Private Life

Tonight as we sang praises to The Most High God, He revealed something to me that in my head I already knew, but I'm not sure my heart had been totally convinced of.  Even though it was something I was aware of, it wasn't something that I had truly embraced.  


As we were standing there singing I paused to pray and I heard His sweet voice say to me..."What you do with me in private affects what I do through you in public." 


I am so worthless without Him.  Only through Him, and Him alone, do I have any ability.  I am so weak, but He is my strength.  Am I truly depending on His power to do something GREAT, or am I depending on my weakness to do something average?  


Am I soaking in His presence?  Am I fully embracing all that my God is giving me, or am I telling Him,  "well, I don't need all of that God.  I don't need all of that time with you.  I can handle this on my own." How prideful can I be?  I should be longing to be in His presence and in His Word constantly.  I don't mean in His presence like O I'm alive and living in His presence and that's good enough.  I mean truly taking the time to silent everything and be FULLY PRESENT in His presence.  I desire that.  I desire that private life with my God.  I desire to spend hours on my face and knees listening to Him and pouring my heart out to Him daily.  I desire to engrave His words on my heart for eternity.  I desire to be FULLY PRESENT in His presence.  


He invites me to come to Him!  The KING of this universe invites me to come before Him.  How many of us would ever decline an invitation from an earthly prince or king?  I'm pretty sure if prince Harry invited us to a personal dinner we would clear our schedules and do whatever we had to to get there.  Well the KING of the entire universe has invited us into His presence shouldn't we clear our schedules and do whatever we can to get there?  It's a personal invitation to talk with the KING!


Today Francis Chan spoke from John 15.  This chapter has been following me around recently, and I LOVE it!  


“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5


Apart from Him I can do NOTHING.  Apart from Him I produce NO fruit.  I will never produce anything real if I do not abide in Him.  I don't want to produce fake fruit.  I want it to be real!  My private life with my savior matters.  People in scripture who spent time alone with God did amazing things for God.  He is key.  My private relationship with my savior affects EVERYTHING!  


If I'm truly being honest with myself I have a long way to go with this.  I desire my Jesus.  I desire my God, but so often my actions say I desire this world.  Actions truly do speak louder than words. If I want to produce His fruit then I must run to Him above all and before all. I must turn off the noise of the world and dwell in the Shelter of The Most High God. I must clear my schedule and do whatever it takes to meet and be FULLY PRESENT in the presence of my King.


I desire to bear His fruit, but I can't do that apart from Him.  Verse one of John 15 says, The Father cuts off every branch that bears no fruit.  In verse 6 it says those branches get thrown into the fire.  I know with all of my heart that I do not want to get thrown in the fire.  My God has so much more planned for me, but I must abide in Him or I will produce no fruit and be of no use.


So I am challenged to be FULLY PRESENT in His presence at every chance I get.  May I learn to abide in Him so that He may produce fruit in me; apart from Him I will produce NOTHING! 


My private life with God Almighty affects what He does through me in public!


God I pray that our private life will be intimate.  That I will learn to abide fully in you.  That I will be FULLY PRESENT in your presence.  That I will do whatever I can to clear my schedule and be with you!