6 times people miss the presence of God

Are you aware of the presence of God around you? Maybe you are thinking about that amazing time at church or that prayer time at church camp. It was just so amazing. We use language like, “God was near” or “God seemed so real.” Those words help us capture our awareness of the presence of God around us.

God’s word teaches us that God is everywhere all of the time. David even asks the question, “…where shall I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7) He can’t come up with an answer to that. But we just don’t always realize it. Maybe you are going through one of those seasons where you wonder where God is at. Here are 6 times when it is helpful to remember that whether you feel Him or not God is still with you.

When life turns upside down

Jacob was running for his life. If anyone’s life had been turned upside down it was his. He was running from his brother who had threatened to kill him. He was leaving all that he knew to start over. In the midst of that running he has an encounter with God. He then says one of my favorite things in the Bible, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:16) If you are going through a moment that feels like the world is upside down, God is with you.

When we are under attack

I love the story of when Elisha has an army to come and get him because he has ticked off a king (Read the whole story in 2 Kings 6). When Elisha’s servant freaks out because they are surrounded Elisha prays that God would open his eyes. The servant then sees horses and chariots of fire all around. They were there before but the servant didn’t see them. If you are feeling under attack today, I pray that God opens your eyes to see His presence with you.

When we dealing with our own sin

This is a little more tricky one. When we sin we choose to separate ourselves from God. David talks about this feeling in his famous confession in Psalm 51. He says, “Cast me not away from your presence.” (verse 11) And if you are feeling distant from God because of your sin I can give you no better encouragement than to do what David did in that moment. In brokenness of heart get right with God.

When we are confused

A fun story shortly after the resurrection is when Jesus meets a couple disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24). I won’t get into the fact of what we learn about Jesus from the fact that He is messing with them in that moment. But in their confusion about what is happening Jesus is there to explain what they need to understand. If you are confused with life right now, Jesus is with you to help you find a way forward.

When we are dealing with relationship conflict

One of the common passages people use about the presence of God is found in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” But as my friend Chris MacKinnon pointed out to me the context of this verse is conflict and relationship issues in the church. It is a great reminder that even in our moments of conflict with people God is right in the middle with us.

When we are outside our comfort zone

God keeps calling us (at least me) outside of the comfort zone. And sometimes when He sends me somewhere it can feel very alone. Some people give their lives to go to some of the most difficult places in the world where any other Christian is far away. It is in those moments that where He tells us to go that He promises, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

So whether you are going through one of these 6 situations or something else, I pray that today you that you would be reminded that Jesus is Emmanuel-“God with us”

[tweetthis]I pray that today you that you would be reminded that Jesus is Emmanuel-“God with us”[/tweetthis]

10 strange things that I am thankful for this year

When people make a list of things that they are thankful for there are normal things that hit the list. If I sit down normally and just start writing a list there is going to be: My relationship with God, my family, the Bible, my donor etc. But I have a journal method that has me coming up with 5 things I am thankful for at the end of the day. When you do something like that you start adding things that are a little more surprising. I also learn that the “little” things are important as well. Here are ten things I am thankful for today.

Multi-color pens: Right out of the gate you need to remember that I am a nerd so you will probably have cooler things on your list. But I love these pens. They especially come in handy when I am reading the Bible. If I underline something in green I know that I think of it as a blessing and something in red as something God is trying to say to me that day.

Audio learning: Since I was a kid I would listen to the Bible on audio. Now days when I am taking a ministry trip in the car there is a buffet of learning options. Along with listening to my Bible I can learn all sorts of things on audio books and podcasts. On one trip to Iowa I got through most of a Bible college class.

Goals that are difficult: Some days I may not be as thankful for this as on other days. But God keeps stretching my faith with this ministry. If He never gave me assignments that stretched me I might never grow. I also would not accomplish all that He would have for me in this life and I want to impact as many as possible.

That my father became an immigrant to the USA: 47 years ago my father got on a plane and came to the United States to go to Bible college. It was there that he met my mother. He left all of his family back in Sri Lanka to get more education to serve God. I am grateful that he left his comfort zone or I would not be here today.

Both my parents looking past cultural and racist bias of the world: Again I would not be here today if my white northern Minnesotan mother had not married a person from a totally different culture and background than her own. Not only am I here today because of that, but it has shaped the way that I look at the world.

Verse numbers in the Bible: I know that some people don’t like the numbers because it impacts the flow of the reading, but most days I love it. It helps me find things that I am looking for when I need it. It also helps me with my nerdy memorization that I have talked about elsewhere.

Hotel and Airline Miles: I have already been able to see more of the world than most people will see in their lifetime. Part of the reason for that is my hobby of hotel and airline miles. Thank you Delta Skymiles! (Note-If anyone from Delta is reading this feel free to send me some extra points for this promotion.)

Social media friendships: Although there is often a dark, sad side to social media I am grateful for connections that I am able to keep up with of people around the world. I still remember when I lived overseas as a missionary kid and it took 2 weeks to get a letter from home. While I am at it I am thankful for a nerd pastors group that I am apart of that brings a little fun to the day.

The failures I had as a pastor: I was a senior pastor for about nine years before starting this ministry back in 2005. I was pastor of three churches. Two of them closed and the other one didn’t go so well. But I am grateful for that for two reasons. First it makes me able to relate to the challenge ministry leaders face in a very real way. The other reason I am glad those didn’t go well is that I wouldn’t be in this ministry today if they had.

You: I mean it is kind of pointless to be writing if no one is reading. And if you are reading this it means that you at least skimmed the article to get down to this point and for that I am grateful. God drops all sorts of little gifts in our life as we go though the day. Let me encourage you to try to find them. And as you open them let your heart be filled with thankfulness for all, and I mean all, that He has given.

How to Enter Life’s Reward Zone

 

We as a family got a new dog. In spending some time learning to train him I learned a very important prayer lesson. King David wisely gives us this perspective: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:5) Listen to the lesson that I learned:

 

Advice from a 98 year old pastor who happens to be my grandfather

I am grateful for the fact that my grandfather is still living and serving the Lord. He has been an amazing example to me. Even today he has a ministry of writing a prayer letter to the pastors of Sri Lanka, where he lives. I received a copy of his latest letter and wanted to pass it along to you. Even at the age of 98 he is challenging people to be a people of the Book and then live it out with faith and adventure. I hope that you are encouraged as I was.

My dear Brother/Sister in Christ,

Greetings in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who exhorts us to read and obey His Word.

Sometime back I wrote in one of my letters to you about God commanding us to meditate on Gods’ word day and night. (Joshua 1:8,9) He did not only command but with He also gave us promises. Joshua had only 5 books at that time, but now we have 66 books(in the Bible) to read and obey, and we have many more promises in them. God loves us so much, and I am sure you too would have experienced His love in many ways, just as much as I have, perhaps more.

We should read God’s word often, if possible daily- at least a small portion each day. It will make us grow in our Christian life. I used to know a Mr Leisser, the proprietor of an English firm in Sri Lanka. He told me that he had read through the Bible 40 times. He knew it thoroughly from beginning to end. We need not do so much, but if we read it as often as we could and use it for His glory and for the salvation of souls we will be much blessed. It will be helpful if we could learn verses of scripture by heart.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.

The Word of God has been used powerfully by many persons mentioned in the Bible. Let us have a look at some of them.

A centurion wanted his servant healed. He knew that if only Jesus would speak a word from just where He was, his servant would be healed, just as for when he speaks a word to his soldiers they obey. Please read about it in Matthew 8:5-13.

Jesus cast out demons with His Word. We read about it in many places in the Bible. Whatever Jesus said was with authority. Luke 4:32; Matthew 7:28,29; John 6:63.

After Jesus ascended, His disciples spoke with authority as He had done. One such occasion was when Peter and John healed a man who was lame from his birth. When this man was healed he went into the temple “walking and leaping and praising God”. (Acts 3:1-9)

In Acts 9:32-35, Peter only spoke a few words and Aeneas (who had been bedridden for 8 years) arose immediately.

In Acts 9:36-41 we read of Dorcas, who was dead, being raised up by Peter speaking only two words after praying.

When Elymas the sorcerer tried to prevent the deputy from accepting what Paul said, being filled with the Spirit Paul said, “You shall be blind not seeing the sun for a season”. Immediately he became blind. Acts 13:6-12.

In Acts 14:8-10 when Paul said “Stand up straight on your feet”, the man who had never walked, leaped and walked.

Please read the story of Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5:1-10. Both had lied and when Peter spoke to each one they fell down and died.

When we see what happened when apostles of Jesus did after seeing Him do all these, do we not get a desire to act similarly? But we might excuse ourselves, saying that they saw Jesus Himself do it all. What about us? Let us ask Jesus to give us too a vision and power to do likewise and be firebrands for Him.

May the Lord bless you.

Your servant in the service of the Most High God,

Tiddy Senapatiratne

(Note: Highlights are mine)