His Presence

March 13, 2016

Devotions:

        Part of the doctrine of God is that He is ever present, omni-present.  He is throughout all of creation.  Many think that God's presence is scary, that He is looking for anyway to judge them and harm them.  But God's desire is to bless and not curse       

        “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “ and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”  ‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18:23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

        In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is dealing with the apostasy of Israel over 700 years.  God was allowing them to be taken into captivity in Babylon.  In chapter 10 of Ezekiel there is the account of the glory of God leaving the temple in Jerusalem.  The Israelites were use to the presence of the Lord, His glory residing in the temple since Solomon had dedicated it.  The Jews were feeling abandoned so the last verse in the book of Ezekiel proclaims Yahweh Shama, the LORD who is there. 

        “All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.””  ‭Ezekiel‬ ‭48:35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

        The Lord's presence is our blessing.  In the revelation of the name before this, the LORD our righteousness means that we can stand in the presence of God without any fear, guilt, condemnation, shame or failure.  Because Jesus paid for all our sins then there is nothing God finds offensive in us.  Because God was with Joseph, he succeeded when sold into slavery. He succeed when thrown into prison so much so that he was promoted to be the second most powerful person in the most powerful nation on earth at that time.  God's presence with Moses was the reason for his success leading over one million people out of slavery.  God's presence was the reason for David's success in unifying a nation and conquering the promised land. 

        “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”  ‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

        “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””  ‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

        “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” ‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

        God has said that as our God He would manifest to us in these seven ways.