God’s Presence

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Psalm 26:8 Where Do You Enjoy Being?

Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. Psalm 26:8

Nearly every person has some place that they love to be. That place may be somewhere special when they were a child or where something had occurred that was significant to them at some point in their life. Others enjoy a place that brings them peace, joy or happiness in some form and a break from the difficulties of day to day living. Some can go to these places on a regular basis, while others cannot make it to that special place very often.

As David is asking for God’s help against the enemy, he tells God that he loves the place where God and His glory dwells.

Being in a place with friends is always a joy for most people. Nearly everyone likes good company in a place in which they feel safe and loved. While everyone loves this type of place, many do not have it available to them.

Any person who begins to understand how much God loves one, begins to love the presence of God in one’s life. God’s amazing presence brings about a peace and love that no one or anything in this world can begin to offer.

Yet, many of the ‘believers’ in church do not really like to be in church or in a worship service. They get uncomfortable due to unrepentant sin in their lives and being around the holiness of God and His presence.

Turning away from the world and seeking God should be the first and foremost focus of every believer. His presence, love, glory, power, mercy and strength give the believer everything needed to live for Him. That in turn gives one a full and abundant life. His presence should be where every believer loves and longs to be.

You most likely have some places or people who you love to be around for various different reasons. God loves you more than any other person could ever begin to love you. He wants the best for you. Being in His presence will give you the peace, joy and strength you need to make it through any trouble. You can be in His presence at all times, if you choose to be in His presence. He makes Himself available all the time, day and night.

Where do you love to be?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s presence in your life; that you will know the joy of God’s presence in your life; and that you will seek to be in the place God is dwelling at all times.

Picture by Alexandru Trandafir on Unsplash

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Judges 16:20 Losing God’s Presence

Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. Judges 16:20

In living life many people do things so routinely that they do not always recognize what is going on around them. Disaster can occur right next to one, but he does not see it because his focus is upon himself and what he needs to do.

It is in times like these that accidents occur, because of a loss of attention to the details.

Delilah had deceived Samson in revealing the source of his strength, then cut his hair and betrayed him to the Philistines while he was asleep. When he awoke, he did not realize God had left him and he was captured.

God’s Spirit and favor are with a believer when the believer is following Him and obeying Him. Although God never leaves a person, He will pull His Spirit back when the person chooses to walk in sin and disobey Him.

This is mainly done through the person not being willing to see or hear what God is saying or doing due to sin in his life. His focus is upon self and the world, rather than God and His kingdom. One may run out ahead of God and leave God behind.

As this occurs, disaster occurs in the person’s life. If the sin is not dealt with, the person begins to fall farther away from God and closer to the world. He becomes numb to God’s Spirit striving to move in his life, until he no longer recognizes that he is no longer with God.

Every believer must stay focused upon God and what He is saying and doing every day and never let sin reign in his life.

As a believer God is with you and wants to lead and guide you through this life. Do not allow sin or the things of this world to distract you from following God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

From the moment you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night, seek to know God’s presence in your life. Be aware when you have strayed away from God’s presence and guidance. Run back to God and stay on His path for your life.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s presence in your life; that you will seek to follow God with all of your being; that you will not allow sin to separate you from God’s presence; and that God will never have to lift His hand of favor from your life.

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Exodus 3:5 Get Rid Of The Dirt

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

Walking around outside will cause dirt to get on one’s shoes. There are many people that when one comes into their house, he must remove his shoes to keep the dirt outside. This is a custom of several nations and cultures.

As many will remove shoes, there are many who will not remove their shoes. They have no care about the dirt being brought in. It is seen as a part of life and not that much dirt.

As Moses was caring for some animals in the mountains, he saw a burning bush and went up to it. When he got near, God told him to remove his sandals because where he was standing was holy ground.

In the same way that shoes carry some of the dirt of this world, a person can carry some of the dirt of this world. This dirt is sin.

God is a holy and perfect God that cannot be around sin. All sin must be removed when in His presence. It is God’s desire to meet with every person, however, He cannot meet with them if they continue to carry the dirt of this world.

Some are disrespectful and refuse to get the dirt removed. They justify their sins and being acceptable to God and try to go before Him.

Knowing this, He provided Jesus to be able to remove the shoes in the life of a person, the sin and dirt of this world. Not unlike removing sandals, all a person must be willing to do is repent of his sins and Jesus will remove them giving him full access to the Father.

Each person must make the personal choice to remove the dirt to go before God.

As long as you are in this world, you will carry some of the dirt of this world on you and in you. Jesus is waiting and ready to get you cleaned up.

Instead of doing your own thing, be willing to take off your sandals and have your life cleaned up. Get all the dirt and sin of this world removed by repentance and believing in Jesus so that you may be able to stand holy and pure before God.

Have you removed your dirty sandals to appear before God?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will see how holy and pure God is; that you will allow Jesus to remove the sin in your life; that God will strengthen you in removing the dirty sandals of your life; and that you will stand holy and pure before God.