Archive for August, 2008
You are currently browsing the Philip K Stone blog archives for August, 2008.
28
Aug
2008
Doom and Gloom
I have to say I’m not coming in contact with much uplifting conversation as I talk with people at present, this talk of the ‘credit crunch’, the constant fall of rain and lack of sunshine, rising energy prices, people not being as busy in their jobs, possible job losses, it has all come together at the same time to bring a negative atmosphere over many of us, my question is How can I get this to shift off my life?
We all have bills to pay, families to feed and support (or maybe just yourself), cars to fill up, phone bills, mortgages, insurances etc and when every ones cash flow is under pressure its hard to remain in a good mood. Last Thursday while I got thinking about 1 Timothy 6:10,
ASV: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We are all feeling the pinch and while in tough times, we will all feel the need to accumulate more income to pay our bills, but remember we have a God who is control of us and our finances, he can turn things around, we all have little luxuries that we can live without, there are many ways to cut down, we see them in the newspapers everyday. Lets keep our focus on God and not on our pockets and bank balances! I know we need to be sensible to, but lets challenge ourselves to become better God Honouring stewards!
Lets also pray for our leaders as they make decisions that will affect our lives!
1
Aug
2008
Seek Presence
I woke with the words ‘seek presence’ yesterday morning, they have journeyed through my mind most of yesterday and still continue to bounce off the walls of my brain even now, I’ve been asking God a few questions of late and I’m starting to think this may be the key or answer, I’ve been waiting on, but as I’ve looked into this a little I’ve been blessed and blown away.
As Believers the Presence of God in our lives is one of the single most important attributes. We cannot live without the Presence of God.
Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence (before your very face).
God’s Presence is so important, and yet so few of us know what the Presence of God really means. There are three dimensions to the Presence of God:
1. God is Omni-Present God is everywhere at all times!
Isaiah 6:3 . . .the whole earth is full of His glory.
Psalm 139: 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? He goes on to say that there is no place he can hide!
What does this mean in the life of Believers? You are NEVER alone! God is with you no matter where life takes you. The Omni-Presence of God is your security! You are safe in the hands of God, regardless where you are.
2. Indwelling Presence God lives in you! This is a mystery!!!!!
John 15:4, 5 Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you . . . whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you?
What does this mean in the life of Believers? God’s indwelling presence is our Lifeline! Without Him we are nothing. We are completely dependent on Him every day.
3. His Manifest Presence God’s Manifest presence is a special anointing for a special task at a divine time. It is temporal in nature. His power will flow in a meeting, touching the lives of people, healing many and delivering others from the power of the enemy.
2 Chronicles 5:13, 14 . . . then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Acts 9:3,4 As he travelled on he came near to Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?
What does this mean in the life of Believers? The manifest Presence of God is our Jump-start! It is those “goose-pimple” experiences that change our lives in the presence of God. Think of the day of you got Saved or when God healed you, or when revival touched your life. It is Real, it is Powerful, but Temporal! That anointing lifts from you. It comes and goes. But the Knowledge of the experience will never leave You, but don’t live on past experiences, Seek Fresh Manna, Fresh Presence!
So on this little journey I’ve realised I need to seek the manifest presence of God! Seek the Presence of God!
