Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of Psalms with an unnamed soloist singing … Surely the Presence of the Lord Is In This Place … poignantly singing of the wondrous feeling of sensing God’s presence.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Genesis 28:16-17 … [NLT] …
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” 17 But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”
… With a true believer, one touch from the Messiah is all it takes.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Genesis 28: 10-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jacob dreamed of a stairway to Heaven and realized that God had been present in His dream and would one day take him to be with the Lord.
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Reference Passage #1 [NKJV] : … 1st Chronicles 28:9 [NLT] …
9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek Him, you will find Him. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
… David in charging Solomon to build God’s temple, promised his son God’s presence with him … IF … Solomon remained obedient to God and sought His presence.
Reference Passage #2 [NKJV] : … Matthew 7:7-8 [NKJV] …
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. …”
… Jesus’ promise to the one who truly seeks His presence.
Reference Passage #3 [NKJV] : … Revelation 3:20 [NKJV] …
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. … “
… Again, … and forever, … Jesus promises to be willing to come in and fellowship with those who, thru obedience and seeking Him, are wiling to respond to the Lord knocking on the door of our lives.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mart DeHaan, used the story of Jacob being given a dream vision of where God would take him one day; and Jacob sensed God’s presence. The ODB author wrote: As the sun went down on the Old Testament character Jacob’s first night away from home, he too was profoundly alone, but for a different reason. He was on the run from his older brother—who wanted to kill him for stealing the family blessing normally given to the firstborn son. Yet on falling asleep, Jacob had a dream of a staircase joining heaven and earth. As he watched angels ascending and descending, he heard the voice of God promising to be with him and to bless the whole earth through his children. When Jacob woke he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (Gen. 28:16).
Dear one, … have you ever been in a place, as is sung in the inked song above, that you sense God’s presence. I do quite often. … And I know that sounds like I’ve got an IN with God somehow. And the truth is … I DO! But my “IN” in seeking and finding God’s presence is no different than the “IN” that any Christian has.
No, … it’s nothing radically special for me … and me alone. Our Lord has promised anyone who knows Him as Lord and Savior to fellowship with that one. He says that everyday - for those He’s saved - that He knocks on the door of our lives; and He wants to come in and be with us (see Rev. 3:20. … Yes, my friend, our God PROMISES that anyone can find His presence by genuinely seeking it.
But there’s a strong condition tied up to that promise; and (as David told Solomon - above in 1st Chronicles 28:9) God’s condition on our finding God’s presence and His providence is our obedience to Him. And that’s why I sense His presence many days when I come here humbly seeking His will and His way thru His word … in prayer and meditation. I sense Him, like I do here today, because I’m genuinely seeking Him; and my friend, it’s worth coming here every day to be with Him. How about you, fellow Christian?
Do you sense God being with you … right here, … today? … I pray so below …
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … dear Lord, … I pray that all who read here have sensed Your presence and even Your power today. And I thank You for being here when I seek Your fellowship … like I have … here today! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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