Feb 1, 2022
In Psalm 31, David introduces us to the phrase “the secret of your presence.” He writes, “Oh, how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of your presence from the plots of man; you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Psalm 31:19-20, NKJV).
David is saying something very profound here. In the Old Testament, the presence of the Lord was associated with the ark. Israel believed that wherever the ark was, God’s presence was there, so wherever the people traveled, they took the ark along with them. We see an example of this faith concerning the Lord’s presence with the ark in 1 Samuel 4.
The devil greatly fears the Lord’s presence in our lives. He trembles at the very thought of a believer’s nearness to Christ. When his demonic hordes see you praying each day in the presence of your heavenly Father, all hell cries out, “God is with this believer. This one has the divine presence. What can we do against such?”
This is why Satan will do everything in his power to rob you of the Lord’s presence in your life. It’s why he wants to bog down your soul in doubt and fear. He wants you drained of all strength, and he’ll use anything he can, even ‘good’ things, to keep you away from spending time alone with Jesus. He knows your time with Christ makes you victorious over the fears and anxieties of this age.
The Word of God tells us we can pray without ceasing. This is unspoken prayer, anywhere, any time. I have come to believe that my most important prayers are those quiet whispers of thanksgiving that I offer to him all through the day. This keeps me in constant awareness of the Spirit.
All true strength comes from drawing near to the Lord. The measure of our strength is proportionate to our nearness to him. All the strength we’re ever going to need will come only through our secret life of prayer. If we’ll just draw near to Christ, he will draw near to us, giving us a fresh supply of strength daily. This is the secret of his presence!
Jan 28, 2022
When a prophet comes with a message of warning, often people want the prophet to give them specific advice about what to do in response. At times, God gives the prophet a word; but more often, it is up to every man of God to take the word into account for his own family. Just as a pastor has stewardship of the church, a man of God is to give an account of his own family.
Joseph heard God say to store up food for the season to come (see Genesis 41). Moses heard God say to receive gifts from the Egyptians for their journey (see Exodus12). We can also hear from God for our situation. Sheep do hear the Shepherd’s voice. Jesus will not only guide his people and comfort his flock but will also give them boldness and a heart to serve those troubled by afflictions.
The wisdom of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians speaks most to what we need. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:15-18, NKJV).
We can hear from God. We must evaluate our own lives. Are we sitting on the fence? This is no time for compromise or close affiliation with the world. Partying in the house of an Egyptian on the night of the Passover is definitely not a good idea.
A prophet once came to Paul and prophesied that if he went to Jerusalem he would be bound and put in prison. The prophet was faithful to give his word; it was up to Paul to hear from God about how to deal with that warning. Paul still decided to go to Jerusalem. He was willing to risk his life for the gospel (see Acts 21). Some will hear a prophet’s warning and seek their own safety. Others will hear and search out a place to serve where people will need their spiritual strength and compassion.
This troubled time is an opportunity for us to call out to those outside the gate. Shrinking behind a double-locked door or fleeing to a rural farm does our unbelieving neighbor no good! Our desires should be like Christ’s: that all men should flee the wrath to come and find salvation.
Jan 27, 2022
We are to listen carefully to the warnings of the watchmen, but we are not to become obsessed with their warnings. We’re to gather all the knowledge we can about the coming storm so we can prepare our hearts for whatever destruction it brings.
However, we are not to let fear or anxiety consume our thinking, dominate our minds or take hold of our hearts!
Darkness is certainly coming, and judgment is at our very door. As God’s people, though, we cannot allow any cloud of darkness to hide the light of his great promises of love and mercy toward his children. We are to be well informed by the Lord’s words and prophets, but we are not to dwell on prophetic knowledge so much that it takes over our lives.
The devil would love for that to happen. He knows if he can’t get you to doubt God’s Word concerning judgment, he’ll take you to another extreme by driving you to a fearful obsession with perilous times. The deceiver will try to rob you of all hope by consuming you with thoughts of foreboding.
The apostle Paul reassures us about such things with this instruction: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Paul is telling us, “You’ve heard all the warnings. Now simply take heed to what God’s Word reveals and to what his watchmen are saying. Then, finally, fix all your thoughts on Jesus and his goodness.”
I have warned that Christians are going to suffer, that there will be great loss and hardship, and that right now multitudes of precious saints all over the world are enduring unbelievable tribulation. None of these things is the focus of all my energies and ministry. No, the deepest expression of my soul is to proclaim the love of the Father and the tender mercy of our savior Jesus.
I acknowledge the world’s evil, and I grieve over it in my prayer closet; but I know that God alone is in control of all these things. When I go to bed at night, I fix my mind on whatever is pure, noble and praiseworthy.
Jan 27, 2022
An all-star lineup of faith leaders invites you to a historic convention called “The Renewal: Restoring America’s Founding Covenant” to take place Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the 10,000-seat Strawberry Festival Amphitheater in Plant City, Florida, just outside of Tampa.
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