God’s word teaches God is a triune God, meaning God is 3 persons and yet one. He is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each being individually God and yet the same God as one. Each having a significant individual identity in their relationship and role with each other. They are one mind and one Spirit.

And it is important to identify them by their name. We do not address God our Father as Jesus nor Jesus as the Father and we call the Holy Spirit as God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus warns us not to treat the Holy Spirit as not being or less than God. That is blaspheming and unforgiveable. So, we cannot be trivial in how we treat our God and his name. It must be with fearful respect that they are God Almighty, giver of eternal life and second death. God commands us to do this in:

Deuteronomy 5:11 "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

As the body of Christ Paul said in Ephesians, we must be united in our faith in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord and that means to know and obey his teachings and commandments which includes Deuteronomy 5:11.

Ephesians 4: 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Paul said the body of Christ must build each other up until we ALL reach unity in our faith in the knowledge of Jesus, the Son of God. This knowledge matures us to have the mind of Christ and walk like him which keeps us from being misled by false teachings and trickery and deceitful scheming of people who do not love God or obey his will.

Jesus said he does not want us to be a stumbling block that may mislead a brother or sister to sin, or we will suffer something worse than having a millstone tied around our neck and thrown into the sea.

So, as lovers of God we cannot be frivolous is what we say and do as being true to Jesus because Jesus will hold us responsible for its truth. It cannot come from our human instincts or feelings or by someone’s teaching not found in the Bible or out of context nor by reading into Scripture what we want it to mean.

Paul said pastors and teacher will be responsible to teach God’s truth and I pray that what I teach is from the Holy Spirit and not that of the anti-Christ. My love for you is not to mislead you but to help always help you mature in your knowledge of Jesus and to keep Jesus as the head of our Church.

It is important for us to know where Jesus is. Some think this as not important to Jesus and just assume he is everywhere. But God’s word teaches where Jesus is, so it is important for you to know this to understand Jesus’s role and his purpose in our relationship with him.

Scripture teaches that after Jesus resurrected, he appeared to his disciples.

John 20: 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection to prove his victory over death. Because of this passage some believe that Jesus can be among them and because of what Jesus said in Matthew.

Matthew 18: 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

New Christians and those who do not study God’s word may accept these passages and easily believe that the presence of Jesus is with them if a pastor or teacher said he is by using these passages. I once believed this as a new believer, but I found this is not true because I kept seeking to know Jesus from his word.

After Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, Scripture teaches Jesus remained on earth for 40 days and appeared to 500 people and then he went to heaven.

Acts 1: 6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

The disciples were hoping that Jesus would remain on earth to restore his kingdom but Jesus said that was up to his Father. Then Jesus was taken up into the clouds and out of their sight and 2 men in white said Jesus will return the same way he was taken to heaven.

So, Jesus is no longer with us he is in heaven. That is why we need to always look up to the heaven from where our Savior Jesus will be coming from.

Jesus said he will sit on the righthand of his Father.

Luke 22: 67 "If you are the Christ, " they said, "tell us." 68 Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." 70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

The martyr Stephen said he saw Jesus in heaven before he was stoned to death.

Acts 7: 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

Just like Stephen we will also see Jesus when we die when we have faith like him which Paul said must be worthy to Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1: 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our faith is counted worthy when our every good purpose and every act is prompted only by our faith in Jesus obedient to his Father’s will which is to listen to his Son.

Those whose faith is not worthy do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus. They will be forever separated from God’s presence.

Hebrews teaches the kind of faith we must have and its desire to be with Jesus which will save us.

Hebrews 9: 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Salvation will be for those who want to be with Jesus because they know to die is to gain being with Jesus believe this was made possible because Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross out of love for his Father and us to pay for the penalty of our sins making it possible to be with God that we love with all our heart.

So, when someone tells you that Jesus is present because of what Jesus said.

Matthew 18: 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Encourage them to always read Scripture in its context so that they can fully understand what Jesus was saying.

Matthew 18: 18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Jesus said when you gather in his name means you know him through his teachings and when 2 or 3 agree of what is true to his teachings it will be bound or loosed on earth and in heaven and his presence is there through you.

That is why Jesus commands us to be disciples that completely know (baptized) the name of God and obey his teachings and commandment and they will be with you always.

Matthew 28: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

And we will remain in Jesus’ truth through the giving of the Holy Spirit.

John 16: 5 “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus said he needed to go home so that he could send the Holy Spirit and he is the one that will remind us of everything we learn as a disciple of God’s word and have obeyed it and know that God is always with us.

So, keep the name of God holy and do not misuse it and know that Jesus is in heaven where Peter said he is.

Acts 3: 21 He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

Be safe in Jesus, Glenn.