Do No Cast Me From Your Presence

"Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me."

Psalm 51:11 (NIV)

Is there anything in our lives that is holding back God's presence? Is there anything in the church that is obstructing God's presence, so that only a few are experiencing Him and being saved, transformed, healed, and delivered?

If we desire more of God's presence and glory in our lives and in the church, we, as individuals and as a church, need to regularly ask the question, "Is there anything in my life (or in the church) that God would wants us (or the church) to remove or give up so that we (or the church) can enter the blessings of His presence and be saturated by His love, glory, power, and holiness?"

One night, at two in the morning, God woke up both me and one of my teenage sons. As I lay in bed, wondering why I was so wide awake, I heard some rustling noise and someone roaming the house! When I got up to check who it was, I discovered it was my sixteen-year-old son. He was getting a large black garbage bag out of the kitchen cupboard and throwing all his computer games into it!

I was stunned, but also amazed at the same time. When my son heard God's voice to remove, not his shoes, but his computer games from his life, he obeyed. And God's presence fell so heavily on both of us that night in the quietness of a dark living room that our bodies began to shake. As I laid my trembling hand upon his shoulder and tried to pray over him, I could hardly speak. Words failed me. All I could do was sob mumble-jumble in God's presence.

Do you desire more than anything God's presence in your life, in your home, and in your church? If so, God might ask you, or the church as a whole, to remove, give up something, or cleanse before you can enter His glorious presence.