Category: God’s Presence

Being God’s Tabernacle

“‘And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.’” Exodus 25:8-9 (ESV) God revealed to Moses the architectural dimensions, interior design, and precise function of the Tabernacle. Picture over two million Jews encamped in an area that would take about twelve square miles. If you lived on the outskirts of the encampment, then you would have to walk nearly six miles to bring your sacrifice to the Tabernacle. From the distance, you would be able to view God’s glory cloud descending from the sky down into the Most Holy Place. The Tabernacle was mobile. It was designed in such a way that when God’s glory moved, the Tabernacle could be moved to accommodate God’s presence. Did you know that you are “the walking Tabernacle” of God’s presence? “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19-20 ESV). God demonstrated in the Old Testament through the Tabernacle that His desire is to dwell with His people. As His Tabernacle, God has chosen to dwell in you permanently. He indwells you by the Holy Spirit. You are His priceless treasure. What kind of Tabernacle are you being for His presence to dwell? Have you allowed Him to move into every area of your life? Have you given Him full control of your life, your desires, your ambitions, and your fears? Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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God's Presence Relief Zephaniah

Day of the Lord

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) As a child of the living God, you can look forward to the day of the Lord. In Christ, you have eternal security and you have a perpetual responsibility to invite others into a saving relationship with Jesus. The day of reckoning is approaching when every human being will stand before God to give an account for his or her life. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, God will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by His love and exult over you with loud singing. You will experience the culmination of your salvation and hear the reassuring words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:10 (ESV) Choose to live in the readiness mode. Live in light of day of the Lord. We have a limited amount of time to share God’s love and to shine God’s light in this dark and decaying world. Those who do not have a personal love relationship with Jesus will experience the dreadful day of the Lord where God’s righteousness will expose the evil deeds of every unregenerate individual. God is in our midst. Join Him in His redemptive activity to rescue the perishing. You are armed with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Put on the full armor of God and go to war for souls! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Tags Devo

Availability God's Presence Tabernacle

Moving with God

“Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:36-38 (ESV) God would guide the Israelites by the visible manifestation of the cloud during the day and fire by night. When the cloud lifted and shifted, the Israelites moved. The Tabernacle was constructed in a way that emphasized ease of mobility. This enabled the Israelites to move when God moved. As God’s workmanship, where did Moses learn that kind of sensitivity to God’s movement? Did he learn it in the palace during his first forty years on the earth or perhaps during the second forty years of his life as a shepherd in the desert? The burning bush experience obviously made an abiding difference in his sensitivity to God’s Presence. God is always at work. Are you sensitive to His activity? You can experience God’s Presence moment by moment as you commune with Him through prayer and feed on His Word. You can experience God’s Presence as you maintain a posture of expectation and anticipation. You always find what you are looking for. If you are looking for the activity of God, you will find it. Be sensitive to God’s activity. Be responsive to His invitation to join Him in His activity. Keep your “yes” on the altar to be available for God’s use. Move with God and abide in His perfect will. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Presence Moses Tabernacle

The Tabernacle

God's Presence Heaven Jacob

God Encounter

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’” Genesis 28:16-17 (ESV) Don’t miss God! You can be so preoccupied with your life and your plans that you neglect practicing the Presence of God. God is omnipresent. There is nowhere God is not. He is always at work around you. Unless you intentionally look to see where God is at work, you can miss Him. Detecting God’s activity requires being sensitive and observant. As Jacob placed a stone under his head and went to sleep, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder with angels ascending and descending on it. God said to him, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 28:13-14 ESV). Upon reflection of the night’s events, Jacob realized that he had encountered God. He named the place, Bethel, which means house of God. Each time you read the Bible, you are encountering God. Whenever you choose to share your faith with someone, you will encounter God. As you seek to meet needs and continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth, you will encounter God. God reveals Himself to you as you join Him in His activity. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Comfort God's Presence God's Provision

Practicing God’s Presence

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (ESV) In the Seventeenth Century, a monk named, Brother Lawrence, worked in the kitchen of the Carmelite Monastery in Paris, France. He is remembered for his daily intimacy with God in the midst of menial tasks within the confines of the monastery. Brother Lawrence learned to practice the presence of God. In one of his letters he wrote, “I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.” Whether you are occupying the kitchen of grief or delighting at the table of abundance, God is with you. His abiding presence will sustain you and comfort you as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God will shepherd you through the adversity and bring you to the place of peace. You will never walk alone. God is with you. While you were sleeping, God was working. Will you choose to practice the presence of God today? Regardless of your physical location or your emotional reality, you can practice God’s presence throughout the day by acknowledging His perpetual love, faithfulness, and grace. Elevate your awareness of God’s abiding presence by praying without ceasing (1Thess. 5:17). Enjoy uninterrupted communion with God. Where you go this day, God is with you. Whatever comes your way, God is with you. Practice God’s presence and feast on His continuous provision of comfort and assurance. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Presence Relief Zephaniah

Day of the Lord

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) As a child of the living God, you can look forward to the day of the Lord. In Christ, you have eternal security and you have a perpetual responsibility to invite others into a saving relationship with Jesus. The day of reckoning is approaching when every human being will stand before God to give an account for his or her life. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, God will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by His love and exult over you with loud singing. You will experience the culmination of your salvation and hear the reassuring words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:10 (ESV) Choose to live in the readiness mode. Live in light of day of the Lord. We have a limited amount of time to share God’s love and to shine God’s light in this dark and decaying world. Those who do not have a personal love relationship with Jesus will experience the dreadful day of the Lord where God’s righteousness will expose the evil deeds of every unregenerate individual. God is in our midst. Join Him in His redemptive activity to rescue the perishing. You are armed with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Put on the full armor of God and go to war for souls! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 218: Zephaniah) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Availability God's Presence Tabernacle

Moving with God

“Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:36-38 (ESV) God would guide the Israelites by the visible manifestation of the cloud during the day and fire by night. When the cloud lifted and shifted, the Israelites moved. The Tabernacle was constructed in a way that emphasized ease of mobility. This enabled the Israelites to move when God moved. As God’s workmanship, where did Moses learn that kind of sensitivity to God’s movement? Did he learn it in the palace during his first forty years on the earth or perhaps during the second forty years of his life as a shepherd in the desert? The burning bush experience obviously made an abiding difference in his sensitivity to God’s Presence. God is always at work. Are you sensitive to His activity? You can experience God’s Presence moment by moment as you commune with Him through prayer and feed on His Word. You can experience God’s Presence as you maintain a posture of expectation and anticipation. You always find what you are looking for. If you are looking for the activity of God, you will find it. Be sensitive to God’s activity. Be responsive to His invitation to join Him in His activity. Keep your “yes” on the altar to be available for God’s use. Move with God and abide in His perfect will. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 43: Exodus 39-40) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Presence Moses Tabernacle

The Tabernacle

“‘And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.’” Exodus 25:8-9 (ESV) God revealed to Moses the architectural dimensions, interior design, and precise function of the Tabernacle. Picture over two million Jews encamped in an area that would take about twelve square miles. If you lived on the outskirts of the encampment, then you would have to walk nearly six miles to bring your sacrifice to the Tabernacle. From the distance, you would be able to view God’s glory cloud descending from the sky down into the Most Holy Place. The Tabernacle was mobile. It was designed in such a way that when God’s glory moved, the Tabernacle could be moved to accommodate God’s presence. Did you know that you are “the walking Tabernacle” of God’s presence? “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19-20 ESV). God demonstrated in the Old Testament through the Tabernacle that His desire is to dwell with His people. As His Tabernacle, God has chosen to dwell in you permanently. He indwells you by the Holy Spirit. You are His priceless treasure. What kind of Tabernacle are you being for His presence to dwell? Have you allowed Him to move into every area of your life? Have you given Him full control of your life, your desires, your ambitions, and your fears? Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 38: Exodus 25-27) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Presence Heaven Jacob

God Encounter

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.’ 17 And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’” Genesis 28:16-17 (ESV) Don’t miss God! You can be so preoccupied with your life and your plans that you neglect practicing the Presence of God. God is omnipresent. There is nowhere God is not. He is always at work around you. Unless you intentionally look to see where God is at work, you can miss Him. Detecting God’s activity requires being sensitive and observant. As Jacob placed a stone under his head and went to sleep, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder with angels ascending and descending on it. God said to him, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 28:13-14 ESV). Upon reflection of the night’s events, Jacob realized that he had encountered God. He named the place, Bethel, which means house of God. Each time you read the Bible, you are encountering God. Whenever you choose to share your faith with someone, you will encounter God. As you seek to meet needs and continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth, you will encounter God. God reveals Himself to you as you join Him in His activity. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 21: Genesis 27-29) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Comfort God's Presence God's Provision

Practicing God’s Presence

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date January 27, 2010
62 Comments on Practicing God’s Presence

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV) In the Seventeenth Century, a monk named, Brother Lawrence, worked in the kitchen of the Carmelite Monastery in Paris, France. He is remembered for his daily intimacy with God in the midst of menial tasks within the confines of the monastery. Brother Lawrence learned to practice the presence of God. In one of his letters he wrote, “I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.” Whether you are occupying the kitchen of grief or delighting at the table of abundance, God is with you. His abiding presence will sustain you and comfort you as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God will shepherd you through the adversity and bring you to the place of peace. You will never walk alone. God is with you. While you were sleeping, God was working. Will you choose to practice the presence of God today? Regardless of your physical location or your emotional reality, you can practice God’s presence throughout the day by acknowledging His perpetual love, faithfulness, and grace. Elevate your awareness of God’s abiding presence by praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Enjoy uninterrupted communion with God. Where you go this day, God is with you. Whatever comes your way, God is with you. Practice God’s presence and feast on His continuous provision of comfort and assurance. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Devotion God's Presence Passion

Passion for His Presence

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Presence Joy

Joy in God’s Presence

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalms 16:11 (NIV) God fills you with joy in His Presence. The thought of having access to the presence of God is still amazing. God has made known the path of life. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). We have gained access to God through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. Our sin debt has been paid in full. In Christ, we have been reconciled to God. God chooses to fill us with joy in His presence. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy God’s presence. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy the eternal pleasures. God is for us. He created us. God is with us. Jesus redeemed us. God is in us. The Holy Spirit indwells us. The presence of God is no longer confined to the Old Testament Tabernacle or Temple. God’s presence is no longer confined to the Ark of the Covenant. God has chosen to take up residence in us. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV) Are you walking in the joy of God’s presence? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor