P P P… of PRAYER!

(2)

PRESENCE 

 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, 

I am there in the midst of them."

Matthew 18:20

PLACE

 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place!

 This is none other than the house of God, 

and this is the gate of heaven!"

Genesis 28:17

Although Jacob thought that GOD was in a particular place, it is the person and the people that GOD is interested in. He comes, not to live in a place or a building, but in the hearts of individuals and among His people!

PEOPLE

Do you not know that you are the temple of God 

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

 For the Lord's portion is His people; 

Jacob is the place of His inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:9

PRESENT

 pray without ceasing,

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Therefore, we can pray anywhere, anytime, because we can enter into His presence with thanksgiving. He is ‘Jehovah Shammah’ -  He is there. He is ever present. He is not in a particular religious place, but in our heart. He is in our midst when we gather in His name. If two are gathered, He is the third Person. If three are gathered, He is the fourth person.

That is a powerful gathering!!

 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, 

saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; 

and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

Daniel 3:24-25

 PRESENTS!

Look back at yesterday with thankfulness to GOD.

Yesterday is past.

Look forward to tomorrow with hope in GOD.

Tomorrow is future.

Receive today with joy and gratitude to the LORD.

It is PRESENT and it is a PRESENT from the LORD!

As you live it with praise, His PRESENCE will fill your heart 

and you will live in His glorious PRESENCE!

You cannot change yesterday.

You do not know what tomorrow holds.

You can make the PRESENT different

by dying to 'self' and denying 'self'.

You can change your attitude towards GOD and others now.

Then, life will be different tomorrow!

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 

"Today, if you will hear His voice, 

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, 

In the day of trial in the wilderness,
Hebrews 3:7-8

Let your conduct be without covetousness; 

be content with such things as you have. 

For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 

So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; 

I will not fear. 

What can man do to me?" 

Remember those who rule over you, 

who have spoken the word of God to you, 

whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:5-8

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, 

and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 

will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 6:30

 'And now, carefully consider from this day forward: 

from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord-

- since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, 

there were but ten; 

when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, 

there were but twenty. 

I struck you with blight and mildew 

and hail in all the labors of your hands; 

yet you did not turn to Me,' says the Lord. 

'Consider now from this day forward, 

from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, 

from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid-

-consider it: 

Is the seed still in the barn? 

As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, 

and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. 

But from this day I will bless you.' "
Haggai 2:15-19

 And Moses said to the people, 

"Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, 

which He will accomplish for you today. 

For the Egyptians whom you see today, 

you shall see again no more forever. 

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
Exodus 14:13-14

 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 

This was the Lord's doing; 

It is marvelous in our eyes. 

This is the day the Lord has made; 

We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:22-24

 And Jesus said to him, 

"Today salvation has come to this house, 

because he also is a son of Abraham;
Luke 19:9

 And Jesus said to him, 

"Assuredly, I say to you, 

today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Luke 23:43

For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, 

And in the day of salvation I have helped you." 

Behold, now is the accepted time; 

behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Going Away From The Presence Of GOD

Going Away From The Presence Of GOD

And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. - Job 1:12  

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. - Job 2:7  

Satan went out from the Presence of the LORD to afflict His servant Job. Job's faith was severely tested and he came out as gold.
Satan continues to work against GOD'S servants and GOD'S people. He can have access to them only when GOD permits him with a specific purpose.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. - Genesis 3:8 

After eating the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve hid from the Presence of GOD in guilt and shame. Sinful disobedience resulting in guilt and shame make us hide from GOD.

After murdering his brother Abel, Cain went out from the Presence of GOD.

Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. - Genesis 4:16 

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. - Jonah 1:3 

Although Jonah was GOD'S servant, his desire for the people of Nineveh was different to GOD'S desire for them. The LORD wanted Jonah to take a message of warning to them so that they may repent and be saved. Jonah desired to see them perish. Therefore in blatant disobedience Jonah travelled a different direction from the Presence of the LORD.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. - Psalm 139:7-12 

Sin, disobedience and guilt cause us to turn away from the Presence of GOD.
We need to know that we cannot hide from the Omnipresent GOD Whose Presence fills the heavens and the earth.

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. - Isaiah 55:6-7