Being Totally There

Begin at verse 1 -

Verse 9: “I am the door” - what did he mean by that?

As a Shepherd is totally present for his sheep, Jesus is giving us full assurance and a sense of safety, because He desires to be fully present with us!

Then Jesus says, in verse 10:10

Do we really believe that? That statement is either true or a bold face lie! When you think of abundant life, what comes to mind? Is it for everyone!

An abundant life is not the most easy life...it’s not the most exotic life, most encouraging life all the time, it’s not the most elevated life, and it’s not the most extravagant life...but it is the enriching life on this earth!

Is it not a mystery or secret for only the elite of faith, but if we do live this kind of life we have to take him at His word!

Matthew 5 sermon on the mound...

Matthew 6 comment through until verse 34

“THEREFORE”... why is that inserted (as an after thought, or maybe Jesus forgot to include it at the beginning) !

Read Verse 34

It’s as if Jesus is putting all the pieces together for the most unique life on planet earth! How do you feel about that verse? Do you have a problem living out this verse? Does that verse even fit into your life? I DO!

You know, sometimes my head is taken up with so much of yesterday, sometimes my head is full of what might happen in tomorrow’s events of life! Jesus is giving us the insight that in order for us to live the abundant life, we have to be fully present in life today! Isn’t that scarey!

Do you know that in order for anyone to be the most efficient, the most the powerful, the most successful, that person has to have the ability to be fully present in any situation.

Our society in the 21st century does not know how to be fully present in the moment! In other words, this is where I am right now and I am totally here - totally coherent of the moment at hand.

Why are we not fully present? Because we are too concerned about yesterday , and too consumed about tomorrow! Our mind is divided over yesterday and our attention is diverted to tomorrow.

Remember, yesterday is long gone, tomorrow is still far away and so we struggle in being totally there, totally present...and the result is... TIME SAVERS, because we have no time, for the present!

Times savers are the things in our daily life that saves us time so we can continue to not be present in the now! Don’t believe me?

Then why do we have...

FAST FOOD - Instant Dinners

Instant internet access - faster and faster speeds of gathering information!

Instant Oatmeal

Instant Soup

Instant Dessert

PIC - Instant Peanut Butter and Jelly - Goober!

This instant society - has no time anymore! We have to be here, we have to be there, no time to BE FULLY PRESENT FOR ANYONE!

I struggle with this just as much as anyone else!

But if that’s not enough we have, Instant Christianity - The 60 Second Devotional” published by Tyndale!

Did you know that there is a drive thru church in Southern California!

We are so consumed with yesterday and tortured with tomorrow that we are not there fully for God - most of us don’t know what it is like to fully present for God - do know the greats in the Bible had to capture this principle in order to be effective for God!

• But first notice this with God...

Exodus 3:12 “I will be with you”

The most incredible words for us today! What is God saying to Moses... I will be fully present for you...I’m there! Aren’t you glad that God has it all together for us!

• Moses is about to tread where no Israelite has ever tread and Do what no man would ever imagine...go against the powerful person in all the world!

Exodus 24:12 “Come up to the mountain and remain there...”

“Remain there”...Hebrew is “Hiya” (like a karate chop!) Literally it say, “I want you to be”

Climb that mountain and just be! Isn’t that weird! But why did God say this to Moses as soon as he reached the top of the mountain? You see God knew Moses and God knows us!

Several years ago I climbed Mount Baldy in Southern California. Mount Baldy at the top is 10,000 feet in elevation. We left early Saturday morning, hiking from the foot of the ski lifts that’s about 6500 ft. elevation - by late afternoon we made it to the 10,000 ft. elevation.

Now, as soon as the 6 of us reached the 10,000 mark, guess what we did (besides about die)...we all said, let’s go home! We hardly took in the incredible sights! On a clear day you can see Catalina Island from up there!