God's Presence and YOU

I observed a very sincere person praying for God "to be with us today". 

This caused me to pause and reflect on what I knew about God's Presence. 
My first thought is to ask, "Is it possible for God NOT to be with you?" 
Where can you go to escape God?

This  BLOG is a little different in that it is mostly a passage written by King David.

Each verse is very revealing and as you read each verse, please pray,

"God, what does this verse teach me about You?"

Psalm 139 NLT

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart

    and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

3 You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.

5 You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—

12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
    Get out of my life, you murderers!

20 They blaspheme you;
    your enemies misuse your name.

21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
    Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?

22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
    for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
 
PLEASE reread the last 2 verses (verses 23-24) and tell me how they make you FEEL and HOW they impact your life? 

John 3:16 THOUGHTS

John 3:16

#1. God:                                                   

The greatest lover
#2. So Loved:                                      
The greatest degree
#3. The World:                               
The greatest audience
#4. That He gave:                            
The greatest act  
#5. His only begotten Son:                
The greatest gift
#6. That whoever:                           
The greatest opportunity
#7. Believes:                                      
The greatest simple
#8. In Him:                                             
The greatest attraction  
#9. Should not perish:                         
The greatest promise
#10. But:                                                  
The greatest difference
#11. Have:                                             
The greatest certainty
#12. Eternal Life:  
The greatest possession                                

Little is Much

Little is much when God is in it.

God will take your little and make much out of it.

A few years ago, I was working full time in the 911 center and working part time as the pastor of Garden Valley Community Church. The church was running between 12-15 people on Sunday mornings. I was happy and about 1/2 the congregation was happy with me being pastor. Which in the world of pastors, those odds are pretty good.

I lost track how many times people asked me how long I was staying. I was frequently asked when I was going to Spokane and take a larger church. In hindsight, I suppose 1/2 of them was excited I was staying and the other 1/2.... perhaps, less than thrilled.

Every year the attendance increased a few people until an interesting happened. The church offered me a full time position as pastor. This fell into the "leap of faith" category for both the amazing little church and my amazing wife.

My amazing (accountant) wife encouraged me to follow my heart and "see what happens". I felt it necessary to point out her natural accounting gifts because her instincts would question the wisdom of a small church, hiring a full-time pastor.

This has been, without a doubt, one of the most mind blowing experiences of my whole life. I have been privileged enough to watch, first hand, the strength and faith of a small group of God's people. I have been honored to watch them stand together in support of their church and their pastor, me. If that isn't humbling, nothing is.

And the mind blowing experience isn't over. My wife has encouraged me through out this whole "leap of faith". Her faith shone bright when mine began to doubt. Her strength was revealed as she stood by me in stressful battles. I never realized the depth of her love and devotion until I watched her protect me when I was under attack.

Our spiritual take-away is, be slow to judge success based on appearances.

There are layers of truth in this story that would easily fill volumes. The good Lord took overlooked people in a remote location and daily performs unexplainable miracles

So often the good Lord is working behind the scenes. Working in people's hearts and lives in ways that defy explanation. There are no scales or rulers to measure the quality or effectiveness of God's hand moving behind the surface

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-11

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.
But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with
greater responsibilities.". Luke 16:10

Bloom Where Planted

Michele likes buying those small planter trays for spring starter plants.

She purchased 3 trays at the Walmart. 2 of the trays are growing like weeds.

The third tray, nothing. Zilch. Nada.

So, today the sun was shining and the warm rays were very promising. She couldn't stand it, so the third tray got relocated out to the porch. Her master plan is that perhaps a change of environment and some fresh air will spur the Petunia's into a growth spirt.

She is desperately waiting for any sign of life but it refuses to bloom.

My point is this, all three trays were filled with the same soil, and the same fertilizer, with seeds from the same store and one tray is following a different path.

How often do we not only expect but demand that everyone grow and live in a method that we consider normal and are comfortable with?

Heaven forbid if someone moves our cheese and colors outside the lines that we have established as our comfort zone.

Face it, some people have to make every mistake for themselves and they use our warnings as roadmaps to their next encounter with pain.

This morning I received a phone call from a dear friend that wanted counsel on how best to assist an alcoholic neighbor. This is more common that you would expect. The problem is, we can't wish healthy decisions onto people. They need time for God to change their heart and bring them to a place of life change.

So how exactly does God bring people to the point of life change?
By controlling circumstances, events and people to accomplish His will.

One of the most hope restoring verses in the Bible is Genesis 50:20. I use this on a weekly basis when I counsel people that are struggling with anger and forgiveness issues.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.
He brought me to this position
so I could save the lives of many people."
Genesis 50:20

All this brings you to one question that you must answer:
"Do you trust that God is good, in every situation, to always do what is best?"

God will use circumstances, events and people to bring you to a point of honesty and humility before Him. No excuses. No explaining. No rationalizing. No bargaining.

Your spiritual takeaway for today is, "If you trust God to be good, in every situation, will you thank Him for putting you in the situation you are in right now?"

If you trust God to be good, in every situation, will you thank Him for putting a difficult person in your life?

If you trust God to be good, in every situation, will you thank Him for allowing you to experience what you are going through right now?

If you can thank God for everything in your life, then you are beginning to view your life from God's perspective and you will experience a life of spiritual maturity and health.

"Dear brothers and sisters,
when troubles come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested,
your endurance has a chance to grow.
So let it grow,
for when your endurance is fully developed,
you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
If you need wisdom,
ask our generous God,
and he will give it to you.
He will not rebuke you for asking."
James 1:2-5