Beloved, I greet you all in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ our salvation and our hope of eternal glory. My apologies for my absence last week on our Sunday's teachings. Last week was a joyous week for the house of God here as one our brother in the Lord got joined in holy matrimony to a beautiful daughter of Zion.
I was occupied all through and physically tired to the extent that I couldn't stay up to type the message after the ceremony was over and done with. That being said, I want to say "Thank you" to God for making the day a success. I pray that the Lord will bless and uphold their union in Jesus' name... (AMEN!)
Today, we are looking at the theme: "Divine Presence"
Divine presence is having God factor in everything that concerns us. We cannot take divine presence for granted. Without divine presence, we cannot have divine peace and divine power.
"There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked."
Isaiah 48:22
The reason for the above verse is because sinners are separated from divine presence and therefore cannot enjoy the peace of God. The exploits of the men and women of faith were made possible, not because of their personal faith alone, but because their their faith was in the presence of God by whom they did valiantly.
With God we shall gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.
Psalm 60:12
"I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me."
Psalm 57:2
From that understanding of the passage above, only an unwise person that will wish away divine presence.
The story of Samson which is unfortunate as seen in the book of Judges(chapter 13-16)
Samson had enjoyed divine presence which enabled him achieve uncommon victories and he won battles which no human strength could win. Rather than stay consecrated unto the Lord, Samson became careless and indulged hhimself until the presence of the Lord left him without him knowing it.
We must remember that no man has an anointing outside of God. We are nothing outside of God. No matter the price we may claim to pay in the work of ministry, no matter the works of charity we may render in the neighbourhood, no matter the sacrifices we have made in the kingdom business, every success is still of God and not of ourselves, otherwise grace will have no meaning.
Pride and self will drive God's presence away; so we must be careful. Samson assumed that he could command the presence of God on his own terms and he paid with his own life for his assumption.
I have come to realise that men and women tend to forget about God when all is rossy for them. Brethren, let us not forsake the presence of the Lord nor take it for granted in all our doing, most especially when things are moving and going smoothly for us.
Till we meet again next week, I beseech you brethren to remain in God's presence.
&
@hillaryoki ...I remain committed to your rising
@hillaryoki ...I remain committed to your rising