You are a carrier of His glory!

The Lord says: 

"Prepare yourselves to be filled with My glory like never before! For I am raising up a people who will be carriers of My glory in a time like this! Just as in the days of Solomon when the temple was prepared, so are you who are the temple of My Spirit! I will show you the many things that the world cannot see. I will even show you what is to come. You shall walk in My Spirit and My revelation in deeper ways. Nothing of the flesh matters anymore!" 

1 Kings 8:10-11 (NKJV) says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.'

This happened in King Solomon's days. The word 'glory' here is 'kabowd' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'splendor, magnificence, honor, weight'. That is to say, the glory of the Lord is real, is present, and is tangible. It is the very presence of the Lord. For those who have experienced it, or even experienced a glimpse of it, you will know what I mean. It's so real, and words cannot fully describe it. 

As a beloved of God, you can experience this glory of the Lord and be filled with this glory of the Lord. In fact, people around you can actually sense it, and see the glory of the Lord in your life. 

Isaiah 60:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.'

Back to King Solomon's days. When the glory of the Lord filled the temple that Solomon built, nothing of the flesh mattered anymore. All that's of the world has become like a shadow. It's all about the Lord now. Not about the works of man or the achievements of man. Even the priest could not continue ministering, as you can see in 1 Kings 8:10-11 just now. 

With such awesome presence of the Lord, all Solomon could do was to turn around and release the blessings of the Lord upon the people at that time! You see, with the glory of the Lord so heavy upon you, blessings flow. 

Today, as believers of the Lord in the New Covenant, you and I are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not made with stones. Not made with bricks. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) says, 'Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' 

At this juncture of our lives, let us dedicate ourselves anew to the Lord. Ask the Lord to wash us and cleanse us.

What are the keys to God's glory manifesting in your life? 

1. Holiness and purity

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) says, 'Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.'

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' 

Let the Holy Spirit fill you right now. The Holy Spirit is the HOLY SPIRIT. The Spirit of holiness. Let the fire of His holiness cleanse and wash us.

2. Worship and surrender

Romans 12:1 (NLT) says, 'And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.'

We worship Him not just with songs and music, but we worship Him with our bodies, presenting ourselves to Him as a living and holy sacrifice unto Him. 

3. Praise and thanksgiving

Psalm 50:14-15 (NKJV) says, 'Offer to God thanksgiving... Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.'

Psalm 50:23 (NKJV) says, 'Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation ('Yeshuwah') of God.'

As you live a life of praising Him and giving thanks to Him; not just in good times, but at all times; He will know how to show you His glory and His goodness. You will begin to walk in the realm of greater blessings and miracles.

Not just that. The power of darkness cannot have a hold on you or 'touch' you. You will have divine protection of the Lord. No matter how the enemies try to pull you down, they cannot succeed. Because you have the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ, and you have the glory of the Lord enveloping you and surrounding you. Amen!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

Experiencing God's glory from the inside out - why & how?

How do you experience God's glory wherever you are? 

Now, don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong in going to places where revival or a great awakening is happening, in order to 'catch the fire' or to 'jumpstart' your spiritual life. But you know what? You can't do that all the time! You can't be in a particular place all the time! 

But I have a good news for you! You can experience God's glory wherever you are! Yes, even wherever you are right now! 

In fact, when you experience God's glory from the 'inside out', from the inside of you, from within you, it is so real! Remember, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and He wants to fill you with His glory and light inside of you!

When we talk about God's glory and light, we can't help but also talk about cleansing from every form of impurities in our lives. Why? Because all these impurities in our lives can hinder us from receiving His glory and light! 

In Matthew 5:8, Jesus Himself says: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The word 'see' here is 'optanomai' in Greek. In the context of this verse, it can mean 'your spiritual eyes can be opened and enlightened to see the many things that you couldn't see (or experience) before'. When this happens, something changes in the inside of you, and you'll begin to see the way God sees, and not the way the world sees! 

Indeed, this is the time He is touching many of His people to want to go deeper and deeper in His presence, His glory, His light, and His realm!

In Ezekiel 8:2, Ezekiel said: 'Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire - from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.' 

Here, Ezekiel saw the appearance of the Lord God Himself - full of light, full of fire, full of brightness! And he even described Him as 'like the color of amber'. This word 'amber' is 'khahsmal' in Hebrew. It can literally mean 'polished, shining substance'. What does this show us? As we behold the Lord, we are being 'polished' till we become full of His light and shining again! 

Let us therefore humble ourselves, and let Him cleanse us and 'polish' us till we reflect more and more of the Lord in our lives! 

Do you want to be like Ezekiel (to whom the Lord showed so many things)? Here in Ezekiel chapter 8, the Lord actually showed Ezekiel the many idolatries that were happening within His temple. The Lord was very grieved at that time. You see, He yearned to dwell in His temple. But His people had turned their face away from Him, and turned to idols. In our context, 'idols' don't necessarily have to be idols per se (i.e. statues or images of idols). But an 'idol' can be anything in life that takes away our focus on the Lord. It can be a certain lust, greed, or pride in our lives. It can be anything that we hold on to, when we should be letting it go. 

Right now, the Lord is calling us to let go of whatever that hinders His glory and light from shining in our lives. Why? Because there's so much more that He wants to show to us, and there's so much more that He wants us to see and experience in the spiritual realm! 

For the record, when man was first created (i.e. when Adam was first created), he was full of God's glory and light too! That's why the Scripture says 'he had no sense of nakedness'. In other words, he didn't feel naked, even though he didn't have any physical clothing on! Why? Because he was clothed in God's glory and light! But after he disobeyed and sinned, this glory departed! It's the same in the time of Ezekiel when he saw the glory departed from the temple! (Ezekiel 10:18)

But I have a good news for you! In Christ, you can gain it back! You can receive the glory back! You can be clothed in His glory and light again! What Adam has lost, you can receive it back! How do you receive it back? By knowing that Christ lives in you! He is our glory and light! By opening your heart to receive Him into your life! And if you have received Him into your life, by worshiping Him and fellowshipping with Him! How do you fellowship with Him? You fellowship with Him by reading and receiving His Word! You also fellowship with Him by praying in the spirit! That's how you'll be so full of His Spirit - His glory and His light!

Another area is obedience to Him, i.e. obedience to whatever He has spoken to you (or instructed you to do). Yes, choose to obey what He says, even if some people on this earth may despise you or ridicule you for doing it! As you obey and heed what He says to you, you'll begin to reflect His glory and light more and more! 

I have more good news for you! When you are so full of His glory and light, no enemy (or work of darkness) can 'touch' you! They cannot 'access' into your life! And if they try to 'touch' you, they are 'touching' the Lord, and it's very dangerous to them, not to you! Your part, beloved, is to continue to stay in His glory and light! (1 John 1:5-6)

In Colossians 1:27, Paul wrote: 'To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.' 

Another good news is this: It is His will to make known the riches of His glory to you! In other words, it is His will that you should experience more and more of His glory and light!

So, never miss this time and season! The Lord wants to show you His glory and light in more and more ways! More and deeper than you've ever seen or experienced before! Hallelujah! 

Prayer: "O Lord God, we thank You for Your glory and Your light. We want more and more of You. What we have experienced so far is just a mere drop in the ocean. There's so much more that You want to show us, that You want us to experience. As we behold You, let us also be changed from glory to glory, to be more and more like You, to reflect who You are from the inside out. We receive Your glory now. We receive Your light now. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Get ready for a deeper experience with God!

In this time and season, the Lord is saying to His people to get ready for a deeper experience and encounter with Him - where heaven and earth meet! Yes, even in your time of worship, in your time of reading the Word, and in your time of prayer!

John 1:47-49 (NKJV) says, 'Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"'

The name 'Nathanael' in Hebrew means 'Given of God, Appointed of God', from the words 'Nathan' meaning 'to give, to appoint, to bestow, to ascribe' and 'El' meaning 'God'.

'Under the fig tree' mentioned by Jesus here was a phrase Rabbis would use to describe meditation on the Scriptures. So, possibly, Nathanael spent time in meditating on the Scriptures and in prayer, and Jesus told him "I saw you."

John 1:50-51 (NKJV) then says, 'Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."'

You see, the Lord was getting Nathanael ready for a deeper experience and encounter - an open heaven experience - where angels ascending and descending! An appointment set up by the Lord Himself!

People of God, just like for Nathanael, this is the time the Lord is setting up appointments with you too! Wisdom and revelation from heaven is going to flow right to your life like you've never seen before! Get ready!

Even in a time of darkness and uncertainty around you in this world, angels ascending and descending! What does this mean? Angels bringing your problems, requests, or situation to heaven! And angels bringing your solutions, answers, or resources from heaven! 

In cross-reference, Genesis 28:12 (NKJV) says, 'Then he (Jacob) dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it'.

The word 'ladder' here is 'sool-lawm' in Hebrew, from the word 'saw-lal' meaning 'to mound up, to exalt, to raise up'. You see, this 'ladder' was set up by God Himself, and there angels were ascending and descending on it. Now, when God is the One who set it up, it works!

What are the similarities between John 1:51 and Genesis 28:12 here? Heaven open! Angels ascending and descending! This 'ladder' in Genesis 28:12 speaks of Jesus Himself - the 'link' between heaven and earth, between heaven and you! 

Let this 'ladder' be set up in your life, your home, your family, your household, your business, your profession, your career, your God-given ministry, and even your health! And you will never run out of His wisdom, revelation, ideas, or whatever breakthrough that you need on earth. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

There is protection and guidance in God's presence

The Lord says:
"There is protection and guidance in My presence. Just as I gave the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night during exodus from the bondage of Egypt, I am still the same God who protects and guides you today, even in miraculous and unimaginable ways. Look to Me therefore and dwell in My presence, for I am faithful and I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Indeed, in perilous and dangerous times like these, the Lord has promised protection and guidance for those who look to Him and put their trust in Him. Psalm 91:1-6 (NKJV) says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday'. Psalm 91:9-10 (NKJV) then says, 'Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling'.

Though there is no author mentioned in the Hebrew text of this Psalm 91, Jewish tradition ascribes it to Moses, with David compiling it in his Book of Psalms. Through this Psalm 91, I would like to therefore relate it with Moses' experiences with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

Let me explain.

We shall look at the book of Exodus now. Exodus 13:21-22 (NKJV) says, 'And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people'.

The word 'pillar' here is 'ammuwd' in Hebrew, and it speaks of God being here:
- to stand with you;
- to stay with you;
- to go through it with you;
- to be present with you.

We have no way to know how the Lord God made the pillar (ammuwd), but it was obviously a phenomenon, and a miracle from God as He protected and guided (led) the Israelites throughout their forty years of traveling in the desert. Not only in facing the heat of the day or the cold of the night, there were also sandstorms, bandits, and even poisonous animals! But the Lord God was there for them! During the day, the pillar guided their journey, and during the night, the pillar gave them light and comfort. And neither the pillar of cloud nor the pillar of fire left its place in front of the people. This is clearly a 'picture' of God's faithfulness and God's assurance that He will never leave us nor forsake us!

People of God, the good news is you too can count on Him all the same even today, because you are worshiping the same God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Do you know that the pillar was already there for the Israelites even before Red Sea crossing? Many people think the pillar only came about after Red Sea crossing. But that's not what the Scripture says! Exodus 14:22-26 (NLT) says, 'So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! Then the Egyptians - all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and charioteers - chased them into the middle of the sea. But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their forces into total confusion. He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. "Let’s get out of here - away from these Israelites!" the Egyptians shouted. "The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!" When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers."' You see? The pillar ('ammuwd') has been instrumental in helping the Israelites break free from those who pursued them!

People of God, this 'pillar' represents 'God being here to stand with you, to stay with you, to go through it with you, and to be present with you', no matter what 'crisis' or 'dead-end situation' you may be facing at the moment. So, take heart and look to Him. Because just as He had done for the Israelites those days (even at Red Sea crossing), He can do the same for you today. Your part is to believe and receive all these promises of God for you (and in every situation of yours). In Jesus' name. Amen!

Being carriers of God's glory

1 Kings 8:10-11 (NKJV): And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

The word 'glory' here is 'kabowd' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'splendor, magnificence, honor, or weight'. That is to say the glory of the Lord is real, is present, and is tangible. You can experience it, and you can be filled (and saturated) with it. It is the very presence of the Lord and people can actually sense and see the glory of the Lord in you! (Isaiah 60:1-3)

When this glory of the Lord filled the temple that Solomon built, even the priests could not continue ministering. Nothing of the flesh mattered anymore. The Lord took over entirely, and from then on, it's all about Him (and none about the works of man). What Solomon could do at that time was simply saying, "The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick cloud. I have surely built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever".

Solomon then turned around and released blessing to the whole assembly of Israel, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it..."

Today, as believers in the New Covenant, you and I have become this temple (not made of stones). 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, 'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own'.

The Lord spoke these words recently: "Prepare yourselves, for My glory is coming, even in ways you have not imagined possible! I have begun raising up a people who will be carriers of My glory, and the world will see it! Just as in the days of Solomon when the temple was prepared, get ready My people, for My glory is coming, and My Spirit is taking over! Nothing of the flesh matters anymore!"

People of God, when the glory of the Lord is with you, two things happen.

First, you will begin walking in greater blessings. You will know, and the world will also see this in you. Jesus is the prime example of being the carrier of God's glory. After all, He is the glory of God manifested!
When evening came, and the people were hungry, His disciples had wanted to send the multitudes away. But Jesus said, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." But they said to Him, "We only have five loaves and two fish." Jesus then took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes. They were all filled, and had even twelve baskets full of leftover. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children (see Matthew 14:15-21).

Second, the evil one cannot have a hold on you, or 'touch' you. You will have divine protection, and no matter how the 'enemies' try to pull you down, they will not succeed. Let's look at Jesus again, because He is the prime example of being the carrier of God's glory.
When those in the synagogue jumped up, mobbed Him and tried to push Him off a cliff, Jesus somehow passed right through the crowd and went on His way (see Luke 4:28-30). And right before His arrest, when Judas the betrayer (accompanied by the Roman soldiers and temple guards) came over, Jesus stood up and asked, "Who are you looking for?" They replied, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus then said, "I AM HE." And as He said, "I AM HE", they all drew back and fell to the ground! (see John 18:1-6) Speaking of God's power at play! You see, no one could 'touch' Him unless He willingly give Himself up!

The keys to being a carrier of God's glory:
1. Full of the Word
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

2. Full of the Spirit
And when they (the disciples of Christ) had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31 NKJV)

3. Worship & surrender
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him (Romans 12:1 NLT)

4. Truthfulness, honesty & integrity
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom (Psalm 51:6 NKJV)

5. Holiness & purity
Therefore, having these promises (being a temple of Holy Spirit), beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV)

There is restoration in God's presence

Joel 2:25-26 (NKJV): So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust...You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.

As I was seeking the Lord the other day, I saw a vision of a big patch of wounds on the forehead of a person's face. It didn't look good, and I didn't like it. I then prayed and asked the Lord what this means. Soon after, the Lord began to give assurance that He is here to re-constitute the face, and to restore the face to its original beauty.

That's when the Lord spoke these words:
"No matter how bad or terrible your 'wounds' may be, there is hope for restoration. Look to Me, and receive from Me, because your time for restoration is now!"

It's then that I realized this vision doesn't necessarily have to do with one's face, but rather, it speaks of any area in one's life that has 'defaced', 'deformed', 'deteriorated', or 'declined'.

Back to Joel 2:25, the word 'restore' here is 'shalam' in Hebrew, and it means 'to make complete, to make good, to be full again'. Indeed, whatever area in your life that has been 'eaten up' by the enemy, the Lord is here to 'shalam' you, and to make you whole again!

Another time this word 'shalam' appears in the Scripture is found in Isaiah 57:15-18 that says, 'For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry... I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts (solace/assurance) to him, and to his mourners."'

People of God, here's the key to receive the fullness of His restoration for you! See the word 'dwell' here? The Scripture says the Lord dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. This word 'dwell' is 'shakan' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'stay, lodge, inhabit, rest, remain'. I can therefore also say 'The Lord remains with him who has a contrite and humble spirit'. In other words, His presence remains with the humble, i.e. those who are yielded and surrendered to Him. And the next thing you see is His healing, His leading, and His restoration!

In Luke 6:6-10, the Scripture says, 'Now it happened on Sabbath, that Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered...  And He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other'.

Here, 'right hand' speaks of 'the work of your hand', and the restoration that happened can also mean God restoring the work of your hand. By the way, the word 'restore' here is 'apo-kathisthemi' in Greek, meaning 're-constitute (in health, or in any area), re-appoint, re-designate, re-make, re-set'.

In Mark 8:22-25, the Scripture says, 'Then Jesus came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly'.

Here, 'a blind man seeing' can also mean God restoring His vision for your life. In short, restoration is turning all the 'de' to 're', returning you to whatever God has meant (purposed) for you to be!

People of God, just as you have seen in all the examples above, the Lord is saying your time for restoration is now! 

What are some of the restoration you need now? 

It may be due to:

- loss of trust (let the Lord restore people's trust in you);

- loss of rights (let the Lord restore what actually belonged to you);

- loss of health (let the Lord restore divine health/strength to you);

- loss of ability (let the Lord restore the work of your hands);

- loss of vision (let the Lord restore His vision for your life).

Last but not least, how about restoring your understanding of God's love for you?

Romans 8:31-35 says, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?'

Romans 8:37-39 continues, 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord'.

Therefore, no matter how badly you have 'blown it' in life, know that there is hope for your restoration. To man, it may be impossible; but to God, all things are possible!

Being in His presence is simply knowing that God is present (not absent) with you, and God is for you. And just as written in Isaiah 57:15-18, let us all return to His presence, because in His presence, there is the fullness of His restoration for each of us. Amen!

There is protection in God's presence

The Lord gave me a dream the other day. In the dream, I was in my father's house, and there was a commotion outside in the streets with huge groups of motorbikers looting and causing trouble. But we in the family were kept safe and protected, as long as we stayed inside the house. The looters and trouble-makers somehow did not try to enter our house.

Every time I have a dream about my father's house (the house where I grew up as a child), I would take note, because to me, my father's house has always been a 'picture' of 'my Abba Father's house', or 'being in God's presence'. 

This time, as I woke up from the dream, I immediately knew it has to do with believing for God's divine protection. As long as I stayed 'inside the house', I was kept safe and protected! This reminds me of Psalm 91:1-4 (NKJV) that says, 'He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.'

Indeed, God is assuring us that He is still a faithful Protector, no matter what happens around us. Trust in Him, who is your refuge and your fortress. And never let anyone make you waver in your trust in Him! The word 'dwell' in Psalm 91:1 is an interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'yashab', which can mean 'stay, remain, continue, sit in quietness, return'. Do you notice the word 'return' here? I can also therefore say 'he who returns to Abba Father's 'house' shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty'!

Looking at what's happening around the world at the moment, there is no doubting that we are living in an increasingly dangerous and perilous times (Luke 21:25-28, 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Be it an increase in natural disasters or in crime, there seems to be no place that is particularly safe in this world! No, not even in some of the most liveable cities in the world! The truth is there's only one really safe place to be, and it's none other than being in God's presence! 

The word 'cover' in Psalm 91:4 is another interesting word. In Hebrew, it is 'sawkak', which means 'protect, defend, join together (with you)'. This verse can therefore mean the Lord is joining together (with you) for your protection. In other words, He wants to be involved in it together, just as a good earthly parent would for his (or her) beloved child! 

When Jesus died for you on the cross, He already had in His mind to carry your troubles and sufferings, so you can have shalom peace now. Jeremiah 29:11 says, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.

People of God, know that God's will is (and will always be) for your safety and protection. Let no one make you think otherwise. Because He is a good Abba Father to you (Psalm 34:8). The Word of God says so. Trust in Him therefore for your divine protection, and continue to stay in His presence, because that's where the enemy cannot touch you. Amen!

Treasure God's presence more than anything on earth!

The Lord spoke these words as we crossed into the Hebrew year 5779:
"Look to Me, and bring the 'ark' back! For this is the year I will entrust you with My greater glory and My greater things! For you are entering a time of greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories in your lives, just as David was!"

And He spoke further:
"As I have done for David when he became king, I will do the same for those who treasure My presence more than anything on earth! But this is a key time to let go! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time!"

2 Samuel chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the key chapters to begin with in this new year. As you walk into a brand new spiritual year in your life, begin as David did when he first became king! One of the first things David did (upon reigning as king over all of Israel and Judah) was to bring the ark of the Lord back to its rightful place! The 'ark' here, of course, speaks of 'God's presence, God's glory, or Jesus Himself''.

As the ark of the Lord was being brought to the City of David, 2 Samuel 6:14-15 says, 'Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet'.

It is very interesting to see David wearing a linen ephod here, instead of the king's royal robe. After all, he had already been anointed a king, and could have just 'acted like a king'! But no, he was in the streets, dancing his heart out before the Lord, and worshiping the Lord with gladness! What other people say didn't matter to him at all, because he knew nothing else would be more important than the Lord Himself!

A linen ephod was customarily worn by a priest those days; and a 'priest' is always a 'picture' of 'servanthood', not 'kingship'. And here lies what's truly inside David's heart -  a heart that acknowledged there's a greater King whom he serves - the King of kings, the Lord of lords!

You see, David could have celebrated 'himself' as king, but instead, he chose to celebrate 'the Lord' as king! In other words, he treasured God's presence more than anything else on earth, and yes, even his own 'kingship'! No wonder the Lord began to entrust him with greater glory and greater things from that day onward!

Beloved of God, as you begin this new year 5779, you too are like the 'David' of today! Begin just as David did when he reigned as king over all of Israel and Judah! Begin by celebrating the King of kings today, and acknowledge Him as the King over ALL areas of your life! Let go of those past struggles and defeats! Let go of those past hurts and betrayals! Let go of your Saul's time, and enter into your David's time! And declare that you too are walking into greater exploits, greater blessings, and greater victories, just as David was (2 Samuel 8:1-18). Amen!

Being entrusted with His glory and greater things

I released these words to a congregation I ministered to recently:
"Get ready for Me to entrust you with My glory, and the greater things that you have not imagined yet! For you are entering a time of greater blessing and greater victory! Many will see My blessings so real in your lives, just as many have seen My blessings so real in Obed-Edom's life! Look to Me and follow Me, and I will bring it to pass!"

We are crossing the threshold to enter into the Hebrew year 5779! Shanah Tovah! Have a good year! And as you cross over into a new year of the Lord for you, get ready for His greater glory and for greater things to happen to you!

Never mind if in the past season, you have been obscured, sidelined, or even misunderstood by others, because the Lord says things are going to start changing around you! In fact, the year ahead is a year He is entrusting many things to you, even things you have not imagined yet!

Note: The word 'entrust' can be defined as 'put (something) into someone's care/stewardship'. 

The past weeks have been a time the Lord was calling His people to humble themselves under His mighty hand. I have written about this last week. Pride is very subtle, and we often do not even know there's an element of pride in our lives. Even if we do, we may not want to admit it! That's when we need the Holy Spirit more than ever. We need Him to speak to us and work in us. We need Him to correct us and guide us. Greater blessing comes when we allow Him to do His work in us. Jesus says, "Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)

Let's go to 2 Samuel chapter 6 now, and we shall look at someone named Obed-Edom. In 2 Samuel 6:9-10, the Scripture says, 'David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite'.

Here's the background. Soon after becoming king over all Israel and Judah, David wanted to bring the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. In our context, the ark of the Lord here is a 'picture' of 'the glory of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, i.e. Jesus Himself'. It was a good intention, but it was not done correctly (in the way the Lord had commanded it). Instead of sanctifying themselves first and having the Levites carry the ark on their shoulders by its poles, they set the ark on a wheel cart; and that's how they brought it out of the house of Abinadab (2 Samuel 6:3). Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were tasked with guiding the cart - Ahio in front, and Uzzah behind. As they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark. God's anger was aroused because of Uzzah's irreverent act, and He struck him. Uzzah died then and there (2 Samuel 6:3-7).

David was terrified, and the plans to bring the ark into Jerusalem had to be aborted. David decided he would not move the ark to Jerusalem for the time being, and it was then that he entrusted the care of the ark to Obed-Edom. Interestingly, this name Obed-Edom was never mentioned anywhere in the Scripture prior to this ark incident, and little was known about him. But you do get a clue from his name. 'Obed' here is from the word 'abad' in Hebrew, meaning 'to serve humbly, or to worship', whereas 'Edom' is a nickname of Esau, the older twin brother of Jacob. 'Obed-Edom' therefore speaks of 'a person who has been concealed, unknown, and unrecognized by others; but one who has been humbly serving and worshiping the Lord faithfully all these while'. In short, he was a man of humility and faithfulness. And now, his time out of obscurity had finally arrived!

2 Samuel 6:11-12a says, 'The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of the Lord."' Indeed, blessings follow wherever the 'ark' goes! Obed-Edom 'housed' the 'glory of the Lord', and greater things began to happen in (and around) his life! You see, the blessings in one's life will never go unnoticed! Others will see it so real, and they will know the Lord is with him/her! And so it was with Obed-Edom! And when David heard of it, he came and brought up the ark of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem with gladness! (2 Samuel 6:12b)

One may ask, why was the 'blessing' not evident when the ark was kept in Abinadab's house, but was so evident when the ark was kept in Obed-Edom's house? The answer is simple. I believe it was because Obed-Edom treasured the ark! It is the same today for all of us. How much do we treasure the glory of the Lord and the presence of the Lord in our lives?

In fact, Obed-Edom treasured the ark so much that when the time came to move the ark from his house to Jerusalem, Obed-Edom chose to follow the ark! He actually had a choice. He could have stayed where he was, but he chose to move with the ark! You see, his desire for the Lord caused him to do whatever it took to be close to the Lord! The Scripture tells us that he later became a doorkeeper for the ark, as he continued to be a worshiper of the Lord! (1 Chronicles 15:24, 1 Chronicles 16:1-5)

And finally, 1 Chronicles 26:4-6 says, 'The sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad, Joah, Sacah, Nethanel, Ammiel, Issachar, Peulthai: for God blessed him. Also to Shemaiah his son, were sons born who governed their fathers' houses, men of great ability'. Not only Obed-Edom was greatly blessed, his whole family (even the generation to come) was greatly blessed too! Let it be so for your life, your household, and all that you put your hands on, as you look ahead to a new year! Hallelujah!

The keys to your protection in this turbulent world

Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV): He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.

The word ‘dwell’ here is ‘yashab’ in Hebrew, which means 'rest, remain, be settled, be established'. Therefore, ‘to dwell in the secret place of the Most High’ is 'to rest, remain, be settled, be established in the secret place of the Most High, i.e. His very presence'.

The word ‘trust’ here is 'bawtakh' in Hebrew, which means 'be confident, be sure, be secure', and in the verse above, the psalmist wrote it in the context of ‘putting confidence in Him by remaining in Him and following His leading/guidance’.

Only after the two key verses above, Psalm 91:3 then comes in with, 'Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence…'

Notice here that Psalm 91:1-2 holds 'the keys to your divine protection', whereas Psalm 91:3-16 that follows speaks of 'the whole list of protection you can expect to receive'.

People of God, where His presence is, there will also be His protection! And that's why it is so important to practice His presence (i.e. to know and be conscious that He is with you and for you). This is especially so for all of us who are living in these last days, and in this turbulent world.

'To trust in Him' is also 'to follow His leading/guidance', instead of insisting your own way (Isaiah 55:8-9). As you allow Him to lead/guide you, and as you listen to the ‘peace’ or ‘unpeace’ that He has put in you (on 'what to do' or 'what not to do'), you will then always end up 'in the right place at the right time', even doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions.

Romans 8:14 says, ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (i.e. following His leading/guidance), these are sons of God'.

The word ‘led’ here in Greek is 'ago', which can mean ‘being driven, being carried, or being brought’. So, 'to be led by the Spirit of God' is 'to be driven, carried, or brought by the Spirit of God' to where (and what) He wants you to be!

Romans 8:15-16 then follows, 'For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God'. 

You see, if you are led by the Spirit, you need not fear! The Word of God says so.

May your heart (spirit) be so tender and soft before the Lord, that you will be able to receive all that He wants to give you (including His leading/guidance). And you can be sure that He is here to help you. 

In Ezekiel 36:26, the Lord says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.” 

The expression ‘heart of stone’ (or ‘stony heart’ in KJV) here speaks of ‘hard/hardened heart’, like the stiff-necked (hard-hearted) people in Moses’ days who eventually lost the protection of the Lord and missed out on the good things in the Promised Land (Exodus 32:9), whereas the expression ‘heart of flesh’ speaks of ‘soft/softened heart’ that is tender before the Lord.

In Ezekiel 36:27, the Lord then says, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." In cross-reference, Philippians 2:13 says, ‘For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure’. This word ‘works’ here is ‘energeo’ in Greek, and it can mean ‘actively working, energetically working, effectively working, efficiently working, powerfully working’. Allow Him.

And finally in Ezekiel 36:28, the Lord says, "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God." 'To dwell in the land that I gave to your father' is 'to dwell in the blessings of Abraham' (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14). 

By the way, one important aspect/part of the blessings of Abraham is, of course, God's protection. See the list below, as the words 'protection, protect, protected' are written in the brackets. Indeed, 'protection' is the fruit of a tender and soft heart before the Lord. 

You see, it all begins from the heart. A heart that is tender and soft before the Lord is also a heart that will hear and obey what He has spoken and prompted. 
Note: Of course, there will also be times when you aren't aware of the dangers around you (e.g. when you are fast asleep, or in any situation where you have no control of). That's when you just need to trust in the Lord's mercy and His sovereign hand of protection always.

You can now therefore be sure (see Psalm 91:3 again) that:

Blessed (protected) shall you be in the city, and blessed (protected) shall you be in the country.
Blessed (protected) shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. 
Blessed (protected) shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 
Blessed (protected) shall you be when you come in, and blessed (protected) shall you be when you go out.
The Lord will cause your enemy who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 
The Lord will command the blessing (protection) on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless (protect) you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Amen.

God is still with you even in your darkest hours

2 Kings 6:16 (NKJV): So he (Elisha) answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

If there's any 'trademark' set of words that Jesus said (over and over again) in his earthly ministry, I would say it is "Fear not!" For instance, in Luke 8:49-50, when news came that Jairus' daughter was dead, Jesus simply answered, "Fear not; only believe, and she will be made well."

And in John 14:26-27, Jesus said, "But the Helper (Comforter), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Here, Jesus was actually saying when He goes up, His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) will be with you, so fear not! His Spirit is His presence. In other words, He promised that His presence will always be with you, so fear not!

Let's look now at an Old Testament example. In 2 Kings chapter 6, the king of Syria was planning to war against Israel, and he consulted his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place." Within his inner circle, he was indeed planning a secret strategy of war against Israel (2 Kings 6:8), but somehow Elisha (the prophet and the man of God) 'caught it in his spirit' and warned the king of Israel beforehand, saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there." (2 Kings 6:9)

Upon knowing that the Israelites had somehow found out their secret plans of war, the king of Syria was greatly troubled, and called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?" (2 Kings 6:11) He was wondering who was the betrayer among them. And one of the servants then said, "None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom." (2 Kings 6:12)

And so it was, from then on, Elisha became a marked man, a target of the enemy! In other words, he was deemed to be dangerous to the enemy, and he had to be annihilated! The king of Syria then said, "Go and see where he (Elisha) is, that I may send and get him." (2 Kings 6:13)  And it was told him, saying, "Surely he is in Dothan." Therefore, the king of Syria sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city (2 Kings 6:14).

So there was Elisha, and the whole army of the enemy went after this one servant of God! A whole lot versus one man! And he didn't even do anything wrong in God's eyes! In fact, he did the right thing by warning the king of Israel of the impending attack! Nevertheless, he did 'ruffle some feathers', and this did not go well with the enemy.

People of God, are you also going through a long night like Elisha was? And in the midst of the darkness that surrounds you, you also feel so lonely and no one seems to understand. Maybe, you have just embarked on something that God has called you to do, and all of a sudden, you find yourself a target of attack by the enemy and his cohorts?

If you are, take heart, because the Lord is here to assure you that even in the darkest of hours, He is still with you and His presence is still with you.

By the way, the name 'Elisha' ('Eliysha/Eliyshuwa' in Hebrew) means 'God of supplication, God who supplies, God who is rich in His supply'. Interestingly, the word 'Syria' actually means 'highland, elevated, citadel (fortress on a high land)' which speaks of 'the haughty, the lofty, the proud of this world'.

People of God, in the midst of the attacks and the darkness that may have surrounded you, God is saying to you that He is still the same God to you as in Elisha's time, a God who supplies, and a God who is rich in His supply (of His help, His wisdom, His favor, and His protection).

Look now how Elisha responded when his servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" (2 Kings 6:15) And he answered, "Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (2 Kings 6:16) He then prayed for the Lord to open his servant's eyes, and lo and behold, the servant saw 'the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha'! (2 Kings 6:17)

You see, Elisha chose not to see the enemy's entire army and get himself panicky. He really could have done that! In fact, many people would have done that! But instead, he saw God! People of God, for you too, if only you could see the chariots of fire all around you as well right now! If only you could see that you are never alone! Never alone even a second! If only you could see that His horses and chariots of fire always outnumber the enemy's! The Word of God says, "I will never (by any means) leave you nor forsake you." And if He is for you, who can be against you? (Romans 8:31)

The truth is when Jesus died for you on the cross, He has already also carried your loneliness all by Himself up at the cross, so now you'll never have to be alone. And His Spirit (His presence) is now always with you, never leaving you nor forsaking you.

And He has even carried all your darkest of hours on the cross (there was darkness about the sixth hour until the ninth hour when he was up at the cross alone - see Luke 23:44), so that now you have His light, and will always be in His light, no matter how dark the world outside may be!

Victory is therefore already yours for the taking. He has already won it for you, as He did for Elisha those days (2 Kings 6:8-23). Receive it now by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Authority in His presence

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV): Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

The word ‘dominion’ here is ‘radah’ (pronounced ‘raw-daw’) in Hebrew, which means ‘to tread down, to prevail against, to rule, to reign, to have authority over (the creations), to have control of, to have power to give orders’. I like the definition 'to have power to give orders' here. And this verse also says 'over all the earth'! Simply put it, God has given us 'the power to give orders' over all the earth! This speaks of your authority over all creations!

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV) then says, "Then God blessed them (man and woman), and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion ('radah') over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." See the same word 'radah' again? And 'over every living thing'?

In cross reference, let's go now to Ephesians 1:17-21. Here, the Bible says, '... that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come'. 

People of God, may our eyes of understanding be enlightened, so that we may know who we (i.e. the saints) are in Him! And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe! See the words 'who believe'? The irony is that many believers do not believe! 

My wife Sharon released these words prophetically during our recent prayer and prophetic gathering:

“Send Your rain! Send Your rain! Oh, send Your rain! Oh, send Your rain! To wash away things that are not of You, Lord! That the veil be removed, so that the people will see, both believers and non-believers. Wash their eyes, wash their spiritual eyes, that they’ll believe what You have to say. Oh, send Your rain! Oh, pour Your Spirit upon this land.”

Ephesians 1:22 then says, 'And God put all things under His feet, and gave Him (Jesus) to be head over all things to the Church'. To whom? To the Church! And that's you and me, His people!

Jesus Himself has paved the way in taking His authority over creation (and of course over all diseases or bodily infirmities). Matthew 4:23 says, 'And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people'. All here means all! 

Knowing that you too have been given the authority and dominion over creation (based on Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:28, and Ephesians 1:17-22), you can now therefore speak to, or command any situation (that you may be facing now) to respond and function accordingly! 

Acts 4:29-31 says, '... grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus...' 

People of God, this is also your 'kairos' time (i.e. divinely appointed time) to even tap into the realm of miracles, signs and wonders by your spoken words, as you connect with Him (i.e. in praise and worship, immersing yourself in the Word of God, or praying in the spirit). And as you hear from Him, speak it forth and declare it into being! Only believe, and never doubt. He can do a miracle for you and through you too. Amen! 

Recently, I saw a vision that confirms this authority and dominion for His people today. In this vision, I saw a large pack of wolves being released into the earthly realm. The sheer number of these wolves did cause many hearts to tremble. And as they were moving around the face of the earth, they were also making much noise, causing disturbances all over and harassing the land wherever they go. But it was then that I also saw a male lion in all his glory (I believe this is a 'picture' of the Lion of Judah). And as this lion began to roar, all these wolves got so confused they ran helter skelter back to where they came from!

You see, no matter how many 'wolves' may have been released from the pit of hell into the earthly realm, and no matter how much noise they seem to make, one roar of the Lion of Judah settles it all! Because it's not so much about the numbers or the quantity, but it's about who has the authority! 

People of God, make no mistake about it. As a believer, you too belong to the Lion of the tribe of Judah! Keep praising and worshiping Him like you have never done before! This is your time. And as He is, so are you in this world. Amen!

"Show me now Your way!"

Exodus 33:13 (NKJV): "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight ..."

Exodus 33 is to be read and understood from the background of Exodus 32. Here, Moses was at a crucial point in his life and ministry, and in fact, he had come to the point where he didn't know how to go about any more!

So, what actually happened that led to Moses asking "Show me now Your way..."?

Let's now go back to Exodus 32. When the people saw that their leader Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together to Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (Exodus 32:1). Aaron gave in, and there a molded calf was made (Exodus 32:4).

Then, the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'" (Exodus 32:7-8)

Later on, having seen how his own people were plagued because of what they did with the calf (Exodus 32:35) despite his attempt to intervene, he must have felt rather terrible. And it was at this point of heart-brokenness and helplessness that Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far away from the people, calling it the tabernacle of meeting (Exodus 33:7), to talk with God.

Moses then said, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people." (Exodus 33:12-13)

And that's when the Lord answered him, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)

I used to wonder what does 'His way' have to do with 'His Presence'? Why did the Lord respond with "My Presence will go with you" when Moses asked for 'His way'? I then found the answer in the Hebrew word for 'Presence' itself, pronounced as 'Paniym', which means 'face, countenance, forefront'. The Lord was actually telling Moses, "From now on, no more your face, but My face; no more your countenance (radiance), but My countenance (radiance) as you go on from here; and from now on, no more are you at the forefront, but I AM now your forefront that leads you on from here!"

Today, as a believer, know that the Lord has also shown you His Presence through His Son, Jesus Christ. In Him, you find your rest (Matthew 11:28), and in Him also, you find your Way, your Truth, and your Life! (John 14:6) As you rest in His Presence, that's when He'll also show you the way!

Moses then said, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here." (Exodus 33:15)

People of God, His Presence in your life is the primary thing. Everything else comes second. When you have His Presence, you have everything, and that includes His way, His power, His wisdom, His favor, His peace, His joy, and the list goes on. As a believer, even though you know that He is already in you, it helps to be conscious of His Presence, to practice His Presence, and to linger (and stay) in His Presence moment by moment, day by day. Amen.