The word for this week is "presence". We'll be looking at three verses. The first is Psalm 16:11:
11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. AMP
This one is the Hebrew word "paniym". Strong's Concordance says: the face. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: person, in front of, before. What this verse is saying is that their will be great joy for every person who will develop their fellowship with HIM and spend time in HIS presence! The next example is found in 1 Corinthians 1:28-29:
28 And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are, 29 So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God. AMP
This one is the Greek word "enopion". Strong's Concordance says: in the face of (literally or figuratively). Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds this: one who is in sight, in that place which is before, or over against, opposite, anyone and toward which another turns his eyes. On our own, we have nothing to offer Him! Everything good about us came from the Lord when He created us uniquely and individually, and by Holy Spirit when He recreated our spirits in the image of God. There is nothing that WE can boast about ourselves, because the only thing that WE did was to accept what HE already did for us! The third example is found in Acts 3:19:
19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord; AMP
This is the Greek word "prosopon". Strong's Concordance says: in front, the countenance, aspect, appearance. When we spend time just alone with Him (in His presence), He will become more real to us and we will be more aware of Holy Spirit living IN us! THIS is what brings the refreshing and rejuvenation! Also, by being in His presence and waiting on Him (attending to Him and paying attention to Him), we have THIS promise from Isaiah 40:31:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. KJV
I am always amazed at what a few minutes spent even just singing a praise song that brings my attention back to Him will do for my energy level when I'm tired! HIS presence is the best place to be, and the best news is, He is always right there, INSIDE! We just have to bring our focus back on Him! Here is another new song from Hillsong United called "Street Called Mercy":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
