Day 23 Monday, 11th March

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Presence Changes Us

In Vineyard, we have a phrase that describes a key value:

“Come as you are”

Anyone can come into the presence of God. The invitation is open to anyone, who ever you are and whatever you’ve done. But this simple phrase has a ‘follow up’, a big ‘but’!

“But, don’t stay as you are”

Don’t stay in that place. In the presence of God, change. Be transformed. Let his presence transform you to become more like Jesus. His Presence changes us. Do we expect it? Are we intentional about seeking out the presence of God?

A couple of passages, from “The Message” version, may help you as you think about how God’s presence, His Spirit changes you:

“Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.” -Jesus [John 3:5-6, The Message]

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. 

You’ll be changed from the inside out. 

Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”    -Romans 12:1-3

Today, create some time and space to rest in God’s Presence. Be still. Place your life before God. Let him bring out the best in you. Let His Presence change you…

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