And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…Genesis 3:8
I will dwell in them, and walk in them…II Corinthians 6:16
For He dwells with you, and shall be in you – John 14:17

      There was an idyllic time before mankind sinned and fellowship with God was severed when God walked with His children. Their communion with Him was intimate and close as any child with a loving parent.
      This sweet fellowship was destroyed when God’s children willfully disobeyed Him by heeding the instructions of a created entity, other than the commandment that was given them by the One who had given them life.
      The result of following satan’s deceptive lies cost Adam and Eve the safe sanctuary of their perfect garden, which represented the security they previously enjoyed as long as they remained within the will of their loving Father.
      And because God is a loving Father, He also provided the way back into fellowship with Him for their descendents through the Messiah Jesus.
      Jesus is the Door to a new garden paradise of even deeper intimacy with God than was available to Adam and Eve; for this time instead of walking with them, God would come into those who obey the Gospel.
      I will dwell in them, and walk in them and they shall be My sons and daughters – II Corinthians 6:16,17.
     

When Jesus’ disciple Philip, asked Him to show them the Father, the Father spoke through His Son as He did through His prophets – Have I been such a long time with you, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?
      Then Jesus reminded them that He is the image of the invisible God – He that has seen Me has seen the Father – John 14:9
      The Father that dwells in Me, He does the works – John 14:10.
      The intimacy of the relationship of the Father and His Son, is the relationship that God intends to have with all those who receive Him by faith in the death and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus.
      Through the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of the Father is imparted to the believer and we are brought into unity with the Father and the Son.

      Jesus said, He that dwells with you – meaning that the Father by His Spirit was dwelling with the disciples in the image of His Son – would also be in them –
      He that dwells with you…shall be in you – John 14:17.
      As we enter the Door of God’s Son – I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture – John 10:9 - we enter into the sweet paradise of restoration of fellowship with our Creator and His Son.-
      I (Jesus) will come to you – John 14:18.
      We (The Father and The Son) – will come to him and make our abode with him – John 14:23.
      And we are made a "habitation of God through His Spirit"– Ephesians 2:22 -
      For through Him (Jesus) we both (Jew and Gentile) have access by one Spirit unto the Father – Ephesians 2:18.
      And because you are sons, (By faith in Messiah Jesus) God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, "Abba, Father” – Galatians 4:6.

      Don’t be afraid to open the Door to a new life by faith and hear your Heavenly Father say, “Welcome home.”

copyright 2010 by H.D. Shively