Passion for His Presence 1

Text: Philippians 3:1-20

How much of the presence of God do you desire? How passionate are you about being in His presence? I believe that one of the primary marks of a disciple of Christ is a passion for the presence of God. God continues to teach man in different levels and forms through different generations that He desires to have fellowship with man. He had fellowship with Adam in the garden of Eden. Man lost the opportunity and was driven out. Enoch was recorded to have walked with God and God took him, away with him (Gen. 5:24). Abraham had a relationship with God to the point that God will inform him of things he is about to do (Gen 18:20-23). James said it was Abraham’s faith that was credited to him as righteousness, and then he was called God’s friend (James 2:14-26). Moses had a relationship with God, spending quality time with God and his face countenance changed. His face shined with the glory of God (Exodus 34:29-35). David was a man after God’s heart, Elijah did not know death, he was taken away by God. In the New Testament, the Disciples yielded the call of God through Jesus. The word of God says that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us (Mathew 1:20-23). John the baptist attested that the one who has been from the beginning is the same who has come to dwell with man (John 1:15-18). The writer of Hebrew affirmed the same (Hebrew 1:1-3). John later said that he has seen and handled that which pertains to life, Jesus the Son of God (1 John 1:1-3). Of all the glory that the patriarchs of the faith had in the old testament, nothing is close to that which the disciples experienced. Jesus is calling you as he called the disciples (Mark 3:13-15) and such life will experience a change (Acts 4:13). Fellowship with the Lord yields great benefits (Psalms 16:11; 91:1).