Oct 22 -- How to Experience God's Presence (1) CHOOSE

Do you want more of the presence of God?

Today I offer the first of a three-step process.

If we misunderstand the Presence of God, we view it a noun, a thing, something that sits there.

•      Number one, God – and his Presence – is active, moving, living, breathing, and transforming. His Presence is a verb 
•       Number two, we are invited to make our experience of his Presence a verb too! We don’t want our faith to be more than something that just sits there. As Paul describes it – and listen for the verbs – “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Is that how you experience God’s Presence?!

If you want to grow in this awareness, let me commend to you three verbs – choose, submit, and practice. I base these actions on scripture – on scripture related 1) to Israel coming into the Promised Land / into the Presence of God (Joshua 1 and 3) and 2) continuing to living successfully in the land / in God’s Presence (2 Chronicles 7:14)

•      Joshua 1:4 [God said … When you] cross … into the land … 6 be … 7 careful to act in accordance with all the law … 8 [Furthermore,] this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night … 11 [Then Joshua commanded] “… in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.'"
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•      Joshua 3:15 [When] the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the … flood, 16 the waters flowing from above stood still.
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•      2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves … and pray … and seek my face … and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.

Step 1: Choose

If we are going to achieve access to the Presence of God (our Promised Land), we have to consciously choose to accept the gift that God has promised and is already giving …

•      We don’t get it by just standing comfortable where we are. We must be bold. We must step into the flood! And then – and only then, precisely then! – will he stop the waters
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•      In fact, we need to “Just do it!” He’s already given us the territory (“the land … God gives you” – already gives you.)

It’s a choice.

Do you want more of God’s presence? It’s just waiting there for you. God has it in a gift wrapped package with a big red bow. But you have to take the first step. You must choose.

And that means, that the first step is to change. If you want more of him, you have to spend more time with him (and less time with certain other things in the world).

Assignment: Today, what do you know you need to change?