Christ in You from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

After the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, a great chasm separated God and mankind. At first, the Lord anointed prophets and judges to guide the people like Moses, Deborah, and Samuel. He spoke through them, but later the people didn't like what He had to say. 

So the people began stoning His prophets and sawing them in half. They kept all the rituals and pomp but eventually phased out knowing the Lord. A hierarchy of religion grew up, where a select few at the top conversed with God and passed down the information. It was formed much like a pyramid. A few wealthy, powerful men at the top, translated what God meant to say to the gullible masses beneath them.

It led to all sorts of depravity. False teachers believed that salvation was so complicated it could only be understood by a select few. Yet, this is not what the Lord wanted. He had other plans, and until Jesus came, it was a mystery. The Apostle Paul wrote this:

(Colossians 1:26–27 NKJV)  the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Christ in you, the hope of glory. No longer would you have to go to a temple to meet the Lord, for He would dwell within His people. We become a house for the Lord. Granted, at first, we are certainly a fixer-upper, but He is great at restoration. After all, He was a carpenter.

Wherever you are, there He is. Whether at a job interview, in the unemployment line, or in the hospital, if you are there, so is He. Now I know this sounds simple, but it's much more important you can imagine. We read the words but don't let them sink in. We don't truly believe it, for our behavior would often show it if we could see Christ standing there watching us.

The abiding presence of Jesus Christ in you, the Christian's hope of glory. There is no one in between you and Him, and no one can separate you from Him. You can have a conversation with Him anytime, anywhere. When you need advice, wisdom, or resources, He is already there with you.

It was life-changing for me when I began to encounter the Lord in the workplace. I found that He was right there with me, reaching out to those around me. He still seeks to save the lost today, wherever they are. He would often put me working with them and speak to them through me. He still does.

The Lord wants a direct connection, a personal relationship with you that depends on no one else. He wants to be able to speak directly to you and through you to others.

(Hebrews 8:10–11 NKJV)  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them."

The Lord doesn't intend for His Church to be shaped like the great pyramids of Egypt, which were built by enslaved people. We are free and equals in this adventure. The prophet Joel wrote of the days that were coming, which began in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost:   

(Joel 2:28–29 NKJV)  "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days."

According to the Apostle Peter in Acts chapter 2, those days are now. Men and women, both young and old, all of His servants have access to His Spirit 24/7. The Lord is inclusive of all people who come to Him. It's only us who draw invisible lines and exclude people who are different. Those imaginary dividers don't exist in the kingdom of God.

(Galatians 3:26–29 NKJV)  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

To balance this message, of course, we should gather together with other Christians to build our faith, pray for one another, and learn together. None of us is an island, for we need each other.

(Hebrews 10:24–25 NKJV)  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

 Also, we should appreciate faithful teachers who labor in the word:

(1 Timothy 5:17–18 NKJV)  Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

My point is that what He will do for me, He will do for you, for He is right there with you. In closing, three things come to mind:

1. (Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

2. (Psalm 37:4–5 NKJV)  Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

3. (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please pour out Your Spirit on me! Don't pass me by. I want to be a part of what You are doing on the Earth today. Stir up the gifts in my life, and teach me how to use them for Your glory. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!