GREENE STREET LETTERS: THE PRESENCE

Monday, July 25, 2022

THE PRESENCE

Psalm 27:4 / One thing I have desired of the Lord that I will seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord......

When this verse from Psalm was written, the Temple occupied the center of life in Jerusalem. All activity revolved around the sacred holidays, the feasts that were required to be offered up by the priests, as well as the teaching of God's word.

But beyond the outward activity this verse from Psalm reveals the inward love and drive to chase after God. Notice that David did not say that "it was a good idea to seek God," He said that his seeking, his chasing after God came from a heart desire to be in His presence. In fact David makes a bold statement in this verse. Some may say that he was exaggerating. David claims that one of his heart-desires is to dwell, live, put down roots in the house of the Lord ALL the days of his life. Such a statement reveals that this relationship with God was the most important thing in David's life.

Unlike David, we don't have to go to a specific place to find God. We don't have to go to the Temple...........we are the temple. If you are a believer, then your body houses the presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is with us all the time. Twenty four hours a day........seven days a week. But how many of us spend a good amount of time not even considering who it is that lives within us? We cry out to God in times of trouble, lifting our eyes to heaven, wringing our hands and find the words of "Oh God...Oh God...Oh God!" coming from our lips, when in fact He hears, He understands, He is within us. To me this is a great comfort. That God has deposited to each believer His Holy Spirit.

Spend time this day to be aware of who it is living, guiding, encouraging, correcting and loving us. Let this awareness of God's presence lead you today as you follow Him. Some how I think maybe we will face our day with divine encouragement to not back down or cower in the presence of our enemy.

Know that God loves you, and so do I!

God on you..

michael b

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Monday, July 25, 2022

THE PRESENCE

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD