THE PRESENCE

OF GOD STUDIES

By

Irene McGough

http://www.discipleofjesussite.com
Lord show us your glory
Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

This kind of knowledge comes through living in close contact and

personal relationship with the Lord. Knowing God and His Son Jesus is
the heart of eternal life.

We need our own personal revelation with God, and that comes out of
relationship.

God reveals Himself through nature:

Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens

declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.

He reveals Himself through history :

Dan 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the
demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living
may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of
men.

He reveals himself through our conscience :

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a
law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

God's glory is revealed in His Word:

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is

profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
and

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God.

His glory is revealed to us through His Son :

Heb 1:1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image
of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high;

For Jesus Himself said :

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Do you see the desire Moses had for God here?

Exo 33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy
sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find
grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

God answered him.

Exo 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give
thee rest.

See here the beautiful assurance of God’s perpetual guidance and care.

Still though Moses wanted more:

Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.

God answered
Exo 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee,
and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I
will show mercy. Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face:
for there shall no man see me, and live. Exo 33:21 And the LORD
said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a
rock: Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by,
that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my
hand while I pass by:
Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my
back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

David had the same kind of desire:

Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
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 inquire in his temple.

Psa 42:1 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the
hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O
God.
Psa 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I
come and appear before God?

Psa 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for
thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no
water is;
Psa 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the
sanctuary.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall
praise thee.
Psa 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in
thy name.

Paul also had this desire:

Phi 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for
Christ.
Phi 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that
I may win Christ,
Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith:
Phi 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death;

Our entire being should get involved in our quest for beholding God's
glory.

This verse shows what might hinder us in our quest:

Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate.

There is hope though even for the worst of sinners:

Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the
land:

If we really know Him we will choose to do what He wants us to do. We

will talk with Him, freely tell Him what is going on inside us, honestly
admit where we fall short of His expectations, implicitly trust what He
tells us, depend on Him, submit ourselves to Him, obey Him, and
worship Him all because of who we have discovered Him to be.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no
man shall see the Lord:

Our willingness to obey Him helps increase our understanding.

Our desire should be to live to the praise of His glory:

Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in
my prayers,
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye
may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-
ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be
the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

The Holy Spirit increases our understanding and our Knowledge of Him.
We have the promise of the riches of His glory.

Ephesians I believe is a great book for giving us increased understanding

of how to behold His glory.

We are heirs of the Kingdom, and Christ in us is the hope of Glory So we

can have more revelation of God's glory. We need to dwell in His
Presence and seek His Face. Soak in the Presence of the Lord and let His
Spirit lead us into new and fresh revelation of His Glory.

Do you want to tabernacle with God?

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is
fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins,
and I will build it as in the days of old:

Act 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle
of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins
thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all
the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who
doeth all these things.
Act 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of
the world.
Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which
from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Do you know that God is passionate about us? He wants to restore our
relationship with Him, our first love, for us to tabernacle with Him so that
we can truly be an effective and vibrant end times Church that is
reflecting the glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ..

1Sa 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath
sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath
commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not
kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

David was described as a man after God’s own heart. Shouldn’t that be
the desire of our hearts to be men and women of God’s own heart?

God wants each one of us to have a personal relationship with Him. He

does not want us just to know about Him, but to really know Him. He
loves us, He wants to break down the hardness and the barriers we have
built to stop us from getting hurt, the unforgiveness, the bitterness, the
self-consciousness, the anger, etc. He wants to do away with the religion
and bring reality. He wants to take that which is lukewarm and make us
roasting hot, not just for a brief moment, but forever. He wants to bring
something beautiful out of our ashes.

Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Psa 84:1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of
Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
Psa 84:2 My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the
LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Psa 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest
for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD
of hosts, my King, and my God.
Psa 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still
praising thee. Selah.
Psa 84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart
are the ways of them.
Psa 84:6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the
rain also filleth the pools.
Psa 84:7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion
appeareth before God.
Psa 84:8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of
Jacob. Selah.
Psa 84:9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine
anointed.
Psa 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had
rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the
tents of wickedness.
Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give
grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly.
Psa 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

It is Christ we preach, it is Christ we serve. To God be the glory.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Do you see it’s all about Jesus? When we try to do our own thing God
will often shake it, to get our attention. If we reach out to try steady what
God is shaking, this will often end in disaster and confusion. It is
important that we keep close to God every step of the way so that we are
able to hear from Him. We also need His discernment, which that close
relationship will bring. We serve a holy God, and although God wants us
to come into a relationship of love with Him, we should never treat the
things of God lightly. God is also an awesome God. Are our motives
right? God knows, we cannot hide from Him. Do we hunger after God?

Psa 32:1 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose

transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not
iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Psa 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my
roaring all the day long.
Psa 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my
moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I
not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and
thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Psa 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a
time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters
they shall not come nigh unto him.
Psa 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from
trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
Selah.

God is a holy God, He is calling us to be a holy people. It is only 'in

Jesus' that we can come before Him, and be acceptable to Him. When we
come near to His presence we need to develop a holy fear of God - there
is no room for sin, we need to deal with it as God reveals it to us. It is
important that we know Him as our loving Heavenly Father, as our Good
Shepherd, but we also need to develop a reverent awe for Him. He is the
King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe, and the
Saviour of mankind…… . How much are you prepared to pay for the
conditions to be right for the presence of God to come to you?

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God is seeking for people who are prepared to offer their lives as living
sacrifices. That will mean different things for different people, and will
often mean a whole change of lifestyle, but God will give us the grace
whatever the circumstance. God's anointing comes it isn't to give us a
nice warm feeling. There is a world going to a lost eternity - HELL -
unless we are prepared to make a difference .Are we prepared to make
that difference?

We need to fall in love with Jesus. We need to remember and rekindle our
first love, that it may grow ito maturity, and yet also in passion.

Son 2:8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the
mountains, skipping upon the hills.
Son 2:9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth
behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself
through the lattice.
Son 2:10 My beloved spoke, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my
fair one, and come away.
Son 2:11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
Son 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of
birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
Son 2:13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with
the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and
come away.

True worship, comes before God as an acceptable sacrifice to Him. Allow

God to melt your heart, the tears you shed are precious to Him. Don't be
afraid to cry. When the Lord is doing a powerful work in your life, it is
the natural expression. Our emotions are involved with what is going on.
We need not be embarrassed, or fearful we are making a fool of
ourselves. Tears can be very healing, and when we have shed tears of
sadness, we shall be able to overflow with tears of joy! We need to get so
broken and in tune with God, that the things that break God's heart, also
break our hearts. Don't be a spectator, be a participator. Our praise and
worship is in esponse to our relationship with Him, and it pours out of a
security that knows you are chosen, you are precious, and loved. It
becomes an expression of that love that you feel in your heart. It is not
something that we can be passive about, it comes from the overflow of
our hearts which evokes a response. Worship is the key elementt to God's
presence coming.. Our worship can be expressed in many ways. We can
speak words of praise and worship, we can sing, we can shout or clap, we
can worship with musical instruments, we can express our worship in
gentle dance, in twisting and twirling or with the scarves, just let it
overflow from your heart, a sacrifice of praise, but above all let it be from
a life poured out for Jesus! Let God know that you love Him, allow Him
to reveal His presence through your life!

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more
sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all
things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was rent in two and
the way to God was open. God wants our meeting with Him to be solid
based, and centred on our relationship with Him. The tabernacle is Jesus,
Jesus is God's plan for man, God wants to work in our lives and destroy
the things that separate us from Him. God's plan is to bring His
restoration into those broken areas in our lives and our churches. He
wants us to have a true relationship with Him. What a powerful witness to
the world, when people can truly see God working in power in our lives,
and in our churches as He rebuilds us into a place fit for His presence.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him
while he is near:

Real joy.
Phil 1:1-30
CHAPTER 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in

Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 in all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until
now,
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will
carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you
in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming
the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ
Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more
in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure
and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus
Christ-- to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me
has really served to advance the gospel.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard
and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been
encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and
fearlessly.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but
others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense
of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way,
whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because
of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the
Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my
deliverance.
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but
will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be
exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for
me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ,
which is better by far;
24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue
with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus
will overflow on account of me.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear
about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one
spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.
This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be
saved-- and that by God.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for him,
30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and
now hear that I still have.
(NIV)

John 15:11
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy
may be complete.
(NIV)

Ps 5:11
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for
joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your
name may rejoice in you.
(NIV)

Let's take a look at things that can rob us of our joy. Sometimes
circumstances, upsets with other people, worry, and trying to find
happiness by taking God right out of the equation can rob the joy of many
Christians. Paul was not like this. Look what he says:

Phil 3:17
17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who
walk according to the pattern you have in us.
(NAS)

THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL.

1)Paul was single-minded - his focus was on the Lord Jesus Christ -
working alongside like-minded individuals towards the furtherance of the
Gospel Message in all sincerity and truth.

2) Paul was sub-missive.

Phil 2:1-3
1 If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any
consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and compassion,
2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the
same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of
mind let each of you regard one another as more important than
himself;
(NAS)

NOTE: Paul put Jesus first, others second and self last.

I thank God

I remember you

I have you in my prayers, he prayed intercessory prayers for his

brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have you in my heart and mind.

The key to joy is learning how to care for others.

3) Paul had a spiritual mind.

Phil 3:19-20
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose
glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait
for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
(NAS)

Spending our lives concentrating on earthly things will rob our joy. Our
citizenship is in heaven, we are only passing through this world. Seventy
or so years is only a short time in the space of time and eternity. Paul was
looking for the Lord coming, he was earnestly awaiting his Saviour, are
we?
There is nothing wrong with being spiritually minded, here is what Paul
had to say about it:

Phil 3:7-9
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as
loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the
surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order
that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own
derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
(NAS)

4) Paul's mind was secure.

Phil 4:7-13
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever
is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good
repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let
your mind dwell on these things.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in
me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have
revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but
you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in
whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how
to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned
the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance
and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
(NAS)

Do you see how he could rejoice even when he was in chains verse 7,
verses 12-14. when he was criticized 15-19, and even when he was faced
with the possibility of death.

THE REASON'S PAUL HAD SUCH JOY:

1)PAUL KNEW HIS POSITION IN CHRIST.

Col 1:25-27
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to
present to you the word of God in its fullness--
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the
glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory.
(NIV)

He like us was in Christ .He was a servant of Christ.

2) HE HAD A PASSION THAT COULDN'T BE QUENCHED.

Rom 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek.
(NAS)

2 Tim 4:2
2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct,
rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction.
(NIV)

1 Cor 1:18
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(NIV)

3) PAUL HAD A PURPOSE THAT WAS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER

1 Pet 2:21
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving
you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
(NIV)

Gal 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(NIV)

4) PAUL BELIEVED HIS SERVICE AND HIS SUFFERING FOR

CHRIST WAS A PRIVILEGE.

See what he says in verse 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of
Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

5) PAUL HAD HIS EYES ON A GREATER PROSPECT.

He looked forward to the day he would see Jesus.

6) HIS CONFIDENCE WAS IN CHRIST. See verses 6 and 7. And he

loved the Word of God. V9.

Paul urges the believers at Phillipi to have joy and unity, he looks for a
word that is even stronger and in the first verse of chapter three he tells
them to rejoice. I want you to think of the circumstances Paul was in at
this time, he wrote this letter while chained to a Roman guard, he knew
that even where he was in jail he was able to reach some he would not
otherwise reach, and he was able to encourage Christian brothers and
sisters. The whole theme in this epistle is that we should rejoice in each
and every circumstance. That's a hard one isn't it. We find that easy to do
when we are gathered together in worship meetings or when all is going
well for us. Sinners are attracted to Jesus by the joy of Christians.
Remember, the devil wants us all to live defeated Christian lives. It seems
hard to imagine that Paul wrote this letter from prison, he seemed so
light-hearted. His soul was free. He could rejoice. Christ, his Lord was
his total focus in life.
When Paul referred to himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, he really
meant he was a bond-servant. Christ had set him free and because of that
he wanted to serve Him every moment of every day for the rest of his
life. Remember, Paul says for me to live is Christ. We sing that we want
Jesus to be the centre of our lives but do we really mean it.
Paul was bold in his preaching even from the confines of a Roman jail.
He witnessed to guards and others. It's the testimony of a life truly
devoted to Christ that wins souls. The joy of the Lord is catching because
the Holy Spirit is at work.
What is our true purpose in life, is it to live for our Lord? Is it to reach
achievements, don't get me wrong here but is it to feel the anointing of
the Holy Spirit? Yes we should desire more of the Holy Spirit, to walk in
the anointing of the Holy Spirit but it is all about getting closer to our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so that we might serve Him and do so
joyfully. The gifts that God has given each and everyone of us to use are
given to us for a purpose, that we might joyfully use them in His Service.
We are to have life and have it more abundantly. Have you learned to
rejoice when things are going wrong round about you? I know that if I am
truthful here, I am inclined to let circumstances get me down, but Paul
exhorts us to rejoice in each and every circumstances. This is what we
should be doing,, we are servants, we are disciples of the living Christ,.
part of the Godhead indwells us, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. So,
what is wrong with us. Once again folks it's all about our focus. Is it
really on Jesus Christ? Are we sold out to Jesus Christ? Telling isn't it, we
may be in part, but still holding just something back. Jesus wants my all,
he wants your all, half measures just won't do. We may have sung in
Sunday School "The joy of the Lord is my strength" Is it our strength, do
we really know what it is 24/7? Paul knew what it was to be happy and
content in every circumstance, why don't we? People are not going to be
attracted to the gospel if we the Christians look as though we have the
troubles of the world upon our shoulders. When we lay hold of who we
are in Christ, and give the Holy Spirit full sway in every area of our lives
the evidence of that joy will be seen in us.

Paul showed the wisdom and goodness of God in his sufferings. His
captors could see the joy in Him. This time in prison in Rome allowed
him to bear witness to the gospel in a place where they were not likely to
hear the gospel. He suffered from false friends, as well as from enemies.
There were those who preached Christ out of envy and contention, may
we never, ever do such a thing. those who come to salvation, are
convicted of sin by the holy Spirit.; and repentant prayer is the appointed
means of seeking it. When pride gets in the way we are robbed of our joy.

Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he loses all his earthly
comforts and all his hopes; but to a true believer it is gain, for it is the end
of all his weakness and misery. Paul's difficulty was not between living in
this world and living in heaven; because there is no comparison; but
between serving Christ in this world and enjoying him in another. His
choice was living for Christ and being with him. The power of faith and
of Divine grace; can make us willing to die. We live in a sinful world; but
when we go to be with our Lord we shall escape sin and temptation,
sorrow and death, forever. Although we may at times, have reason to long
to be with the Lord, no matter what circumstances we are in, we should
rejoice that we are in this world as long as God has any work for us to do.
Our lives should reflect Jesus living within. We are to work together for
the cause of the gospel, every one of us has been given the great
commission even although we might face ridicule and opposition, we
have a work to do. We have a lot to be thankful and joyful about God has
freely bestowed His marvellous free gift of salvation on us sinful men
and women. How we should praise the name of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ for saving our souls, and what a price he paid in securing our
redemption. We want to experience more joy, more of the presence of the
Holy Spirit, to have empowerment and manifestation of Spiritual gifts
from the Holy Spirit to be more effective in our service of the Lord, but
we should never forget we come by way of the cross, where the sinless,
spotless, lamb of God, shed His blood in a once for all sacrifice for our
sins. What love, what wonderful love that God has shown to us His
people. . Praise the Name of the Lord. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling
us, we are to have full and abundant joy in Jesus Christ. John tells us that
in the first chapter of his first epistle. He tells us that joy can be got from
fellowshipping with Christ, that's what the Holy Spirit does when we
allow him full sway in our lives, we should be bubbling over with joy, it
is not enough to have had an experience of the Holy Spirit, to have
experienced an anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are to live in the power of
that anointing, we are to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit. We
want the rivers of life to flow through us to touch the community around
us, the only way for us to do this is to show Jesus living in and through
us. The closest many people get to reading the Bible is watching the
actions of Christians they know. My prayer is that we may reflect
something of the joy of Jesus Christ living in and through us in our daily
lives, that the joy of Christ may be seen in us. It should be, the devil
wants nothing more than to see Christians living ineffectual lives. We
need to move deeper and deeper into Christ. We need the Holy Spirit to
have full sway, taking away what is left of us, so that the joy and the love
of Jesus shines through us.

Isaiah 64.
1. Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come
down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence,
2. as when fire kindleth the brushwood, and the fire causeth the
waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the
nations may tremble at thy presence!
3. When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou
camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence.
4. For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear,
neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him
that waiteth for him.
5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those
that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou wast wroth, and we
sinned: in them have we been of long time; and shall we be saved?
6. For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our
righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a
leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up
himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and
hast consumed us by means of our iniquities.
8. But now, O Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou
our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.m (KJV)

I long for revival, and I know that can only come about when we submit
our all to the Lord, we must decrease and He must increase. Break me,
melt me and mould me, Lord, for without You I am nothing. We need to
Keep falling in love with Jesus all over again, then we will really
experience that joy. We need more of the Holy Spirit working in us and
through us. It is not enough to have experienced an initial anointing, we
need to get closer and closer to our Lord., our God is the God of the
breakthrough.. He can break through the toughest exteriors. Praise God
for that., for He alone is worthy of all honour and praise. Hallelujah, our
God reigns!
HEAVENLY PLACES

This is where I belong seated up in the Heavenly Places with you Lord,

I’m coming up closer, coming up higher, deeper and deeper to be with you,

For as the deer pants for water, my soul is thirsting after you,

Jesus my bridegroom, my Saviour, my King, my lover, my Lord.

My heart overflows with an all consuming passion for you Lord.

How can it be that you only have eyes for one such as me?

You call me your beloved and you tell me you are pleased with me,

What love, what grace and mercy you have shown to me, dear Lord.

I love when you wrap your arms around me, sweetly caressing my hair,

In all the circumstances of this life I know that you really care,

For you are good all the time and your love is forever and ever,

There is absolutely nothing that will your precious love sever.

For your love is an everlasting love, sweet and beautiful to me,

You kiss me with your kisses showing such amazing love for me,

You keep welcoming me to come up a little higher and higher,

You desire all of me and want to be the object of my deepest desire.

Now I behold the glory of the Holy lamb, for my sake you were slain,

You are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and you sit upon the throne,
Yet here you are calling my name and drawing me up closer once again,

My heart is bubbling over with joy when you call me your own.

You’ve taken my mourning and turned it into dancing,

You’ve taken my weeping and turned it into laughing,

You’ve taken my sadness and turned it to joy unspeakable.

Then you call me on up to your banqueting table.

And I cry out more Lord, more Lord, I want more of you.

My heart and soul cry out for you Lord, only you.

I love to be alone with you Lord in the secret place,

Where you give me strength to go on running the race.

Irene McGough © 2007

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Psa 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I 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 inquire in His temple.

The pursuit of God’s presence might cause you to be you criticized and
scorned by others at times, especially from those who focus on “walking
by faith and not by sight.” They are right about living by faith, but should
we should live by theology and not by experience, and by mental assent
and not by personal relationship?

Do you have a passion for the presence of God? If the Bible is a true
witness, then the God we serve is a God of infinite passion and delight.
The knowledge of God's presence usually comes straight to the heart
unannounced and unexpected. Our desire should be more of the Father,
more of Jesus and more of His precious Holy Spirit —it is God we are
after not a cheap thrill.

We should desire to know the heart of God. God wants us to desire a real
deep relationship with Him.

Do notice that in the middle of all of the crises and difficulties in the
Bible we so often find praise and worship? When troubles hit you in life,
what is your first instinct? Do you gripe and complain at Him or worship
and praise Him?

Think of Paul and Silas who worshiped Him even from their jail cell.
Paul worshiped Him throughout a lifetime of suffering and hardship.
David himself, wrote some of his most exalted Psalms from the dismal
interior of the cave Adullam in exile from his own nation, family and
home. Maybe then we should find it even stranger that praise and worship
is so often absent from our daily lives?

God wants us to be in that place of worship and spiritual hunger, it make

you so attractive to God when your circumstances cease to matter
anymore, when you can praise Him when all is falling apart around you.
When you begin to worship with all your being and desire, your heart
turns God towards you for you capture the Father's heart.

Isa 29:13 Therefore the Lord said:

"Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

God wants our hearts, He desires real relationships with us. Do we desire
to know Him, really know Him?

Sweet Intimacy

How he wants me to come closer,

He says "Come on up a little higher,"
I love each little touch from Him,
Each sweet caress from my King.
Through Him I breathe, and have my being,
And He has called me to spend eternity reigning,
All eternity I will spend at His side,
For now I am part of His Precious bride,

And oh the joy that fills my heart,

Forever I have been set apart,
And I love Him so much more,
Than I thought was possible before.

For He saw that He was my greatest desire,

And He came and baptized me with fire,
And I know there is so much more,
For all He does is on me His love pour.

How simply amazing is that?

That He should love me as He does,
Oh the joy deep down in my heart,
In Him I place my faith and trust.

I love Jesus and I love his sweet caress,

Whatever comes my way I know I can rest,
For He has given me a peace and joy that's unshakable,
And I know that in all things my Lord is totally able.

And He takes me into the secret place,

And I go seeking to see Him face to face,
And He is so beautiful and majestically wonderful to me.
So now the desire of my heart is now to help others see.

He says to me " Go tell others about me,

Tell them that they can come to really know me,
I want them to know that I so love them too,
And I want them to come and embrace me too."

Irene McGough 2008

Irene McGough © Disciples of Jesus Ministry 2009