When you've lost "IT"

This post by Joyce Myers really blessed me!! She says it's better to stay in His presence for once you loose it, it's harder to get back.  

Making Room for God

by Joyce Meyer

Dave likes to go to football games when we're home in St. Louis. And every time he goes, there's a woman who sits by the stadium gate, begging. One whole side of her face is caved in, as if part of her bone structure is missing. Well, Dave always looks for her, and she is always happy to see him because he's developed a habit of handing her $20.

A Softened Heart

Tens of thousands of people go to those games. But it's surprising how few people give that woman anything. Most of them just file by like she's not even there. I wonder how many of them are Christians.

I wonder how many people reading this article have passed by someone like her.

We may live in a rude and insensitive society, but as Christians, we're not to take on the selfish flavor of the world. God wants us to be sensitive to the needs and emotions of other people.

Ezekiel 11:19 says, And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God].

When you allow God to soften your heart, you can live a life of amazing power and purpose. He can use you to help a lot of people. But you won't ever experience that heart transformation unless you spend time in His presence.

Have You Lost Track of God?

“ We may live in a rude, crude, insensitive society… but God wants us to be sensitive to the needs and emotions of other people. ”

There's a story in the Bible where Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem and then they left to go home, supposing He was with them. (I wonder how many times we suppose God's with us when we're really off doing our own thing?)

Now, here's the interesting part. Mary and Joseph had traveled a day's journey before they realized Jesus wasn't with them and then it took three days to find him. Three days! The message here is that it's easier to lose that special presence of God than it is to get it back once we've lost it.

We need to be careful to remain in the presence of God.

How to Remain in God's Presence

There are a lot of ways you can make God feel at home in your heart.

First of all, you can simply be obedient to His Word. Being willing to back off from behaviors that offend God is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. It shows you care about what He thinks and feels about your behavior.

Not only is how you behave important to God, but what you say is too.

From Genesis to Revelation the Bible says a lot about the power of words. Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. If we use our words to give thanks to God and lift up other people, we'll be blessed.

What's the Most Important Thing?

The thing that is more important to God than anything in our daily walk is having a good, solid relationship with Him. But beyond that, it's how we treat people. It doesn't matter how many scriptures you can quote if you aren't treating people well.

First John 4:12 tells us: No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us...

Did you get that? Where there's love, God abides.

Some of you are so frustrated in life and in ministry because you feel like there's so much more in you to give but you can't seem to get it out. I'm telling you, when you begin to love people at a greater level, you'll experience God's anointing at a greater level.

As Christians, we need to stop worrying about what we need and start filling other people's needs.

Remember the woman at the football stadium? Now think about someone you see on a daily or weekly basis and ask yourself one question: What can I do to let them know God loves them?

PRAYER

Dear Lord please help me to get back, I am lost, and I miss you! I'm not the same and I want to come back home. I pray in Jesus mighty name. Amen. 

Straight from my heart.

When I think of the times in my life when I spent more time reading my bible and meditating on the Word, fellowshiping and getting to know the Spirit more, focusing, pondering and caring more about what God thought about me than what people thought about me, I remember feeling full, energized, happy, empowered, loved,  fulfilled, excited! I smiled a lot more and I always felt confident and accomplished. 

Times like now when my focus has shifted whether for the right reasons, or for just being plain lazy or otherwise, or because of my children, husband and lots of other responsibilities, I know like right now, I feel lost, depleted, sick, the noise in my head is louder, I'm more anxious, afraid, I'm exhausted I feel under accomplished I feel like I'm far far away, I eat a lot more but still feel hungry. I crave plenty re assurance but still feel insecure, feel powerless, guilty, lost, more sad than happy most of all I feel empty. 

Now all I want is You Lord. Please help me get back on my feet. 

Prayer. 

Dear Lord, please you promised in you word that the righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 

You promised never to leave me or forsake me. You said to call on you and you will answer...

Please LORD hear my call and answer me and rescue me from this distance, this loneliness, and emptiness. Bring me back to your awesome presence and set my feet on the right path. My own arm has failed me. Here I am Lord crying for your help. Help me for I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ your only Son. Amen. 

References: Jeremiah 33:3, Psalm 34:19

A Little About Love ❤️

...My sincere thoughts on love as it concerns the Holy Spirit. 

Love is such a beautiful thing. Bible says Love covers a multitude of sin and this is so true in many ways and from different angles. 

I just wanted to give voice to something that was on my mind today and it has a lot to do with my love for the Holy Spirit. 

Love whether we know it or not, or even care to agree or admit, often passes through lots of tests and trials and most times we don't even know our love is being tried. 

Today, I hardly spent quality time with the Holy Spirit and it hit me, if I claim I love Him, I should never sacrifice spending quality time with Him. I couldn't help but wonder if this could be a testing of my love for Him. Would my love stand the trials that it may encounter as I go into this relationship-having no doubts of His own love and faithfulness towards me. 

This truly got me thinking, comparing it with my love for my husband, a friend or even love for my children. Truly to love means to make conscious sacrifices. 

And because like I said earlier the Holy Spirit is quiet, gentle and calm making it so easy to forget He is even there, loving Him ( to me at least) requires conscious deliberate effort. 

As part of building my relationship with the Holy Spirit, one of the things I had to do was to first of all personify Him not thinking of Him as an abstract thing (smoke, fire, dove or cloud), because while He can be all that and even more, He is a person too. 

I honestly want my love for Him to grow and stand every and any test or trial and truly, all He has ever asked of me so far is to spend time with Him; and if I spend time with Him I will know more about Him, the more Iknow about Him the more I know I will love Him and the more I love Him, the more He will rub off on me, until a time where communion with Him will be a delight and loving Him will be easier. 

The first sacrifice still hinges on spending time with Him. 

PRAYER

Dear Lord please fill me with a strong desire and hunger for the Holy Spirit and with everything I need to have a rich relationship with Him that can withstand every test or trial in Jesus Mighty name I pray. Amen. 

Spend Time With Me.

That has been ringing in my ears ever since I got to know more about Him (The Holy Spirit). 

It was quite easy to know about Him. I just simply read books with Bible reference about Him with an open mind and a longing heart. 

The more I read, the more I knew. The more I knew the more I desired. 

Meet My New Best Friend. 

I'm both excited and sad as I write about my new best friend. I'm excited because I love meeting people and having friends and anytime I meet a new person I can't stop talking about them. I'm sooo excited to talk about Him. But I'm sad because words are not going to be enough to describe Him. He is just tooo much!!!

He is gentle, calm and loving, yet so powerful and mighty. He loves me so much, He follows me everywhere, waiting for me to talk to Him. He is just too gentle that most times, it's easy to forget He is actually there. He is calm and very peaceful. 

He cares and wants to be involved with every detail of my life. When He speaks and me and I listen and do what he says He likes it!  He gets comfortable and He speaks more. He is so sensitive if I don't acknowledge Him. He quietly moves away but because He loves me so much. He hangs around. 

The beautiful thing about Him is that He is extermely  powerful He told me how he shows His power. He shows it through the spoken word of God.

Today I felt like relating with Him. I had been carrying a lot on my mind and I wanted to share it with Him but didn't know how to go about it and I  was getting frustrated. 

Then, just before I gave up. I opened my mouth and said "Sweet Holy Spirit. I want to just talk to you and fellowship with you but I don't know how to go about it please help me. I'm feeling sleepy too please strengthen me. " There and then I realized He doesn't like "I " he likes "we" because as soon as I told Him to help me, I just knew what to do! when all the while I was struggling alone. 

It was such a wonderful time we spent. I told Him about myself and He listened and said "I know you." I told Him all the things I was finding difficult. I  just kept going on and on then I realized I had been carrying so much on my mind. I told Him my dreams, desires and  difficulties. He just listened. Quietly. He was truly near me. With me, in me and by me all at the same time. 

Then I told Him to talk to me while I  keep quiet. -He said " I love spending time with you, keep your eyes on me, and I will help you."  

I was so excited I felt like telling everyone!! He actually spoke back!!!. It felt like He was speaking to my heart putting my fears to rest. Because I was afraid of loosing Him. He just said "keep your eyes on me." 

PRAYER

I will keep my eyes on you dear friend because I don't want to loose you. Remember your promise to help me and strengthen me. For I pray in Jesus mighty name. 

Romans 8v11

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

John 10 v2-5

2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

So Much To Look Forward To

Sweet Holy Spirit, 

The more I know you the more I realize "there's sooo much we can do together " I'm so grateful for the realization that I don't have to stand on my own and figure everything out or do everything by my self. 

I HAVE YOU!!!!!

My Comforter...

I learnt total surrender brings about total communion. I realized true to myself that most times when need advice, help or companionship, I pick the phone and call a friend and usually what happens is that she/he may not be available, and (or) depending on their capability, they may not necessarily be able to help me. They may just sympathize with me and tell me a very warm and heartfelt word but I'm left with whatever made me call them in the first place. 

Now, I'm not saying friends aren't good but I want the Holy Spirit to be my first point of call. The first person I look to when I'm down, in need of direction, weak, confused or lonely. I wonder how He must feel just there waiting on me just to be good to me. 

The problem is I'm not used to Him, and I have made him less real to me. But I also know with all surety in my heart that I want all that to change completely. Good friendships and communion are developed with a lot time spent together. And I'm willing to invest my time to know Him more. I read somewhere some requirements for good communion. They were; presence, fellowship, sharing together, participation with, intimacy, friendship, and comradeship. 

PRAYER

Sweet Holy Spirit. I want to be close to you. I want you to be involved with everything that concerns me. I'm ready. Please show me areas I need to yield  more. Please help me. In Jesus mighty name I pray. Amen. 

  

CONFESSIONS

God has sprinkled clean water on me, and I am clean. My filth has been washed away, and I no longer worship idols. And God has given me a new heart, and He has put a new spirit in me. He has taken out my stony, sturbbon heart. And He has put His Spirit in me so that I follow His decrees and be careful to obey His regulations. 

AMEN!

(Ezekiel 37v25-27)