by Gail Rodgers
When our feet hit the floor in the morning and the day rushes in, it can be easy to forget that the very presence of God is with us!
The presence of the Lord is with each believer in Jesus. His presence is also IN each believer by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As we embrace His presence it will change our day.
As I’ve pondered just what it looks like, on a busy morning, to embrace the presence of the Lord in me and with me, the familiar words of Psalm 23 took on a fresh depth.
God is so practical. His presence with us is so real and so powerful in us. As we embrace His presence we will begin to engage in His presence and enjoy our walk with Him in a fresh way.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
In His presence I am supplied with all I need for today.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
In His presence I am supplied with all I need for today.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
In His presence I am quieted from the turmoil in and around me.
He leads me beside quiet waters,
In His presence I am quieted from the turmoil in and around me.
He restores my soul.
In His presence I am built up, forgiven, refreshed.
In His presence I am built up, forgiven, refreshed.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
In His presence I am guided along the right paths for me, paths that will honor His name.
In His presence I am guided along the right paths for me, paths that will honor His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
In His presence I can be fearless in trusting Him even with destruction and death are all around me.
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
In His presence I can be fearless in trusting Him even with destruction and death are all around me.
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
In His presence I am comforted because I know He is equipped to watch over for me.
In His presence I am comforted because I know He is equipped to watch over for me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
In His presence I am nourished and protected even when I’m in unfriendly territory.
In His presence I am nourished and protected even when I’m in unfriendly territory.
You anoint my head with oil;
In His presence He anoints me with healing and with love.
In His presence He anoints me with healing and with love.
My cup overflows.
In His presence I am filled to overflowing regardless of outer circumstances.
In His presence I am filled to overflowing regardless of outer circumstances.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
I am pursued by His mercy and His goodness every day.
His presence calls me.
I am pursued by His mercy and His goodness every day.
His presence calls me.
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
In His presence I am secure for today and forever.
In His presence I am secure for today and forever.
What treasures await you today in His presence!
Lord God,
Before my feet hit the floor in the morning please wake me up a few minutes early to ponder Your presence with me and in me. Please help me to embrace Your presence for the day. Please help me to engage in Your presence and lean into all You have for me as I go. Help me to enjoy Your presence as I go through my day. Remind me of Your wonderful Psalm of complete care and may I rest in You. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.
Before my feet hit the floor in the morning please wake me up a few minutes early to ponder Your presence with me and in me. Please help me to embrace Your presence for the day. Please help me to engage in Your presence and lean into all You have for me as I go. Help me to enjoy Your presence as I go through my day. Remind me of Your wonderful Psalm of complete care and may I rest in You. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.
About Gail Rodgers
Gail Rodgers is a freelance writer who has a passion for discovering and sharing how the Scriptures apply to everyday life. She draws from her past experience in the aviation field and as a pastor to women.
Visit her web site at: http://www.gailrodgers.ca/
Visit her web site at: http://www.gailrodgers.ca/
HOW TO MOVE GOD'S HEART
One the greatest sins in the church is not necessarily gossip, strife, addictions, adultery, or fornication—even though all these things are sin. What I believe is the greatest sin today, especially in America, is the sin of prayerlessness or leaving God alone.
We can easily become caught in the trap where our only consistent time of prayer is offered before each meal and that’s about it. You know what I mean by the meal prayers, don’t you? “God is good; God is great. I’m so hungry I could eat this plate.” I’ve been so hungry before that sometimes I have felt like eating the plate.
One time when I prayed a quick prayer over my meal, I felt the Lord say, “Now, Hank, did you mean that from your heart?” Like most of us, I didn’t mean or even hear what I had prayed. Since then, I always feel convicted when I pray insincere prayers, even if the food is making my mouth water.
Prayer, however, is about so much more than that. The truth is that we need a deep commitment to prayer that goes far beyond our meals. Additionally, it is far more than praying only when problems arise. I have found prayer becomes easy when you are in some kind of trouble. It seems like you have more energy to reach out to God when you need an answer to a difficult situation. But God has our time consistently, regardless of what circumstances are present in our lives.
The way to develop this type of personal relationship with God—the kind that moves His heart—is to set a time and a place to meet Him. The Lord looks forward to your special time together. You can become determined to not leave God alone by developing a consistent prayer habit. Give God the desire of His heart—He wants to be with you, to spend time with you. Be committed to it until the habit takes a permanent hold in your life.
Talk to the Lord about your desire to be with Him. By verbalizing your commitment, you remind yourself that to have a fruitful walk with God, you must find devoted time to fellowship with Him. Imagine what would happen. If we would refuse to leave God alone that way, miraculous things would begin to take place.
If you would commit yourself to prayer, you will learn the secrets to a powerful prayer life. I have learned the most about prayer by staying with it no matter how I felt or what the present circumstances were.
If you ask Jesus how to pray, He will teach you. Much of my learning about prayer came from just getting alone with God. When you get alone with the Lord, He will teach you—if you are determined to learn.
We do not have to make powerful prayer complicated. After more than 20 years serving God, I keep it simple. I make God real to me. He is real to me. And the more real I make Jesus, the more real He becomes in my life.
Just get alone with the Lord, and He will teach you to pray. Don’t be discouraged if some of your prayer times with the Lord feel dry or unproductive. Begin with a hunger to spend time with Him, and the Holy Spirit will help you succeed.
Adapted from Don’t Leave God Alone by Hank Kunneman, copyright 2008, published by Charisma House. The Bible is filled with examples of great men and women who would not leave God alone. Their cries to God changed their lives and the lives of others and altered the course of history. This book will help you discover the secrets to powerful prayer that can move God to change even what appears impossible in your life. To order a copy click on this link.
PRAYER POWER
Set a time and place to get alone with God this week and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how He wants you to pray. Give God the desire of His heart, which is to be with you. Understand that truth when you enter His presence and unabashedly share your love, gratitude and commitment to Him. Let Him lead you as you pray for what’s on His heart. Include praying for worldwide revival, more laborers for the harvest and unity in the body of Christ. Pray for the peace and protection of Jerusalem, the persecuted church, the restoration of righteousness in our nation, and the upcoming elections. Psalm 122:6; 1 Tim. 2:1-4
To enrich your prayer life and learn how to strategically pray with power by using appropriate scriptures, we recommend the following sources by Apostle John Eckhardt: Prayers that Rout Demons, Prayers that Bring Healing, Prayers that Release Heaven on Earth and Prayers that Break Curses. To order any or all of these click here.
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/charisma-channels/women/32663-how-to-move-gods-heart#readmore
No comments:
Post a Comment