To Dwell in the Presence of God.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 

He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

                                   Psalm 15:1-5 KJV 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand  in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

                                   Psalm 24:3-6 KJV 

Obedience in the presence of almighty God go hand in hand. This can be seen in the example of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, as priests. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them. God has an eternal standard for all who would approach Him. God will be sanctified or shown as Holy in all who would draw near to Him. He must be glorified before men (see Leviticus 10:1-3).

Again, when Moses struck the rock in anger, he, along with his brother Aaron, were denied entry into the land of promise. Why? Because they did not treat the LORD as holy in front of the congregation of Israel. God was sanctified in the midst of Israel now, through Judgement. That was a steep price to pay for a moment of anger (see Numbers 20:1-13).

This is not an Old Testament thing, where God is an angry God, but now under the New Testament he is living and forgiving. Just ask Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead when confronted by Peter for their hypocrisy. This had a cleansing,  purifying effect upon the early Church, as "great fear came upon the Church" (Acts 5:1-11).

Jesus tells us that it is the pure in heart who will see God (Matt 5:8). We fool ourselves if we think that we can enjoy intimate fellowship with the Holy God, while indulging our sinful desires.

Yet many professing believers, who were once passionately pursuing Jesus, have grown cold. They are unaware that the presence of God is absent from their lives. It's like the proverbial frog in the kettle of water. The water heated up slowly, the frog unaware, until it was boiling. A backsliding Christian grows colder and colder, until like Sampson, one day wakes up to the realization that God has left them ( see Judges 16:1-20).

There is a remedy however. When one has come to the realization of their backslidden condition, the only thing one can, and must do is to repent and return to God. 

Evan Roberts, the man mightily used by God during the Welsh revival of 1904-05, consistently emphasized these four points. 

1. Confess all known sin.

     Your past sins that remain           unconfessed must be dealt with.       Confess them to God, and forsake them. Confess them to those you have wronged, and do what is in your power to make it right.

2. Prompt obedience to the leading of the Spirit.

     Obedience must be prompt. To hold back our obedience to the promoting of the Holy Spirit is to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and to quench the Spirit (1 Thess 5:19). In Acts 5:32 we read that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him.

3. Get rid of all doubtful habits.

     Are there things in your life that you are uncertain of? Are you doing things that you are not sure if they are right or wrong? Remove them from your life. There are actions that are not specifically addressed in scripture. Our conscience then becomes our guide. Romans 14 explains this. We must not allow our liberty to become an occasion to cause a brother to stumble (Romans 14:13-15). We also must be convinced in our own mind, and abide by our conviction, because to act contrary to this is to sin, because our actions do not flow out of faith (Romans 14:20-24).

4. Confess Christ openly.

     If we desire the presence of Christ in our lives we must openly confess Him before men. If we are ashamed of Him in this sinful world; if we deny Him, He will deny us before the angels of God. The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to be witnesses. As above, we quench the Spirit when we do not obey Him. How can one expect the presence of God while being ashamed of Him?

During this time period Wales was transformed. A sleeping Church was wakened, and while there is no exact count, they agree that well  over 100,000 souls were saved in this move of God. Bars were shut down, Judges had no cases to try in court. The mules used in the coal mines had to be retrained. They were used to being cursed at. They didn't know what to do now that the miners' language had been cleaned up. This is what happens when God draws near, and it begins with one individual who seeks after Him.

As we read above in Psalm 24:4-6, it is the one who has clean hands and a pure heart who receives the blessing from the LORD. This is the generation, or people who seek after Him. In a allusion to the story of Jacob, who wrestled with the LORD until the break of day, we also must tenaciously go after God with the same attitude, "I will not let you go until you bless me!"

The term "selah" at the end of this verse literally means "stop and think about that "

The story of Jacob does not start well. He deceives his Father and steals the birthright and blessing from his brother Esau. Forced to flee, he ends up working for his uncle Laban, who takes advantage of him, just like Jacob once took advantage of others.

God was with Jacob however, and when Jacob finally leaves Laban to return to back to Isaac, his father, he was a different man. Fearing Esau, he prays for God to deliver him. This is the point where he wrestles with a man, who turns out to be the LORD, and prevails (see Genesis 32:1-30).

Are we like that? Is our hunger for the presence of the LORD such that we can also say, "I will not let you go until you bless me." And is it temporal blessing that we seek, no matter how important that may be, or is it God Himself who we desperately desire?

.

Longing for God.

      Throughout the scriptures we find instances of individuals with a hunger for God. Read David's words, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4) It is the presence of the LORD that David desires above all things, and that which he determines to seek. 

     Consider the longing for God portrayed in verses like these,

     As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

     O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. ( Psalm 63:1-2)

     How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2)

     A common theme in these verses is that of the tabernacle. It was here under the old covenant, that the presence of God "tabernacled", or dwelled. These psalms tell of instances such as David's flight from king Saul, or his fleeing from Absalom, where access to the tabernacle was impossible. Later on it was a similar thing during the Babylonian captivity when the temple was destroyed and the nation was carried away, far from the sacrifices and offerings prescribed in the law. Part of Daniel's prayer of repentance (Daniel 9:1-19), is a plea for God to shine His face once more upon His sanctuary that lies desolate (Daniel 9:17).

     Ultimately, God does not live in man made temples (Isaiah 66:1-2), but dwells within those who are surrendered to Him. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). We can carry His presence with us no matter what we face in life. And, like the examples old the old covenant saints, we are called to be strangers and aliens on this earth (Heb 11:9-10, 13-16).  To live this way, seeking nothing in this world, but looking to that which is to come should sharpen our hunger, increase our thirst, our longings after God. We are warned not to lay up material treasures in this life, but rather treasure in heaven. To pursue material things, and yet attempt to serve God is an impossibility. One pursuit must eliminate the other (see Matthew 6:19-33).  Much like a child "spoiling" their supper by sneaking an afternoon snack, we too can destroy our hunger for God by focusing on material things. 

     Picture a husband and wife, who through some circumstance find themselves absent from each other. If they are truly in love, they will long for each other, counting the days until they are reunited. Every letter, phone call, message, will be precious, giving them encouragement and hope until they see each other once again. What about our relationship with Christ? We are in this world, absent from His physical presence. It is true that by the Spirit we have fellowship with Him now. We can sense in a very real way His presence in our lives, but someday we will see Him face to face. The bible states that someday Jesus will return for those who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8), and for those who eagerly await Him (Hebrews 9:28). 

     So do we long for His appearing like a wife longing for her husband to return from an extended trip? Are we eagerly awaiting His return? I do not mean in some abstract way, such as agreeing to the fact of Jesus' return someday and how wonderful it will be, but an actual longing for Him, an ardent desire to see Him face to face.

     I fear so many of us are going through life busily wrapped up in our day to day lives. Our jobs, hobbies, pursuits and possessions are taking up the space in our lives, and "spoiling our spiritual hunger for Jesus. Can we say with an honest heart that we are eagerly awaiting Him, longing for His second coming? Do our hearts and flesh cry out for the living God? Can we agree with the sons of Korah that a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (Psalm 84:10)? Or, has life treated us so well that we are no longer strangers here, but have settled in?  

     

The Cross As A Barrier.

     But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world (Gal 6:14 KJV)

     The cross has become a barrier between the Christian and the world. We read in Paul's epistle to the Romans that our old man is crucified with him (Jesus), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin (Rom 6:6 KJV).

     I heard a minister recently put it this way. As we go through this life, we continually bump up against the cross. We must ask ourselves this question in every circumstance we face, in every choice we intend to make; "How will this choice affect my relationship with Christ?" We are living in an age when so many professing Christians seem to flirt with sin, trying to get as close to it without "losing their salvation." Instead of this "carnality" we should follow the example of Paul who counted all things loss for the sake of knowing Christ (Phil 3:7-8).

     Our relationship with Christ should be the one great thing in our lives. The one thing that encompasses all others. Everything else should pale in comparison to Christ in us. We dare not allow anything to come between us and our Lord, to hinder the fellowship that we share with Him. This is what it means to live the crucified life.

Grieving the Spirit.

     Many people live devoid of the Spirit's power in their lives. They wonder why their prayer lives seem dull and listless. Others seem to have no victory in their lives. They struggle with besetting sins. We wonder that there is no convicting power in our preaching and witnessing.
     The word of God tells us to be filled with the Spirit continually (Ephesians 5:18). This is the source of the Christian's power. Many Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit, and experience His power and presence in their lives, only to find out at some point that they are empty, powerless.
     We are warned against grieving The Spirit of God in Ephesians 4:30-32 (NASB).

     Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
     Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

     You can see that it is our anger, our wrath, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc, that grieves the Holy Spirit, and causes us to lose His power and presence in our lives. Our fellowship with God through His Spirit in us, can be broken by our lack of love for our fellow human beings.
     When we explode in anger we grieve the Spirit. When we slander someone we grieve Him. To be bitter, to refuse to forgive, to be argumentative, will grieve the Holy Spirit, and shut off the flow of His power in our lives.
     What do we do to get back His presence and power in our lives? REPENT! confess it to God, and go back to the one you have offended, and make it right. Jesus tells us to first be reconciled to our brother, then offer our gift on the altar (Matt 5:23-25). What good is it to tell God we are sorry, but never apologize to one we have hurt with our anger or by slandering their name. We must make it right if we would desire to open up the flow of the Spirit's life and power once again.
     Jesus tells us to forgive in the same way He forgives us. He tells us that when we stand praying, we are to forgive others (Mark 11:24-26). Our prayers will be hindered otherwise. In fact we can not be forgiven if we will not forgive. God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
     You see it is all about love. We are to love our fellow man as Christ has loved us. Our relationship with Christ hinges upon our love for Him, and each other. We cannot say we love Him if we hate our brother (1 John 4:20). It is all bound together.
     In Colossians we read that love is the bond of unity among Christian brethren. We are to be kind, compassionate, forgiving, humble, gentle, and patient (Col 3:12-14). This is what the Holy spirit works to accomplish within the body of Christ. He strives to bring about unity, in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). When we let our anger get the best of us, or allow bitterness to spring up and fester, we find ourselves fighting the Holy Spirit's work in us. Anything that we would do that selfishly hurts another believer chips away at the unity that God desires among brethren. There is a serious warning for those who would destroy the temple of the Holy Spirit by causing strife (1 Cor 3:16-18).
     We have a high and holy calling as followers of Christ. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us. This is how the world will know that we are Christians, by our love (John 17: 22-23).

Desperation.

     We are at a time in history when we need a mighty move of God like never before. Look around at the scandal, and gross immorality that pervades every aspect of our society.
     The Church is not immune either, as we see much of the world's ways rushing in like destructive flood waters. It makes me think of Jesus' parable of the builders (Matt 7:24-27).        The Church that is built upon the sand, one that compromises the word of God, one that hears the word, but does not put it into practice, will fall as the flood of sin rushes in.
     The Church built upon the rock, will prevail. We cannot afford to compromise solid Biblical principles so that we are not viewed as offensive, or so that we will seem more seeker friendly. A Church built upon the rock is a Church that stands for the truth, teaches the truth, and lives out the truth. Though the world will rage against it, we have the promise of Christ that it will stand, and the gates of hell itself will not prevail against it (Matt 16:18).
     These are desperate times, and we need to bombard heaven with a holy desperation that will not be denied. We must seek with all earnestness the Holy Spirit, to come and strengthen us, to give us resolve, to give us boldness to stand up for truth in an evil world. Our light must be shining brightly in this darkness that seeks to envelope us. We need fresh oil (Matt 25:1-13).
     Like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment (Mark 5:25-34), we too must reach out in a desperate, but faith filled effort, through the thronging crowd, and grab hold of the one who can make all things new. 
     We need revival! We need the manifest presence of the living God to come down in our midst. We need the convicting power of the Holy spirit, the encouragement, and wisdom that He brings. We need power in our lives, and boldness in our witness.
     It is time to fall on our knees and seek Him in desperation, and not give up until He comes and brings refreshing to us once again.
    

Lo, I Am With You Always.

     The exiles returning from the Babylonian captivity faced much opposition when they began to rebuild the temple (Ezra 4:1-7). They finally gave up in defeat when ordered to do so by Artaxerxes the King (Ezra 4:23-24).
     We the same thing today as we try to advance the kingdom of God. We face threats from within and without. Lukewarmness and compromise fill many of our congregations. Political correctness has replaced the power of the gospel, and what that has failed to destroy, is being legislated out of existence by governments bent on eliminating true Christianity.
     The Israelites of old needed to be encouraged back into action, as we do today. Through the Prophet Haggai, God rebuked the people for their inactivity, and also encouraged them to get back on task (Ezra 5:1-2; Haggai 1:2-10, 13-14, 2:4-9). They went back to work and rebuilt the temple in obedience to God, trusting in Him to enable them to finish. Notice that God declared that He was with them (Haggai 1:13, 2:4-5). What an encouragement to know that the god of heaven was with them to help them in spite og all the opposition they faced.
     Jesus makes this same statement when He tells us to go into all the world making disciples (Matt 28:18-20). All authority has been given to Him, and all the strength we need will be supplied to us to do His will. He so graciously promises us that He will be with us to the very end of the age. No power in hell or on this earth can stop the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that He will build His Church upon the rock, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
     What an encouragement this should be to us as we advance His kingdom in all of its glory!
    

Full of the Spirit

     Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God
                    1 Peter 4:11a NASB

     As Christ's ambassadors we must be empty of self, and full of Him. Just like John the Baptist, we must decrease so that He can increase (John 3:30).
     Our message must be God's message delivered by God the Holy Spirit, through individuals empty of self, and yielded to His impulse.

     For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.
                 1 Thessalonians 1:5a NASB

     For this reason we constantly thank God that when you received the word which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which performs its work in you who believe.
                 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NASB

     If we would see true results it must be all of God through empty vessels. We must give up all reliance on self, our natural strengths and talents, our persuasiveness, our programs, and lean completely on Christ, relying on the Spirit to give us the message in power and conviction.
     It is hard to completely die out to the flesh, and this is where we see so little accomplished for the kingdom. The cost is great, but the one dead to self and yielded to God will shake souls, and see God move.

Our God Is A Consuming Fire.

     Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
                     Hebrews 12:28-29 NASB

White Hot!

  Jesus would have us to be white hot in our service to Him. In Romans 12:11 we are exhorted to be diligent, and fervent in spirit.
     To be fervent in spirit is to be on fire for Christ. Someone who is white hot will set those on fire who are around them. A Christian full of the Holy Ghost and fire will accomplish much for the kingdom of God. Souls will come under conviction of sin, repent and be saved. Backsliders will be reclaimed. The dry will be kindled into flame!
     Get full of the Spirit! Be white hot, on fire for Christ! Spread revival fire wherever you go!

Inhabited By God.

     Our love for Christ is proven by our obedience to Him. We live to please those we love. those  who love Christ in this way are the ones who experience the abiding fellowship of the presence of God in their lives. The very presence of the indwelling Christ burning deep within the soul (John 14:23).
     We are deluded if we think we can abide in Christ and He in us apart from this love.
                     

The Great Commission.

     I was reading about Joshua this morning. The account of God's commission to Him to lead the nation of Israel into the promised land (Joshua 1:1-9).
     God gave him the incredible task of going in to take possession of the land. He was to drive out the inhabitants of the land, a thing that the Israelites had been to afraid to do years before (Numbers 14:1-10).
     To encourage Joshua to be strong and courageous, God assured him that He would not fail, or forsake him. He would be with him wherever he went (Joshua 1:5,9).
     This reminded me of the words of Jesus when He was about to ascend to heaven (Matthew 28:18-20). He has given us, His disciples, the commission to win the lost. We are to make disciples of every nation, baptize them, and teach them to obey the words of Jesus.
     This is a daunting task to be sure! Who are we to accomplish such a serious charge? Fear cripples so many of us. What will people think of me if I try to witness to them? There are so many to reach. What can I possibly do?
     To encourage His disciples Jesus told them That He would be with them to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Take heart! Be strong and courageous! Get the power from on high (Luke 24:49) and go!

Return to Me.

     "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness  and relenting of evil.
                       Joel 2:12-13 NASB

     We are living in a day when the heavens are shut up and we lack rain (2 Chronicles 1:13). The presence of God is largely absent from our assemblies. So much of our worship is lip service, our hearts are far away from God (Mark 7:6-8). We see our young people growing up and leaving the things of God. We have no power in our witness. We have no victory in our lives over sin. The church looks more and more like the world as time marches on.
     I do not mean to seem harsh or judgmental. Just look around! It's true! We see a powerless, self centered, worldly form of Christianity being proclaimed that cannot deliver a soul from sin (2Timothy 3:5). It is a Christianity that caters to the fleshly desires of men. Prosperity and happiness are proclaimed from pulpits instead of holiness and self denial for the sake of Christ.
     We teach others to come as they are, add Jesus to their lives, and He will someday take them to heaven. We fail to tell them that He demands all of us! He wants absolute control of our lives. It is all or nothing in God's economy (Mark 8:34-35, Luke 14:33, John 12:24-26).
     Repentance is something that is no longer taught. Some change what it means to repent, others teach that it has no bearing upon salvation. Yet the scriptures consistently show that repentance is a turning from sin to God. It means we change our course! We turn from rebellion to submission. There can be no salvation without it. The New Testament consistently shows this to be true. John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus (Matt 3:1-2, Mark 1:4-5, Luke 3:3-14, John 1:23). Jesus preached it (Matt 4:17). Peter preached a message of repentance from sin (Acts 2:38, 3:19-20, 5:29-32, 8:22).  Paul's theme in Romans 6 is that of dying to sin. It is a change of course. We are to stop presenting ourselves to sin, and instead present ourselves to God as slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:11-14). Paul states in Titus 2:11-12 that God's grace instructs us to deny ungodliness, and instead live upright, godly lives.  It is repentance that leads one to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
     In Revelation, Jesus stressed the need for five of the seven churches addressed, to repent. That is what we need today! We need to turn from our selfish wayward ways. We need to turn from our compromise of the truth. We need to repent of lukewarmness, dead orthodoxy, lack of passion, our unconcern for the lost, our loss of zeal for the glory of God!
     If we humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways, God will hear us, and forgive us and bring healing to our land once again (2Chron 7:14). We must be sincere. We must be contrite, broken. When we are serious about God. when we mean business with Him, He will mean business with us. That is what it means to seek Him with the whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13). We seek Him, we desire Him. We understand our sin has grieved Him and separated us from His presence. We are broken over this, we confess, we repent, we seek Him, His presence once again.
     It is time to return to the Lord! We cannot go on without Him. We live in a dry weary land, we need Him to rain down righteousness upon us once again (Hosea 10:12).  We need the times of refreshing once again (Acts 3:19-20).

Contending for the Faith: Entire consecration.

Contending for the Faith: Entire consecration.:      I would like to share an excerpt from the book Sanctification, by B. Carridine D.D. written in 1890. He is writing to Christians, encou...

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy

Are You Really Thirsty?

      O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
      Psalm 63:1 NASB

     Imagine you are lost in a vast desert. You have used up all of your water, and have searched in vain for a stream, pool, or well. There is absolutely no water anywhere. 
     Now you are thirsty. Your mouth is dry, your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth. Your lips crack, your dehydrating body is screaming for water. You must have water or you will die!
     God wants us to thirst after Him with the same intensity of desire! Do you really long for His presence? Many people say they want revival, they desire God's presence in their lives, but do they really? Do you want God so badly that you will give anything for a taste of His presence? Will you do whatever it takes to see revival come to your heart, your church, your community? Will you give all, do all, whatever it takes? If not, I dare say you do not really want it. God is looking for those who seek after Him with all their heart. He is looking for those who are searching with a holy desperation. He honors those who want Him with an all consuming passion. 
    Are you really thirsty? Do you really want God's glory to fill this land once again? Is it just a nice idea in your mind, or is it as serious as an individual dying of thirst in the desert? 
     Do you want it?

Brownsville Revival Lord Have Mercy II

Humility, Essential For the Presence of God.

                 For thus says the high and exalted One
                 Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
                  I dwell on a high and holy place,
                  And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
                  In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
                  And to revive the heart of the contrite.
                                        Isaiah 57:15 NASB
   
     God is present everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10), but He only dwells in two places. As the Holy God, He dwells in the high and holy place. He also desires to dwell with man, but cannot dwell where sin reigns. It is in the place of brokenness, the humble heart submitted to the Savior, where Christ desires to dwell.

Here in Your Presence with Lyrics New life Worship

Longing for The Presence of God.

     One thing I have asked from the Lord. that shall I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.
                                                      Psalm 27:4 NASB

     David here has one consuming passion that swallows up all other desires. He is not longing to spend the rest of his days living in the temple, his one desire is to live in the presence of the Lord. I like how the Amplified Bible puts it.
     One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek,inquire for, and {insistantly} require: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord {in His presence} all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty {the sweet attractiveness and delightful loveliness} of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.
     It is God that he desired above all else. He longed for God's presence, he desired intimate fellowship with the one he loved and longed for above all else. He wanted to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate upon Him and His ways. It was all about The Lord.  
     This was the same passion that drove Paul to abandon all and to pursue Christ (Philippians 3:7-14). To be sure, these men had prayer requests and asked God for different things, but unlike most of us, they really sought God for Himself alone!
     May God ignite a like passion in our hearts as well!

A Lesson From A Late Spring.

     We have had an unusually long winter. It is heading towards the end of April and we are still getting snow. The ground is covered, and everything is a mess.
     The other day I looked out the window at work and saw it snowing again. At first I was annoyed, but then I paused and prayed "What are you trying to say, God?".
     I thought about it for a minute and sensed God was showing me that He has been longing to pour out His Spirit upon His people, but they are unwilling to receive Him. Just as this is the time for rain, and things to green up and grow, but it has been too cold, likewise the Church has in a great measure grown to cold to receive the rain of the Holy Spirit. Many like things the way they are. They do not want change. Others hold on to sin, and do not want to feel conviction.
     The remedy is repentance! The rain will only come and fall upon the ground that has been plowed up. The sleet and snow will only turn to rain as the temperature warms up. Likewise the Holy Spirit will only shower upon those whose hearts are warmed up to receive Him. We must lay aside our complacency, selfishness, and sin, and return to Christ once again. He stands ready to restore and revive. He longs to fill us with His presence. It is spring, the time for new life to begin!