Christ coming = presence of God

Anyone of you who were there for the Fire Conference by Reinhard Bonke would surely agree with me that you have been blessed in one way or another. It was really special on how the Lord has “prepared” me for this. I got to know about it only last Thurs. But the amazing thing was, during the whole of last week, his book was the only book that I was reading and it happen to be the only book that was on my bed(usually there’ll be a few for me to pick from=)). How not to go even if you dun feel like it=)

But you know, the highlight of the event for me that day was not how well the music or sermon was played or delivered but the fellowship I had. Sat with the NUS group this time. Great bunch of people. Just love them=)

Dear Teresa was asking Pei Xian & I about the worship session after the whole event. She went on with few other questions like, how do you know you’vs been blessed after the whole thing? The reason can be so subtle that you hardly know which part of the service that has touched you. You may even say to yourself at times, but it was not my preference of music, my type of sermon, or my church group. But you know you have left the place feeling uplifted. For example, the Global Day of Prayer held at indoor stadium. Although it was officiated by a different denomination, we sang the songs they sang & prayed the script they wrote, that cannot stop us from receiving.

But what really caught me after the whole conversation was what John said, “How can you not be blessed when the whole stadium is filled with Christians…where the presence of God is”(may not be the exact words, but the point is there=))

It became even clearer to me & got me excited about the whole topic after I read one of the Reinhard Bonke sermons on the presence of God.

“…Speaking of His ‘coming’, both His constant coming and His Second coming, here is something else that thrills me, and I hope will thrill you. His coming is given a special name in the New Testament – Parousia. It is called the Coming of Christ in our English Bibles in 1 Corinthians 15:23 and Matthew 24:3. But actually, ‘parousia’ the biblical Greek word means ‘presence.’ He will become PRESENT. The ‘presence of God’ will fill the whole earth at His coming. That will be a notable thing – not a flash, being all over and done with, but the entire earth will become like the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. Nobody can escape or forget or ignore then.

Now, ‘presence’ is a word not used in the Old Testament Hebrew. Instead, it has words like ‘face.’ “LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance[‘face’ in Hebrew] upon us”(Psalm 4:6). God’s transcendence or heavenly greatness tended to be thought of rather than His imminence, closeness. He shined upon them from heaven. They did not seem to think of His presence as Christians do today, though they believed he could be on their side, perhaps sending an angel.

But today we have only a misty idea of ‘parousia’. God’s presence is with us when He fulfills the promise of being where two or three are gathered together( Matthew 18:20)The blessings and joy of such occasions, which to us seems more powerful sometimes than others, help us to believe for that great consummation of faith when His presence fills earth and sky.”

G3952

παρουσία

parousia

Thayer Definition:

1) presence

2) the coming, arrival, advent

2a) the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God

Do you see the truth, God’s beloved?=)I didn’t when I first read it.

If Christ coming = presence of God, and presence = two or three gathered in His name.

Each time when you come together to worship Him, you have just felt a glimpse of how His presence would be like on the Day when He comes back and takes us home. When Christ returns, there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more disappointment. This is made possible NOW when you enter into His presence! It will transcend time into His eternal Kingdom=)

You need not wait for him to come to you. He did not say, “there I will be” but “there I AM” He is actively waiting for us. God never comes to us as a visitor. God never says, “Oh, I see a few believers; they’re praying. I’ll go and be with them.” He does not come to us; we come to Him” He is the I AM.

So if you ever decide to join a Christian event, stop deciding by the organizer or the band that’s playing that night, He IS in the midst of the believer. You’ll surely be blessed. Go with an open heart!