THE CLOUD OF HIS PRESENCE
When Israel was in the wilderness, God showed His presence to them through a cloud. This cloud was the manifestation of God's promise to be with His people. It came down and covered the tabernacle night and day and acted as their guide for every undertaking. When the cloud moved, they moved, and when it stayed, they stayed. The people did not have to hold committee meetings to try to figure out their direction or future. They put their confidence in that visible cloud of God's presence.
Today, that same cloud of His presence hovers over your secret closet of prayer. It waits every day to envelope you in its peace. It will lead you, empower you and give you peace. And it will give you detailed guidance for your home, work and relationships.
Your secret closet can be anywhere—in the shower, on the bus or subway, or during your commute to work. You can shut out everything and say, "Lord, I've got half an hour right now. I love You, Jesus, and worship You. This is my closet time with You!"
It's a wonderful thing to be shut in with God, developing a consistent prayer life. God promises that as you become a seeking, praying servant, His presence will break forth in your life, closing and opening doors and working His divine order all around you. Yet something even greater than this will happen: God's presence will lead you into a revelation of His glory!
There is a difference between God's presence and His glory. Most Christians know His presence—His great works in their lives—but few know His glory. In Exodus, we are given a glimpse of this difference: "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34).
The apostle Paul writes that all believers’ bodies are the tabernacle of God: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Like the Israelites who lived under the cloud of God's presence, we are constantly under the covering of God's grace. Yet, what is the difference between beholding God's presence and beholding His glory?
Today, that same cloud of His presence hovers over your secret closet of prayer. It waits every day to envelope you in its peace. It will lead you, empower you and give you peace. And it will give you detailed guidance for your home, work and relationships.
Your secret closet can be anywhere—in the shower, on the bus or subway, or during your commute to work. You can shut out everything and say, "Lord, I've got half an hour right now. I love You, Jesus, and worship You. This is my closet time with You!"
It's a wonderful thing to be shut in with God, developing a consistent prayer life. God promises that as you become a seeking, praying servant, His presence will break forth in your life, closing and opening doors and working His divine order all around you. Yet something even greater than this will happen: God's presence will lead you into a revelation of His glory!
There is a difference between God's presence and His glory. Most Christians know His presence—His great works in their lives—but few know His glory. In Exodus, we are given a glimpse of this difference: "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34).
The apostle Paul writes that all believers’ bodies are the tabernacle of God: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Like the Israelites who lived under the cloud of God's presence, we are constantly under the covering of God's grace. Yet, what is the difference between beholding God's presence and beholding His glory?