sin, rose form the dead, has satisfied God’s justice, and has taken up residence in our hearts through His indwelling Spirit. This is eternal life, to know Him in His saving grace.

Do you know Him? To know God in a personal, intimate, love relationship with Him is to have eternal life.

God has made provision to blot out every sin you have committed and therefore remove every barrier to His holy presence. Will you come boldly to His throne of grace knowing all your sins are under His blood? “I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). To know Him in saving grace is to have eternal life.Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

Constant, Conscious Communion with Christ

Christians are to live in constant, conscious communion with Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ literally lives within you if you have put your faith in Him as your personal Savior.

The heart of Christian living is found in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Christ lives in you (Col. 1:27). That is a fact that is true of every believer.

Jesus prayed for you and me when He prayed, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and You in Me” (John 17:20-23).

“I in them and You in Me.” Because Jesus Christ lives in you, His strength works in and through you to bring glory to Him. Learn to trust Him moment by moment living in you.

Jesus living in us is like the glove on your hand. I may say to my glove, “Pick up that Bible.” That glove cannot do a thing. But when I slip that glove on my hand it is a perfect fit. Then when I say, “Pick up the Bible” it has perfect control. Jesus Christ living in you is a perfect fit. “Christ in you” is the astonishing reality that He clothes Himself with us and uses you and me for His eternal purposes. As we make ourselves available to the indwelling Christ, He molds us and uses us as He so pleases for His glory.

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).

It is essential that we have this confidence in Jesus Christ who will in His divine power, make us partakers of His work, His life, His indwelling. What you and I cannot do, He does in and through us.

Christ our Redeemer is the Almighty One, who is everlasting and unchangeable, and it is He who has chosen to indwell you and me with His holy presence. He effected real cleansing and a putting away of sin, so that He can enter into our inmost being and dwell there.

He alone is the One who can reach your heart and fill it with the power of His eternal Word. Moreover, He can maintain without any shadow of turning in never ceasing fashion His life with you.

“Christ in you,” Christ living in you by faith, has the power to make your circumstances, no matter how difficult, a heavenly discipline, to serve His eternal purposes for His glory and your good.

Christ in us, abiding in us, gives us new life, and fills us with Himself. As we make ourselves available to Him, He makes our inner life the proof of His almighty power. The apostle Paul said, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” Yes, you can have a constant, conscious communion with Christ in a living experiential heart knowledge that comes from faith and fellowship with Him.

Christ living within us works in us every day to lift us up and enables us to live as those who are seated with Him in the heavenlies.

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

Crucified with Christ

When Christ died on the cross the work of salvation was completed and Christ provided access for all believers into God’s holy presence. Therefore, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.

God is a real person and our relationship with Him can be cultivated as with any other relationship. We have been saved to live in fellowship with Him. We can enjoy the riches of the Christian life only as we grow in intimacy with Christ. The presence of our Lord in our lives brings this intimacy and these riches in glory with Him.

If there is no peace, joy, longsuffering, patience, live, etc., it may well be that we are out of fellowship with Him, or that we have not come into a living relationship with Him. We must spend time in His presence every day. It is terribly easy to get our minds set on a thousand good things, but not on Christ. No religious activities or feelings can substitute for the cultivation of the presence of God in our lives.

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20 NET).

“When Christ bids us come and follow, He bids us come and die,” said Bonhoeffer.

The victory in the Christian’s life comes as we die to selfishness and follow Him.

The apostle Paul wrote, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:20). Again he wrote, “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Paul can write this because he has been crucified with Christ.

The Christian life is impossible to live if you do not know Christ as your Savior. It is impossible if you have never put your faith in Christ. Nothing in the unsaved person’s life can satisfy God’s righteousness. God will not accept our self-righteousness in the slightest degree. Self-crucifixion by a lost person will not save you.

It is only after an individual has put his faith in Christ and been born again that God brings a person to self-crucifixion so Christ will be magnified.

Have you made a commitment to Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Have you trusted in His saving grace at the cross? Have you put your faith in His death and His blood to cover all your sins? If you never have, you need to do so right now.

When we are crucified with Christ we allow Him to strip away everything that keeps us from having an intimate fellowship with Him. It is like letting Him strip off all our old worn out clothing and letting Him robe us in His perfect righteousness. Anything that would keep us from following into the fullness of His life needs to be nailed to the cross daily.Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

Consider Jesus the Apostle and High Priest

The keynote to the Epistle to the Hebrews is “consider Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Messiah.”  It admonishes us to set our heart on Him. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1).

The word “consider” (katanoeo) literally means, “to direct one’s whole mind to an object,” to immerse oneself in it and hence to apprehend it in its whole compass” (TDNT).

In order to grow spiritually, we must fix our mind on Christ.  It is imperative that we consider carefully and understand fully the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The word “consider” is formed from the root of the Latin word for “star” and originally means to contemplate with the idea of a quiet, patient, persevering concentrated gazing in order to study the stars.

The writer of Hebrews admonishes his readers to gaze upon Jesus and contemplate Him, therefore increasing our knowledge, devotion, and faith in Him. What does he wish for us to “consider?”

He wants us to see the significance and thoroughly weigh the evidence of Christ’s superiority over the prophets, angels, and the patriarchs of Israel.  Because of the greatness of His person, the effectiveness of His redemptive work will be pleasing to God the Father.

The writer of Hebrews is addressing Christians calling them “holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling” (v.1).

Believers in Jesus Christ are saints. We are “holy brethren” in our standing with God because of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are holy in Christ. It is Jesus who makes us holy. The word “holy” in this verse is emphasizing our position in salvation.  We have been “set apart for God.”  Christian believers are saints, set apart ones.  Sainthood does not take place in some distant future.  The believer is already a saint because He is “in Christ.”  This perfect standing with God should be the greatest incentive to make every effort to live a godly life before Him (Phil. 3:14).

He has made a perfect propitiation for the sins of His people (1 John 2:21; 4:10).  The believer is holy because God has made him so (Heb. 2:11).  We “share in the heavenly calling” because God “is bringing “us” to glory” (2:10).  We share in Jesus Christ (Heb.3: 14; Eph. 5:30).  We are “partakers of a heavenly calling” (Heb. 4:14; 10:23). 

 “The call comes from heaven and is to heaven in its appeal,” says A. T. Robertson.

Jesus Christ is both “The Apostle and High Priest” of Christians.

Jesus is “The Apostle” because He was sent by God the Father to be His spokesman and revealer (Heb. 1:1-3; Jn. 3:17, 34; 5:36, 38; 6:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 13:3; Matt. 17:5; Deut. 18:15, 18).  Because He is God’s ambassador, we need to consider carefully and fully understand what He has revealed to us about a right relationship with God.

Jesus is also our great High Priest (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14).  He represents God before men and man before a holy God.  “As an apostle, He is close to me; as Priest, He is close to God.”  “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2Cor. 5:19).

Christianity is Christ.  Therefore it behooves us to contemplate and meditate on Him.  Lord Jesus, will I see you today?

The Lord is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Heb. 2: 12).  May we never be afraid or embarrassed to call Him our Lord and Master (Matt. 10:32-33).

God has done something marvelous for sinners. Because of our vital union with Christ, He has imputed to us His righteousness.  We are partakers of the heavenly calling.  “What He has, we have.  Where He is, we are.  He is the Holy One of God; therefore, we are holy. He has been made higher than the heavens; therefore, we are partakers of the heavenly calling.”

No passing glance of Christ will do. Understand and learn the lesson that God wants to teach you.  “Consider attentively and thoughtfully the Apostle and High Priest of our confession Jesus” (Wuest Expanded Translation).Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

It is True of All Parts Of

It is true of all parts of the Bible that they study it best who come feeling that they are on holy ground. R. H. Boll

Is the Sweetness of Contact

“Joy is the sweetness of contact with the love of God.” Simone Weil

As I am With

It does not matter where I am physically as long as I am with Christ spiritually. Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah

Before We Pray that God Would

“Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray Him to empty us.” D.L. Moody