God's Fullness - His Presence Within

 

We have the opportunity to enjoy the richest measure of God's presence in our life. He is already there, but we often ignore Him, or fail to seek Him out more than during a few moments of devotion a day.

God wants to fill us with all of His fullness. He desires to flood our entire body, soul and spirit with the richest measure of His Presence (Ephesians 3:16-20, Amplified Bible).

He starts to work in us the moment we come to Him for salvation. Then He commissions us to carry out His purpose in our life (Ephesians 2:10).

God wants to do more for us and in us than we could ever imagine, dream, desire or hope. He will do it too, if we simply surrender every area of our life to Him.

He not only gives us strength to live each day, but He also fortifies that strength with all the unrestricted resources and mighty power available to us through His Holy Spirit, who is abiding in our body, His Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19; Philippians 2:12-13; Ephesians 3:16).

Jesus Christ actually lives in our spirit by our faith in His finished work on Calvary's Cross, so that the love of God will firmly unite us to Him with its power (Ephesians 3:17).

Our life will follow God's path of fulfillment, and we will receive God's intense and continual love from Him, His Body and our family and friends, who He brings into our life.

Our sinful desires melt away like wax. We cannot boast in the presence of God, because we do not earn it, it is a free gift (Psalm 68:2; 1 Corinthians 1:29). We reverence His presence in our life and value Him and His Word more than all the riches of this world (Psalm 19:10).

Prayer:

Father God, the power and authority of Christ increases in us as we decrease the hold we have over our life; so help us to totally surrender to and trust in You. You promise never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). You will continually abide in us regardless of our thoughts, words or actions, even though w e may grieve Your Spirit.

Over the years of our service to You, make Your presence more real to us each day and help us to abide in You each moment of our day (John 15:4-5). Help us to send the roots of our faith deeper into Your love, so that we can willingly serve You with our whole life.

Thought for the Day:

God gives us the richest portion of His love, and fills us completely with His divine presence; flooding every fiber of our body, soul and spirit with Himself.

- Ephesians 3:19, Amplified

 

A Soul's Rest

 

True life begins when we surrender our life to God. Even Jesus cried out from His soul for God to save Him from the hour of His crucifixion (John 12:27). Yet, it is a good thing for us that He surrendered to God’s will. When we surrender to God, sin is disgusting to us (2 Peter 2:8). We are foreigners and exiles in this world. At the top of our priority list, is seeking God’s Kingdom. He provides for all of our needs (Matthew 6:33). Our soul revels in its rest, because the Lord is always good to us (Psalm 116:7).

If we hide sin in our heart, God cannot hear our prayers; but if we live in His righteousness, He pays attention to our prayers. He satisfies our longing and He fills our hungry soul. To authentic Born Again Believers, His loving kindness is better than anything this world has to offer. He will not turn away from us or withhold His love from us. He will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). We praise Him with our lips for as long as we live (Psalm 63:2-5, 107:9).

Paul encourages us to keep our whole spirit, soul and body blameless until the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Jesus teaches us to love God with all of our mind, choices, emotions and strength (Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27). When Mary found out she would give birth to Jesus, our Savior, her soul glorified the Lord (Luke 1:46). As we walk in God’s will for our life, we also live a life of praise to His name. We cease from our own labors, and our soul enters God’s rest (Hebrews 4:10).

Many spend their lifetime working for their self and then for God, but blessed are those who learn to cease from our labors and enter God’s Sabbath rest. God gave us this example when He rested from His works after His monumental feat of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). We keep each day holy for Him (Exodus 20:8-11). His presence goes with us and insures that we rest in Him (Exodus 33:14). Even if our flesh and our heart falter, God strengthens our heart, because He is our portion for eternity (Psalm 73:26).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that life on this earth is not an end in itself, but merely an opportunity to choose eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our soul is capable of becoming distressed and discouraged (Psalm 42:5). Yet, our soul praises You, who are the only One who can truly encourage our soul (Psalm 42:6 & 11; 3:1, 104:1). Our soul finds rest in You, because You are always good to us (Psalm 62:1-2). Help us to live our whole live, in every endeavor You lead us to accomplish, to the praise and the glory of Your name (Psalm 103:22; Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

The soul that finds its rest in God matures to the point of abstaining from sinful desires, because they no longer appeal to us in any way. - 1 Peter 2:11