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The Bible says that nothing of
lasting value can be accomplished on the earth without Jesus. The
Holy Spirit is the embodiment of God on the earth, and the presence
of the Lord is absent where there is strife, unforgiveness and
unrepentant sin. God is holy and wants a relationship with His
children but He will not compromise His standards to do so. We
should not therefore selfishly ask Him for things when we have no
intention of changing from our sinful ways; instead, we should ask
God for His presence, who will answer our prayers when we don’t
grieve the Holy Spirit. God is not an impersonal ATM machine but a
vibrant living God that is grieved over the errant behavior of His
children. Programs can never replace the presence of the Lord, and
every activity in which we participate should be in an atmosphere of
prayer and consciousness that God is the center of it. Jesus told us
to seek the kingdom of God first, and where the presence of God is,
you will also find His kingdom. We need to redirect our attention
away from just asking God to bless us and seek His presence instead. |
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