Passcode into His Presence

Giving thanks to God daily seems to comes easier to some than others depending on where you are in life and the challenges you may be facing. Do you know that someone somewhere envy or desire the life and opportunities you may have no matter how bad it may seem? You may think that sound insane or untrue but that is the reality of life. This shows we all have something to be grateful to God for, it is a choice we have to make daily. As we desire to move forward in life or require a change in our current situation we should never forget to thank Him for how far He has brought us.Thanksgiving is not a feeling or emotional sentiment but rather a lifestyle, a command and daily choice to make in spite of all unfavorable circumstances and situations in life.

Our passcode

The longer we stay out of the Presence of God the more we lose the need for Him because of a false sense of security in ourselves. We are not created to best thrive in any other environment than in His Presence and sometimes it is struggle to find our way back and stay there.

Psalm 100:3-5

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

There is no need for a spiritual mantra, special creed or a special prayer when entering into His Presence. The passcode into His Presence is simply:“thanksgiving, praise and worship". Although we may be familiar with this code, surprisingly enough in the moment our neediness it never occurs to us to use it in the first instance. We often find ourselves retrieving to our default [isolation, worry, fear, panic, complaining and others] instead of entering the code into His Presence. I remind myself daily according to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "Give thanks in all things". It takes constant practice to make it our default daily.

How do we start our day? When we want to slip away or withdraw from the hustle of life; where and who do we go to? The moment our feet hit the floor we are mostly in a hurry to get into the swing of things than to pause and be thankful while being alone in His Presence. It takes great discipline to focus even while we are in His Presence because the mind can wander even to the point of thinking about what we will be doing throughout the day. The flashback of present challenges and unanswered prayers can make it difficult to thank Him left alone see His goodness in our lives. It is a choice you and I need to make daily to enter into His Presence, bringing Him our offering of thanksgiving and pouring our hearts to Him. We cannot expect anything more from Him if we do not thank Him for what He has already done and able to do for us.

Psalm 16:11(NIV)

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

We will never fully comprehend the huge benefits that awaits us in His Presence until we make it a choice to draw closer to Him. It is the safest place one can hide or rest, a place where the life of God permeate our entire being, restoring strength, hope and faith to believe God for even the impossible. It is only in His Presence that we gain inner strength to rise up when we fall, fight and persevere through the storms of life.

Cellphone Analogy

Have you ever wander while sometimes we don't sense the Presence of God or hear His voice more often as we use to? Most often than not it's because we've stop entering and abiding in His Presence.

Our cellphone is one thing we have come to depend upon and without it we feel lost or disconnected. There is a security feature that allows us to use a passcode to lock and unlock our phones.When there is no activity for a while the screen turns dark and the passcode is needed to regain access. Although this may not the best example when it comes to God's Presence please allow me to draw on some few lessons the Holy Spirit pointed to me about our cellphone use and God's Presence.

No activity A habit of ingratitude quenches the desire or the need to be thankful. "No activity" of thanksgiving and praise for who He is, what He has done and will do for us locks us out of His Presence.The more we stay out of His Presence the more we tend to focus on ourselves or obsessed about other things while our feelings takes the driver's seat.

God works wonders in the midst of our situation or circumstance for our good when we turn our focus to Him in our praise and thanksgiving. David positioned himself for God to fight and defeat Goliath when he praised Him for past victories and His ability to do it again.

Overload

When we are too busy with our personal lives without consistently spending time alone with God we become empty of charge like the battery of our phone. We become easily overwhelmed or overcome by the stresses and pressures of life because of the lack of inner strength that comes from His Presence.

Being fully engaged or actively involved in the work of God is not a substitute or the same as spending time alone with God.When we get plugged into His Presence our spirit gets charged and we become filled with His Power. Abiding daily in His Presence gives us the needed grace to face and overcome the challenges of the day. It takes longer for a recharge after we are drained than a constant charging ready at all times for good works.

Hidden or unattended

There are apps on our cellphone that uses more resources than usual. Apps also that are not closed properly can slow down processing speed, run down batteries easily and clots memory quickly.

It is like little foxes that ruin the vineyard; the hidden and self-indulgent sinful behavior drain us faster spiritually than anything else. Our disobedience to His will and leading quenches the active work of the Holy Spirit in our lives which often leads to slothfulness, laziness, loss of interest when it comes to the things of God. Intentionally indulging in sin or sinful practices quenches our joy and kills our passion to seek to enter or abide in His Presence. No sin; unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment is worth holding onto in comparison to the surpassing greatness of God's power in our fellowship with Him.

In Conclusion

The ungrateful or unthankful cannot abide in His Presence nor have the desire or reason to enter into His Presence. When we abide in Him we do not only experience joy unspeakable but become channels or vessels that the life of God flow through into the lives of others. Let us Cultivate a heart and attitude of thanksgiving, praise and worship to God.

Lord help us to remember the passcode into your Presence and quicken us to make it our first choice daily or when confronted with impossibilities. Holy Spirit empower us to make thanksgiving a lifestyle and reveal to us the unlimited reasons to bless theName of the Lord at all times. God bless you.