🍞 Manna for Meditation 51

Dear God’s beloved Praying Priests, shalom! 

💎 “Then the angel of Adonai appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. So he looked and saw the bush burning with fire, yet it was not consumed. Moses thought, ‘I will go now, and see this great sight. Why is the bush not burnt?’ When Adonai saw that he turned to look, He called to him out of the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ So he answered, ‘Hineni (Here I am).’ Then He said, ‘Come no closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Moreover He said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ So Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” (Exo 3:2-6, TLV)

💎 “When the day of Shavuot (Pentecost) had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues like fire spreading out appeared to them and settled on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh  (Holy Spirit) and began to speak in other tongues as the Ruach (Spirit) enabled them to speak out.” (Act 2:1-4, TLV)

We have to differentiate God’s omnipresence from His manifest presence. The manifest presence of God is tangibly perceived, not theoretical but transformational.  It requires our obedience and prayer, and it brings out contrition.

Throughout the Bible, God often manifests His presence in fire. However, He doesn’t always reveal Himself in the appearance of fire.  The point is not about fire but the presence of God! We do not seek feelings, experiences or manifestations. What we seek is the Lord Himself!  In early 2017, Pastor Jamie, the founder of BBPN, was strongly urged by the Holy Spirit to make a covenant with God on behalf of BBPN during her prayer walking in Houston, Texas, the United States.  She offered BBPN to God and made a covenant with Him that we pursue neither psychic phenomena nor charisma. We seek on the Holy Spirit! 

Let us worship and meditate on the beautiful lyrics of this song entitled “ Once It Was the Blessing (or Himself)” this week. May He speak to every Praying Priest through the song and enable us to seek Him and receive Him wholeheartedly! Amen!

Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord; once it was the feeling, now it is His Word; Once His gift I wanted, now the Giver own; once I sought for healing, now Himself alone. All in all forever, only Christ I’ll sing; everything is in Christ, and Christ is everything.

Once ’twas painful trying, now ’tis perfect trust; once a half salvation, now the uttermost; Once ’twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast; once ’twas constant drifting, now my anchor’s cast.

All in all forever, only Christ I’ll sing; everything is in Christ, and Christ is everything.

Once ’twas busy planning, now ’tis trustful prayer; once ’twas anxious caring, now He has the care; Once ’twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says; once ’twas constant asking, now ’tis ceaseless praise.

All in all forever, only Christ I’ll sing; everything is in Christ, and Christ is everything.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be; once I tried to use Him, now He uses me; Once the pow’r I wanted, now the Mighty One; once for self I laboured, now for Him alone.

All in all forever, only Christ I’ll sing; everything is in Christ, and Christ is everything.

Once I hoped in Jesus, now I know He’s mine; once my lamps were dying, now they brightly shine; Once for death I waited, now His coming hail; And my hopes are anchored, safe within the veil.

All in all forever, only Christ I’ll sing; everything is in Christ, and Christ is everything.