| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “The end of anxiety and despair” Our Bible verse for today: “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV) Our thought for today: “You need a good dose of the Holy Spirit” The other day I came across a statement someone wrote about a special encounter they had with God. In relating the exact moment of the encounter, the person said, “Now I feel God.” His statement caused me to think about the special moments I’ve had when I too have felt God’s presence. Is it possible to actually, physically, tangibly, “feel” God’s presence? Yes. Yes, it is. I’ve told the story before of a time I was alone on a personal retreat at the Forest Home Christian Camp in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. There’s a little chapel deep in the woods that marks the exact spot where a young Billy Graham, wrestling with anxiety and despair, had a personal encounter with God that helped him resolve some key issues in his faith, and which then led to the success of his evangelistic ministry. I got to sit alone in that chapel, in the quiet in the woods, and I too resolved a few things, and I too had an overwhelming sense of God’s presence and peace with me. That encounter is still vivid in my memory almost thirty years later. I’m an introvert by nature and although I like people and enjoy being with them, I also love to be alone, because that’s when I encounter God most and best. My best times with God come in places like the Forest Home encounter, or when I’m walking alone on a deserted beach, or hiking by myself in the mountains, or sitting in front of the fireplace reading a good Christian book. For me, Psalm 46:10 is one of the most inviting passages in Scripture. I’m eager to be alone, to be still, and to just know that He is God. That’s when I “feel” God. How about you? Do you have those special times when you’re most likely to feel God’s presence. Perhaps your encounters occur most often in a dynamic worship service, or during acts of ministry to hurting and needy people, or maybe while taking communion. Whatever your best situations are for encountering God, I encourage you to maximize them. You need this – especially when life is closing in and you’re struggling with issues. You need those special encounters with God as His Holy Spirit engulfs you in an overwhelming awareness of His presence. So, go to those places, do those things, create those circumstances, and do it as often as you can. When it comes to dealing with anxiety and despair, there’s no better antidote than a good dose of the Holy Spirit. God bless, Pastor Jim |
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