I could not resist the opportunity to expound a few moments on the subject of love.
Are we seeking and pursuing after God’s presence or God’s presents.
Ps 16:11
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Acts 2:28
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Eph 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Do we really understand what is being said in these scriptures.
We are being told to seek the face of God and not the hands of God
To seek the presence of God and not the presents of God
To seek God for who he is and not for what he can do for you.
For if you will seek Him and search for Him the scriptures tell us that we will find him
Jer 29:13
And ye shall seek me, and find me , when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Hear the word of the Lord
Ps 14:2
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God
The Lord looked down to see if anyone understood and was seeking Him
Do we understand that Almighty God desires us to seek him with all our heart that we might know him instead of seeking him out of a need to be fulfilled.
Seeking Him with all our heart automatically places us in the place where we are protected and all of our needs are met.
Ps 91:1-10
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
Ps 27:4-6
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Victory follows the heels of rejoicing and our rejoicing should have nothing to do with what he is doing for us or what he is not doing for us..
Neh 8:10
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
We have little power against the devil if we are unstable and allow circumstances or situations to determine our joy.
Happiness is not determined by the outcome of situations or circumstances and eternal joy is determined by the presence of His presence,
Happiness is fleeting when it is determined by what happens concerning us
Joy is eternal no matter what happens to us.
Happiness you will find in his presents
Joy you will find in his presence.
We should not be looking for the gifts of God we should be looking for God Himself.
Matt 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
What is it that is going to sustains us
What is it that is going to give us life
It is his presence
It is his presence not his provision that sustains us and gives us life and His presence gives it abundantly.
Every day the Israelites ate the provision of the Lord
Every day they ate manna
Exod 16:35
And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
Every day they drank water from the rock
Every day for forty years they dwelt and enjoyed the provision of the Lord but they never entered into His presence
There are many people who will follow Jesus as long as he takes them where they want to go and He does for them what they want Him to do
But when it comes to the process of transfiguration, the process of changing,
the process of transisition,
When it comes to the place of testing and persecution so that the change can be made
The carnal desires refuse to submit and surrender and they walk away from Christ and refuse to walk anymore with him.
You see we must come to the place that Job came to,
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:
Ps 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
DK Grooms