[Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations…from
everlasting to everlasting Psalm
90:1-2
During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's
explore God’s Presence, our dwelling place. Are you dwelling in the presence of
God? ~ Donna Howell Oswalt]
“God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in
this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters.
Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind
or drops out.” Ephesians
6:18 MSG
After the crucifixion, the followers of Jesus are
emotionally stranded, fear-full, and alone. Hidden and disillusioned, they
yearn for what they cannot have, they grieve for what they do not understand,
they wait for what they do not expect. On this Sabbath, the solitude feels suffocating,
doubt engages defeat, and hope hesitates. Just a week ago, they were preparing
to come to Jerusalem.
Spiritual
enemies use tools of discouragement, deception, and division. Confusion, chaos,
and contradiction shout, whisper, and overwhelm. In contrast, truth and God’s
righteousness along with peace and faith in Christ become the spiritual armor
protecting us from the fiery arrows
of Satan. Having salvation as the helmet, Holy Scriptures as the sword, and prayer
in the power of the Holy Spirit, these spiritual weapons belong to all
Christians! Only in God’s presence can we truly know safety and wholeness,
order and peace, love and unity. Brother Lawrence in Practicing His Presence shares that his prayers are nothing other than a sense of the presence of God and suggests
trying to live in a continual sense of
the Lord’s presence. Holy God, as the
fiery arrows fly, as temptations test,
as disobedience destroys, cover me. In Your presence, grace prepares me with
righteousness, provides me with knowledge, protects me with holiness. Count me
alive in Christ. Blessed Assurance, my Hope in all times! -dho
All rights
reserved ~ used with permission of the author
Copyright 2014
by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author
For more information
about this ministry visit ~
“May you be
blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”