The Love Abode

…in the PRESENCE of the God in whom he believed, who GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD and CALLS INTO EXISTENCE THE THINGS THAT DO NOT EXIST.
— Romans 4:17b ESV

Abraham is called the “Father of Faith”. He firmly believed that in the presence of God anything was possible. Why was he willing to sacrifice his promised son? Because he believed the Lord 100%. God made a promise to him; and therefore if Isaac died, God would give him life. Abraham trusted that God would do something incredible. His faith reality was framed by this statement:

In the Lord’s Presence is Resurrection Life and Creative Miracles.

Everything divine is miraculous. Everything Kingdom calls into existence things that do not exist. Every command of Christ is impossible without His Spirit. I’ve heard people say, “Jesus wouldn’t command us to do something if it wasn’t possible.” What makes the impossible possible? With God, all things are possible. Being born again is impossible, but God. Being forgiven, redeemed, and transformed is impossible, but God. Salvation and resurrection are impossible, but God. Love is impossible, but God. Everything possible within our own strength and efforts, outside of faith in His miraculous presence, is dead works. So much of our time and daily routines is dedicated to the dead space of our own limitations. O but in His presence is resurrection life and creative miracles, and His presence is a four-letter word: LOVE.

Last week we talked about “Boiling & Bubbling”. Ultimately, our zéloó is based in the love of God and demonstrated through our love for one another. Even our zéloó for the gifts of the Spirit are because they build up our spiritual family members. Today we’re going to continue talking about God’s love but in the context of His presence.

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
— John 1:38-39 ESV

Jesus asks a profound question: “What are you seeking?” How did they answer? “Where are You staying?” They came and saw where He was staying and they stayed with Him. This is the same question Jesus asks each of us: “What are you seeking?” And the right answer is: “Your presence, Lord. I want to stay in Your presence.”

In Greek the disciples respond with two words: “Pou meneis?” Pou is “where”, and meneis comes from the word menó which means “abide or dwell”. What do you call an abiding place? An abode —a house or a home. What are you seeking? The house of God so that I can stay there. “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” (Psalm 84:10). Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands (Acts 7:48). His abode is built by the Spirit, drawing you and I as living bricks together in the power of His love.

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
— 1 John 3:23-24 ESV

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
— 1 John 4:12-13 ESV

 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
— 1 John 4:16 ESV

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
— 1 John 4:19-21 ESV

Where you ABIDE is your ABODE.

As we love one another, we build the abode, the house, of God. And we know we are in His house because this is where His Spirit is. Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” His home is a people overflowing with His Spirit of love. Whoever builds a house of divine love, lives in God’s Spirit and God’s Spirit lives in him.

We only love from recognizing His love for us. We have a revelation of His love and receive His Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. And His love for us is demonstrated through our Spirit-led love for one another. He loves us first, then we  become conduits of His first love to our spiritual brothers and sisters. And this establishes the house of God. His house is a house of love. How do we know when God is at home among us? By our Spirit activated love for one another.

He’s not looking for a house of religious sacrifices. God says in Hosea 6:6, “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice.” Do you remember when Solomon and the nation of Israel finished the Temple and the Spirit of God filled it like a thick heavy cloud? What was happening when God came home? It wasn’t all of the sacrifices and rituals and hard work that attracted God’s presence. It was the same thing that attracted Him in the book of Acts. As one, in one accord and with one focus, all of the people celebrated His love.

and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
— 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 ESV

1 Peter 2:5 says, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” What are our “spiritual sacrifices”? The sacrifices He desires are Spirit-led acts of love for one another. Micah 6:8 famously says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” The Hebrew word for “kindness” is “chesed”. It’s the same word used in Hosea 6:6 for “steadfast love”, and it is equivalent to the Greek word “agape”. It is faithful, unfailing, grace-empowered, God-like love. Micah 6:8 says, “Love God-like love!”

So what is the Lord looking for? To do Kingdom acts, empowered by Kingdom love, and in Kingdom alignment. And do you remember what we talked about in the beginning? Everything Kingdom is miraculous and totally reliant on the King’s presence. As Kingdom agents, you and I are designed to be Kingdom conduits. We are completely dependent on the infilling and overflowing of His Spirit. What is a life of sorrow? To continuously labor in our empty strength and limited resources in order to only produce lifeless counterfeits of Kingdom. What is a life of joy?

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” — John 15:9-12 ESV

What are we seeking? Where is Jesus’ home? Are we making His home our home? Are we allowing Him to build us into His dream house?

This is the Kingdom accessed through faith in Jesus Christ:

1. We recognize and celebrate His goodness and steadfast, enduring love.
2. He builds us together into His home.
3. We demonstrate His goodness and love to one another.
4. He is home among us, His children.

Seeking His face!
Matt

Matt Neese
Wellspring.Live

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