A God Perspective changes our Attitude!

Psalm 93:1 - “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength…”

When I stand on a beach, looking out over the ocean, I realize how truly small I am … the same is true when we examine the vast, supremacy of God. When we stop focusing on ourselves and start to recognize that God Reigns, God is Robed (Covered) in Majesty, and is Armed with Strength … out attitude changes. You and I start to realize it is not about Us! A God perspective shapes our attitude!!!

One day when His disciples were arguing among themselves regarding who was to be greatest in His kingdom, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus is teaching us that, when we become preoccupied with our own things, it can cause conflicts and other problems with people we know.

Jesus was teaching the disciples to have a GOD Attitude… it is an attitude of living, caring and being involved in the concerns of others…a trip to the beach takes us to a place that is bigger than me

 … A God Perspective shapes our attitude!

You know I love ya, Don

Jehovah God is Fearless!!!

Psalm 8:3-4 - “God Says, “When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, “Boast no more,” and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horns.”

 

God is fearless … he is not capable of being afraid. Let that sink in for a moment … God is not capable of being afraid of anything. In the desert last week, we were strongly encouraged to pick-up rocks away from us, in the event that under the rock was a snake or a scorpion. I did not see one snake or one scorpion.

The psalmist is teaching us that God doesn’t need a warning…God is fearless.

 

Our God looks at evil in the eye and gives his own life as a ransom.

He looks at the death of the unborn babies and cries out hope in love and forgiveness.

He experiences the challenge of religions and philosophies and remains strong and faithful to his drive and his passion to be friends with men and women.

Our God, holds the universe together in order to have a relationship with you and with me…

 

It is not within the capacity of Jehovah God to fear… he is fearless. What a joy to know the reality that God is fearless!

 

You know I love ya, Don

A Characteristic of God is that He is NEAR!

Psalm 75:1 - “We give thanks, for your Name is near …”

 

Remember when this was written, God’s presence was in the tabernacle followed by the Temple. Even in the Old Testament, we see that God does not simply dwell in a structure … the very mention of His name and He is near.

 

How do you know when something is near or close? Your senses tell that you are near something or close to something. When I am close to boiling water, I can see the bubbles, watch the steam and I can put my hand up and feel the heat on the palm of my hand. When I am close to a light bulb, I can see the light, but I can also feel it. When I am close to a campfire, I can see it and I can smell it and I can usually hear it. The same is true of the close character of God … I have to choose to use my senses.

 

When I neglect my senses, I get burned by the boiling water, I stumble around in the dark, and I can start a forest fire by neglecting the campfire…When we neglect the close character of God, we stumble and we become afraid …we allow fear takes control of our situation.

 

Corrie ten Boom said, “When a train goes through a tunnel and it get gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

 

Psalm 75 is teaching us to sit still and trust God because he is close, he is near … It is in God’s Character to be near!

 

I am so grateful for the nearness of God. You know I love ya, Don

What LOVE is!

Jesus was asked; “What is the Greatest Commandment?” Jesus responds with, “Love the Lord, your God, with all of your heart, with all your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength.” The second command is a close second … “love your neighbor as yourself.” To that the people responded with another question: “Who is my neighbor?”

In Response, Jesus tells them a parable about a man who had been robbed, beaten, and was laying on the side of the road half dead.

The priest & the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan had faith. The problem was they had no love. So they walked by on the other side & just left the man lying there to die.

But a Samaritan … the worst of the worst, half breeds, and Roman sympathizers … came along and helped the man, taking him to an inn to sleep and recover and then paid for his stay… then Jesus looked over and asked the question; “So, which one of these three had love?” 

Love is not a feeling. Love is not just faith. Love is an action. In fact, Love is the Greatest of any Action: Love Can be a possession: ownership

·      Love is Patient: Suffer without getting upset.

·      Love is Kind: Showing consideration.

·      Love Never Fails: Love will work until it is right.

·      Love rejoices with the truth: Rejoices in the facts.

·      Love Always protects: To keep a person from harm in the physical, the emotional, and in the spiritual. This includes their reputation, their spiritual needs …

·      Love always trusts: Confidence in a person.

·      Love always hopes: To see the very best in other people.

·      Love always perseveres: continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.

·      Love never ends: There is not finale to love.

Love is not a feeling but an action … when we respond and act with LOVE, we see clearer and we prepare to live in heaven.

You know I love ya, Don

God is Authentic, Genuine and the Real DEAL!

Revelation 21:3 – “God himself will be with them”

Why does it emphatically say God himself? Because our God is genuine and will not merely send us a delegate. He will actually come to live among us on the restored Heaven and Earth. Just as he was not willing to send a delegate to pay the price for our sin … He came, lived among us and died for us…God genuinely lives among us. Jehovah God is the real deal, he is completely authentic and comes with the seal of approval because of his presence.

In heaven, God’s glory will be the air we breathe, which will make us want to breathe deeper. In the restored universe, sin will never be able to push us away from our genuine God.  

Now listen, His Spirit living within us, allows us to breathe deep in preparation and in the strength of getting through.

Many books, self-help books and programs these days talk about messages from the spirit realm, supposedly from people who’ve died and now speak through channelers or mediums. They claim to have come from Heaven to interact with loved ones, yet they almost never talk about God or express wonder at seeing Jesus. No one that has actually been to heaven would neglect talking about the main focus of heaven: God HIMSELF!

Think of it this way… If you were sent a personal invitation to have a formal white tie dinner with Queen Elizabeth …  you had made all the arrangements and spent all the effort, time, and money to get to Buckingham Palace. You wouldn’t come back and talk about the wall hangings and place setting; … you would talk about her. Unless, she did not show. Everyone would be asking, “What was it like to be with the Queen?” Well, … the paintings were amazing. The table service was exquisite … no, you would talk about her elegance or how she spoke or why she wanted an audience with you.

Heaven without God is a fake. Life without God is fake! Spending eternity without God would be like the bride going on her honeymoon without her groom. If there’s no God, there’s no heaven.

You see … wherever God is, is heaven!

                        Wherever God is not, is hell!

Do you have God sightings in your life? He is genuine and genuinely wants to be your God. You know I love ya, Don

God is an active participant in life!

2 Corinthians 6:16 “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Ezekiel 37:21 also records God declaring; “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Did you notice the tense of these statements: Yes, they are conditional on our relationship with God. These verses are also about God is present tense.  Not future tense or as Bette Midler sings, “God is watching from a distance” – God is not watching, He is participating.

Our future is to never be deceived by self-righteousness. We will not be fooled by sin. As followers of Jesus, we have the Spirit of God living among us now.

Ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what is happening around you get inside you & weigh you down. Don’t let the world rob you of an active relationship with God and cause you to sink.

Is God active in your life? You know I love ya, Don

Being on God's side, because God is right.

Daniel 4:37: “Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

 

Words to live by. You know I love ya, Don

Let God play your life and fill the room with a glorious sound!

Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. "Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?" he asked. Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred. "I have no right to keep that to myself," he exclaimed. "It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it."

Like the violinist, we have been given a great gift to be shared with the world. Last Sunday, we had shared an impromptu luncheon because of the cold. There were about 60 people there. The meal was good…Thank you to Mike and Traci Beck, and Jim and Shawnee Gardner for the food. Thanks to Scott and Betsy Gettig for the decorations.  Thanks to anyone that helped with prepare and to clean-up…those were all good…but you know what was amazing?   

There was a sense that we didn’t want to leave. Everyone just hung out together.  At one point we just sat back and recognized how we were not in a hurry to leave. True Christian fellowship was taking place. It was a good feeling and at one point I just sat back and watched God’s amazing grace connect people with their creator and with each other.

That is what we need to share with the world. Our vision is to connect with Jesus and with each other and when we are genuine and sincere it is like the sweet sound of a virtuous violinist.

It is our goal to seek after Jesus and then to share him in the world in which we live…this is our spiritual act of declaring how much God is worth to us. It is time for us to take it into the world and let people hear it. 

You know I love ya, Don

El Olam - Forever He is God!

Psalm 90 verse 1 declares, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” This is a personal testimony of the person offering the prayer… God has always been God. God's followers dwell with Him.

El-Olam means the Everlasting God - Isaiah 40:28-31 describes Him as the Creator of the ends of the earth who will not grow tired or weary. Isaiah says that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, will not grow weary and not faint.

This name for God begins with El which is translated God. When it is used with other words to form one of God's names, it becomes part of the description of God's character. Everlasting is a word that brings thoughts of infinity. It goes on forever. What does an everlasting God mean to me? How long is everlasting?

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. When there was nothing else, at the beginning of time, there was God. He created everything that was created. The earth was formless and empty and His Spirit hovered over it.” He is our Creator and He knows us better than we know ourselves.

What is the benefit of having a God Who has been here from the beginning of time and Who will be here until the end of time? Isaiah says that He will not grow weary. He gave strength to Moses and Abraham. He gave strength to Queen Esther and to Ruth. He came to earth as Jesus Christ and healed the sick, fed the hungry and gave strength to the weak. He gives us His strength today and we can count on Him to be with us tomorrow.

In a world where it seems that nothing is permanent - beauty and physical strength fades, mothers and fathers desert their children, friends disappoint, national heroes turn into common sinners like the rest of us, financial security disappears with the strike of a pen - nothing is everlasting. Only the Creator of heaven and earth can be counted on. Only El-Olam, the Everlasting God can be counted on to always be in control and to always be available when we need Him.

The incredible thing is that you and I are eternal beings too. When we believe and trust in Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed an eternal home with our Everlasting Father.

At the end of the earth as we know it, God is there, creating a new earth. Revelation 21:1 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away." Revelation 21:3 states: "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them." The Bible says that He will wipe away every tear. He will put an end to death and mourning and to pain.

In an Everlasting God, there can be no greater security than knowing that El-Olam loves me and will always be close when I need Him; whether it is to chase away the loneliness, to wipe away the tears, or to guide me when I am unsure of which way to go…because God was God and proved His faithfulness by His past actions.

It is not about counting the days, but to make the days count. Never forget that you count! You know I love ya, Don

God Lives Among Us To Bring Us Good News!

Luke 2: 10 proclaims, it is a heavenly message of astonishing good news and joy.
“And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid: for behold I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people;”

The angel, using the dialect which the people of that time and place, spoke, "Do not be afraid," My presence and this revelation contains nothing that should cause you to fear but it is a message of love, hope and faith. The fear of the eternal unseen universe, which lies coiled like a sleeping snake in all hearts, is now being taken away by the incarnation. We can now know what the sovereign God is like, and, far more than that, we can even know Him.

Many people today hear these words about "GREAT JOY" but don't understand them. They relish the season as they decorate their homes, shop in cheerful malls, attend festive parties, and exchange gifts with the ones they love. But after all the excitement subsides, they feel empty and joyless.

Others don't like the season at all. Many have no money for gifts or decorations. Some have no friends with whom to celebrate. Others are so depleted by all the running they have no energy to enjoy the season. The atmosphere of cheer around them actually deepens their feelings of sadness. Maybe this is your year of great grief and sadness. There is someone missing this year. It could be a job, or death, or simply the end of a dream.

The problem is that we wrongly identify the "great joy" of which the angel spoke. It is found not in the superficial fun but in the deeper meaning of the season. No listen, it is not that celebrations, carols, candles, lights, and cookies are bad…they are just not to be the focus. I love them as much as anyone. YET, When Jesus was born, God became a man so that He could save us from our sins and give us the joyful prospect of eternity in heaven. That's the true reason for joy. The shepherds went back to the cold nights and loneliness of their vocation, but they were "glorifying and praising God" (Luke 2:20).

The real meaning of Christmas is “good tidings of great joy which is for all people." Yes the Good News is for all people, not merely for those who heard this proclamation but for all people everywhere. God lives among you and me! We are not alone. We are surrounded by the presence of God and He is speaking if we are willing to listen.

Are you listening? 

You know I love ya, Don

Giving in AWE redeems the past!

“Awe” is an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful. In our Text Paul commends the Corinthian believers by praising their achievments in faith, speech, knowledge, passion, love… it is looking at your past and giving God the glory for where you have been and what He has brought you through. In looking at the past, Paul reminds the followers of Jesus not to give up being as faithful in giving.

Giving in Awe recognizing that the past is the past and we can give in awe in order to redeem the past. It is God that has carried us and it is God that has forgiven us and it is God that deserves the Glory for our very survival.

My favorite part of Christmas is to read Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol" and watch the Musical “Scrooge.” Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, who against his will, takes him back to a time when he was still a young man. Scrooge sees himself proposing to the woman he loved, a woman who later breaks their engagement because she realizes that he has come to love money more than her. As Scrooge watches the scene unfold, we can see the emotions playing out over his face. We can imagine what is going through his mind: What a fool he had been! How his life would have been different if he had married, if his heart hadn’t been hardened by the love of money. Perhaps that young man wouldn’t have become this wretched, bitter old miser.

Consider this: How would you like to be visited by the ghost of your past? How would you like to go back and relive your sins, your mistakes, the foolish choices that changed your life? How would you like to be forced to watch helplessly, knowing what the outcome is going to be, unable to do anything to change the result, feeling the sharp pain of regret at not having taken the other path, or at least wondering what would have happened had your choices been different. Well, for most people, there’s really no need for a nighttime visit from one of Charles Dickens’ three spirits. Because we do it to ourselves…we replay the past, again and again. We see it projected on the screen of our minds. Don’t you sometimes wish you could go back and talk to yourself at those key moments, talk to that person in the movie of your life, warn them, tell them where the road they’re taking will lead?

We’ve all experienced regret over the past. It takes many forms:

·      Regret over marriage. Imagining how much happier your life would have been if you had married someone other that person sitting next to you. Or if you’d never married that person you’re divorced from.
Regret over divorce. Regret over broken relationships of all kinds.

·      Regret over mistakes you made raising your kids.

·      Regret over bad career moves, missed business opportunities, poor vocational choices.

·      Regret at not following God’s call to the ministry, or His call to become a missionary.

·      In general, regret over all kinds of sins and their consequences. [You fill in the blank].

Now, sorrow over sin can by healthy, up to a point. It can help us learn from our mistakes so that we don’t repeat them. This is the "sadder but wiser" phenomenon. It can lead to repentance and forgiveness. But regret is anything but helpful; it’s destructive and debilitating. It allows the sins and mistakes of the past to reach out and poison our present. And if it’s not handled appropriately, it will just lead to more wrong choices and more regret, in a vicious cycle. As Paul writes,

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." -- 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)

Giving in awe over a forgiven past…redeems the past. God loves you and has and is forgiving you in everything you have done. When you respond by living in thanksgiving and awe to HIM…you sacrifice and give. What your giving to the church is the first thing on your mind … it forces you to forget your past and live in the present. 

God is Good... You know I love ya, Don

Whose Hand are you holding?

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge over a river. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, 'Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river.'

The little girl said, 'No, Dad. You hold my hand.'

'What's the difference?' Asked the puzzled father.

'There's a big difference,' replied the little girl.

'If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go.
But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.'

Trusting in God is not me holding God’s hand but God holding my hand. He is not capable of letting go. In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. 

You know I love ya, Don

Transforming me in 2014: Pursuing personal experiences with God

A few moments in the presence of God will change anyone.  Sometimes God just shows up on His own initiate and changes people.  However, He has also given us several places to meet with Him and experience Him…if we are looking for Him.  We can experience God in what we commonly call the spiritual disciplines.  (Prayer, meditation, the Bible, silence, solitude, giving, serving, worship, fellowship with other Christians, fasting, etc.)  Spending time with God allows Him to customize us to abundant life.

Jesus said in John 15:4, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

 Cling to the truth…always forgive…resist temptation…pursue God…goals for transformation!

You know I love ya, Don

Six Praise Worthy Attributes of God!

Who is God? It is a good question that everyone in this room will have to struggle with at some point in their life. In our text we see in verse 15, “You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” We don't have time to talk about everyone aspect of God, but these six are attributes that encourage us to give thanks. 

GOD IS KNOWABLE!
God, who created the universe in all of its magnitude and creative details, is able to be known, by us. He tells us about himself, but even goes beyond that. He welcomes us into a relationship, so that we personally can get to know him. Not only can we know about him, we can know him, intimately.

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord,
who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23,24)

GOD IS APPROACHABLE!
God invites us to talk to him and engage him in what concerns us. We don't have to get our act together first. Neither do we need to be polite, theologically correct or holy. It is his nature to be loving and accepting when we go to him.

"The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth." (Psalms 145:18)

GOD IS CREATIVE!
Everything we make is put together with existing materials or built on previous thoughts. God has the capacity of speaking things into existence, not just galaxies and life forms, but solutions to today's problems. God is creative, for us. His power is something he wants us to be aware of and to rely on.

"Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit." (Psalms 147:5)

"...where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalms 121:1,2)

GOD IS FORGIVING!
We sin. We tend to do things our way instead of God's way. And he sees it and knows it. God does not merely overlook such sin, but is prepared to judge and condemn people for their sin. However, God is forgiving and will forgive us from the moment we begin a relationship with him. Jesus, the Son of God, paid for our sin with his death on a cross. He rose from the dead and offers us this forgiveness.

"We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done... We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us." (Romans 3:22,25)

GOD IS HONEST!
Just like a person who lets you know their thoughts and feelings, God clearly tells us about himself, the possible difference being, he is always honest. Everything he says about himself, or about us, is reliable information. Truer than our feelings, thoughts, and perception, God is totally accurate and honest in what he says. Every promise he makes to us can be fully counted on, he means it. We can take him at his word.

"The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path." (Psalms 119:130,105)

GOD IS CAPABLE!
How would you like to be always 100% right, about everything? God is. His wisdom is unlimited. He understands all the elements of a situation, including the history and future events related to it. We do not have to update him, counsel him or persuade him to do the right thing. He will, because he is capable and his motives are pure. If we trust him, he will never make a mistake, never undercut us or deceive us. He can be fully trusted to do what is right, in all circumstances, at all times.

"No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame..." (Psalms 25:3)

Life is about having a relationship with God...in any good relationship the goal is to get to know each other better. The question is...are you getting to know God? You cannot give thanks without knowing God...you cannot know your destiny of praise without knowing God. Are you working on getting to know God.

You know I love ya, Don

Devoted to Love!!!

A few years ago I read a book titled, "Crazy Love," by Francis Chan. He talks about how infinite God is and how Crazy in Love with us that God is. I encourage you to go to www.crazylovebook.com and watch the video on the Awe Factor of God. You will be amazed at how vast our God is and that He loves you. The same Jehovah God that created us, died for us. It is amazing to know without a doubt the love of God and then experience His vastness. All I can do is bow in reverence and worship.

Lets consider the worship truth, God is holy. A lot of people say that whatever you believe about God is fine, so long as you are sincere. But that is comparable to describing your friend in one instance as a three-hundred-pound sumo wrestler and in another instance your friend is a five-foot-two, ninety pound gymnast. No matter how sincere you are in your explanation, both descriptions of your friend simply cannot be true. There is only One God that created us, died for us, and redeemed us.

The preposterous part about our doing this comparison to God is that He already has revealed His name and identity. We don't get to decide who God is. Exodus 3:14 states, "God said to Moses, 'I am who I am'." A few chapters later, God tells God chosen people to be Holy because He is holy. We don't get to change these truths.

To say that God is holy is to say that He is set apart, distinct from us. Because He is set apart, we will never be able to fathom all that He is. To the Jews, saying something three times demonstrates its perfection, so to call God, "Holy, Holy, Holy" is to say that He is perfectly set apart, with nothing and no one to compare Him to. That is what is means to be "holy."

Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can't contain Him. Personally, I am glad that I can and do worship a God that is beyond my ability to exaggerate! He is bigger than my feeble mind...His set apart from all my praises, yet chooses to dwell among the praises of His people...He is more powerful than any issue this world throws my direction.

I want to be devoted to love...not just to love the things I am devoted to, but to be a person that is devoted to loving God and others. You know I love ya...Don

The Awareness of the Presence of God

I have been in a devotional study of the Classic Christian writers of the faith. The light that beams through the contribution to spiritual development and to the work of the kingdom opens the eyes of the heart, soul, and mind. Power, grace, a humble spirit, and listening have touched me as I have studied them in depth through the classic devotions. I am closer to the six great streams of the Christian life; “the prayer-filled life,” the virtuous life,” “the spirit-empowered life,” the compassionate life,” “the word-centered life,” and the “sacramental life” because of the writings. Each of the great streams fit into the six great traditions of the church as, “contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnation." I am a better follower because I have tasted the streams where a Christ-follower grows in faith and spiritual formation. 

 

God maneuvered opportunities for each of these classic writers to bring understanding to those. These dedicated and committed individuals are testimonies for purposeful character development. For example, Brother Lawrence demonstrates an ability to embrace a life of experiencing the presence of God in every facet of life. Brother Lawrence grants us the true goal to live out our daily devotions and prayers during every aspect of our existence.

In our course forum, I wrote about when I was an undergrad student at Pacific Christian College. I was given a small little 20 page booklet written by Don DeWelt titled, "Sweet Hour of Prayer." I read, meditated, journaled and prayed through that little booklet at least five times a week for a year. It was a simple guide yet making the commitment was a challenge. It was worth it. During that time I came to a new awareness of God in my life and his presence in my surroundings. I developed a new focal point to pray beyond the hour of the exercises to a place of praying short prayers throughout the day.

Brother Lawrence writes, “I have since given up all forms of devotions and set prayers except those which are suitable to this practice. I make it my business only to persevere in his holy presence wherein I keep myself by a simple attention and general fond regard to God, which I refer to as an actual presence of God.” Lawrence is stating that he has made it his life's practice to be in recognition of God's presence in every aspect of his existence. Practicing the presence of God helps me in understanding that my connection with God is truly a relationship.

For each of these classic writers, I have noticed a keen awareness of the presence of God in their lives. Their awareness of the Holy Spirit within them is not limited to a time or place, but that the Holy Spirit is sharing and working in my life. Many worship leaders will start a worship service by declaring that we are about to enter into the presence of God. Dr. Wayne Shaw of Lincoln Christian University and I had a conversation a few years ago about how believers should never leave the presence of God. In reality, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. In corporate worship we enter into a time of conscience awareness and recognition of God's presence within our lives, consequently a believer never exits the presence of God.

Another classical devotional contributor who grants insights for the believer in the awareness of God is Teresa Avila. Teresa lived a very contemplative life. She also reminds the believer that God is anxious for us to grow closer to him. She reverberates a message of hope in searching for God that is needed in every generation. She writes, “God is so anxious that we should grow close to him that he calls us unceasingly to approach him.”It is here a familiar awareness of God restores a quest within us of wanting to know and be known by God. 

 

Teresa also writes on how temptation separates us from God. It is our sinful nature which removes us from God's presence. She gives some solid advice on resisting temptation through a gentle approach. She states, “when you feel the beginnings of temptation, do not fight back with strenuous efforts, but rather, gently begin a time of prayer and recollection.” In other words, instead of hitting yourself with guilt for the temptation, initiate a time of clinging to God and the temptation will cease. She does not talk about how easy ti will be, but rather she addresses the relief and release that comes after the practice is implemented.

Although lacking in my own ability, the awareness of the presence of God brings order to the chaos that lives in my sinful nature. The priority of practicing God's presence restores my heart, mind, soul, and strength to a place that God intended for my creation. That I would know God as he is to be known through Christ restores my fallen life. For me, this truth is the ultimate goal of transformation.

I look forward to a new heart in heaven. I know that as Jesus transforms me from glory to glory I will experience a restored heart that is not prone to wander. I will no longer have the sinful nature. I will know sin in the past tense and the practice of God's presence will no longer be a need. I will thrive forever in God's presence. The most glorious aspect of practicing the awareness of God is that I can live the presence of God while living in my fallen flesh and experience what is to come. The experience is the opportunity to embrace the abundance of life. The abundance of life through practicing God's presence in the ordinary daily existence is but a glimpse of what is ahead in the future glory.

The prayer filled-life establishes the awareness of God in praying to him without ceasing. Julian of Norwich stated: “Just as our flesh is covered by clothing, and our blood is covered by our flesh, so are we, soul and body, covered and enclosed by the goodness of God.” The keen awareness of God also brings with it an awareness of God's goodness. His goodness reminds us that we are also to be good. The life of prayer will define a believer's action in generosity and goodness for through the gift of prayer, one is reminded how truly good our God is.

Ultimately the awareness of God and the keen knowledge that God is working in our lives brings us to a new understanding of how we should live in response to God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Christian Brotherhood is not an ideal with which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.” A Christian is an active servant. These great classic writers teach us to live the Christian life and remind us that faith is not a philosophy, but an active way of life. It is my goal to go out and do likewise.

As we glance out the windows that are opened through the classic devotional writers, it is God's goodness and active spirit that guide us to a better way. Therefore, we make it our goal to please him by reaching for his renewed faithfulness to us and clinging to his mercies that are new every morning. God is a good God. Thus, we go and shine as his lights to our world.

You know I love ya, Don

Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds., Devotional Classics. (Rev.; New York: Harper Collins, 2005).