“In hell he lift up his eyes, being in torment and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Lk 16:23).
The rich man saw Abraham and Lazarus afar off. Where you will be in eternity, depends on how you lived in this world. Abraham is a type of God’s presence. While on the earth the rich man was far away from the presence of God, and now he finds himself far away from the presence of God after death.
How can you make out you are far away from God? You may be in a service in church but you could be far away from God. You may be singing and praising God and worshipping God and may spend much time in prayer, but your heart could be far away from God. If you don’t feel the presence of God it means you are far away from God. To the extent you feel God close to you now, you will be close to God in eternity.
In the Old Testament times, lepers had to be outside the camp. The parts of the body affected by leprosy do not have any sensation. You can take a big needle and pierce the part, but the leper won’t feel any pain. The minister may be preaching and pouring out his life before you, but you don’t feel anything. You are a leper in the sight of God. If you don’t feel the presence of God you are a leper. But the power of God, the grace of God can heal that leprosy. God can give you brand new flesh.
When Naaman, that proud, arrogant man dipped himself in the waters of Jordan, he got new flesh. You need to be dipped in the grace of God. You need to be dipped in the Word of His grace. You need to be dipped in the water of the Holy Spirit.
Come back to God today and say, “Lord, I don’t want to be far away.” If you keep a distance between you and God, the devil will take that place. So have a real intimacy with Jesus. After you leave this world it will be too late to realize that you are far away from God.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
How can you make out you are far away from God? You may be in a service in church but you could be far away from God. You may be singing and praising God and worshipping God and may spend much time in prayer, but your heart could be far away from God. If you don’t feel the presence of God it means you are far away from God. To the extent you feel God close to you now, you will be close to God in eternity.
In the Old Testament times, lepers had to be outside the camp. The parts of the body affected by leprosy do not have any sensation. You can take a big needle and pierce the part, but the leper won’t feel any pain. The minister may be preaching and pouring out his life before you, but you don’t feel anything. You are a leper in the sight of God. If you don’t feel the presence of God you are a leper. But the power of God, the grace of God can heal that leprosy. God can give you brand new flesh.
When Naaman, that proud, arrogant man dipped himself in the waters of Jordan, he got new flesh. You need to be dipped in the grace of God. You need to be dipped in the Word of His grace. You need to be dipped in the water of the Holy Spirit.
Come back to God today and say, “Lord, I don’t want to be far away.” If you keep a distance between you and God, the devil will take that place. So have a real intimacy with Jesus. After you leave this world it will be too late to realize that you are far away from God.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
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