Have you ever wished there were two (or more) of you? Maybe life is so busy that you meet yourself coming and going, burning the candle at both ends.  There’s not enough of you to go around: work, home, school, children, parents, church, hobbies… the list goes on. People say they need some “me” time. But the truth is, you don’t need more of yourself! What you really need, what you really desire (even if you don’t always identify it) is more of HIM!    

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;   Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  John 14:16-17

 

I’ve heard people say, “I have nothing left to give.” What they’re saying is that they are emotionally drained. They’ve used up all of their own natural resources. They say they have to get alone with their thoughts. Friend, don’t get alone with YOUR thoughts! More of you, is just more of YOU. 

If you lack peace and joy, you don’t need to get away, you need to come boldly to the throne.

You will show me the path of life: In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Ps 16:11, NKJ

Where is joy; where is pleasure? In the presence of the Lord! Remember, the joy of the Lord is your strength! (Neh 8:10)

In Acts chapter 3 we find the story of Peter and John going to the temple. There was a man begging at the gate who was crippled from birth. Peter said, “I’ve got something to give you far better than money! Stand up in Jesus’ Name!” The man was healed. We find out what the people around them thought in chapter 4. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus .” (Acts 4:13) Notice that the people were not “turned off” by Peter and John being “unlearned”. Rather, they were intrigued by the fact that they possessed the same power that Jesus did! They could tell that these men had actually been with Jesus. 
 

When Moses encountered the Lord, His face literally reflected it and he wore a veil because of it. “…the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away” (2 Cor 3:7).

I love the following portion of scripture which reveals one of these encounters with the Lord.

Ex 33:11-23,  "11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. 12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. 18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen."

Notice first that Moses wanted the Lord to send a representative (v 12). “Who will you send?” The Lord’s response was, “ME”. Throughout the course of human history, God has desired a relationship with man even though man has so often leaned to his own brain, or to other humans for help, or worse, to some man-made “god”.   Moses answered well. “If you don’t go, we don’t go! The only thing that makes us different than anyone else on the face of the earth is YOU!” (v 15-16) Then Moses said, “I want to see your glory.” And here is one of the most profound things we must see for ourselves: God said in verse 21, “Behold, there is a place by me.” Friend if you want the glory of God in any area of your life you must stand in His presence! Don’t ask Him to come where YOU are; go where HE is!

We’ve been seated in heavenly places! (Ephesians 2:6)   Can people tell that’s where you’ve been?

There are tell-tale signs on some people. You know where they’ve been. Maybe they just came back from the gym – sweaty and smelly! Your kids come through the door and you can tell by the look on their face they’ve been somewhere they were not supposed to be! But can people tell that we’ve been with Jesus? What are the signs? Joy! Peace! Rest! Health! As a matter of fact, Galatians 5 gives us a list we call the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Just about everyone eventually begins to act like the ones they spend time with! I want to be more like Him, don’t you?