Monday, April 27, 2009

The Power of Prayer

For nine-months I’d waited for this moment. I was going to be a great grandpa. My granddaughter Shelsea, was in the delivery room waiting for little Matthew to decide when he was going to grace everybody with his appearance. Her boyfriend, grandma and her fiancĂ© were there also. What an exciting time. Only God knew when little Matthew would be born, so we all settled down for the job at hand.

Finally, at eight o’clock, it was time for Matthew to make his world debut. The doctor broke Shelsea’s water and deployed a catheter to clear the pathway for Matthew’s removal. By then, she was ten centimeters. Twenty minutes later, she was assuming the position and the doctor was telling her to push.

Everything was going well as she followed the doctor’s directions, “Push. . .push. . .you’re doing great,” but something appeared to be wrong. The baby’s heart monitor indicated distress and the blood pressure was dropping rapidly.

“We need to do a C-section, now!” the doctor said. “Get her unplugged. . .stat!” At the same time, two people in scrubs burst into the room, and in seconds, had unhooked Shelsea from the monitor.

“What’s wrong?” Grandma asked. She was becoming frantic. Her chest felt like a lead ball had just crashed into her.

As they wheeled Shelsea out of the room, the doctor said, “The baby is in distress.” Her few words trailed off as they left.

My daughter remained in her chair emotionally and physically paralyzed, wondering what in the world was going on. She didn’t know whether to cry, scream, or faint. Only pure raw courage and the presence of mind kept her from the latter. She couldn’t move or speak.

The doctors had just taken her daughter away and now what used to be a room full of joy, was now a big empty spot where the bed used to be, the only evidence of which were the disconnected wires laying all over the floor. Her grandma-ship was apparently in jeopardy. This was the worst moment of her life.

My daughter’s fiancĂ© ran to the waiting room to update us. I, along with the others, hurried to room four where the Grandma-to-be was still sitting and uncontrollably crying, and justifiably so. We all huddled to cry out to God. Great grandma looked up at me with tears in her eyes and asked for prayer. I had already started praying for my granddaughter and great grandson.

During a time of fear, worry, and doubt, we CAN count on God through trust and prayer. As I prayed, I knew in my spirit that God would not bring Shelsea and Matthew to this point just to let something happen to this baby. . .or her, and I prayed to that effect. God was letting me know in the Spirit that He had things under control and to keep praying the persistent prayer of Hannah.

When we are troubled, we need to seek the one who can relieve all of our anxieties. We need to believe God’s plan and that Jesus is our strength and Hightower. He is our source for everything. He is Jehovah-Jireh, our provider; He is Jehovah-Nissi, our banner; He is Jehovah-Rohi, our shepherd; He is Jehovah- Shalom, our peace; He is Jehovah-Shammah, who is always there, and He is Jehovah-Rophe, our healer to the glory of God the Father.

It only seemed like minutes later and we received word that little Matthew was doing just fine and so was his mother. The cord had wrapped around his neck, which happens one out of every three births, and it was causing all the distress in the delivery. I prayed to God there on the spot, “Thank you Jesus for protecting my granddaughter and thank you for saving my great grandson from certain death.”

Mark 11:34 says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” James 4:2 says that “. . .yet ye have not, because ye ask not,” and Philipians 4:6 tells us, “. . .with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

We first need to believe that what we ask for, God will, in fact, answer. After we settle it in the spirit, we need to petition God in prayer. Finally, we need to thank Him for his intervention in our behalf. Thanking God in advance is the best evidence of faith.

Matthew is not only alive and well today because of first, the grace, and mercy of Almighty God, but he is alive and well because of a knowledgeable, quick acting doctor with a great staff. However, and thank you Jesus, I am not going to discount the power of prayer, nor am I going to discount a mother’s courage and love for her child (and grandchild), who literally stood by her daughter’s side throughout the whole nine-months. Praise the Lord God Almighty. . .and for answered prayer! Hallelujah!










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NEXT WEEK: “Face to Face with God” I tell the story of an experience where I came face to face with the Lord.

See you next Monday and thanks for stopping by,

Your Host
James Lindquist
Christian Author
http://www.jameslindquist.net

Monday, April 20, 2009

What goes around, comes around

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon and neither my wife nor I were very ambitious. We were both enjoying a much-needed day off. I was very warm and comfortable sitting in my recliner. My wife sat on the couch directly across from me trying to read a letter she had just received before nodding off. Spirits of love, peace, and contentment hovered in our home.

As I watched, her eyes would periodically close and she would slowly, but surely, open them again, and again, trying disparately to focus on the letter in hopes of finding the spot where she had left off.

I hate to admit it but it was rather entertaining watching her struggle to stay awake in order to read that letter. She was apparently oblivious to my presence and scrutiny. My mind started wandering through the past while visions of different moments in our marriage went before me.

As many pleasant thoughts went through my head, I felt a familiar unction in my spirit. The Lord must have been sitting on his recliner watching me at the same time. Obviously, I was also quite oblivious to His presence and scrutiny as I sat there observing my wife. I heard him say in my spirit, “You and I also have seasons in our relationship.”

I felt in my heart that the Lord was hurt because we, the church, have forgotten our first love. It reminded me of what Jesus wrote to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Like the Ephesians, our zeal can sometimes out last our love. I feel that this saddens Him. We are so busy seeking his hands that we do not take the time to seek his face.

As I looked at her nodding-off on the couch, I was thinking about how much I loved her and thinking of the first time that I had seen her. I sensed that the Lord became jealous of my attention toward her because He interjected a question into my spirit, “When was the last time that you lingered with me and thought about the first or last time that we were together?” Ouch! I didn’t feel condemned but I did feel pricked in my spirit. I felt a warm tingling sensation because of His presence. He had my attention.

I have learned that as great as married life is, it would be an empty world were He not in it with me. Now I am glad that my wife loves me because of me and not because I pay the rent and buy the food. I am equally sure that she is glad that I love her because of her and not because she cooks my dinner and washes my clothes. We both appreciate what our hands do for each other but we love each other because we have sought each others faces.

God taught me a good lesson that day: although it’s alright to ask and thank Him for what He does, we need to seek His face and love Him for who He is, not for what He does. It's called relationship.

I learned that there are seasons in our life with God as well—a season of seeking, of acquaintance, friendship, courtship, and proposal; there are times of struggle and misunderstanding but there are also times of peace, contentment, and love. He is truly our bridegroom, and we are truly His bride. Let’s not forget Him and our first love.

So, the next time you are entertaining yourself at your spouse’s expense, remember that the Lord is also watching you. I guess what goes around, comes around.

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NOTE: This is a revised writing from when I was still married. I thought it might help somebody in their relationship with the Lord. In a few weeks I will have a follow up blog to report further the seasons of our relationship with Christ.


NEXT WEEK: “The Power of Prayer.” Grandma to be, admitted her daughter at the Neonatal Center at eleven o’clock in the morning and the waiting game began. What a great day, she was about to become a grandma. Grandma! It felt weird to her. Then it all took a turn for the worse.

See you next Monday and thanks for stopping by,

Your Host
James Lindquist
http://www.jameslindquist.net

Monday, April 13, 2009

God bless our troops

Three-thousand miles was a long distance to navigate through raging seas especially during this time of year. The Speedwell had already developed a leak on their first attempt and they had to put her to port for refit. However, the second vessel stood ready and waiting for the signal from the captain to weigh anchor and set sail.

She was a sound ship indeed; her shear line ran over a hundred feet. Six sails graced her three masts and she would need all of them to brave the cold and vicious Atlantic Ocean to make port in a timely fashion.

It was an early September morning, the sixth day of the month, and all one-hundred and two passengers, twenty-five crewmembers, and the captain were on board and anxious to sail. The hold supplied only enough room for the two-months of rations, gear, and belongings to accommodate the long journey. With the cargo and passengers loaded and the hatches battened, Captain Christopher Jones walked too amidships and hollered to his boatswain and conner, “Weigh anch'r an' cas' off. 'Ere's a lot o' sea a 'ead o' us mates.”

The windless cranked into action as the anchor slowly ascended to its place of rest. God willing, it wouldn’t drop again for at least another two months - or better.

“Aye aye captain,” the bosun shouted. He turned to his crew and yelled “Ye ‘eard 'e captain mates. Look lively. . .cast off 'e lines, an' unclew 'e sheets. . ." He paused and shouted, "Fill em up!”

The morning air came alive with chattering and commotion as the canvas began to unfurl and loud snapping sounds evidenced the opening of the sheets as they flapped, struggling to catch the right side of the wind. The masts creaked and strained under the stress of the sails as they bellowed in the wind. The ship lurched to the right but finally acquiesced to the wind’s power.

The conner screamed down instructions to the helmsman who was below deck manning the whipstaff, “We ‘ave canvas. . .easy as yer go. . .two points to starboard.”

As the sails tightened to fullness, the ship began to ease away from the dock. After all these months of preparation, they were finally moving! ‘Tween decks was full of indiscernible, but joyful, conversation as the passengers shook hands and hugged one another. “Praise Almighty God, for He has delivered us from the hands of our oppressors.” Smiles and tears of joy filled their faces and the shouts of praise continued to reach toward heaven.

The Mayflower left Plymouth, England on a rainy and chilly day September 6, 1620 and sailed west into the horizon. For sixty-six days, all the crew could see was water. . .and more water, until they safely dropped anchor at New Plymouth, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620.

Cooped up ‘tween decks for 66 days with no chair, no bed, and no accommodations whatsoever with nothing but a chamber pot for a toilet, the one-hundred and one remaining religious separatists looked forward to dropping anchor and going ashore. The fact that they hadn’t had a shower in over two months didn’t stop them from hugging each other as the smiles and joy returned to their faces.

In the excitement of success they forgot momentarily about their seasickness and about the injuries sustained when the wind-tossed vessel had thrown them against the insides of the hull. They forgot that the crew had rescued John Howland who went overboard when getting some air. They forgot about the storms, the mast cracking, and when things were ok, the boredom. For a moment, they even forgot the agony of losing two friends in route and the joy of bringing a baby into the world. Although they were now only one-hundred and one strong, they were indeed, ready to go ashore.

Fate, however, had not dealt them their last ordeal. Because of the winter weather and with no place as yet to dwell on land, they all had to stay aboard the Mayflower. Tragically, 48 more people died from a contagious disease, thought to be a mixture of scurvy, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. To their grief, only fifty-three Pilgrims and half of the crew survived.

However, history was about to be made.

I am in awe at the courageous undertaking of a handful of people trying to escape English tyranny and religious persecution; putting their courage where their mouth was and sailing across the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, eventually to found this great nation of ours.

The caliber of people that made that crossing typifies the selfless courage of the average American spirit. This country was built on the backs of fifty-three courageous men and women.

It was a shame that the journey that had brought all but two of them safely to the New World, had ended so terribly. They had no idea what they were about to start, but they didn’t care - THEY WERE FREE. They all knew too well that there is a cost for freedom.

For the next one-hundred and fifty-six years, Plymouth, Massachusetts would grow to 13 colonies and in 1776, July 4th; the Continental Congress authored, established, and ratified the Declaration of Independence. They signed it on August 2nd of that same year and America was born.

Two-hundred and thirty-three years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, many lives were lost defending this great country. In fact, since the ratification, America has defended her existence fifty-three times in wars and conflicts. Only through the undying loyalty, patriotism, and sacrifices of soldiers, and through the grace of Almighty God, has she managed to defeat every enemy that has come against her.

I proudly served my country in the Air Force but I served her in peacetime so I do not know what it’s like to storm a hill or beat the brush looking for an enemy. Thank God I’ve never had to kill a man or be shot at. I can only guess as to what a soldier thinks as he prepares for battle or what he thinks during battle. How does a man prepare himself possibly to die?

What does he think about while lying in the trenches? Does he think about the possibility that he might have to kill a man who is doing nothing more than fighting for his country as well? Is he thinking about the possibility that he may not return in one piece or worse yet. . .not at all. I have to wonder if he has the luxury of thinking about his wife, his children, his friends, or the way of life that he left behind. A split second of misdirected thought can get a soldier killed. However, the one thing that the entire human race has in common is survival.

Every soldier would give his life in the protection of his country and for another comrade in arms. To this, I give my thanks and total respect.

I thought of the many men and women who, for over two-hundred and thirty-three years, have died defending our country. However, I feel all of them turning over in their graves and I can hear all their voices in unison, “Socialism? What. . .are. . .you. . .thinking? This is what I died for? You mean to tell me that I sacrificed my life, my family, my hopes, my dreams, and my desires to offer my services to a country that I love; for a country that I’d die for – and did, so that people could live in a socialistic society? You have spit in my face.”

Nobody knows the actual number of people who have died defending this great nation from her detractors but most statisticians estimate that between 1776 and 2009 one-million ninety-four thousand nine-hundred and seventy-six soldiers have lost their lives in war and conflicts on the battlefield.

That’s one-million ninety-four thousand nine-hundred and seventy-six shattered hopes, dreams, and desires. Each one of those families continued without a father, or a brother, an uncle, or a friend. I am sickened, especially in light of the direction in which our leaders are taking this country. I have to ask, “Whose side are they on?”

After all the death and carnage that we have gone through as a nation, it is unconscionable that we would give up and acquiesce to anybody at all, let alone to socialism. We are, in fact, spitting in the faces of the soldiers, not only of today, but in the faces of those who have died before them. We are also spitting in the faces of the families who have lost loved ones in battle. In effect, we are minimizing their service, sacrifice, and death. As an American it sickens me and brings me to tears. Once freedom is lost, you cannot get it back.

Where are the leaders of today with the courage of that handful of people who would weather the storm of the Atlantic Ocean, the seasickness, the death, and disease, with nothing but a chamber pot for a toilet?

I honor our troops and each one of us owes them our lives. How many of us take our freedoms for granted while they sleep in mud holes with no heat, no running water, or not even a chamber pot. Where are the leaders?

The troops sacrifice themselves so that you and I can watch our TV, worship at the church of our choice, and step into a private voting booth to vote for the person of our choice. Sad as it is, they even lay in the trenches for our freedom of speech so that we can speak our mind on a street corner while protesting the war and ragging on the same troops that are defending their right to do so.

As much as I honor and respect our troops, I do have one question: what will they be thinking when their superiors order them to turn their weapons on us, or worse yet, what will they do?

Lord in heaven, please have mercy on us.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. Psalms 33:12 KJV.

God bless our troops who are still fighting for our cause;
God bless those soldiers who have died for us;
God bless the families who have lost loved ones in the service of our country; and
God bless America; may she reign in the hearts of men evermore.
Let freedom ring and may her flag proudly fly forever. I guarantee you that it will on my front porch! AMEN.

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Next week: “What goes around, comes around" Sometimes we are so busy seeking his hands that we do not take the time to seek his face. Like the Ephesians, of Revelation 2:4, our zeal can sometimes out last our love. I feel that this saddens Jesus.


See you next Monday and thanks for stopping by,


Your Host

James Lindquist
http://www.jameslindquist.net

Monday, April 6, 2009

God can use everybody

Like most Sunday mornings you can find me in church waiting to hear from God and spending some quality time worshiping Him. God’s house is a refuge for me from all of the problems that face the world today.

I attend a prophetic and worshiping church, so the service format is a little different from most conventional churches. My pastor first gives the message and then we worship God for another hour and a half or longer.

This morning was no different. After the message and a couple songs, they stopped playing accept for one fellow who continued to play one long chord on his synthesizer. It was a slow, soft, but powerful sound.

The group leader stepped up to the mic, started praying, and welcoming the Holy Spirit into the house. The Spirit was so thick you could just about see Him. It was very hard even to stand. With my eyes closed and my arms raised, it felt like the Lord and I were the only ones there.

Off to my left, I heard a woman moan so I looked to see where it came from. That look was enough to break the Spirit on me. I was upset because someone had broken the anointing in the room. I thought, well they got their reward, from the notice of men. However, the outburst hadn’t seemed to affect anyone else.

I continued worshiping and it wasn’t long before I was back in the anointing. I felt a sense of belonging as I noticed all my brothers and sisters worshiping God in front of me. A spirit close by reached out and touched me. I noticed a sister who looked to be in her early twenties. She had her eyes closed and they were soaked with tears. Her cheeks were aflame and she was fervently praying.

With her arms outstretched, she reached toward another sister who took her hands and they prayed together. It was a beautiful thing to see; the melding of two spirits in pure love for God. The Spirit that had captivated her was now emanating from her and it drew me closer. My eyes began to well up, for this woman was sitting in a motorized wheelchair.

She was so into the Spirit that she was totally oblivious to the wheelchair in which she sat. I felt the unction to pray for her so I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and began to pray when I heard the same moaning sound. The moan was close enough that I thought it was this young lady.

I wasn’t sure it was but I’d already been down that road with the Lord. I kept my eyes closed and prayed in my spirit, “My God. . .my God, she loves you so much Lord. I can feel her spirit reaching out. There is nothing wrong with her spirit Lord but my God in heaven, please heal her body. Free her from the bondage of that wheelchair, please Lord.”

Immediately, I heard a voice deep from within my spirit, “I love her just the way she is.” I sat there in the front row of church crying like a little baby.

After the service, I felt the Lord wanted to talk so I left to go to my truck. The Lord seemed to be telling me that I should write everything down. He said He was going to help someone because of what He allowed me to witness that morning in church. I was vibrating in the Spirit.

I frantically wrote down everything the Lord was saying, trying hard to keep up with Him. After compiling my notes, I noticed lessons contained within them. It was a teaching day for me and I was getting it in my truck. He told me that we are to keep focus on the Son or we too can sink into the Sea of Galilee.

God also reminded me that He inhabits the praises of His people and that praise was a win win. This is why I love the service format of my church. Our praise and worship time is unfettered and we can linger with Him as long as the Spirit remains.

The broken anointing wasn’t the person’s fault; it was mine for taking my eyes off of Jesus and just like Peter when he took his eyes off the Lord, and summarily sank into the Sea of Galilee. That day in church I sank because I was quick to judge someone else’s travailing to God. However, the Lord picked me up, yet again, and set me on the plumb. He reminded me that there was only one judge.

He said that obedience to His unction of prayer for one another is vital. I felt as if He was giving me an atta-boy for my obedience to pray, for He knows that He didn’t gift me in intercession. That day in my truck, however, I felt as though I had done well as Jesus spoke to me through His Spirit.

Everything Jesus spoke of that day was basic but we all need an occasional reminder. He drove home the lessons into one short and poignant experience. It is easy to take the basics for granted while we are in the process of searching for the deeper things of God.

Then the Lord cut to the chase. I heard in my spirit the main reason for our talk. He wanted to tell me that He can use everybody, even a young woman in a wheelchair, whose spirit had reached out, and so greatly touched mine.

I am saddened that life inconvenienced this young lady because of her wheelchair but I know straight from the Lord’s Spirit that He loves that young lady just the way she is, and that she had touched His heart as well. When she lifts her hands to Him, she is walking, walking tall in the Spirit.

I thank the Lord for allowing me to be a part of that experience and for the time spent with me, showing me the beautiful things of the Spirit while sitting in my truck.

The Bible declares in 1 Corinthians 12:22, “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.”

Therefore, I thank you Lord for that young lady and for others who society would call handicapped. I surround and cover them Lord because the body depends on them. I thank you Lord for the inconvenienced and who are strong in heart but humble. . . for the feeble. . .for the meek. . .the peaceful. . .and Lord, for the prayerful, for they are necessary; they are the heart of the body.

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Next week: “God bless our troops.” What causes a man or a woman to enlist in the service of his or her country? They understand in their heart that they may never return or if need be, they might have to kill another human being? When they sign on the dotted line, they are telling us that they are willing to lay down their lives for a greater cause. So, why do I think that they consider possibly signing away their life? I think you call it pride, duty, honor, courage, resolve, selflessness, altruistic, brave, principled, noble, and just plain love for something greater than one's self. It holds a great mark of valor and respect.

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS in Jesus name!

("God bless our troops" may be a little long but I hope it blesses you.)

See you next Monday and thanks for stopping by,

Your host
James Lindquist
http://www.jameswlindquist.net

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Life without God

Have you ever heard someone say, “I know God is in my heart, I just don’t feel His presence?” Many people today have these same worries. They not only have worries of government and world crisis but trouble with personal problems and setbacks as well. Worry and fear are the opposite of faith and any number of unrepentant sins can make us wander away from God.

It's all about relationship. Personal problems are the hardest because they hit closest to home. There was a time when I couldn’t feel God’s presence either. It was a black time in my life.

A few years ago, as my wife and I were working at keeping our marriage together, I’d developed a bad attitude toward her. I was hurt because I felt she didn’t appreciate or need me enough. As I struggled with the sulking, aloofness, and the pity-party of my childish persona, I quickly developed the spirit of un-forgiveness.

It is difficult at best to explain the feeling that I had during that time of my life. However, it felt as if my blood had drained from me. It was total emptiness, despair, and nausea. I did not feel any hope within me. I didn’t care whether the sun rose or fell. It was the ugliest and blackest feeling that I have ever experienced.

The spirit of un-forgiveness had me so immersed in its sin that I felt far away from God. I thought that He was the one who’d given up on me because of my attitude toward my wife. Everything that God was to me, I now felt was gone - assurance, encouragement, approval, support, love, I couldn’t feel any of it. The wages of sin is death and I was dying inside.

I struggled with myself a couple of days and finally concluded that the reason for my pity-party was because I didn't get my own way. I only knew I didn't want to feel like this anymore.

The Lord was not the one who pulled away or hid Himself from me but my guilt that had made me pull away from God. It was my fault that I felt condemned. His Word says that He will never leave or forsake us. I was lost and didn't know what to do. In desperation, I finally called out to God, “Lord, where are you, I need you.”

God, in His infinite wisdom brought 1 Peter 3:7 to my attention, which declares, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” I immediately realized in my spirit what I needed to do.

I went to my wife to ask for forgiveness of my attitude toward her. The second that I asked for her forgiveness, God immediately restored my life and my health. If I were to speak for God, I'd say to me, “It sure took you long enough.” Instead, I felt that warm voice within me saying, “I’m proud of you son.” I had, for a season, forgotten that forgiveness was, and still is, the basis of our faith. I never want that black empty feeling again.

Because God chastises those He loves, I believe that the Lord allowed this to happen to me so that I would know what it was like not to have Him around. He never causes bad things to happen but He allows certain things to teach us.

I thank the Lord every day for allowing me my hissy fit, because it ultimately brought me closer to Him. My daily prayer now is Psalms 51:2, 11, which says, “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.”

Free will and guilt put me so deep in that I had nowhere to go but up, up to Jesus. This was God's plan all along, to look to Jesus. Guilt and un-forgiveness are dangerous spirits and can destroy us if we allow them. Don't let them get a foothold.

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. . ."

I had accused God of hiding from me and not being there for me. Although I didn’t feel His presence He was always there and never gave up on me. So don't despair, although you may not feel His presence, He is definitely there, trust me. God is no respecter of persons and He will never leave or forsake you either. He says so in His Word.

I know of a couple, who had it all, each other, food, work, and a place to stay. With these things came the presence, the power, and the full glory of almighty God. Then they lost it all. They had everything! Then, (and with adamant warnings), this woman’s husband took a bite out of an apple.

You talk about the ultimate separation from God and not feeling His presence. They lived with God. They walked in the Garden with Him and talked to Him. Can you fathom how they must have felt when God made them leave the Garden and separated Himself from them for the rest of their lives?.

But praise God, because of Jesus Christ, we have the presence, power, and glory of almighty God once again. Christ's death on the Cross caused the veil in the Temple to rip in two. This gave us access to the presence of God once more. God no longer separated Himself from us. In Jesus day, the high priest was the only one allowed into the Holy of Holies and then, only once a year.

Now just like in the Garden of Eden, we can live with Him; we can walk and talk to Him, and receive His love and glorious presence. However, like Adam and Eve we need to be careful of the snakes that we let entertain us.

I leave you with Romans 8:38, 39 KJV

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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
.

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Next week: “God can use everybody.” I tell the story of a beautiful day in church when the Spirit was moving and showed Himself to me through a sister in the Lord. The lord told me that He was going to help someone through this writing. So evidently, someone needs to see and read this story for whatever reason.

Praise God!

See you next Monday and thanks for stopping by,

Your Host
James Lindquist
http://www.jameslindquist.net