In His Presence
Be still in
the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to
act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked
schemes. Psalm 37:7
the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to
act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked
schemes. Psalm 37:7
How difficult it is
for a child to be quiet and sit quietly. My cousin came for a visit when she was seven
years old. When her father came to pick
her up, he asked if she talked too much, commenting, “If she talked half as
much as she does at home, she talked too much.”
for a child to be quiet and sit quietly. My cousin came for a visit when she was seven
years old. When her father came to pick
her up, he asked if she talked too much, commenting, “If she talked half as
much as she does at home, she talked too much.”
Somehow, we do
not like silence. We are uncomfortable
with silence. If we are silent –
uncomfortable thoughts may intrude. Thoughts
such as reality, making decisions, ignoring punctuation marks like commas and
periods signifying the end of a thought.
A writer is cautioned about ‘run-on’ sentences, and an incessant talker
is in love with verbalized ‘run-on’ thoughts.
not like silence. We are uncomfortable
with silence. If we are silent –
uncomfortable thoughts may intrude. Thoughts
such as reality, making decisions, ignoring punctuation marks like commas and
periods signifying the end of a thought.
A writer is cautioned about ‘run-on’ sentences, and an incessant talker
is in love with verbalized ‘run-on’ thoughts.
When I
was a child, the lyric to a hymn caught me by surprise. Maybe you have sung, them, too. And He
walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, None
has ever known. (In the Garden – Merle
Haggard) I knew no one has seen God,
but how can God walk and talk with us? We
must choose to be in His Presence.
was a child, the lyric to a hymn caught me by surprise. Maybe you have sung, them, too. And He
walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, None
has ever known. (In the Garden – Merle
Haggard) I knew no one has seen God,
but how can God walk and talk with us? We
must choose to be in His Presence.
Ask Adam and Eve who hid from God as He
walked in the Garden. Ask Moses as he prepared to lead the
Children of Israel out Egypt and God promised – The Lord replied,
“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14. Ask Daniel as he told the King the
morning after spending the night in the Lions’ Den – My God sent his angel to shut the lions’
mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his
sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:22. Ask
Abraham, when tested, took his only son Isaac to the top of the mountain to
sacrifice him. As Abraham raised
the knife he heard, But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand
on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,
because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Genesis
22:11-12
walked in the Garden. Ask Moses as he prepared to lead the
Children of Israel out Egypt and God promised – The Lord replied,
“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14. Ask Daniel as he told the King the
morning after spending the night in the Lions’ Den – My God sent his angel to shut the lions’
mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his
sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:22. Ask
Abraham, when tested, took his only son Isaac to the top of the mountain to
sacrifice him. As Abraham raised
the knife he heard, But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand
on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,
because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Genesis
22:11-12
There are others besides
you and me – who want to be In His Presence.
Why? How?
you and me – who want to be In His Presence.
Why? How?
In the Psalms we find….You will show me the way of life, granting
me the joy of your presence and
the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:11.
me the joy of your presence and
the pleasures of living with you forever.
Psalm 16:11.
That is part of why – the
joy and pleasure of living, walking and talking with God forever.
joy and pleasure of living, walking and talking with God forever.
Think about those angels who
are continually in God’s presence – Then
the angel said, “I am Gabriel!
I stand in the very presence of
God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! Luke 1:19.
Zechariah, a Jewish Priest, is told, as an old man, that he will
have a son – John. Gabriel, from the
Presence of God, gave Mary the news of the virgin birth of Jesus. Gabriel presented the first good news about
the Son of God born in the flesh, because God’s love is for all of us who
believe, trust and have faith in God alone.
are continually in God’s presence – Then
the angel said, “I am Gabriel!
I stand in the very presence of
God. It was He who sent me to bring you this good news! Luke 1:19.
Zechariah, a Jewish Priest, is told, as an old man, that he will
have a son – John. Gabriel, from the
Presence of God, gave Mary the news of the virgin birth of Jesus. Gabriel presented the first good news about
the Son of God born in the flesh, because God’s love is for all of us who
believe, trust and have faith in God alone.
Belonging to Him, we will
produce fruit of the Holy Spirit. This
is through the Christ Jesus dying on the cross and being raised to walk
anew. Our identity, as a Citizen of
Heaven, begins in that moment. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ
has become a new person.
The old life is gone; a new life
has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17
produce fruit of the Holy Spirit. This
is through the Christ Jesus dying on the cross and being raised to walk
anew. Our identity, as a Citizen of
Heaven, begins in that moment. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ
has become a new person.
The old life is gone; a new life
has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Imagine producing this
fruit of the Spirit, as given in Galatians 5:22-23! But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. There is no law against these things!
fruit of the Spirit, as given in Galatians 5:22-23! But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. There is no law against these things!
When I was sixteen, as a
part of our youth group activities at church, we were to name the qualities we
would like in our future mate. I
remember that none of these fruit were on my list. Simply outward appearances appeared. When it was time to make a decision for my
mate, I recognized other qualities than the appearance. My choice was a man who lived goodness,
kindness and gentleness. Even as Samuel,
the Prophet of God, chose the next King of Israel. But
the Lord said
to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.
The Lord doesn’t
see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7
part of our youth group activities at church, we were to name the qualities we
would like in our future mate. I
remember that none of these fruit were on my list. Simply outward appearances appeared. When it was time to make a decision for my
mate, I recognized other qualities than the appearance. My choice was a man who lived goodness,
kindness and gentleness. Even as Samuel,
the Prophet of God, chose the next King of Israel. But
the Lord said
to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.
The Lord doesn’t
see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7
When you hear a praise
song or a hymn, let the words penetrate your heart. When you pray, know his presence. When you thank Him during the day for food,
for breath, for loving you, know that He hears you. When you enjoy God’s bounty and goodness
during the day, God smiles. When you see
the wind rustling through the trees and ripple through the flowers, listen for
his voice. Just as we do not see the
wind, we know its presence on our faces.
Just as we do not see God, we know the difference He makes in our hearts
and lives.
song or a hymn, let the words penetrate your heart. When you pray, know his presence. When you thank Him during the day for food,
for breath, for loving you, know that He hears you. When you enjoy God’s bounty and goodness
during the day, God smiles. When you see
the wind rustling through the trees and ripple through the flowers, listen for
his voice. Just as we do not see the
wind, we know its presence on our faces.
Just as we do not see God, we know the difference He makes in our hearts
and lives.
In His Presence, we truly
come alive and know that God is Love.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God is with us. God is near us. God is the One God. God is the Light. God is Spirit. God is true.
God is the Eternal King. God is
faithful and steadfast. God is the Great I Am.
come alive and know that God is Love.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God is with us. God is near us. God is the One God. God is the Light. God is Spirit. God is true.
God is the Eternal King. God is
faithful and steadfast. God is the Great I Am.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place
because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving
way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules
over God’s house, let us go right into the
presence of God with
sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been
sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed
with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering
to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to
acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as
some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his
return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:19-25
because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving
way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules
over God’s house, let us go right into the
presence of God with
sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been
sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed
with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering
to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to
acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as
some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his
return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:19-25
Comments? eacombs@att.net