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Longing for His Presence

Oct12

Today my heart turns to longing.

                                                    What is it I’m longing for?

Is it a longing for possessions?

Is it a longing for fame?

Is it a longing for fortune?

Is it a longing for what the past has taken away from me?

Perhaps I long for a future unaffected by my past.

 

What my heart knows for sure is this.

If I’m longing for the things in this present world, I will be trapped by the care of them.

So called “Fame” will quench that longing for only a brief span of time.

Fortunes can be gained and lost with the stroke of a pen or the ring of the bell on Wall Street.

I can waste much precious energy brooding over what I have no ability to change.

My past has shaped the person I am now and in the future.

 

So what is it I long for that none of these things have the ability to fill?

I long for what is of eternal value, not the things that I own that only serve to tie me to the care of them.

Approval that lasts.  Not fame in the eyes of men, that is fleeting and fickle, where outward appearance is all that matters.

True treasure that is sustainable.  Often worldly wealth gains nothing but more sadness.

A remembering of the past, but without the searing pain of shame and regret.

A story with a “Happily ever after”.  Without my past, I would be different person, without my history, I would also be without my husband, my children, my grand children and the friends that surround me with their love and support.  Without it, the life I have now would be a life I could not even hope for.

 

So how do I achieve satisfaction for this longing?

                                                                                       By seeking His presence.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB)  But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Matthew 6:19 (NASB)  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

Psalm 30:11 (NLT)  You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

Mark 8:36 (KJV)  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

       So.

 I will seek His presence.

I’ll trust Him for everything I possess, and believe  that He knows what I have need of and let Him provide for me.

I will seek His presence.

I won’t strive to be famous, only obedient to His precepts.

I will seek His presence.

I won’t seek richness as the world defines richness.

I will seek His presence.

I won’t ruminate over my past. I will use those energies to have a deeper relationship with God, my heavenly Father.

I will seek His presence.

I will use the old template of my life, and turn it around to build the opposite in my future.

I will seek His Presence.

Would you seek His presence along with me?

Lost and Found

Oct10
 11Jesus also told them another story:

Once a man had two sons.   12The younger son said to his father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property between his two sons.

13Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living.   14He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat.

15He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs.  16He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating,  but no one gave him a thing.   17Finally, he came to his senses and said, “My father’s workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death!   18I will go to my father and say to him, `Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you.   19I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’ ”

20The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

21The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”

22But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals  for his feet.   23Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate.   24This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.

We have no idea if this is a true story or if Jesus only made it up to make a point.

What we can tell from the story is this;

Even if we take our inheritance and turn our back on Him,

Our Father will always want us back.

This world has nothing for us.

What looks good at the beginning,

won’t stay that way forever.

No matter what it is we’ve done, He is anxious to have us back.

In fact, He will celebrate our return.

Are you ready to return today?

Just ask Him, he has a celebration waiting for you!

Indescribable Concepts

Oct7

Indescribable;

*Beyond description

*Beyond words

*Unspeakable

*Inexpressible

*Unutterable

*Incommunicable

*Too “awe-full” for words

*Too wonderful for words

 

We have no concept how big God is.

Psalm 150:1 (NAS)

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

 

We have no concept of the price Jesus paid for our lives.

   Romans 3:24 (NIRV)

       The free gift of God’s grace makes all of us right with him. Christ Jesus paid the price to set us free.

 

We have no concept of eternity.

 Isaiah 43:13 (NAS)

“Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”

 

We have no concept of heaven.

 2 Peter 3:13 (NAS)

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

 

We have no concept of hell.

Revelation 20:14 (NAS)

         Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

 

We have no concept of how choosing Him, will change everything.

  Joshua 24:15 (NIRV)

   “But suppose you don’t want to serve him. Then choose for yourselves right now whom you will serve. You can choose the gods your people served east of the Euphrates River. Or you can choose the gods the Amorites serve. After all, you are living in their land. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

 

We have no concept that He knew us before we ever were.

     Jeremiah 1:5 (NAS)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

 

We have no concept that He chose us already and we just need to choose Him back.

          Psalms 132:13 (NIRV)

          The Lord has chosen Zion.

(That’s you if you know Him.  If you have not had your Significant Encounter with Him yet, please visit the rescue page on this blog) 

       That’s the place where he wants to live.  (In your heart)

            

John 15:19 (NIRV)

If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world.

 

We have no concept of just how much God wants to love on us.

 Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 

We have no concept that He wants to tell us great things.

    Jeremiah 33:3 (NASB)

        ‘ Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

 

We have no concept that He wants to lavish us with grace and love and mercy.

Ephesians 1:7-9 (NASB)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him.

 

We have no concept that when we rejoice, so does He.

Romans 12:15a

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

 

We have no concept that when we cry, He does too.

Romans 12:15b

and weep with those who weep.

 

We have no concept that He wants to hold us when we’re hurting.

  Job 36:15 (NIRV)

But God saves suffering people while they are suffering. He speaks to them while they are hurting.

 

We  no concept that He wants to heal us when we’re sick.

     Psalms 30:2 (NIRV)

Lord my God, I called out to you for help. And you healed me.

 

We have no concept that He wants to find us when we’re lost.

     Luke 15:24 (NIRV)

This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ “So they began to celebrate.

 

We have no concept of how much He wants us to be like Him.

        John 5:19 (NIRV)

Jesus answered, “What I’m about to tell you is true. The Son can do nothing by himself. He can do only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does.

           John 14:12 (NIRV)

“What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater things. That is because I am going to the Father.

 

We have no concept of how He wants to have us dream with Him forever.

                Daniel 2:28 (NAS)

However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed.

 

So here it is.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

Indescribable right?

What concept do you need Him to be for you?

Can you TRY to describe it?