FINDING GOD'S PRESENCE

FINDING GOD'S PRESENCE

On of the classic books that has ministered to millions is Brother
Lawrence's PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD. Today's devotional reading is
from this powerful little book.

How do you find the presence of God in your life?

1. First, you need to guard yourselves from doing, saying, or thinking
anything that would offend God, and you need to keep a short account
with Him. If you slip, go straight to Him and ask for His forgiveness.
We're talking about purity of life.

2. Next, you need to keep your heart's eye focused on God always,
remembering in love to stay quiet and humble before Him and not let your
worries or day-to-day problems get in the way or dray you off the path.

3. In addition, you need to warm up your spiritual muscles and focus on
the Lord before you begin any daily chores or regular work. That way
you'll stay fixed on Him all the way through it and afterward. But don't
get discouraged; it takes a long while and a lot of hard work to develop
this kind of habit. Once you've got it, though, a great abundance of joy
comes to live in your life.

Doesn't it make sense that our hearts would be the first and last to
love and worship God, because the heart begins and ends all that we do?
After all, the heart - the center of life - powers the rest of our
bodies. The heart sets the pace, spiritual and otherwise. So it's the
heart that lets us focus on God within in a way that's natural and
simple, without a fancy plan or a complicated agenda.

4. When you're coming into God's presence, I'd suggest you describe your
feelings in a few words such as 'I'm all Yours, Lord, "God of love, I
love You will all my heart," or "Mold my heart to match Yours, God." Or
tell God in your own way on the spur of the moment how you love Him -
whatever works for you.

In the process, though, be careful not to let your mind wander back to
thinking about everyday things. Stay close to God so your will can keep
your mind in line, focused on the Lord.

5. Working into this kind of presence of God is tough at first -
painful, even. But with a little practice, this habit will secretly
start doing things in your soul with incredible results. It'll draw down
showers of God's grace, and oh-so-quietly lead your right back to that
simple, 360-degree view of God. That kind of holy contact with the Lord
is the most real, yet the easiest kind of prayer anyone can pray. It's a
prayer bursting with life.

6. Remember that drawing this close to the God takes denial - saying no
to stuffing our lives full of everything the world has to offer. Cut the
umbilical cord! No one who is still attached to worldly pleasures can
find full joy with God." Adapted from Practicing the Presence of God by
Brother Lawrence and published by Navpress

"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forever more." Psalm 16:11

Great quote: I love that word "encourage" - when you do it, you
literally put "courage in" to that person. Someone who may be more
battered than you know, closer to going down or giving up than you could
imagine. You never know when your encouragement might literally be the
difference in that person's life. When you're bruised and hurting, it's
that person in your corner who can get you back in the ring for another
round. Ron Hutchcraft

If Freedom Fighter is an encouragement to you, share it with a friend.
And we'd love to hear how it is encouraging you in your daily walk with
God. Drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you.