“That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.” (Joh 17:21-23 KJ2000)
Jesus told Philip, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Oh, what pure obedience to the Father that He could safely say this and affirm to them that He only did the works He saw His Father doing and only spoke the words He heard His Father saying.
I once prayed this, “Father that I would be as your Son, that I would only speak the words you have for me to speak and would only do the works you have for me to do.” Don’t pray like this if you are not ready to suffer greatly and be totally broken by Him.
As we are broken of trusting in ourselves and seek only that Life that is found IN Christ to abide in us, we will be able to say to this lost and dying world as Christ’s body, “If you have seen us, you have seen Jesus” and it will stick. Until then we are just part of the problem.
“Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” (1Jo 3:2-3 KJ2000)
A Wilderness Voice 
Enjoyed your writings…
LikeLike
Thanks, Wanda. I enjoy writing what I hear Father saying.
LikeLike
“If you have seen us, you have seen Jesus.” That says it all. That’s the true manifestation of Father’s kids. By faith, I believe. Thanks, Michael.
LikeLike
Dollea, you are welcome. What a difference there is between God’s wonderful plan and the myopic plans and organizations of church leaders! Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus who is our only salvation and Truth.
Michael
LikeLike
[…] https://awildernessvoice.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/that-where-i-am-there-they-may-be-also/ […]
LikeLike
“As we are broken of trusting
in ourselves and seek only
that Life that is found IN
Christ to abide in us, we will
be able to say to this lost
and dying world as Christ’s
body, “If you have seen us,
you have seen Jesus” and it
will stick. Until then we are
just part of the problem.” …Oh God help us by your grace to come to that…Amen.
LikeLike
When the seed of our heavenly Father is planted in us when we accept Christ, it either falls into good soil or it doesn’t. This is but the beginning of our journey in being conformed into the image of the Son. The world will see Jesus in you no matter what stage you are at in Him. You either have a good receptive heart from the outset of your walk, or you don’t.
Our Father isn’t expecting full maturity before it’s time and we all walk in accordance to the truth we have, as the Spirit reveals more of Christ through our experiences. How we choose to respond to the molding and shaping process certainly determines how effective and fruitful we are, but perfection or complete maturity is quite a ways off, even for Paul when he had already been extremely effective for the cause of Christ.
I was painting for a general contractor who built high end houses, and I want to tell you it wasn’t easy keeping up with what he had going on. Scheduling was a nightmare, but my family and I managed to keep him happy. I remember stressful days where I wasn’t the model example of a follower of the Lord and had to repent constantly from my temper and words. Being naturally “high strung” this has been an ongoing process my whole life that I have pleaded with the Lord to help me with.
We were doing some final touch-up work one day and the contractor was there building a fireplace, and the subject of religion came up (he brought it up). I made a comment and he asked me what religion I was. I said for want of a better word that I was a Christian. He gave me a surprised look and said, “I would have never guessed that in a million years!” I felt absolutely crushed and asked him, ” Why….did you hear me lose my temper on the job?” He answered, “No…all the Christians I know are pushy, obnoxious, self righteous jerks!”
“You and your family aren’t anything like that!” He said. I then had the opportunity to share with him who Jesus really was. An amazingly gracious, loving and forgiving Saviour, who saved a sinner like me. You see, God isn’t looking for perfection but a repentant heart, who trembles at His word. There’s too many out there with the wrong attitude giving God a bad name. If we humble ourselves and allow the Spirit to enlighten our conscience, then we will represent Jesus by having the right attitude. This results in keeping our word, faithfulness, kindness, respect, good manners, love, compassion and every other attribute of our incredible God through the Spirit. So go out there and just be who He made you to be…a BLESSING!!
LikeLike
I remember one guy saying he prayed this prayer ‘ Lord, make me, brake me, bend me, shape me……I don’t pray that prayer anymore.’
Made his point. One gal use to say ‘who dares surrender all?’
My prayer has been like yours also bro.
From the very beginning almost 40 years ago. One closed door after another. A life time of ‘others may, you cannot’. I read that tract early on. It’s been my life.
A very tough row to hoe but looking back now, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Seeing the decayed condition of Christendom, realizing God kept me from climbing the ecclesiastical ladder, I can now say I am grateful all attempts in ‘ministry’ were blocked by God Himself.
He sees the depth of surrender of every heart. That determines the life time walk. The course you’ll be put on.
The back side of Arabia, alone with one test after another.
Just real quick. I have been cursed by one brother after another, mainly by the false pastors. I would ask God to bless them, as we are told to do, only to see them destroyed one way or another.
I never rejoiced but I did feel comforted that God was not the one cursing me through these men. My insecurity made me think God was rejecting me…again and again and again.
My hardest test is when a big wig minister cursed me then I asked God to bless him and…..He did, and still does, while I sit alone with all doors still shut.
That’s hard to swallow.
But I could be wrong about those blessings. Maybe they are not blessings at all. Nonetheless, I have to keep my hands off of it. Resist the bitterness. Keep my heart clean of it. Stay the course. It’ll be worth it. Stand alone forever if that’s what He wants. His understanding and wisdom is my reward.
LikeLike