"On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37, 38)
This was my Gospel reading for the day. Please note that it is, "out of his heart," not out of some special "anointed" meeting that only special "anointed" people can lead. I see nowhere in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ that we have to get to a meeting to experience "His Presence," no charismatic worship leader do we need to takes us "there," no special "anointing," no special atmosphere, feeling, goose bumps, nothing, only, "Immanuel, God with us," and This Same, "Immanuel," is in us. So many today need deliverance from the "God showed up" talk, the "getting into the Presence" talk. The, "rivers of living water," is the Presence of the Blessed Trinity in the Follower of Jesus Christ. And He, my friend, is the Ever Present One, the One Who promised, "I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]" (Amplified Bible). How about that, "relax My hold on you," as in, NEVER. This is not forsaking-of-the-assembly talk. This is victory talk for always, continual, day by day, moment by moment abiding in Jesus.
So today I encourage you to think anew of the great saint of old, Brother Lawrence, and his work, The Practice of the Presence of God. Apparently he also needed to remind himself of this great reality. It would be great to get the book out again if you have it, and if not, get it. There is no coming and going in our Religion. That is for heathen religion. There is only, "A Very Present Help," loving Father. The Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit will never be any more "present" in your and my life than He is right now, right here, right there. Thank God for great worship, great assembling of the Brethren, but also thank Him for, "out of [my] heart shall flow...," shall flow as I draw, and its a drawing which need never end.
Father, in Jesus' Name, what a wonderful, continual word to my heart that You are here with and in me, now, always, eternally. Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
