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The Benefits Of Being In The Presence Of God

The Benefits Of Being In The Presence Of God

Today I would like to share just a few of the benefits that I have been blessed to experience, by being in the presence of God.  My prayer is that you will faithfully spend time in His presence every day, and experience for yourself the rich blessings that come with having an intentional intimate relationship with God.  Make every effort to cling close to Him and never ever doubt His love for you.

1. There is hope in the presence of God.
     Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 Romans 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
2. There is love in the presence of God.
     Romans 8:35, 37-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 5:11-12
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; 
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
     Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.[a]
3.  There is joy in the presence of God.
     Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
4.  There is peace in the presence of God.
      Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:6
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast  because they trust in you.
Proverbs 1:33
But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
5.  There is protection in the presence of God.
     2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Isaiah 54:17 
17.
no weapon forged against you will prevail,
 and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
  Psalm 121:7-8
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
6.  There is comfort in the presence of God.
     Psalm 23:4
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Isaiah 12:1
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
2 Corinthians 1:4
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
7.  There is the provision in the presence of God.
     Philippians 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
 Luke 12:24
24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
  Psalm 84:1
1 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
9.  There are possibilities in the presence of God.
     Matthew 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mark 9:23
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
  Genesis 18:14
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Jeremiah 32:27
27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
10.  There is compassion in the presence of God.
     Psalm 116:5
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Psalm 103:13-14As a father has compassion on his children,  so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed,  he remembers that we are dust.
11.  There is strength and power in the presence of God.
      Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
12. There is mercy in the presence of God.
      2 Samuel 24:14
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
13. There is grace in the presence of God.
     2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Ephesians 4:7
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.
14. There is healing and restoration in the presence of God.
       Psalm 147:3 
He heals the brokenhearted
 and binds up their wounds.
  2 Chronicles 7:14
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
 Psalm 103: 2-3
Praise the Lord, my soul,  and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
15. There is forgiveness in the presence of God.
     Psalm 103:10-12
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
   1 John  2:1-22
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
  Micah 7: 18-19
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

A GOOD FATHER

A Good Father
Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I thought I would share a few scriptures on the role of a good father.

 I hope that you are making special plans, to celebrate and honor the fathers in your life this Father’s Day.  Whether it is your dad, your husband, son, or brother, if they are a good father, they deserve to be celebrated, for the many sacrifices they make on a daily basis.   Good fathers are always working hard to protect, support, and to provide for their families.

Let’s take a few minutes and dive in and see, what the scriptures have to say about the role of a good father.  If this is something that blesses you, and you think that it could be a blessing to a young man who did not have a great role model, please feel free to share it with him.

A Good Father Fears The Lord
Proverbs 20:7
He who walks in his integrity is righteous; happy are his children who follow him.
A Good Father Leads His Children
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Titus 2:2
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

A Good Father Prays for His Children
1st Chronicles 29:19
19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

A Good Father Protects His Children
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,  and for their children it will be a refuge.

A Good Father Provides For His Children
Proverb 13:22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
1 Timothy 5:8
8  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

A Good Father Trains/Teaches His Children
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Proverbs 1:8
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

A Good Father Disciplines His Children
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.[a]
Hebrews 12:7
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

A Good Father Encourages His Children
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

A Good Father Has Compassion For Their Children
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Luke 15:20-24
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

A Good Father Will Not Provoke His Children To Anger
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers,[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21
21 Fathers,[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Matthew 18:6
6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
A Good Father Sets A Great Example Of How To Love, By The Way He Loves And Honors His Wife.
Ephesians 5:25-37
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8…
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. …..

A Good Father Is Blessed By His Children
Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
Psalm 128:3-4
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
3 John 1:4
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

When Life is Uncomfortable

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 146:6-8
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,  the sea, and everything in them—  he remains faithful forever.He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8  the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, and the Lord loves the righteous.
Psalm 56:9
Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this, I will know that God is for me.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 

Today there may be some of you, who are going through trials and you may be asking,  why me Lord?   It may be that you are going through an illness, marital issues, a problem child, or work issues, or you may simply be in God’s waiting room.

What I can tell you today for sure, is that no matter what your uncomfortable situation is, God is for you and not against you.  He is on your side, even as you go through uncomfortable difficulties.   I know that it may not seem like it at times, but He only allows what will grow us closer to Him, and make us better.  So, in other words, whatever He is allowing in your life right now, will ultimately work out for your good and His glory.So cheer up my sister, take a deep breath and ask God a new question.   Your new question will be; Lord what are you trying to teach me, as I am going through this valley, and what am I to learn from this experience that will help me and someone else?  When you turn from frustration and anger and shift to seeking the heart of God and His desires for you, the answers will start to come. And guess what?  They will be clear and they will make sense.

So if you are currently in an uncomfortable place, take some time each day to humble yourself, get still and seek God’s face.  In His time, He will start to unravel the pieces of thread that are weaving your life coat, and you will start to see how it all will fit together.  Now, I must tell you that there are some things that we may go through, that we may never get answers to on this side of heaven, and that’s where faith and trust in our God have to come in.  Trust that no matter what, He truly does know what is best for you. Also, trust that He really is a Good God!   He is compassionate and loving.  He is faithful and true.  He is a keeper of His promises, and He is the source of all that is good in your life.

His word will be your anchor during the tough days. Each morning when you wake up run to His Word and let Him feed your soul for that day.  When you are going through hard times, it is easy to get frustrated and lose hope.  His word will nourish your soul and keep you on the right track spiritually, as well as mentally.  His word will also encourage you and give you a fresh ray of hope.  Just be still and know that He is God.
Trust me, He’s got, you my sister!   

Look for the good in your uncomfortable journey.   There will be beautiful blessings along the way, even in the hard times, but you have to stop focusing on the bad to see them.  Start looking each day for the good only, and then be willing to express your gratitude to God in those moments.   When you can do that, you will be moving closer to graduating from your uncomfortable situation.   May God bless you and keep you in His loving care, my sister. You will get through this!