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Hungry For His Presence
A number of years ago, after being a Christian since I was nine, I heard myself crying out, "Lord, there's got to be more to life than THIS. Return to me the joy of your salvation." THIS to me was a beautiful family of 5 children, a loving husband and a prospering church which my husband pastored in a small community of caring people. Sounds strange, doesn't it? What more could I want. I was truly blessed. That cry started a change in my life that has brought and is still bringing to me more than I ever dreamed possible. The Lord began teaching me and showing me through all the happenings of my life how real He was and how much He wanted to be a LIVING reality in my life. David said in Psalm 23, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in His House (His presence) forever." Little did I realize how much I was "hungering after righteousness" - - I had everything. Everything, however, was the temporal things about me - and the "works" I was doing for the Lord. I was a good mother, wife and pastor's wife at that! There was more - that more was IN Him, FOR Him and THROUGH Him. I found what my heart was crying in Psalm 51:10-12; 16-17 What I created or what I thought He wanted had to be torn down so
He could bring forth that "new creation" He purposed and paid the price
for me to be. Some renovating had to be done in my "heart house" He
didn't need my good works or plans (my "sacrifice") He wanted my heart.
. I need Him. I had to stay in His presence. The very thing I was hungry for.
One day, as I was taking my 5 month old daughter to the physician
for shots, I heard the Spirit of God say to me: "Just as you are taking
this child in to get a shot that will hurt and she will not understand,
but will return to your arms of love - - I will be taking you the same
way with me."
. 1 Peter 4:12,13 says: "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering,
as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that
you participate in the suffering of Christ so that you may be overjoyed
when his glory is revealed
I had to learn to trust my Heavenly Father the way and how He chose
to take me in the everyday happenings of life. He was there and would
never leave me. He knew something I didn't but I would learn to trust
the Master Craftsman in what He was doing.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."
For me He was saying - You need me in everything you do. You can't
go in your own strength nor even in your own way. I want to be in everything,
every hour of every day. I want to do a new thing
+ 1 Peter 5:6-7 "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, AMEN
Nancy's husband delivered a sermon: IRON ENTERING THE SOULMay, 2006.It dealt with while we are in a "prison" of darkness, suffering and distress we can be met with strength. He asked her to relate how she personally found strength in the darkness of her prison.
Listen here:
Nothing in our lives goes unnoticed by our loving Heavenly Father -
nothing! I don't care how much we don't understand or how much our minds
question things, He is there creating a miracle in our lives. No matter
how difficult the struggle we may be facing, He is greater still and
through it all He is making something good.
God has a perfect plan, a deliberate plan, a design for each of us
and He is faithful to fulfill it no matter what the circumstances are
in our lives. In fact, He uses those happenings to make perfect and
complete His plans. My part is to place myself unreservedly into His
Hands as He faithfully fulfills that purpose He has for me in His time.
Unreservedly - entire, unqualified
He is the potter! I am the clay!
In giving myself unreservedly, I had to learn to come to His throne
boldly.
comfort - calling along side to help, to give encouragement strengthening
presence, one who upholds those appealing for assistance.
"For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way,
in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in
service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sons of the
people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able
to help those who are being tempted."
It was necessary for Jesus to become like us so He could show us mercy
Hebrews 4:14-16 " Therefore, since we have a great high priest
who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who
is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has
been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us
then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
This is calling us to draw near and cling to God with confidence believing
He understands our suffering or weakness Enter in His Presence with
confidence
Jesus was there for us, He is asking the same thing of us for others.
We are called to live for Him, by Him, in Him.
Our greatest desire should be to be all He created us to be which is
to express Him and show His love to others. It has become no surprise
to me that I am being broken from my way of loving to His way. Praise
God for His faithfulness to complete that good work He has begun through
all the circumstance and struggles in my life, May I remain sensitive
to what His Spirit is doing.
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
"..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will
carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
I like this saying which I have posted on my refrigerator:
We trust you Almighty God. We love you and we are learning everyday
just how great your love is for us. You're in the midst of everything
in our lives. Great is your love. Great are you Lord to make something
incredibly beautiful in our lives for your glory, honor and praise.
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In this dream I saw an appointment desk with a quill pen which wasn't like any
other quill pen. Where the quill should have been there was a crystal like quill which
had a little fat pig etched on it. I chose that pen rather than the black ball point pen
that was there. I was to sign my name on a roll of cashier like paper on which had been
written the words, "I love you" over and over again. These words I knew were words I
had spoken to my Heavenly Father and they were recorded.
After I signed, I entered a door behind the desk and found myself in a corridor
covered with gold. I walked down the corridor and entered a room. When I entered that
room I found myself in the Presence of Almighty God. I wanted desperately to find a
pad of paper so I could write down everything He would say. But He assured me I would
remember. (Those words would be etched on my heart.)
As I stood before Him, I felt a tingling sensation in my body and watched as the flesh
melted off my body. I walked out of the room down the corridor. People were there and
I was naked but unashamed. They were awed at what they were beholding.
I awoke from the dream and felt my body. I thought I had experienced it that
moment. I asked the Lord what all this meant and He gave me some understanding.
The little fat pig on the desk was the pen of acceptance. He wanted me to accept
myself as I was. The words on the paper were words I expressed to Him as we walked
this road of acceptance and whatever else I had to experience. The appointment desk
meant there was an appointed time when I would experience the transformation. The
nakedness represented to me the righteousness of God. I could stand naked and
unashamed. No matter what, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ; only
forgiveness, unconditional love, and acceptance.
Many of us experience circumstances in our lives that we don't understand. I want
you to know that our precious Lord and Saviour is in the midst of them. He has never left
you nor will He ever. In fact, He is working out His plan for your life right in the midst
of your situation.
I would like to explain a little about my circumstance. I have always had a problem
with being over weight. I took great pride in that I could put myself on a program and
lose it. The trouble was, I found myself always on some program. Then there came a
time when I couldn't lose it anymore on my own and I became obese.
My activity was limited a great deal and I found myself sitting alone with my
Heavenly Father crying out in desperation. It was at this time I learned about acceptance
and many other things that He had longed to teach me. I had to be stripped of me in order
that He could be seen.
I not only learned to accept myself, I found I had more compassion for other people
and their problems. They didn't have to be like my problem. I knew I couldn't pass
judgment on anyone's problem no matter what it was.
The Lord wants to be our strength and shield. He not only wants to be the Saviour of
our lives but He wants to be Lord. He is interested in every area and aspect in our lives.
He wants us dependent on Him and not on our own resources.
Acts 15:11 says that God knows all things from the beginning of the world - He
has a plan for you and for me. That plan involves everything that happens - He's
working out His will for you. (Ephesians 1:11-14) More than just knowing the plan,
He controls it. I'm not implying that He causes them. God is the author of good. Much of what
happens in the world is the result of the depravity of man and the work of Satan's forces.
Regardless of that God knows all about it, and somehow will ultimately bring everything
together into His glorious plan. God's plan will continue on His schedule.
God's plan is coming into fruition for me now. I am losing the weight and it is
obvious that it is His Hand that is doing it. Other situations have arisen at this time and
through them He has taught me some tremendous truths. They are being etched on my
heart through the various circumstances He requires me to walk through. His strength
and protection is always there. I'm more dependent on Him. In fact, I've had to humble
myself and let others help as well.
No matter what you are going through, His plan for you cannot be thwarted. Nothing is
too difficult for Him no matter how the circumstances look. You can trust His appointed
time for you are the works of His Hands. You were bought with a price and you belong
to Him. How wondrous is His love for you and His knowledge of you.
How do we get through this time of waiting for His plan to be fulfilled? Psalm 135
tells us to "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to His name, for that is
pleasant."
You can always think of ways the Lord has been good to you. Give thanks to Him for
those things. Think about break throughs you've had in your life. Also, live a sacrificial
life where you're helping someone else,
Right now I'm working on expecting - expecting something good to happen for
suddenly your circumstances can change and you can experience the victory. The other son in the parable of the lost son was told in Luke15:31 "My son,
you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." We need to search the
Word and find out what our inheritance is in Him.
Remind yourself that .... God is waiting to be good to me! He's looking for an
opportunity to be good to me!
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ?
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