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In this blog, I provide encouragement and biblical teaching on the subject of the presence of God.

As the Scripture says:

"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord." (Ps 89:15)

Jesus said to His disciples, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mat 28:20b)

Some of the topics covered include the practicing the presence of the Lord, times of refreshing in His presence, the virtues that saints must wear as their wardrobe, walking in the light, dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty, and recognizing the Lord in others.  I hope this will be an edifying and encouraging experience for you that will help you to grow in your walk with the Lord.

Practicing the Presence of the Lord	Recognizing Jesus	Times of Refreshing in the Presence of the Lord
The Wardrobe of the Saints	The Lord is Near	The Lord is There
Walking in the Light of His Presence	In the Shelter of the Most High	As the Still, Fair Court
Unbroken Communion with God	The Practice of Abiding	Abiding in Christ Illustrated
Never Forsaken

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's Note:  I also invite you to visit my collection of blogs at "Writing for the Master."  Now let me ask you a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Unbroken Communion with God

View over Crystal Lake by C.V. Lacroix

Dear saints, let me encourage you once again to seek the presence of the Lord. He makes us glad with joy in His presence. David said, "Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence." (Ps 21:6, NIV). He also said, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Ps 16:11, NIV)

Here below the saints enjoy God in a measure, but in heaven they enjoy Him without measure. Here we take some sips of His goodness, but in heaven they drink deeply of it and swim in it like a boundless ocean. Here we have our communion with God broken off many times, but in heaven it is uninterrupted.

Our burning passion and earnest desire should be for more of His presence, and we should seek to avoid anything that interrupts it. One thing that interrupts it is sin. I recall someone once saying that sin is anything that interrupts the presence of God in your life. But of course there are other interruptions to His presence that are not sin, such as distractions and interruptions. These interruptions may even seem like legitimate needs. For example, when you are spending time with the Lord and the phone rings. It may even be someone from whom you were awaiting an important call back. However, it's best not to answer it, and instead let it go to voicemail. You can always call them back later, but our time alone with God is precious and must be guarded. Don't become a victim of demonic interruptions.

We need His presence more than the air we breathe. In my article Eudoxia Varga Testimony of Heaven and Hell, I wrote that when she was caught up to heaven and saw the Lord Jesus Christ, she said that life was flowing out from every part of Him, and that this life is the air she breathes. Our attitude should be the same as Eudoxia's. Let's desire His presence more than the air we breathe and seek to have unbroken communion with God day and night.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted. The "View over Crystal Lake" painting is by my daughter Charity V. Lacroix. Please see more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's Note:  If you enjoyed this post, please check out David Wilkerson's message on A Conspiracy of Interruptions!  You may also like the other posts in this blog, such as As the Still, Fair Court, Practicing the Presence of the Lord, In the Shelter of the Most High, The Lord is Near, and Never Forsaken, Walking in the Light of His Presence, which are available through the Home page of this blog. I also recommend Eudoxia Varga Testimony of Heaven and Hell, One thing, Fruit in Every Season, Led by the Spirit, For the Glory of God Alone, The Obedience of Faith, The Knowledge of the Holy, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. Also see my daughter's poems called God Will Meet You There, Connected to the Vine, and The Glory of God, as well as this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

As the Still, Fair Court

The Bloom of Spring by Charity Lacroix

Let me encourage the saints today with the Scripture where Jesus said, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (Joh 14:23, NIV78). Loving the Lord in this way as we go about our day is all part of practicing His presence.

There is a beautiful hymn by a woman named Gertrude of Hellfde, that was written in 1330 AD, and later translated by another woman in 1899, named Frances Bevan.

In the first part of the poem, she describes how she was sitting alone one day in a lovely court in the month of May, enjoying pleasant thoughts. She sat beside a fish-pond in the old court with tall linden trees spreading out above her. The water was clear and bright, and many trees around her were adorned with blossoms. The birds were singing and white doves were flying across the sunny, blue sky. It was the best of all delights.

There in the stillness and rest, where all was fair and sweet, she wondered to herself what more she needed to make her retreat complete. She realized that it would be perfect if a dear, faithful friend from heaven came, speaking words of comfort and cheer. Such words would be like dew descending upon her, making her grow like sweet lilies that are in God's garden.

Then before she knew it, she heard the beloved voice of her blessed Friend from heaven, who was suddenly there with her. She described Him as her Sunshine and Dew, as well as the Fountain for thirsty souls. He is the one Who first gives the soul that longing, and then satisfies it forever with His presence.

She wrote what He said to her there in the court:

He told me of the River bright
That flows from Him to me,
That I might be for His delight
A fair and fruitful tree.

He told me that as doves that rise
Far through the golden light,
So He would lead me through the skies
In raiment pure and white.

That as the still, fair court to me
Afar from strife and din,
So unto Him my heart should be,
And He would rest therein.

Each of us, who truly follow Jesus as Lord, is as the still, fair court to Him. As we practice His presence each moment, we are like that garden to the Lord, far from conflict and unpleasant noise. Let's ask ourselves today, "Is my heart a still, fair court to Him, afar from strife and din? Or is it filled with the clamor of the world, noise, dissipation, and the anxieties of life?"

Gertrude ended with these lines, as she described what happened later that evening back in her room:

And on my knees I knelt and prayed
To Him Who is my Sun and Shade,
There came to me that saying deep,
“Who loveth Me, My words will keep.
And him My Father loveth well,
And We will come with him to dwell.”
Yea, Lord, through Thy most precious Blood,
Am I the resting-place of God.

As we truly love Him at all times by keeping His words -- obeying His teachings, He and the Father will come to us and make their home with us. Let's seek to do that by His grace, so that we might be for Him a resting place to come and dwell, like the still, fair court.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, where noted. "The Bloom of Spring" painting by my daughter Charity Lacroix. Please see more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's Note:  I recommend reading the full poem, called The Friend, found in Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series), 1899. If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord, In the Shelter of the Most High, The Lord is Near, and Walking in the Light of His Presence, which are available through the Home page of this blog. I also recommend One thing, Fruit in Every Season, Led by the Spirit, For the Glory of God Alone, The Obedience of Faith, The Knowledge of the Holy, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. Also see my daughter's poems called God Will Meet You There, Connected to the Vine, and The Glory of God, as well as this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Now let me ask you a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Walking in the Light of His Presence

Let me encourage you today with this Scripture that says, "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord." (Ps 89:15, NIV). This is my desire and I hope it is yours also to walk in the light of the Lord's presence. There is no greater thing -- no higher joy -- than to walk in a continual awareness of the Lord's presence.

This verse speaks not only of the blessedness of walking in His presence, but specifically the light of His presence. The light of His presence will illuminate our way and expose all the darkness within, so that it has no place to hide. It reminds me of the Scripture that says, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1Jn 1:6-7)

Let's walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light. Then we will have fellowship with Him and one another, and the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin. I ask the Lord for the light of His presence to shine in every corridor of my heart at all times. I hope you do, too.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord, which are available through the Home page of this blog. Also see Led by the Spirit and my daughter's poem called "The Glory of God," and this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Lord is Near

Let me encourage the saints today that the Lord is nearer to us than we realize.

Paul said, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” (Php 4:5).

That He is near cannot be denied. We only need to activate the awareness of God being intimately present with us moment by moment.
 
James said, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” (Jas 5:9)

As we interact with one another and those outside the Church, may the Lord by His grace help us to keep in mind that He is standing right at the door, watching all that we do, listening to all that we say, knowing our every thought and motive. May the Lord help us to realize that He is present at all times in all situations.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord, which are available through the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

In the Shelter of the Most High

Let me encourage the saints today with the Scripture that says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Ps 91:1, NIV)

I want to be that man who continually dwells in the shelter of the Most High both day and night. Don't you?

The Hebrew word for "shelter" is "sêther," meaning "hiding place or secret place" used for cover and protection. That's the place I want to continually stay, as I go about each moment of the day -- in the secret place of the Most High. That's the hiding place where I want to reside.

The Lord promises some wonderful blessings for those of us who do so. He promises that we will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. The word for "Almighty" is "El Shaddai," meaning "All Sufficient." There is no place more peaceful and restful than right there in the shadow of the All Sufficient One.

The Hebrew word for "shadow" is "tsêl," meaning "defense, shade or shadow." Since God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all, we know this cannot be like any shadow we have ever seen before. It is not one that has any absence of light, but quite the opposite. It is that space near to Him that is glowing with the brightness of His glory.  To be in His shadow is to be in the brilliant light of His immediate presence. That's where I belong!

And there's more! Another promised blessing for those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High is that "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." (Ps 91:4, NIV)

He promises that if we dwell daily in His shelter -- in His presence -- He will cover us with His feathers, and we will find refuge under His wings. That's what I want! How about you?

Let's ask the Lord for the grace to cultivate this in our lives, so that each moment we are dwelling in the shelter of the Most High. Let's practice the presence of the Lord.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord and As the Still, Fair Court, which are available through the Home page of this blog. Also see Led by the Spirit and my daughter's poem called "The Glory of God," as well as this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Recognizing Jesus

Today I want to share with you about the time that two of Jesus' disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33). This was immediately following Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. They were sad, because they did not understand what had happened to Jesus. As Jesus walked up to them and began traveling with them, they did not recognize Him.

How is it the disciples could not recognize Jesus? They had seen Him many times before and knew what He looked like. Did Jesus change His appearance, or did He change their ability to recognize Him? What changed – them or Him?

The Scriptures give us the answer: “But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.” (Luk 24:16). You see, it was their ability to recognize Him that was changed. Later, He enabled them to recognize Him. It says, “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.” (Luk 24:31). So the Lord has the ability to prevent us from recognizing Him when He is present, and He also has the ability to open our eyes to recognize Him as well.

Just as with these disciples, there are times when He allows us to sense Him in a very tangible way. When He does, it's absolutely wonderful and reaffirms our faith. Yet even when we don’t recognize Him, He is always with us as believers. He said, “And I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20). We walk by faith, not by sight or by feelings. During those times when we don't feel Him with us, we should dial up that awareness of His presence by faith. We need to trust that He lives in our hearts and will never leave us nor forsake us. 

And when He lives in your heart, you want to share Him with others around you. You do this with a combination of words and actions. The question is, when was the last time someone recognized Jesus in you? 

Since Jesus can open people's eyes to recognize Him, then He can just as easily open their eyes to recognize Him in us. So why not begin to pray this for specific people in your life, like your family and friends. You can even pray this for the people you have brief interactions with in the market place. You may not have time to sit and share the gospel with some people. But you can pray that during your brief time with them, such as at the check out line, that Jesus would enable them to recognize Him in you. Then live your life in such a way that they will see your good deeds and glorify the Father in heaven.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord, which are available through the Home page of this blog. Also see my daughter's poem called "The Glory of God," and this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Times of Refreshing in the Presence of the Lord

The Lord Jesus promised to be with His people always, when He said, "And I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mt 28:20). It's true that we do not always physically sense Him with us. But there are times when He allows us to sense His presence, and it is so wonderful!

The apostle Peter said, "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; (Act 3:19). I cannot imagine what life would be like without the presence of the Lord. It would be so empty. And if I knew that I would never again sense the presence of the Lord, it would be the worst possible thing that could ever happen. It would be terrifying. I would be hopeless and devastated.

I have experienced the sweet presence of the Lord so many times during the past 24 years of walking with Him that I cannot remember them all. Sometimes I sense his presence when I am in worship or prayer, and other times it may be when I am interacting with someone, such as while I am praying for them and they are physically present or on the phone with me. I’ve experienced His presence when I am preaching and teaching, when I am leading someone to Christ, and when someone is praying for me. I have also sensed His presence sometimes when a brother or sister in the Lord shares with me a word of knowledge or prophecy the Lord has given them for me. Here are some of the times of refreshing that I have personally experienced in the presence of the Lord.

September 28, 2006 – While on a missions trip to Ukraine, we visited a poor family’s farm in Nezhen. I had a word from the Lord for the hostess and felt the presence of the Lord as I gave it.

April 2007 - I sensed the presence of the Lord as I shared Jesus with an invalid lady, named Merle, who was wasting away in across the hall from my mother's room at Hanover Hill Nursing home. I prayed with her to invite Jesus into her heart as her Lord and Savior. When I came back the next day, the nurse thanked me for visiting her, and told me that she died less than ten minutes after I left her room. Praise God! 

December 7, 2008 – We attended a worship meeting at Hungarian Free Christian Fellowship in Budapest for the first time. In the meeting, the worship was free and vibrant. I sensed the presence of God immediately as the worship began.

April 5, 2009 – After the worship meeting, I had a great talk with my brother in the Lord, Gabor G. He prayed for me regarding support. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.

May 26, 2009 - While on a missions trip to Bulgaria, we had a great time of worship in Hisar. I taught on Multiplication and felt the presence of the Lord while I was teaching. Almost everyone stood to respond at the end of the message. They all want to multiply disciples and be fruitful for the Lord.

May 29, 2009 - I called my mother. She is doing ok. We talked for a while. She didn’t sound good at all. I could tell she is having difficulty talking, because her shortness of breath. I prayed for her healing and felt the presence of the Lord all over me. She was making strange sounds as I prayed, almost like weak little gasps or yells made with a quivering voice. I asked her afterward how she felt when I prayed and she said, “Good.” I went over her spiritual readiness again, and she is trusting in Jesus. I encouraged her regarding heaven and the Lord being with her right now through all this.

November 12, 2009 – My brother in the Lord, Joe Bauer, pointed out that the Hebrews consider the number 13 a blessed number. So he felt I am doubly blessed to have been born again on Feb 13 and my son Joseph was born on Feb 13. I felt the presence of the Lord as he said that.

August 2010 – My dear friend "Victor" called me to tell me that they got their official refugee status from the government, after 15 years. We had prayed for them for over a year that they would be granted this status. After our phone call ended, I rejoiced, praised God, and wept in the presence of the Lord.

September 26, 2010 - Praise God. We visited the International Church of Budapest this morning in Budapest, Hungary. We saw "Victor" there, and he showed me the refugee documents he has been given. And the ambassador to Nigeria decided to celebrate the anniversary of his country's independence at the church. It was great. He is a believer, too, and he read form God's word as well. A group of Nigerian singers got up and sang a worship song in one of the Nigerian dialects, which was great! I felt the presence of the Lord.

November 20, 2010 – Watched a video of a little girl telling the story of Jonah and felt the presence of the Lord as I watched it.

March 18, 2011 - Met with David at Spiller café in Gazdagret. It was excellent. He was very open to the things I shared with him about creation vs. evolution. Felt the presence of the Lord as I was sharing. It seemed that some of the examples I was using were hitting the mark. They seemed like words of knowledge, because he related to them and said they had actually happened to him.

May 21, 2011 - We visited a church in Hungary for the first time. At the end of the worship meeting, they were praying for the sick. The pastor asked me to come up and pray for a young lady, named Noémi, who had come forward with her mother for prayer. Her mother told me that the young lady had an obstruction in her chest that kept her from breathing freely. I prayed and sensed the presence of the Lord. I asked her if she felt better and she said she did. I asked her to take some deep breaths and she did. I asked if she felt anything while I was praying and she said, “A warmth.” Then we just took a minute to praise and thank the Lord for His healing. I confirmed that the next day she was completely healed, according to her parents.

July 10, 2011 - I felt the presence of the Lord upon me as I taught on the Supremacy of Christ at church. It felt like power from on high.

Putting it All Together
Since July of 2011, I have continued to sense the presence of the Lord more and more, as I seek His face and cry out in repentance.  The testimonies that I have written down since then are very numerous.  God is so good.  And I am so unworthy of His love, but very grateful that He cares so much about me.

If you have never sensed the presence of the Lord before, perhaps you have never come to know Him personally as your Lord and Savior and you have never invited Him into your heart. In a moment I will tell you how you can know Him.

But there may be someone else reading this who does know Him, yet you have never sensed His presence, perhaps you have never been baptized in His Holy Spirit. I want to encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Then wait upon Him in faith, receiving what you have prayed for. If you ask the Heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit, He will give you this gift (Mat 3:11; Mar 1:8; Luk 3:16; 24:49; Joh 1:26, 33; Ac 2:4, 33, 38; 10:45; 11:17). He knows how to give good gifts to His children. And when you receive the Holy Spirit, don’t rely on a feeling to confirm whether you have received it. You may feel Him or you may not feel anything at all. But receive Him by faith and praise Him for it.

If you know the Lord and have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, you have probably personally experienced His glorious presence. But maybe it’s been a long time since you have physically felt His presence. One thing we should do in this situation is to check our hearts and ask the Lord if there is anything in my life that is displeasing to the Lord. Is there any sin in your life that is not confessed? Is there anyone that you have not forgiven? If so, then God cannot forgive your sin! You need to release that person and forgive them. If you have done something to grieve or quench the Holy Spirit, you will not sense His presence again until you repent and ask the Lord to forgive you. But once you ask and receive His forgiveness, then He will be able to shower the Holy Spirit on you once again.

If you know you are right with God and you are walking in the Light, but it has been a while since you sensed His presence, then let me encourage you today to spend time with Him daily. Seek His face. Don’t just look for Him to give you a little touch once a week. Instead, spend time with Him daily. Get into His Word, and read lots of it daily. Pray to the Lord, and wait upon Him. Worship and praise Him, thanking Him for His many blessings in your life, including His presence. And ask Him to release His presence in your life once again. Tell Him you can’t live without it, and let Him know how much you need and desire to feel Him near. I assure you that you will receive what you ask for, if you seek Him with all your heart.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog, such as Practicing the Presence of the Lord, which are available through the Home page of this blog. Also see my daughter's poem called "The Glory of God," and this song about His presence by Mercy Me, called Here with Me. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org. 

Practicing the Presence of the Lord

Probably one of our favorite verses in the Bible is Ps. 27:4, which talks about the presence of God, particularly the experience of it, seeking it, dwelling in it and gazing upon the beauty of the Lord. The Psalmist proclaims: "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: 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 meditate in His temple." (Psa 27:4)

On one hand, as believers, we know God is always with us. He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In fact, our Lord Jesus has assured us, "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt 28:20).

On the other hand, experiencing His presence or having an awareness of it is another thing. There have been times in our own lives where God has “graced” us with a strong awareness of His presence, even when we were not necessarily seeking it. At other times, it is something we have to seek, and we believe that the Lord wants us to seek His presence at all times. This is commanded throughout Scripture in various ways. Ps. 105:4 “Seek His face always,” and in the New Testament, it’s essentially referred to as walking by or keeping in step with the Spirit.

In fact, walking in the presence of God is an essential part of that love relationship with God (loving Him with all your heart, soul, and strength) that leads to obedience. Of course, Jesus walked in an awareness of the presence of the Father while on earth.

Walking in the presence of God is not by any means something we have mastered, nor that we always seek to do. But we did do some research a while back on a person in history who continuously and successfully sought to practice and develop an awareness of the presence of God.

Brother Lawrence was a French monk, who lived during the seventeenth century. Most of us can relate to this man, because his job in the monastery was in the kitchen cooking. In the midst of seemingly menial jobs, like peeling potatoes and baking breads, he invited the presence of God.

Lawrence carried out such Biblical commands as:

• abiding in the vine (Jn. 15)
• working at all things as unto the Lord, not for men (Col. 3:23)
• giving thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes. 5:18)
• praying on all occasions (Eph. 6:18)
• fixing one’s eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2)
• taking every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5)
• and countless others

As we cultivate the presence of God in our daily lives, which grows out of our daily time with the Lord, our lives will not stay the same. It will change what we do and how we do it. We will find great pleasure in it. And when temptation comes along, we probably won’t give in because we’ll be in a place of submission to God and we won’t want to grieve Him and forfeit the pleasure of being with Him.

The Scriptures have a lot to say about the presence of the Lord and its importance in our daily lives. Here are a few passages:

Some Go Out from the Presence of the Lord
Adam and Eve after they fell into sin: They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Gen 3:8)

Cain after he murdered his brother: Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Gen 4:16)

Satan when he went to harm Job: Then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:12)

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (Job 2:7)

Jonah when he disobeyed the Lord: But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. (Jon 1:3)

Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. (Jon 1:10)

We Should Function in the Presence of the Lord
Isaac blessed Jacob in the presence of the Lord: 'Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.' (Gen 27:7)

The Israelites crossed the Jordan in the Lord’s presence to possess the promised land: Moses said to them, "If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, everyone who is armed for battle, will cross with you over the Jordan in the presence of the LORD, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; but if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan." The sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, saying, "As the LORD has said to your servants, so we will do. "We ourselves will cross over armed in the presence of the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us across the Jordan." (Num 32:29-32)

The Israelites possessed the land by the light of God’s presence: For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them. (Psa 44:3)

The Israelites ate in the presence of the Lord: "You shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. (Deu 14:23)

The Israelites ate in the presence of the Lord: "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. (Deu 14:26)

The Priests Offered Incense in the Presence of the Lord: and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the LORD tomorrow; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!" (Num 16:7)

Moses and the Israelites stood in the presence of the Lord: but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God and with those who are not with us here today (Deu 29:15)

We Should Seek the Presence of the Lord Above All Else
Moses refused to go anywhere without the presence of the Lord: Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. (Exo 33:15)

David sought the presence of the Lord: Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the LORD. And the LORD said, "It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death." (2Sa 21:1)

We should pour out our hearts and lift up our hands in the Lord’s presence
"Arise, cry aloud in the night At the beginning of the night watches; Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your little ones Who are faint because of hunger At the head of every street." (Lam 2:19)

The Lord sets us in His presence
He hides those who fear Him in the secret place of His presence: How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. (Psa 31:19-20)

He sets us in His presence: As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me in Your presence forever. (Psa 41:12)

We should dwell in God’s presence
Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; The upright will dwell in Your presence. (Psa 140:13)

We Should Repent in His Presence and Times of Refreshing Come from His Presence
You have placed our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence. (Psa 90:8)

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; (Act 3:19)

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (Jas 4:10)

There is fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psa 16:11)

For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence. (Psa 21:6)

You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. (Isa 9:3)

'YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.' (Act 2:28)

The Presence of the Lord is a Dangerous Place for the Wicked
And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. (Lev 10:2)

Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the LORD and died. (Lev 16:1)

The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders. (Lam 4:16)

As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! (Isa 64:2)

Mountains quake and melt like wax in the presence of the Lord
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (Psa 97:5)

Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Your presence-- (Isa 64:1)

When You did awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. (Isa 64:3)

The Wicked Will be Shut Out of the Lord’s Presence
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, (2Th 1:9)

The Lord can cast us away from his presence
Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psa 51:11)

You, even You, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? (Psa 76:7)

There is no placed we can go to flee from God’s presence
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? (Psa 139:7)

Access to His Presence
Jesus tore the veil to the Holiest Place from top to bottom, giving us access to His presence as part of His finished work on Calvary

”And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.” (Mat 27:50-51)

“He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30)

Putting it All Together
Some go out from the presence of the Lord in order to sin or try to hide their sin, but not the righteous.  We should always function in the presence of the Lord.  We should seek the presence of the Lord above all else.  We should pour out our hearts and lift up our hands in the Lord’s presence.  The Lord sets us in His presence, so we should dwell there continually.

Walking in the presence of God is an essential part of that love relationship with God (loving Him with all your heart, soul, and strength) that leads to obedience. We should repent and humble ourselves in His presence, so that times of refreshing will come.

There is fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord.  And for every one who comes with a contrite heart, seeking forgiveness, there is mercy and grace.

Mountains quake and melt like wax in the presence of the Lord. The wicked that do not repent will be shut out of the Lord’s presence.  The Lord can cast us away from his presence, which is why we should be so grateful for His mercy and not take it for granted.

There is no placed we can go to flee from God’s presence.

The Lord has torn the veil of the temple from top to bottom.  That means He has made a way, giving us access to His presence in the Holiest Place! He said on the cross, “It is done!”  So there’s nothing more needed.

We should ask the Lord to let His presence fall on us. We should seek His face. We should long to be found in His embrace.

As we cultivate the presence of God in our daily lives, which grows out of our daily time with the Lord, it will change what we do and how we do it.  We will find great pleasure in it. And when temptation comes along, we probably won’t give in because we’ll be in a place of submission to God and we won’t want to grieve Him and forfeit the pleasure of being with Him both now in this life and forever.

-- Len and Jennifer Lacroix

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Photo used by permission from John Tussey.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page of this blog, such as Walking in the Light of His Presence. Also see my daughter's poem, called "The Glory of God." You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.