Greetings in he name of the one who is constantly drawing us into the Father’s heart, Jesus Christ – THE Crucified and Risen Saviour! What a beautiful morning in the Kingdom, at least in my corner! I trust that your week is going well and you are healthy and happy. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to bring laughter to you and the blessing of knowing that He enjoys you.
I am sure by now that you know I look forward to Tuesday and the new music releases. This week a group that I appreciate – the Newsboys – have released a selection of hymns that they have ‘re-arranged’ using their style. The cd called – “Hallelujah for the cross” – was a pleasant surprise, especially their take on “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” You probably know I like to read and enjoy new ideas and perspectives. One of the new books I have been reading is called: The Presence by Alec Rowlands, and it challenges the reader to experience more of God. He relates stories from the revival in the Hebrides and in Wales, as well as North America. He makes some learned observations about revival that make me stop and think. I want to share a couple of thoughts from the book with you.
First, he talks about God’s presence – his essential presence, his manifest presence, and his cultivated presence. It is quite refreshing. He then takes a look at the experience of salvation and says some really good things…“if we see salvation as only a one-time, past occurrence, then there is nothing more to the Christian life than planting a flag and never moving forward…But if we recognize that salvation is a life-long experience by which Jesus continually transforms our lives, then God’s presence becomes an essential element of our everyday lives, as the wellspring of our salvation, and our hunger for God’s presence grows as we respond to his love for us.”
In another place, the author states: “…when God manifests his presence, it’s never for the mere purpose of creating certain feelings within us. It’s not for our entertainment, to give us goosebumps, or simply for dramatic effect. It’s always to draw us into a more active love response to God. It is to let us know that we’re not alone, abandoned, or forsaken. It is to reassure us that he loves us, he is sovereign, he is trustworthy, and he always works for the good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.”
There is solid teaching and good illustrations from a pastor who leads a group called – ‘churchawakening’ , in the Seattle region. If you are curious, go buy a copy…find somebody to discuss it with.
Be blessed!