How do you feel God's presence?

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOD’S PRESENCE? At Christmas time, or any time!

“The Lord himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and will call him Immanuel,”

spoken by Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Christ. Isn’t that amazing?

Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ includes the angel’s announcement to Joseph that his betrothed, Mary, was to bear a son. This was a fulfillment of the above prophecy of Isaiah, the prophet of God.1 Matthew informs us that Immanuel means “God with us.”2 Hmmm . . . God with us . . . what does that mean?

Throughout Scripture, the people of God were assured that God was with them. Joshua was told by God, “for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”3 David wrote of God’s presence throughout the psalms; we are comforted by the same assurance he was, that “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.”4 Just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, he comforted his disciples with these words, “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”5 So cognitively, we can believe that God is with us, but how can we FEEL his presence? Here are some of my thoughts on our part in the matter~

First, ♦let’s be desirous of God’s presence ~ Consider Brother Lawrence, 6 who said, “Oh my God, since you are with me, and I must now, in obedience to your commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I ask you to grant me the grace to continue in your presence. To this end make me prosper through your assistance. Receive all my works, and possess all my affections.” He was a dishwasher.

♦Look for Him – be aware of where God might be working around you. I’ve heard people pray for God to do or act in a certain way on their behalf, and then when they see action or resolution, they credit it to coincidence! >If you are praying about something specifically, and there is movement in that area, don’t you think it is at least possible, if not probable, that God had something to do with it?! Look for God at work around you.

♦Ask God to reveal himself to you – Psalm 19 talks about the heavens declaring the glory of God all around us. Look and listen for him around you.

♦Make room for God with a little silence, so that you can hear him.
“God is the friend of silence . . .
See how nature, the trees, the flowers, the grass
grow in deep silence.
See how the stars, the moon and the sun
move in silence.
The more we receive in our silent prayer,
The more we can give in our active life.” Mother Teresa

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46.10
“Be silent in the presence of the Lord God” Zephaniah 1.7

Please give a listen to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hzmeYiAoDI - “I Am” Nicole Mullen
I hope you’ll listen, and let God speak to you.



The words to Mullen’s song about God being our “I Am” are so powerful:

At the end of every rainbow

There's a promise proven true

No matter how you're feeling now or what you go through

There will be somebody lovin' you

Deeper than the grandest canyon

And higher than the open sky

Near enough to capture every whisper, every sigh

Strong enough to hold you when you cry

I am, I was, I am the one who is to come,

Before and after, still be what I am and what I was

All that you need, all that you want, I am
If you need someone to hold you

'Cause your world's fallin' apart

If you need a light to guide you safely through the dark

And chase away the nightmares of the heart

If you need someone to give you

A purpose for your broken past

And restore the reservoir of hope inside of you

And mercys for each morning that is new

I am and I was, I am the one who is to come,

Before and after, I'll still be what I am and what I was

I'll be all that you need, and I'll be all that you want

I'm telling you, I am, I'm the rose they crucified and buried

I am, now I'm risen from the dead

I am, I'm the lion from the tribe of Judah

I am, I'm the lamb

I am and I was, I am the one who is to come,

Before and after, I'll still gonna, still be what I am and what I was

I'm gonna be all that you need and I'll be all that you want

I'm telling you I am, I am

I am what you need, what you want

What you what you deeply deserve,

When you're lonely and you think that no one really cares

Before Sarah and Moses, the Father Abraham, I am



He was. . . He is. . . the great I Am, and He is with you, Child.

Christine

Podcast: www.pastorwoman.com, which includes Nicole Mullen's song "I Am"

1 Isaiah 7.14
2 Matthew 1.23
3 Joshua 1.9
4 Psalm 23.4
5 Matthew 28.20
6 Practicing the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence