At Home With Jesus

Hey, this is Mike Zwick from If Not For God Podcast, our show.

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Share it. But most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the bestselling Prayers for Life, and now, here's James. putting it that way helps put it in perspective. I mean, do we really believe we actually do he always is right? Yeah, yeah, he's he's with us always mean Jesus not only promised that at the end of the Gospel of Matthew in John 1423 says, anyone who loves me will obey my teaching, my father will love them. And we will come to them and make our home with them. So that is the amazing and breathtaking truth according to the Word of God, you and I can be at home with Jesus.

Not at some future point in time, but right here right now. And even though Jesus has ascended to heaven, remember, he also told us it's good for us that he would go away so that he could send us the Holy Spirit, who's his presence with us. And that's where it really gets exciting in it, because this isn't some dusty theological truth.

I mean, it's a practical one. Jesus really means what he's saying that he actually is going to be with us, and that we can be at home with him now. So James, let's talk about how we can be more at home in his presence. Because, I mean, this really is all about prayer. I'm guessing based on the title of the show, and relationship, isn't it?

It is. And if you go back to his words about, you know, he and the Father making their home with us, we see that obedience is a big part of that. But sometimes I think we can get tripped up on that word. You know, we might have mental images of that legalistic person shouting at us, Obey! But what Jesus means by obedience really has everything to do with love. That's why he starts with the words, anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. Last week, we talked about how loving God helps us turn from temptation.

And this week, let's go one step farther. If you read on into the next chapter, John, the 15th chapter, Jesus said, This is my command, that you love each other as I have loved you. So that's what he wants us to do. That's what he's talking about when he says, Obey my teaching, or literally, follow my word in the Greek. It's all about love. Jesus is saying that if we live in love, obedient to his word, that he and the Father will be with us. It really is that simple, isn't it? Yeah, I think it is, Robby, because whenever you see a believer who's truly loving, you see Jesus in them.

I mean, it's just, you know, it's so evident. And this comes down to loving God and loving others, as Jesus was saying. I mean, again, it always starts with loving God, but it also involves those around us. As John wrote, whoever claims to love God yet hates his brother or sister is a liar.

Yeah, so practically speaking, that's a great question, right? To ask ourselves, Do I have love? Do I have the love of God in me? Yeah, I love that.

Yeah. Do I have the love of God in me? We need to ask ourselves that every day, don't we?

Oh, yeah, we really do. Yeah, I mean, the more we consciously make an effort to love God, the more we praise him, the more we, you know, lift our hearts to him as we go through the day, the more at home we will feel in his presence. But think about what it says in Psalm 25, the Lord confides in those who fear him. So, you know, he tells you special things, even.

I mean, that's the whole concept, I think, again, of being at home. And that word fear isn't a sense of terror, you know, confides in those who fear him. It's more in the sense of respect and awe, which can also include love. So if you think about it, you know, that's his first command to us. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. Yeah, this is really the way it's meant to be for us.

Yeah, it is. To know God is to love him. He fills our hearts with love. This is going to really date me as a radio guy. I mean, it makes me think of that old song by the Teddy Bears.

Oh, you went there. To know, know, know him is to love. That's a great song. And that line really works here. Just to see him smile makes my life worthwhile.

It does work. And it really does make life worthwhile. I mean, the whole point of our faith is to know him and learning to say open in prayer and walk in simple obedience, you know, it helps us draw us closer. And that way we feel more at home with him, you know, in the Song of Solomon, I love it, when he was, the bride says, or the groom says to the bride, you have dove eyes.

And when you think about that, you know, you have the Holy Spirit's eyes to help point out Jesus to you and where he is with you. There you go, you know. Paul also wrote in Colossians that when we receive Jesus and turn from our sins to turn to him, that our lives are now hidden with Christ in God.

So there it is again. We're already more at home in him than we know. And we can live into that reality more and more. And that's what's so beautiful about this. It really is possible to be at home with Jesus day by day.

Yeah, and I could talk about that all day. But we're running out of time, James. So would you wrap up things with prayer?

Yeah, let's do it. Father, please help us to know that we really can just love you and be with you and that so much flows out of this obedience with you. And Lord, please help us not to buy into the enemy's lie that, oh, you know, you really can't know him because you have said it. You promised to make your home with us. So, oh Lord, we are at home with you and we praise you and we love you for it.

Help us to stay close. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.