Practicing the Presence of God, Part 1 (sermon notes)

WOW, what a wonderful service we had on Sunday!
The best attendance for Labor Day weekend I've ever seen!
I wish I would have got some photos from the Water Baptisms.
We had the privilege of celebrating with Debbie Nosik and Joel Mesman.
And the Veterans prayed over Josh Spencer as he leaves for boot camp...AND...

Today I’m beginning a new sermon series entitled PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Have you ever heard of Brother Lawrence?
He is the author of a classic book on Practical Christian Devotion…In it he shared the spiritual secrets of a humble brother who enjoyed closeness with God…
He is probably most known for his pilgrim’s prayer…LORD of all pots and pans and things…Make me a saint by getting meals And washing up the plates!
Brother Lawrence was able to turn even the most commonplace and menial task into a living hymn to the glory of God!
No conceited scholar was Brother Lawrence; theological and doctrinal debates bored him, if he noticed them at all. His one desire was for communion with God…You would find him worshipping more in his kitchen than in his cathedral…

1 day a week we gather together as Christians…Some of us show up 2x and week…and then there are special times when we get together even more in Jesus name…
But what about the rest of the week?
Are we Practicing the Presence of God everyday?
I don’t believe in religion…I believe in a relationship with Jesus, and that’s a 24/7 commitment…

So in this sermon series I plan to give some practical advice in Living everyday with Jesus, Practicing the Presence of God…
Beginning with,
1. for the Love of God

Whatever happens with your days, your moments, your words, actions, priorities…the everyday commitments…
going to your job, mowing your lawn, caring for the kids, etc.
Is it for the Love of God?
Now, I’m not talking about, earning God’s love
Jesus already took care of that on the cross
I’m talking about your motivation?

If I were to tap you on the shoulder, while your standing over that sink of dishes or cleaning that house or filing those papers or playing with your family or visiting the doctor…
If I were to ask you, right now in this activity what is your motivation…those who practice the Presence of God would answer…FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Obviously when we are reading the word of God or having a time of focused prayer it is practicing His presence, it is for the love of God…but, don’t leave Him there and go do your living…Let Him be with you in the ordinary…

Deuteronomy 6:5 says Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength…
Everything…For the love of God

Deuteronomy 30:20 says and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to Him…For the LORD is your life
Everything…For the love of God

Joshua 23:11 says so be very careful to love the Lord your God
Everything…For the Love of God

Psalm 42:8 says by day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life
Everything…For the Love of God

Hosea 12:6 says But you must return to God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God Always
Everything…for the love of God

Micah 6:8 says what does the Lord require of you? to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God
Everything…for the love of God

Luke 10:27, Jesus summed up all of scripture: Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself
Everything…for the love of God

I’ve been on a special diet and exercise program working toward a truly healthy lifestyle…God has always whispered for me to make better choices in this area…
Marion Smith, penned these words entitled Special Diet
Our daughter's boyfriend, Trey had been diagnosed with diabetes when he was just 25 years old. After having eaten any way he wanted for his entire life, conforming to a special diet for diabetics was a difficult transition. His carbohydrate and sugar intakes had to be measured and monitored, and food needed to be eaten every so many hours. What he put into his body would make the difference between living healthy and possibly not living at all! I believe our thoughts are our soul's food. The things we think about are the things we feed upon. Are our thoughts self centered, self promoting, self gratifying, self righteous, self-indulgent and self-absorbed? If so, we will live a very shallow and obviously self centered life. God calls us to feed our souls with thoughts of Him. How? By taking the words in the Bible and reading them not only silently, but out loud. We can internalize them much more efficiently when we use both methods of reading. His call to love others and His marvelous promises arein the Word for us to eat and internalize into the depths of our beings so let's hurry to the feast table, and dine on His Special Diet waiting for us.

Can you say amen?
If you said amen, then with God’s help you may need to start making better choices this week…Everything…For the Love of God…

Practicing The Presence of God
1. For the Love of God
2. Without Being Discouraged

Proverbs 24:16 says for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again

I don’t believe you have to count to seven and then give up!
The point is…
Never Give up!
I can guarantee you, that if you make the commitment to Practice the Presence of God…you will drift daily…You will never become perfect…
SO, this is a lifetime achievement
this is preparation for all eternity in His presence!

Practice the Presence of God: Without being discouraged...it's a choice!
you fall down then you get up again
you fall down then you get up again
Every day is a new beginning
Every moment is a new beginning
No matter where you’ve been
No matter what you’ve done
You can begin again
IN JESUS NAME

Look at the front of your bulletin
Lamentations 3:21-25…
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him;”

I received an email this week regarding AG news and info, as I often do, it contained this short article…
At 95, Ellen Blackwell is still involved in full-time ministry. She is senior pastor of Way of Faith Assembly of God in Fairfax, Virginia. She also travels 90 minutes one way every Sunday afternoon to preach at Mount Zion Assembly of God in Charles Town, West Virginia. Blackwell planted Way of Faith AG in 1970. "I went through the school of hard knocks and experience," she says.She says her main focus is training young people for the ministry. Gokul Raaj, 28, has attended Way of Faith AG for two years and considers Blackwell a spiritual role model. "When I see her at this age able to speak up and stand for God, I think how much I can do for God when I am so young," Raaj says. "She has enabled me to see a greater depth and truth in the Word of God." She also has compiled verse-by-verse study manuals for books of the New Testament and is nearing completion on books of the Old Testament. This year the Potomac District recognized Blackwell for 50 years of ministry as an ordained minister. "She is one of the people that I esteem the highest in our district," says Potomac District Superintendent Larry Hickey. Way of Faith AG church has developed a prayer center in Israel in Galilee. Blackwell goes at least annually to lead tour groups. She plans to go in September and December this year. Blackwell, who is single, doesn't have plans to stop working. "I would be miserable to retire," she says.

After reading this article, now I know Pastor and Mrs. Short might just outlast me in full-time ministry…

Practicing the Presence of God
1. For the Love of God
2. Without being Discouraged
3…this one is much easier said than done…To receive equally from His Hand the sweet and bitter

Everyday carries some sweetness and some bitterness...
To Practice His Presence requires such a surrender that you thank Him for both…
Remember what James said?
chapter 1 verse 2
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day.And I don't borrow from the sunshine, 'Cause the skies might turn to gray. And I don't worry about the future, 'Cause I know what Jesus said, And today I'm gonna walk right beside him,'Cause he's the one who knows what is ahead. There are things about tomorrow, That I don't seem to understand, But I know who holds tomorrow, And I know who holds my hand. And each step is getting brighter, As the golden stairs I climb. And every burden is getting lighter, And all the clouds, their silver line. And, I'll bet the sun it's always shining, And no tears will ever dim the eye, And the ending of the rainbow, Where the mountains, they touch the sky. There are many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand, But I know who holds tomorrow, And I know who holds my hand. Yes I know who holds my hand.