Annelle's Corner
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AWARDS
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Becky Braun
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CURRENT CHART
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Editor's Note
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Gary R. Smith
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Gary R. Smith's
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GOJI
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White House
Report
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Why God Created
Children
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RUINED FOR THE ORDINARY? (What is the Fear Of The Lord?) |
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The “Fear of God” is a term that refers to reverential awe that’s produced when one is in the very presence of the Living God, and it should cause us to run to God rather than from Him. The perfect example of how an encounter with God causes holy reverence and spiritual awe can be found in the account of Moses’ meeting with God on Mount Sinai. Once Moses climbed the great mountain of the Lord, he was totally focused on God, |
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while there, everything else in his natural life disappeared. This was the place where GOD was -- and God was ALL that existed or mattered for him in that place at that time. After his time in the presence of God, after he had communed with God, Moses climbed down the mountain and the people saw that he was changed. His heart had changed, his countenance had changed, and his entire physical appearance had changed. Then he told the people something very interesting. He said, God has come to place His fear in you so that you might not sin. When one is in the presence of the living God, their desire to please their flesh disappears, and they lose their focus of the circumstances of their natural life. God is ALL THAT MATTERS. That “reverential awe” only happens when you’ve had a personal meeting with the extra-dimensional, supernatural presence of our Father God. It’s a greater “high” than any drug can ever produce, and it changes you. Once you’ve been on your knees or on your face in absolute awe at His presence, you’ll never be the same again. And it’s in His presence that your heart will become empowered to “not settle” for the lesser things of this world. No habit can control you there. No unhealthy relationship can control you there. You’re in “the hospital” that will “cure” EVERYTHING that hinders you. Another by-product of your personal visit in the presence of God is that you’ll soon find that the casual, routine religion that you’ve settled for in the past just isn’t enough anymore. It may still be convenient to your life-style, and it might still be a pleasant social experience, but this kind of religion, week-in and week-out, will never meet the needs of your spirit-man once it has been awakened to the intimate relationship God desires to have with you. We were created for that very reason and that reason only – to have intimate fellowship with our Creator, and eventually you’ll realize that it is the intimate time you spend in HIS Presence that delivers you from the carnal distractions of life. |
I don't want to go to a church where I can recite the order of service week after week after week. God wants things to be done “in order,”
but God is God, and He needs to be in control. He wants to bring His
presence into our meetings where “his saints gather together.” He wants
to model our times WITH HIM in the same fashion as Moses' encounter
with Him on Mount Sinai. When Moses went up on Mount Sinai, he didn't have two opening hymns, welcome to visitors, another song, announcements, special music, a 30 minute sermon, a closing hymn and an invitation to join the church. HEAR ME NOW – neither did he have 45 minutes to one-hour of praise music, announcements, an hour and a half sermon, another 30 minutes of worship music, altar time during which the same folks are “slain in the spirit” week after week after week. In both cases, the routine becomes nothing more than religion. When God is in the house, when His presence is really there, your spirit is receiving like baby birds receive sustenance from their mama. Whether it’s ushered in from your time in worship or from your time in the Word, you forget to watch your watch – you forget about service times and schedules, and you “EXPERIENCE” HIM. All that matters is that God is there, and He’s there WITH YOU. It can happen in a fox hole all by yourself, in a bible study of 10, or in a church of 10,000. When God shows up nothing else matters. How often does this happen? Not nearly enough. Does it happen for you every time you come together? Probably not. Can it happen in other places? Most definitely. What’s the key? Having an intimate relationship with your Creator -- knowing Him intimately and not being willing to SETTLE for a casual relationship any longer. What does that kind of relationship produce? It produces obedience. It produces joy unspeakable and full of glory. It produces love for others and love for yourself. Don’t settle for less. Once you’ve “been there” – once you are “betrothed,” you'll never be satisfied with anything less. Until next time, Micki Farington Managing Editor |
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