Abiding In His Presence
WIDOWS’
CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON MESSAGE, DECEMBER 17, 2005
SCRIPTURES: ST. JOHN 15; 2
COR. 1:3-5; PSA. 16:1; NEH 8:12
ON CHRISTMAS DAY, I WAS ON
MY WIDOWHOOD JOURNEY FOR 17 MONTHS. THIS WAS MY SECOND CHRISTMAS WITHOUT MY
DEAR HUSBAND, REV. EDDIE K. EDWARDS. CHRISTMAS WAS MY HUSBAND’S FAVORITE TIME
OF THE YEAR. (TALK ABOUT EDDIE’S TREE)
CHRISTMAS JUST WASN’T THE
SAME WITHOUT HIM. NEVERTHELESS, LIFE GOES ON. SO, LET ME TELL YOU HOW I GET
THROUGH MY DAYS.
ST. JOHN 15 SPEAKS ABOUT
ABIDING IN THE VINE. BEFORE MY HUSBAND DIED, I TRULY LOVED THE LORD. BUT,
WITHOUT A DOUBT, I LOVE HIM MORE TODAY THAN I DID 17 MONTHS AGO. WHY? BECAUSE
I’VE LEARNED WHAT IT MEANS TO “ABIDE IN HIS (GOD’S) PRESENCE.” I HAVE LEARNED
WHAT IT MEANS TO SEEK HIS FACE, LONG FOR, THIRST FOR, WAIT FOR, SEE, KNOW, LOVE,
HEAR, AND RESPOND TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER WHO HAS BECOME MY VERY BEST FRIEND.
JESUS HAS BECOME MY DOCTOR IN THE SICK ROOM, MY LAWYER IN THE COURT ROOM, AND MY
HUSBAND IN THE BEDROOM.
SPEAKING OF THE BEDROOM, IN
MY BEDROOM I HAVE A LOVESEAT. EVERY MORNING WHEN I ARISE I SIT DOWN ON ONE SIDE
OF MY LOVESEAT AND MY LOVER SITS DOWN NEXT TO ME. NOW, FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, YOU
MUST USE YOUR SANCTIFIED IMAGINATION!
BEING A WRITER, I ALWAYS
HAVE MY JOURNAL AND MY PEN. SITTING QUIETLY, I WAIT TO HEAR WHAT THE LOVER OF
MY SOUL HAS TO SAY TO ME. IN OTHER WORDS, I GET MY MARCHING ORDERS FOR THE
DAY. HE ORDERS MY STEPS IN HIS WORD. THIS MORNING THE WORD WAS FROM 2 COR. 1-5
(READ ALOUD)
THIS MORNING THE HOLY
SPIRIT ALLOWED ME TO TRAVEL DOWN MEMORY LANE. (TELL ABOUT EKE’S WORDS ABOUT
ME)
INDEED, THE JOY OF THE LORD
IS MY STRENGTH.
PRAISE MUSIC
ANOTHER WAY I GET THROUGH
MY DAY IS WITH PRAISE MUSIC. PRAISE MUSIC BRINGS ME GREAT JOY. I KEEP IT ON IN
MY HOME DAY AND NIGHT. GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE. YOU NEED TO GET
IN THE HABIT OF PRAISING HIM. YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN MY BEDROOM DANCING WITH GOD!
LADIES, I’M TALKING ABOUT
ABIDING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.
ABIDING IN THE LORD MEANS
MORE OF HIM. MORE OF HIM IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR ACTIVITIES, THOUGHTS AND
DESIRES. PSA. 42:1 SAYS, “AS THE DEER PANTS FOR THE WATER BROOKS, SO PANTS MY
SOUL FOR YOU, O GOD.” HE IS MY LIVING WATER. WHEN I’M WITH THE LOVER OF MY
SOUL, I FEEL SO NOURISHED, SO CHERISHED, SO LOVED THAT EVERY MORNING I RUSH BACK
TO HIM.
QUESTION
DO YOU HAVE A SET TIME
EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SEEK HIS PRESENCE? DON’T WAIT UNTIL EVENING BEFORE YOU
GO THE BED. YOU NEED TO HAVE EXPERIENCED HIS PRESENCE TO GET THROUGH YOUR DAY.
THIS IS WHERE HE PREPARES YOU FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD.
QUESTION
WHEN YOU READ YOUR BIBLE,
DO YOU SAVOR HIS WORD? MEDITATE ON IT AND APPLY IT TO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES?
QUESTION
ARE YOU HONEST WITH GOD
WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM? IF YOU’RE ANGRY WITH HIM, HAVE YOU TOLD HIM? ARE YOU
FEARFUL? DOUBTFUL? THANKFUL? HE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR REQUESTS, YOUR WORRIES,
YOUR PRAISE. AND, AGAIN I SAY, YOUR THANKS.
QUESTION
DO YOU JOURNAL? DO YOU
KEEP A DAILY WRITTEN RECORD OF WHAT GOD IS DOING IN YOUR LIFE? SHARE WITH HIM
YOUR DISAPPOINTMENTS, CELEBRATIONS, AND CONFUSIONS. ASK HIM FOR WISDOM. KEEP
TRACK OF HIS ANSWERS.
CONCLUSION
COMMUNION WITH GOD IS A
RELATIONSHIP NOT A SENSATION. WE WON’T ALWAYS HAVE AN EMOTIONAL HIGH OR A
SENTIMENTAL FEELING WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH GOD. ABIDING IS AN ACT OF FAITH.
FINALLY, WE MUST OBEY GOD. JESUS SAID IN ST. JOHN
15:10, WHILE IN THE VINEYARD WITH HIS FRIENDS, “IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU
WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE.”
FRIENDS, I COMPARE ABIDING
IN HIS PRESENCE AS BEING IN A “GRACE BUBBLE.” WHEN FRIENDS ASK, “HOW CAN YOU BE
SO JOYFUL?” I TELL THEM, “GOD HAS ME IN A GRACE BUBBLE. WHEN YOU ARE IN A
GRACE BUBBLE, SATAN CANNOT PENETRATE IT WITH SORROW, FEAR, WORRY, DOUBT, OR ANY
OTHER NEGATIVE EMOTION THAT WOULD STEAL YOUR JOY.
GO IN
PEACE AND ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY. BE OF GOOD CHEER FOR YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER?
AMEN!
Caught Up in Him,
Minister Mary Edwards Founder and President
For more information, call Minister Mary Edwards (248) 663-2363
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