Power in His Presence

When we encounter Jesus, we will never be the same.

This has been a resounding theme God has been speaking into my life lately.  Through the sermon series on the Holy Spirit at Pinelake, to conversations with sweet friends, to the core group meeting, to the extraordinary E-Women's Conference this weekend.

Wednesday, God began working in my heart an overwhelming desire to seek His presence and His face above all else-- seeking His face and not only His hand.  Spirit fall.  That has been my plea.  And, oh boy, has He answered that prayer.

This weekend, I attended the E-Women Conference in Southaven-- an event that I've looked forward to for months and months since I bought my ticket way back when.  I had my own expectations for this event. I was excited to worship Jesus and spend time with the sweet ladies of CCC.  Little did I know, Christ began preparing me for the word He had for me at this conference long before this weekend.  On Friday, I prayed for His presence.... Spirit fall.... and it did.  He did.  He freed me from the stress and anxieties weighing on me and allowed me to worship Him with all of my heart, like never before.

This morning, I prayed for His presence... Spirit fall... and it did.  He did.  All.  Day.  Long.

The morning started off with Kasey Van Norman sharing a devotional, and right away, she said something that completely shook me.

"If God were to truly reveal how messy we really are and how magnificent He really is... it would wreck us!"

This became my prayer.  Reveal it, Jesus.   Spirit fall... and it did.  He did.

She went on in the devotional and later in her talk to explain the depth of the difference between Jesus as a concept and Jesus as a reality.  To define the difference of the two situations, she unpacked Luke 15 and the three parables found here.  God reinforced the desire He planted in my heart for His presence as a reality and not just a concept.  We serve a living Savior that intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34).  Because He lives, He is not a far away conceptual God that we just talk about, rather He is our living Lord, a reality, that has grace upon grace for us that tore the veil in His infinite, unbridled, unrelenting grace so that we could be His children and spend eternity praising His name.

When Kasey returned for her talk after lunch, she unpacked Isaiah 6:1-8.  Isaiah said "Woe to me!" then "Send me!"  He was confronted with the weight of his sin, and the infinite power and grace of God simultaneously.  As the seraphim touched his lips with the coal, He experienced the unmerited, unbridled grace of God.

"Unbridled grace comes after us when we have nothing to offer in return."

Oh the beauty of His grace.

Kasey shared her story of growing up in church and doing and saying all of the right things (sound familiar?).  You can watch her entire story here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caW0UXI4Eeo
Such a beautiful story of unmerited grace.

"For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace." - John 1:16

Now that we have experienced this beautiful grace, it's up to us to share this amazing grace with all of those we come into contact with.  I'm done with comfortable closet Christianity.  I'm done with being a Christian because it's what everyone in the Bible belt does.  I'm done with hiding behind a keyboard or social media.  My Jesus has changed me, and I'll never be the same.  I'll never stop singing His praises.  All to Him I owe.

The final speaker of the conference, Lisa Harper, spoke on how we should be carriers of His grace and not just consumers of His grace.  Such a powerful difference there.  She spoke on Acts 17:1-9.  Verse 6 totally changed my perspective.

"And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also" - Acts 17:6

May I be so radically passionate about sharing the grace of Christ and the Gospel that I am accused of turning the world upside down for His glory and His alone!  That is now the earnest, heartfelt cry of my heart.

Spirit Fall.

Covered in His unbridled, unmerited, unwavering grace,
KG

Spirit of the Living God
Spirit of the Living God
We only want to hear Your voice.
We're hanging on every word.