Focused On The Presence

Core Values are most often discussed regarding child rearing. As all Christian parents we hold to the promise that we should train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)  I believe there is a powerful truth here that applies beyond child-rearing that we as adults can learn from today. We can be taught new values that shape our inner-world with God. Core values will be what keep us going the right direction in life. They are the governors that guide us, lead us, stop us, and release us.

As one who ministers to the poor regularly, I often lead them to Jesus by describing Him as "The Way". What they need is not only food and shelter but a compass in their heart to guide them out of woods so to speak back into the land of the living. That is why we preach the gospel to them so that we have an inside Man on the job to help them walk in freedom. Once they have an experience with the Holy Spirit, they are given a new Governor. They will begin to recognize now when their decisions are pleasing to the Lord or displeasing. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit one begins to recognize His presence on their life.

Our core value here is to "Focus on the Presence". This is the most basic of core values to learn. Once one is born again, they must be taught to recognize His presence. God is omnipresent, meaning He is present everywhere. He is just as omnipresent in a church building as he is in a casino. His manifest presence is different. It is the tangible experience of the presence of God's transforming power.  You will learn when your decisions are displeasing or pleasing to the Lord by the measure of His manifest presence on your life. As  you obey the commandments of Jesus, you will discover that you are awakening the pleasure of God. As one minister put it, "Where His pleasure is, His power is soon to follow."

Consider Jesus as He came up out of the baptismal waters, the Father spoke saying, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." Who remembers what else happened here? The Spirit of God descended as a dove. Pleasing the Father releases the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not have sin to deal with in His baptism. This was about obedience. His obedience brought the voice of God and the Spirit of God! Give Him your focus. Pay attention to the presence of God on your life, make choices to bring Him pleasure. Focus on the Presence.