Lack of God's Presence

I believe it true, all men truly desire to know the Lord. I don't know if there is a single person who has not desired an encounter with Him. Too often, however, people have been caused to believe, "You can't experience God."

Jim Morrison of the Doors said, "You can't petition the Lord in prayer."

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull said, "God is not the kind you wind up on Sundays."

Because men in the churches have chosen to not wait on the Lord and follow Christ's example of departing to a solitary place (as was his manner) well before dawn to pray, the Holy Spirit has left the churches. If someone goes to a church to find an experience with God, he finds only religious structure. The Holy Spirit has left. God's presence is not there. God can't be wound up on Sundays.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in a man's life can only be evident as he spends intimate time with Him. It was said of the disciples, "they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus (Ac. 4. 13)." Follow His example, watch and pray as He said, "Can you not watch with me for but one hour?" God's presence will become undeniable in you.

Jim Morrison had it wrong. You CAN petition the Lord in prayer. You MUST petition the Lord in prayer and be contrite and repentant before Almighty God. Living that way will cause you to move the hand of God in prayer. To any person who stays out of the place of defilement and regularly waits on the Lord, will the Father send a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The presence of the Holy Ghost will be undeniable in his life.

Since this is an individual event, all those in each church must similarly wait on the Lord every day for the presence of God to be evident in their lives and in their church once again. I pray, O God, those leaders in the churches will live this way and teach the people accordingly. Your message to the churches is, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent (Re. 2. 5)."

Cause them, O God, to see the candlestick (from which comes the presence of the Holy Ghost) has been removed. Cause them to remember from whence they have fallen. Grant them, O God, repentance. May each individual be of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Every day, O Lord, you remind me how far I had fallen, the shame of choosing the pleasures of Egypt and you show me your mercy. I'm no better than anyone. I'm simply a beggar who has found where there is food.

You Must Have Oil

25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

25:2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

25:3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,

25:4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

25:5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

25:6 And at midnight a cry was heard:
'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

25:7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'

25:9 But the wise answered, saying,
'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you;
but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came,
And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding;
and the door was shut.

25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying,
'Lord, Lord, open to us!'

25:12 But he answered and said,
'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

25:13 Watch therefore,
for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

As you know, oil is representative of the Holy Spirit. This is obtained by spending time with Jesus. There is no other way.
Little time, little oil. Much time. Much oil.
Little time in the Word results in little indication of the Truth of God in your conversation and life.
Little time in prayer results in little manifestation of Christ in you.
Notice Jesus uses this parable as an end time passage. We are warned not to be caught these days without sufficient bathing in the Water of the Word and spending time in the presence of Christ in solitary prayer.
Oh, you who lead in the church, please lead in the example of maintaining much oil in your lamp.

The Supply of Christ

Recently, I met a young lady who had a fish symbol on her necklace. Not to single her out, I will also comment on the use of Christian symbols very skillfully painted on a motorcycle. I also recall a young man who had a large sign on the back of his car indicating, "JESUS SAVES, Jn. 3.16." He had a reputation for traveling at excessive speeds even on narrow streets.
I am convinced at least two of these people were saved. There was no indication two of the three ever broke the law or were offensive to others.
One thing for certain, they all used symbols to let others know of their faith.
The question comes to mind, "what is the conversation of these or any of those who claim to be Christian? Is it only about things of the world or is it about the things of Jesus Christ?"
When confronted with the Holy One of Israel, two of the above were unable to engage in conversation, as if such conversation is only allowed between 11:00 a.m. and 12:01 p.m. on Sunday by the pastor. I could almost sense one saying, "I keep my faith to myself" and the other seems only interested in ministry related activities and ice cream.
The Lord Jesus said, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . ." To be a witness is to provide proof, by conversation and deed, concerning what Christ has done. That proof will be with power since the Holy Ghost has come upon me. There should be no question. In Acts. 4.16 we read, "they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
If someone has been with Jesus, it has not only been written in the Book of Remembrance, but a metamorphosis has occurred, which can not be humanly manufactured nor can it be hidden. One who has not been with Him simply cannot manufacture His presence.
This is the result of the promise of Jesus, "ye shall be witnesses unto me." This is conclusive and absolute. Paul spoke of the supply of the Spirit in Ph. 1.19, "For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
We have the promise. We potentially have the supply, if we choose to accept it.
My prayer is for that supply to be truly existent in the Church (the fact is, many have no reason to return due to the lack) and the witness of Christ be in power of the Holy Ghost.