The Blessing of His Presence

Scriptures to meditate on:
Psalms 27:4,8 
Philippians 4:7 
Romans 12:1-2 
Luke 10:41-42

There is something about the presence of God that if we are so sensitive to, victory comes in easily. Jesus asks us to be vitally dependent on Him (John 15:4-5). Often times while we go on in our busy lives we forget to put God first. The thing is if its not God in the first place in our lives it would be something else. The first place in our lives is never left vacant. And sadly if it is not Jesus, then there is no order and confusion creep into our lives.

In his presence we find direction.  Where His presence is, there is overwhelming peace. We find His Will in His presence. There is nothing more beautiful than to know that we are walking in the will of God. There is the rest and peace that we enjoy. When we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice there is no chance we can miss his will.  I like what a preacher once said about this kind of living . He said that if a car goes at 100 miles per hour, there is no way it can do a u-turn. So when we are busy offering ourselves completely to God by spending time in the Word, praying and having this constant desire to know Him more all of which is a response of His love toward us, it is impossible for us to not walk in His will. 

So today let us cut distractions and focus on Jesus and His love. The moment we do that, all other love starts disappearing from our lives and prefect peace sets in. The love of sin, the love of things that are distracting us from God starts to leave when we focus on Jesus solely. If God were to ask you today to seek His face (Psalm 27:8), what would be your response? 

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It is always ALL of Grace -- by Mike Quarles

When we learn about grace we learn what life is all about. We learn about who we are. But more importantly we learn about who God is, what the gospel is and our relationship with Him. We enter into a dimension of life we never dreamed possible. Nothing is changed and yet everything is changed. Grace is not just getting what you don’t deserve. Grace is getting the opposite of what you deserve. Grace is not just another doctrine. Grace is the way God relates to us. Grace is the gospel as the bible says (Acts 20:24). What is grace?

Grace is knowing that…

1.      there is no more guilt, condemnation and punishment (Rom 8:2)

2.      God loves me and accepts me just the way I am not because of what I do, because of the cross (Roma 5:5-8)

3.      Satan was defeated at the cross and has no power over me and the only weapon he has is the lie (Col 2:15)

4.      because I died to the law and have been released from it (Rom 7:4,6), I don’t have to live up to anyone’s standards.

5.      I am not under law but under grace (Rom 6:14) and that Christ is the end of the law (Rom 10:14), it is not up to me to live the Christian life, but to trust Christ in me to do it (Gal 2:20)

6.      there is nothing I can do to make God love me more and nothing I could do to make him love me less (Rom 8:39)

7.      Jesus said that all who come to Him will find that the Christian life is easy and heir burden is light (Mt 11:28-30)

8.      it is not up to me to do or die or strive and strain, but to believe that He will do it all for me (1 Thess. 5:24)

9.      my sin and failure cannot overcome grace of God (contrary to the popular belief)
(Rom 5:20,21)

10.  no matter what I do or how I mess up, God is going to love m through all eternity
(Rom 11:6; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:6)

11.  I have all I need because Christ is in me and I am in Him and He is in the Father
(John 14:20)

12.   freedom is my birthright as a child and not something that I have to attain
(Gal 5:1; John 8:32,36)

13.  I am dead to sin and alive to God because of what God has done and nothing that I do
(Rom 6:4-7)

14.  I am righteous because God has place me in Christ and not because of anything that I do
(1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21)

15.  I have died to the world, its customs, ways, values and people’s demands and expectations of me. (Gal 6:13)

16.  the important thing is not what I do or don’t do, but faith in what God has done and who I am in Christ ( Gal 6:5,14)

17.  I am secure in Christ, that I donot have to fear any person and that He will never leave me nor forsake me (Heb 13:5,6)

18.  Christ is my life; that my life is hidden in Him and I have everything I need for life and godliness (Col 3:3,4; 2 Pet 1:3)

19.  victory is not something we work for, but it has already been given to me.
(1 Cor 15:56; Eph 2:6; Eph 1:19-21)

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