October 19

"COME TO ME with your defenses down, ready to be blessed and filled with My Presence. Relax, and feel the relief of being totally open and authentic with Me. You have nothing to hide and nothing to disclose, because I know everything about you already. You can have no other relationship like this one. Take time to savor its richness, basking in My golden Light.

One of the worse consequences of the Fall is the elaborate barriers people erect between themselves and others. Facades abound in the world, even in My Body, the church. Sometimes, church is the last place where people feel free to be themselves. They cover up with Sunday clothes and Sunday smiles. They feel relief when they leave because of the strain of false fellowship. The best antidote to this artificial atmosphere is practicing My Presence at church. Let your primary focus be communing with me, worshiping Me, glorifying Me. Then you will be able to smile at others with My Joy and love them with My Love. "

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him  yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. --1 John 1:5-7

The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." --Exodus 33:14

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...think about such things...--Philippians 4:8

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Rest, O Blessed rest! And relief, how I have longed and yearned for relief from the darkness. He has delivered me from it once more. I have been so tired, just so, so tired, and worn out from life and allowing myself to dwell selfishly on the stresses of life. I had enough. Vulnerable and weak, I once again, asked His forgiveness for my sins, and He delivered me His Peace. Rejuvenated. Alive. I feel as though I have a purpose!

The darkness threatens, it lingers outside ... I feel it trying to creep and make its way back in, enticing me to be snarky, rude, annoyed, snappy and I just say Jesus's powerful name, and it dissipates. The devil is a sneaky one, using any opportunity to make his way back inside; he knows our weaknesses, wants, desires, and takes pleasure in turning us against the beautiful, Glory of our Lord.

The peace my heart is filled with is like non-other. Thank you, Lord, for delivering me from myself. I lived in the lie and not in your Truth for too long.