AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD WALKING IN THE GARDEN IN THE COOL OF THE DAY: AND ADAM AND HIS WIFE HID THEMSELVES FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD AMONGST THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. Genesis Chapter 3, Verse 8.
Before Adam and Eve sinned and fell from Grace, they dwelt in the PRESENCE OF GOD and walked daily with Him in the Garden. Sin separated them from the PRESENCE OF GOD. They hid from God because they knew judgment was coming. Sin will always cause us to hide from the PRESENCE OF GOD because it makes us aware of impending judgment. REPENTANCE from dead works is the only thing which puts us in right standing with God. If we REPENT OF OUR SINS, He is FAITHFULL AND JUST to forgive us of our sins, and CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. When we have sought forgiveness of our sins, we are again able to DWELL IN HIS PRESENCE.
As born again Christians the PRESENCE OF GOD dwells in our hearts richly. The Mist of His GLORY permeates our Spiritual Garden of Eden, our Heart. The VOICE OF THE LORD can be heard and felt as we daily commune and walk with Him. IN HIS PRESENCE we find treasure without measure. IN HIS PRESENCE we find pleasures divine. IN HIS PRESENCE we find joy unspeakable. IN HIS PRESENCE we find peace so sublime. IN HIS PRESENCE we can drink His HEAVENLY WINE. As we walk daily IN HIS PRESENCE He fills our Hearts with LAUGHTER and JOY UNSPEAKABLE that is full of His GLORY DIVINE.
Sin always separates man from God. If we do not repent of our sins all we can do is hide from HIS PRESENCE when we miss THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. Sin always has consequences. Sin always separates us from the PRESENCE OF GOD. When we are separated from HIS PRESENCE, we miss the peace, joy, pleasures and treasures which He has made available to us in our daily walking with Him.
YOU WILL SHOW ME THE PATH OF LIFE: IN YOUR PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY; AT YOUR RIGHT HAND THERE ARE PLEASURES EVERMORE. Psalms, 16, Verse 11.
THE JOY OF THE LORD
IN HIS PRESENCE we find FULLNESS of Joy. IN HIS PRESENCE we find JOY UNSPEAKABLE that is FULL OF GOD’S GRACE AND GLORY. His Joy is our strength. It is a heart felt joy that we experience which cannot be explained with words. It is a joy which brings sweet praise upon the lips of each one of us as we Worship and Praise God with THANKSGIVING in our hearts. Nothing can be or ever will be as wonderful as THE JOY OF THE LORD. As we walk daily IN HIS PRESENCE, His Joy becomes our strength.
IN HIS PRESENCE Peace and Rest can always be found for the soul that is weary. The VAGABOND has no place of rest, and true joy eludes him because he is cut off from the PRESENCE OF GOD.
If you are not experiencing the JOY OF THE LORD in your heart, you may have an unresolved sin problem in your life. However, sin is not the only thing which separates us from experiencing the fullness of the JOY OF THE LORD in our life. Many times people get too busy doing things they deem to be more important than their relationship with Christ. Because of this their Joy remains less than full. For others, Satan has stolen their Joy by placing heavy burdens on them which Christ never meant for them to carry. The most important thing in our life is our relationship with Christ. We must guard that relationship as though we were guarding our own life.
Seeking Christ and CASTING ALL OUR CARES UPON HIM will restore our Joy to its fullest. If you have sinned and come short of the GLORY OF GOD, repentance will place you back in right standing with God. You can again find yourself dwelling in the PRESENCE OF GOD and the fullness of His joy.
IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU SHALL ABIDE IN MY LOVE; EVEN AS I HAVE KEPT MY FATHERS COMMANDMENTS, AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE. THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT MY JOY MIGHT REMAIN IN YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL. THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. John, Chapter 15, Verses 10-12.
Many people struggle to maintain and keep a JOYFUL relationship with Christ. The Joy of the Lord comes when we are obediently walking continuously at His side. To know Christ is to Love Christ. IF WE LOVE HIM WE WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. John, Chapter 14, Verse 15. If we are not keeping His Commandments, we know our love for Him is growing dim.
If we want to experience the FULLNESS of the Joy of the Lord, we must follow the Commandment which says to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. The JOY UNSPEAKABLE which comes from dwelling in the PRESENCE OF GOD is available to every believer all the time. We have to make the decision to dwell continually IN HIS PRESENCE or we will miss the FULLNESS OF HIS JOY.
LOVE WORKS NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOR: THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. Romans, Chapter 13, Verse 10.
One who is made PERFECT in love will never harm his neighbor. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. In doing so we are fulfilling the LAW and Commandment of God. The Curse of Cain came because he did not love his brother as himself. If we are not loving our brother as our self, we are not fulfilling the LAW thus leaving ourselves open for the judgment of God.
Love is not an option, it is a Commandment. Unless the love of God is abiding in us, we will not experience His Joy. If we do not have LOVE, then we do not possess His Strength. We cannot be strong in the Lord and in the POWER of His MIGHT if we do not abide in His Love. Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verse 10.
Love is more than just an EMOTION. Love is not just a special way of feeling or a “fuzzy feeling,” but the most powerful force in the Universe. God placed within the soul of every person the desire to be loved. Without Christ man’s concept of love becomes perverted and misguided. The highest calling of God is for one to be made PERFECT in love. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Love covers a multitude of sins and creates an atmosphere of creative power. Faith is ENERGIZED by love. Love is a place of REST and PEACE which can only be found in Christ. There are many things we can say about love because our God IS LOVE personified.
O COME AND LET US SING UNTO THE LORD: LET US MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. LET US COME BEFORE HIS PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING, AND MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO HIM WITH PSALMS. Psalms, 95, Verses 1-2.
Because we have found Christ and abandoned our lifestyle of “wandering” and “yearning to wander,” we now dwell IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. The writer of Psalms 95 admonishes us to make a JOYFUL Noise unto the Lord by singing songs of PRAISE to Him. If we are dwelling IN HIS PRESENCE we will experience the FULLNESS of His JOY. If we are not experiencing the fullness of His Joy, it is because we are not consistently dwelling IN HIS PRESENCE.
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD, ALL YOU LANDS. SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS: COME BEFORE HIS PRESENCE WITH SINGING. KNOW YOU THAT THE LORD HE IS GOD: IT IS HE WHO HAS MADE US, AND NOT WE OURSELVES; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE. ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING, AND INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE: BE THANKFUL UNTO HIM, AND BLESS HIS NAME. FOR THE LORD IS GOOD; HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING; AND HIS TRUTH ENDURES TO ALL GENERATIONS. Psalms, 100, Verses 1-5.
When we enter into the Gates and Courts of HIS PRESENCE with thanksgiving in our heart, we find that Joy which is Unspeakable and FULL OF HIS GLORY. We must diligently seek Him in order to dwell IN HIS PRESENCE so HIS PRESENCE can dwell within us consistently and eternally. If we have the JOY OF THE LORD in our Heart, the JOY OF THE LORD will sustain us through all the troubles and trials we face on this Earth. The JOY of the Lord is our STRENGTH.
FOR HE HAS MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN, THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM. 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 21.
Jesus, who knew no sin, literally became sin for us. He became the Sacrifice for our sin when He was crucified on the Cross at Calvary. When we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, we become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in Him. Being the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in Christ brings us FACE TO FACE with God in order that we may dwell humbly IN HIS PRESENCE. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and freed us from the bondage of sin in order that we could dwell eternally IN HIS PRESENCE.
The PRESENCE OF GOD dwells in the heart of every believer. Jesus desires to fellowship individually with every believer on a daily basis. Many believers are not all that enthusiastic when it comes to meeting daily with the Lord. However, Jesus continually STANDS AT THE DOOR of our heart and knocks. When we hear Him knocking do we bid Him come in, or do we tell Him to come back later? How long do YOU keep Him waiting till you open the door to let Him in? Fellowshipping with Christ on a daily basis will bring joy, peace and rest to our weary soul.
Christ cannot dwell in the heart of the unbeliever. Every unbeliever is a SPIRITUAL VAGABOND. Jesus stands at the door of each heart knocking, whether believer or unbeliever. He desires to have fellowship with all men who will open the door of their heart to Him. Jesus beckons to all who will hear His voice “COME AND DRINK OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY.” Revelation, Chapter 22, Verse 17.
As Sons and Daughters of God dwelling IN HIS PRESENCE, let us drink of the Water of Life freely and take the message of Salvation to the World. We have all been given the Command to GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL. Mark, Chapter 16, Verse 15.