Greetings my Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus. I pray all is well with you and your walk.
Earlier this year, by the grace of God, I was able to attend Men's advance, which, if you don't know, is a men's retreat at the Lake Geneva Christian Center held every year where men are invited to gather together in fellowship and worship with the Lord. Men, if you have not yet been able to attend, I highly recommend it. There is something about 1300 men gathering together to worship the Almighty God! That's truly special! Do you want to know what makes it so special? It is HIS presence that is what made this gathering of 1300 God-fearing men so amazing! He was there. The Holy Spirit was among us, within us and around us. His word proven true in Matthew 18:20 NLT:
[20] For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.18.20.NLT
And He truly was. However, I am not writing this to you on the importance of gathering together, as important as it is, for it is written in Hebrews 10:25 NLT:
[25] And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.10.25.NLT
No, I am writing this to you to share a conviction I have on my heart regarding my walk with the Lord and the gentle correction I received in the hopes it may be encouraging to you.
My brothers and sisters, while I was in the presence of the Lord He comforted me. I felt as if I was a small babe being cradled against my Father’s chest. I felt a supernatural peace come over me. As well, I felt absolutely and completely safe.The safest I have felt in such a long time. In my heart I heard Our Heavenly Father say, you do not need something like men's advance to be in my presence. All you must do is draw near to me and I will draw near to you.
Let me tell you, the weight of that sentence hit me hard, brothers and sisters, I am guilty of not seeking first the kingdom of God. I am guilty of not following the words written in Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT:
[5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.3.5-6.NLT
I, like so many, have taken my relationship with the Lord for granted and taken advantage of who He is. I have allowed the Idol of Me and my needs to take the place of where Christ Jesus should be: His rightful place on the throne of my heart as Lord of my life.
Brothers and sisters, this is not how it should be. We are to emulate Christ Jesus and long for the Father's presence, instruction and command, drawing near to Him in a position of reverence in the early hours of the morning, sneaking away from the distractions of our blessings and responsibilities in the middle of the day and again before we slumber, giving thanks to the one who sustains us.
I don't know about you, but I want to seek after the Lord with my whole heart. I want to live for God and with God in such a way that if my life were a story in the Bible it would say he talked with God face to face as a friend. As it is written in Exodus 33:11 NLT:
[11] Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.33.11.NLT
I want to be in the presence of the most high God, so much that my face, too, like Moses, would have to be covered with a veil. Can you imagine that if all believers walked around with veils to not overwhelm non-believers? That would be a sight! But, most of all, I want to seek the presence of God so that I may operate completely out of the profound love that He has for me. That complete sense of security, knowing I am in His hands and the enemy cannot touch me.
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, if anyone, like me, has a bad habit of writing our Heavenly Father a rain check, I encourage you to join me in repentance to strive to seek first the kingdom of God. To go out of your way to be with Him alone in prayer. To be excited about it like when you first fell in love, you couldn't get enough of your partner's attention and you hung on every word. Give the Lord your God an even greater love than that. Do the work that the Holy Spirit wouldn't just be at men's advance or church, but in your home and in your heart. Draw near to God that he may draw near to you so the whole world may see the glory of God shining from your face and repent and know Christ as Lord and be saved.
2 Corinthians 13:14 NLT
[14] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.13.14.NLT
Pastor Dakota Swinton