Motivated By His Presence

Sometimes it's hard to do what God called you to do. The reason is we often forget Jesus Christ and the Father are there.  Timothy needed this reminder in the mist of a wicked and immoral city as he pastored this church.

Paul reminds Timothy:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:1, 2 ESV)

It's not what you have Timothy, it's who is with you.  The power to live Gods way if found in acknowledging Gods immanence and involvement in our lives. To linger in the presence of Jesus.  There's only one way a preacher will be prepared to preach no matter what.... By spending time in the presence of Jesus.

There will be conflict. Paul tells Timothy that men will not put up with sound teaching very soon. You're going to have to learn how to preach when it's not convenient for those you preach to you.

How are you going to do it? By spending time with Jesus.

I think it would've says about the apostles soon after Jesus ascended and the Holy Spirit descended:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 ESV)

It's not about what you bring to the table, it's about being with God, spending time in his presence, absorbing his person, and being changed because of it.

I know in my own life that every time I pray, every time I pray, I come away more equipped and better off to face the turbulence of life.

PRAYER

Father, keep me close to you. I want to draw close to you so that you draw close to me. I know that in your presence there is fullness of joy. I know that I need you close by me every day. Come close to me, Father. In Jesus name.