Category Archives: Intimacy with God

Communion with the Holy Spirit ¦ Video

Many of us know about the Holy Spirit, but how well do we really know Him? He wants to walk with you, talk with you and have fellowship with you! As you watch, I hope the truth of this message will kindle a new desire in you to commune with Him.

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!

Is God Hiding? ¦ Devotional

Scripture:  Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. – Isaiah 45:15

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could make yourself invisible? You could go anywhere you wanted and nobody would be able to see you! If you were playing a game of hide and seek you wouldn’t even need to go and hide – you could just hide yourself!

Actually, hide and seek wouldn’t really be a very fun game if people could make themselves invisible would it? The game relies totally on the fact that as human beings we can hide behind physical objects, but we cannot simply click our fingers and hide ourselves.

We can be thankful that today’s scripture doesn’t say God is hiding from us and that we have to search all over to find Him! No, today’s scripture makes it clear that He is still there, but that He is a God who hides Himself. Perhaps you are wondering: why would God hide himself from us and where or how exactly can we find him?

In chapter 3 of the book of Micah it says ‘Then they will cry out to the LORD, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time because they have practiced evil deeds’. This is not the kind of scripture we generally like reading but it does give us a clue about from whom God hides Himself. Those who refuse to humble themselves before Him and turn from their sinful ways but instead continue to practise evil deeds will not be able to find God when they call out to Him.

Why can’t they find God? Where is He exactly? I think the writer of Psalm 91 gives us a clue when he refers to ‘the secret place of the most high’ and says of those who dwell there that God will rescue them, protect them, answer them when they call and show them His salvation. There are those from whom God is hiding, and there are those who are living with God in His hiding place!

The big question for us today is: how can we enter and live permanently in that secret place with God, hearing His voice and knowing His presence? Guess what, God gives us the answer in His Word! Isn’t that good of Him! Psalm 25:14 says ‘The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant’. Other translations say that He confides in those who fear Him. That is, that He comes close and speaks intimate things that He would not share with just anybody.

I believe that God is saying to all of us today: ‘I welcome into my secret place those who fear me’.

Prayer: Father, I want to thank you today that there is a secret place in which I can live; a place where I can have intimacy with you and experience your love and protection. Thank you that in that place I can hear your voice and that you will show me your salvation. I want to say sorry for the times that I have not walked in the fear of the Lord and for the times that I have turned away from you or been more concerned about what other people think of me than what you think of me. I choose today to recognise your position as the King of all Kings and Lord of Lords; the one who loves me so much and has a much better plan for my life than I do. I don’t want to do anything that would upset you or grieve you and I am choosing to make you the Lord of every area of my life. In the precious name of your Son Jesus, Amen.

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!

 

The Curtain Has Been Torn ¦ Devotional

Scripture: “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” – Mark 15:38

I was recently dropped off by a friend at the train station and as I walked across to buy my ticket I had this sudden realisation that I was all alone – just me and God. I felt the Lord was grabbing my attention to simply remind me that nothing else in my life matters as much as where I stand with Him.

Over the last two years I have become a husband, a father and have taken on various other responsibilities that leave me with much less ‘alone time’. Almost all of the activities that I am involved in day-to-day, concern my relationships with other human beings. Maybe you can relate? As I have been pondering on this recently I was reminded of today’s scripture.

I find it incredible to think that the spiritual transaction that took place on the cross was so powerful that the thick, 60ft (approx) long curtain that was hanging between the outer room and the inner room was physically torn in two at that moment! By this, God made a powerful declaration that we are now free to enter His presence. Before that only the high priest could enter the inner room once a year, and even he couldn’t come just as he was (for more on this see Hebrews 9:1-8).

For those of us who have brought our sin to Jesus, there is nothing that can stop us having intimacy with God. The fact that the curtain has been torn in two signifies that sin can no longer keep you from His presence. You can come just as you are, right now. In the apostle Paul’s words: ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence’– Hebrews 4:16

As we come into His presence we discover the fullness of life that we were originally created to have. Can I encourage you, right in this moment, to spend some time with Him – make space and allow Him to pour out His love on you, speak personally to you and breathe His life into you?

Prayer: Father, I thank You that the curtain of the temple was torn in two when Your Son Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross. I thank You that because of His sacrifice, I can freely enter Your presence. I pray that You would help me to remember that I can enter Your presence just as I am, at any time of the day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!