ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING - PART 1

Pray, Give Thanks And Let God Worry - Martin Luther

Philippians 4:6 is one of the most straightforward commands in Scripture, but one of the hardest to fulfill. Yet if we believe in the inspiration of Scripture, the originator of this verse is none other than the Holy Spirit.

How can God expect us to be anxiety free? He must have a reason. He wouldn’t tell us to do something that’s impossible to do. No, the rationale for this imperative comes in the words that follow. The reason we can be anxious for nothing is that our prayers, petitions, and requests can be given over to God in the spirit of GRATITUDE. Prayer with thanksgiving gives us rock-solid assurance that our anxieties are unfounded.

It is possible for a worshiper who is practicing the presence of God daily to be able to manage all his fears, anxieties and stresses. How is this possible? The answer is found in the presence of God. When you are in the presence of God, there is JOY and “The Joy of the Lord is your strength”! That is why Paul is able to give us a command in Philippians 4:4 to “REJOICE in the Lord always. I will say it again: REJOICE!” In fact a worshiper who is practicing the presence of God will be able to stay calmed in any situations because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). And the result is having "the peace of God" (Philippians 4:7) in midst of all circumstances.

Can I challenge you further on the spirit of thankfulness, gratitude and rejoicing?

1) Colossians 3:15-17"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."Be thankful - that is not a suggestion; it is a command. In all that we do we need to be guided by two principles: doing it "in the name of the Lord Jesus" and "giving thanks to God through Him"

2) Ephesians 5:19
"... speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."When you are full of the Holy Spirit you will continually give God thanks. In fact, you can measure the fullness of the Spirit within you partly by the spirit of a thankful heart. When you cease to do so, it is one sure indication you are beginning to leak out

3) 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"... in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."What is the will of God in Christ Jesus? To give thanks in everything. So if you are not giving thanks, as we have already seen, you are actually out of the will of God.

GRATITUDE is an attitude that if it isn't flowing naturally now, should be cultivated zealously. Practice it often, and it will soon become as natural as breathing.

Have a joyous and victorious week!
TPWC

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD - PART 3

"How lovely is your dwelling place, 
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God."
Psalm 84:1-2
David, the shepherd-king of Israel, knew the secret of practicing the presence of God; his psalms clearly attest to that fact. I am constantly inspired and encouraged by the life and example of King David. If someone as thoroughly human and flawed as he could enjoy intimate fellowship with God, then I know there is hope for all of us! David made many mistakes – he was an adulterer, a murderer, and a less than effective father – yet in spite of these failings, he was a man of great faith who loved the Lord with all his heart. 
The phrase “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) is a beautiful description of a person who enjoys an intimate relationship with God, and it fit David perfectly. Just samplings from the Psalms reveal s the power and quality of this relationship from David’s perspective:

“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” – Psalm 5:3

“Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.” – Psalm 25:4-5

“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.” – Psalm 27:4

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make it’s boast in the Lord; the humble will heart and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together … O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” – Psalm 34:1-3, 8

“For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.” – Psalm 61:3-4

“My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation.” – Psalm 62:1
God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirst for You, my flesh yearns for You, I a dry and weary land where there is no water … Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You … When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.” – Psalm 63:1,3,6

Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” - Psalm 86:11

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." – Psalm 91:1-2

“Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways … How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! … Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me is the everlasting way.” – Psalm 139:1-3, 17, 23-24

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; my soul longs for You, as a parched land.” - Psalm 143:5-6

“On the glorious splendour of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.” – Psalm 145:5
Dwelling in God, seeking God, thinking of God, waiting in quietness before the Lord – all of these descriptions are related to Practicing The Presence Of God. I think King David summed it up well when he wrote, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."
God created us for intimate relationship with Him, and we will never be satisfied with anything less. David knew this; that’s why he loved and pursued God will all his heart. The Lord has called us to do the same. . That is our purpose and our destiny.
(an extract from: The Lost Art of Practicing His Presence by James W. Goll)

Blessed week!
TPWC

PRACTISING THE PRESENCE OF GOD - PART 2

" ... In Your presence is fullness of joy; 
in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." - Psalm 16:11

How Do We Practice The Presence Of God?

Practising His presence begins in our daily walk. While living out the demands of the day, we are filled with an inwardworship and adoration. In the course of each day you need to begin to discipline yourself to make melody to the Lord. Begin to make melody in your heart to the Lord. It doesn’t happen. You have to start it … begin to sing to the Lord in the spirit no mater where, no matter when, no matter what the situation.
Maybe you do not play an instrument or sing. But you must say to yourself, “I am a worshiper.” Seek God as to how He desires you to worship Him. Believe it or not, for some it will be through your job that you worship Him. Your work will be such an excellent testimony and example that your co-workers will speak well or your work long after you are gone (Read Acts 9:36, 37a & 39a). Worship for many others may be through service at home and the care of what God has placed in your hands. Whatever it may be purpose in your heart to do it with all your hearts!
Let us look at Ephesians 6:18. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” You see, if you practice His presence when you are by yourself, it is not so hard to sense the presence of God when you come together with other believers. As part of being adisciplined worshiper and a disciplined life of worship, we begin to practice the presence of God. Have you ever been out somewhere when you suddenly felt like praying in the spirit? Sometime I am just walking along and all of a sudden the presence of God is there. It’s just as real as if someone were walking next to me. Then I find myself praying in the spirit. That is practising the presence of God. You may be driving along and suddenly notice the presence of God there and begin to worship Him. You begin to practice the presence of God. You may be at home sitting and watching TV, and you feel His presence is there. Turn off the TV. It takes discipline. (I think it goes without saying that TV is one primary tools of the enemy. There are many programs out there now that will really leave you vexed in your spirit).
There are other things that God may be speaking to you right now. You need to make a decision to be disciplined in a certain area or let a certain thing go if you want to move into where the Levities, the sons of Zadok (Ezekiel 44:15-16), were and come in and minster to Him unhindered.
"The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests ...They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship." (Ezekiel 44:15-16 CEV)This is where we want to be - because we have lived the disciplined life of a worshiper, because we choose to practice the presence of God, we can enter into His presence unhindered.
But it is a matter of setting aside the time to get into God's presence and to practice His presence. When you learn to practice His presence, you know God is there. You know when He is moving. And, because of that, when more than one of us comes with a holy expectancy, it changes the whole atmosphere of the room.
(an extract from: The 2nd Flood - The Discipline of Worship by John W. Stevens)

Blessings

TPWC

PRACTISING THE PRESENCE OF GOD

"Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24)
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.

He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today."For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."

You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of His children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give detailed account of his life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Gensis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!
What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.
Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.
An extract from TGIF (Today God Is First Vol 2 - May 28) by Os Hillman
Blessings - TPWC

ARE YOU A WORSHIPPER? (PART 2)

WHAT IS TRUE WORSHIP?
"A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers.
God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality)." - John 4:23-24 (Amplified Bible)
There is so much within these verses. First, notice the Father is seeking (yearning, longing) such to worship. Secondly, He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Let's consider a typical corporate worship service. We come into a service and the worship leader leads us some fast praise songs followed by some slow worship songs, then we begin to flow into the "river of worship" with some chord progressions. So when you say worship, to most believers the first thing that comes to mind is slow songs sung in a service.

WHAT THEN IS TRUE WORSHIP?
The first time you find worship in the Bible is in Genesis 22. It reads:
And Abraham said to his servants, Settle down and stay here with the donkey, and I and the young man will go yonder and worship and come again to you. - Genesis 22:5 (Amplified Bible)
Abraham was not going up yonder to sing a slow song with Isaac. He was going up there to put the most treasured possession in his life to death, simply because God asked him to do it! So you can see worship is a life of obedience. This explains why God passionately says to His own people who were singing songs to Him:
Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. Amos 5:23-24 (New Living Translation)

WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE WE MAINTAIN!
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual (reasonable) act of worship.Romans 12:1 (New Internation Version)
"Worship is an act of obedience of the heart. It is a response that requires the very core of who you are, to love the Lord for who He is, not just for what He does." - Darlene Zschech
Worship is not a matter of skill and technique. It is not confined to just singing some songs during a weekend church service. It is a LIFESTYLE and daily experience. True worship flows from the life of one who has an intimate relationship with God.
Blessings
TPWC