The Practice of the Presence of God 8 March 2012

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Amber Goodman
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1 Women & More The Practice of the Presence of God 8 March 2012 Psalm 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. There is such a place the light of his presence and God wants us to walk there! This lesson is about 1) practicing a moment-by-moment, personal and continual relationship with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! It s about 2) a constant awareness of his nearness in our lives right now! It s about 3) enjoying the confidence that only his very presence can give. It s about 4) courage to face what has been for us intimidating situations. It s about 5) a closeness that enables our spirit to commune with him, anywhere and anytime, no matter what. And it is about 6) meeting with the Triune God in places we may have never imagined: in temptation, in sin, in suffering, in loneliness, in brokenness, in duty and in surrender. God is always 100% available, and he rewards those who diligently seek him in faith, Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. God is never, ever not in 1. He is never too busy to talk with us. 2. He never says, Excuse me, I have another call he never puts us on hold. 3. He never cancels an appointment with us. 4. He never misunderstands what we say to him. 5. He never repeats what we say to him to others. 6. He never condemns us for how we feel or what we say but gently leads us through our valley. 7. He listens intently to every word we say even when we are wordy. 8. He waits on us, and when we don t know what to say, the Holy Spirit speaks for us. 9. When we ask for his help, his wisdom, his advice he gives it fully, generously, and he doesn t find fault with us for having to ask. 10. God s Word directs us it is constantly a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Scripture doesn t say that his Word is a lamp and light out on the horizon, but that it is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path right out in front of us second by second! Discipleship (Followship) Ministry

2 2 Phone call to God: Hello, God oh, you re already on the line I hadn t even finished dialing? You knew I would be calling? Wow! God, I m in trouble you know that, too? The Holy Spirit told you? Then you know, Lord God, that I have to make a decision about a very important matter in the next few minutes. Yeah I hate to bother you. What? It s no bother? Thank you so much. I just don t know what to do yes, I do lack wisdom, yes, James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him? So, I m asking you for wisdom to make this decision, God and you re giving it to me right now? How will I know when you answer? Will I know for sure it s you who is guiding me in what I should do? Well, I m just so weak in my faith and so tired of trying to figure this thing out it s just too big for me, Father God. In fact, everything is too big for me! You agree? Yes, I did ask you for wisdom, and yes, you said you would give it to me. You want me to expect it from you is that the same as hope? I see, when my expectation or hope is in You then I won t be disappointed or deceived? Okay, yes, I know Isaiah 40:31 Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Scripture is wonderful! That s because The Bible is the only book whose author is always present when it is read? Wow, God, that s really awesome! Do people realize that? Not that many? Why, LORD? Oh they don t know the author of the Bible? And the author of life and the author of eternal life Jesus Christ! LORD, what if I misunderstand your direction and make the wrong decision? What? You re already there in the decision? You ll guide me with your eye the Holy Spirit will keep you updated? The LORD Jesus will speak to me through your Word, the Bible? Okay, I guess I can let you go now. What?...you want me to stay on the line all day all year all my life and, what? I don t have to hold the phone to my ear? You can just hear me when I talk. Oh God, you are really here with me! How do you manage to be with every one of your children in the world at the same time you re with me? Oh, yes well, I do know You are God! And I can come to you anytime because of my faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Savior and Lord? Thank you, thank you, Father! Abba? Thank you, Daddy!

3 3 Henry van Dyke said: The thought of God is always larger than the measure of man s mind and each soul discerns but a fragment of it. There is power in the example of an ordinary life lived with an awareness of God s presence seeing him in everything and doing all things for him. Mrs. Charles Cowman: The reality of Jesus comes as a result of secret prayer, and a personal study of the Bible that is devotional and sympathetic. Christ becomes more real to the one who persists in the cultivation of his presence. God meets with us: Exodus 33:11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. God is interested is speaking with us face to face, and since we can t go to where he is for this talk, we can be sure that he comes to where we are! God guides us in the way we are to go: Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. And where God guides, he provides! God makes plans for us: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. God helps us pray: Romans 8:26 the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. God calls us friends: John 15:15 I have called you friends. Many Christians who pray Our Father on Sunday, sadly, live like orphans the rest of the week. Oh, they know him, and trust him for their eternal soul, but they don t talk to him; they don t read his Word and they don t really trust him with their daily life. In light of everything God says about what he does for us every moment of the day, we need to: 1. Invite God s presence in our life and circumstances. 2. Recognize his presence, and then 3. Thank him for his constant presence. God s presence is described by one of the greatest and best known passages in Scripture: The Twenty-third Psalm penned by David. Max Lucado, in Safe in the Shepherd s Arms, says: Do more beloved words exist? Framed and hung in hospital halls, scratched on prison walls, quoted by the young

4 4 and whispered by the dying. In these lines sailors have found a harbor, the frightened have found a father, and strugglers have found a friend. And because the passage is so deeply loved, it is widely known. Can you find ears on which these words have never fallen? Set to music in a hundred songs, translated into a thousand tongues, domiciled in a million hearts. David has found the pasture where discontent goes to die. What we have in God is greater than what we don t have in life. Psalm 23: The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name s sake. 4Even though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. When we say the LORD is our shepherd, we re saying that we are his sheep covenant language a covenant God made with us and is committed to. If we are his sheep, then Jesus knows us by name, and he calls us and communes with us. Are we listening; are we practicing his presence? Sheep need a shepherd to help them find green pasture and then to prepare that pasture for safe, restful, sleep. They can t find their own green pasture and neither can we. Max says, With his own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul and for the life that trusts in him. Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we rest in the tender grass of his prepared pasture? This is not a pasture that we have made, or even deserve; this is a gift from God. When we have the shepherd, we have everything we need. And the Great Shepherd intends for us to experience the pleasure and the reassuring peace of his presence every single moment of our lives 1 Corinthians 1:9, God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. The following treasures of truth are implied in Psalm 23: God leads, and he will do the right thing at the right time in the right way. He restores our hope by giving us Himself. The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill. At the top of the hill is a cross, and he leads us there.

5 5 If you want to touch God s heart, use the family name he loves Abba. He gathers the lambs in his arms and caries them close to his heart, Isaiah 40:11. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you, Psalm 56:3 I will not leave you or forsake you, Genesis 28:15. God has proven himself a faithful Shepherd; we need to be trusting sheep. God is the LORD who provides, the Shepherd who guides, and the voice that brings peace in the storm. When we come to God with high hopes and a humble heart, we allow him to anoint our head with oil as the shepherd anoints his sheep: 1) to repel bothersome things in life, 2) to prevent conflict, and 3) to heal our wounds. Our cup runs over with blessing. What follows us? Goodness to supply every need provision; and love to forgive every sin pardon. Goodness + love (mercy) = provision + pardon! And we will dwell not just in any house but in the Father s house. And not just for a day or year, but forever! Jesus is the One who invites us into this wonderful friendship the personal entrance of God into the life of humankind to practice daily his very presence! Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. How, we ask? John 10:9-10 says, I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. And that life to the full is the blessed life not anxious to see far in front, nor careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, nor weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time. And we call that followship! Benediction: O God, make of us what you will; Guide the labor of our hands. Let all our work be surely built As you, the Architect, has planned. But whatever your power shall make Of these frail lives, do not forsake your dwelling. Let your presence rest Forever in the temple of our breast! The Upward Path, 18 November, Henry van Dyke

The Lord is My Shepherd

The Lord is My Shepherd So many of us have trusted the Lord to save us from the fires of hell, yet we are not sure he can safely bring us home. We know he will take us to heaven, but we are not sure he