Abiding Presence, Abundant Harvest

I have a shed. I really used to like my shed. It was a place with a great workspace. I could repair things, assemble things, and even build things. However, in recent years, things have changed. It has become a place of frustrating STUFF! You know, that stuff that you will deal with someday. Some of it is poked into corners on shelves. Some of it is stuffed into storage boxes, one piled on top of another.

The shed work area has also become a catch-all place for garden carts, a generator, and various other miscellaneous "deal with it someday" stuff! The workbench has more stuff – stuff piled on top of stuff.

Try to find something or work on something in there, and it will not be long before you feel frustrated. Recently, a rodent of some kind got in there and died. How in the world can I deal with that dead critter hiding beneath all of the stuff? Now it really stinks in there! In short – my shed is a disaster zone!

APPLICATION: Do you have any place like that? Perhaps that is a description of your present life. Cluttered relationships, destructive habits, and piles of unresolved stuff get in the way of living. Has your life become a place of frustration where it is hard to experience abundant life?

Do not despair because God has help for you right here today.

We will circle back to the messy shed later.

Jesus said;

PPT 3 - John 10:10 (NASB95) "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

PPT 4 - John 15:5 (NLT) "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

PPT 5 Nutshell:

This series of messages is a journey on a path of victory that begins with a heart of surrender and will produce a life of abundant harvest.

We can choose to live every moment of our lives fully quickened and responsive to God's presence! - This is the atmosphere where life and purpose thrive!

Prayer

PPT 6

1. The Challenge

"…have life, and have it abundantly" Jn 10:10

"…remain in me, and I in them… much fruit" Jn 15:5

Having quoted those verses, I would like to challenge all of us as we begin 2025 by making a troubling statement – Not many American Christian believers live their lives with God's abundance and an abiding sense of His presence. We should long for more!

PPT 7.0 Quote: Brother Lawrence

I am sure you know that most people's love for the Lord stops at a very shallow stage. Most love God for the tangible things He gives them. They love Him because of His favor to them. You must not stop on such a level, no matter how rich His mercies have been to you. The Practice of the Presence of God:

PPT 7.1 Many outward blessings can never bring you as close to God as can one simple act of faith. So, seek Him often by faith. (Bro. Lawrence; Practicing His Presence p. 100, Kindle Edition.)

We are so prosperous that we are easily distracted. Our life of privilege has become our undoing. Stand in a public place and observe for a few minutes, and you will see that the majority of people around you are profoundly distracted or even significantly troubled. The clutter of our stuff has consumed and frustrated our lives.

Too many American Christians live day by day experiencing God at a level of joy and authority that is far beneath the ABUNDANT LIFE that He has provided for them. God wants us to know Him in such a way that ABUNDANT LIFE and STREAMS of LIVING WATER flow from us.

PPT 8.0

John 7:38 (NASB95) "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.' "

Life thrives when we learn to spend each moment in the presence of God.

PPT 8.1 Psalm 16:11 (KJV) Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

PPT 9

Quote: Brother Lawrence

There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Only those can comprehend it who practice and experience it. (The Practice of the Presence of God: p. 84, Kindle Edition)

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Zechariah 4:6 (NLT) Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

Romans 8:13–14 (NLT) 13 For if you live by its dictates (the dictates of the flesh), you will die (spiritual death). But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

APPLICATION

My shed seems overwhelming. It takes a small amount of courage to walk into that space and begin. However, just the admission that it needs to change is an excellent beginning.

Do you need to come to that honest moment in your life today, the 5th day of this New Year? - This moment is an open-hearted admission to God that you desperately need a change so that you can begin to live again.

PPT 9 - The Change

2. The Change

Where do we begin? When you look at the obstacles, they can be overwhelming,

PPT 10 – Hoarder's living room.

…kind of like a hoarder's living room. How do we start? How about a New Year's resolution? As my Australian family says, "Yeah, naw!" I am not a fan of humanity's resolutions!

A resolution is a promise to yourself to do or not to do something – Cambridge Dictionary.

PPT 11. (0-8) - Resolutions Chart (Note: There are 8 clicks to reveal each point)

right759300

91% of all New Year's resolutions fail because they depend on human might and resolve. If we had enough of that, we would need to make a resolution. Just sayin'!

9% of people have the strength for human resolutions, but not even one of them has the power to live in righteousness.

Romans 3:10 (TPT) And the Scriptures agree for it is written: There is no one who always does what is right, no, not even one!

A moment ago, I said, "Something must change! It is time for a BIG change! It is time to LIVE again!" If we say something clearly in one word instead of using two, what word could we use instead of "live again"? Revive! It is time to be REVIVED!

I wish we had a good definition of revival…

PPT 12.0

"REVIVAL is a period of time when people are awakened to the reality of an ever-present, an ever-willing, and an almighty God." - Gordon Anderson

There is a powerful key that unlocks our understanding in this statement. Do you see it? We need the One who is able to make the changes that seem impossible!

He can break the bondage of addiction

He can heal the brokenhearted

He can heal our sick bodies.

He can make a way when there seems to be no way.

He can do more than we can ask or even imagine.

PPT 12.1 This change cannot come by human might. The change we need will come from our Almighty God. The change BEGINS when we surrender our lives in faith to Him and learn to abide in His presence!

PPT 13 - Song – (A cappella) On Bended Knee…

On bended knee I come

With a humble heart I come

Bowing down before Your holy throne

Lifting holy hands to You

As I pledge my love anew

I worship You in spirit

I worship You in truth

Make my life a holy praise unto You

PPT 14.0

3. The Power to Change!

The power to change comes from God, but the decision to change is an act of faith in our almighty God.

PPT 14.1 Romans 1:16 (AMP) For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, …

PPT 14.2 Philippians 4:13 (AMP) I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

The change continues as we trust HIM and learn to abide in HIM.

PPT 15 Philippians 1:6 (NLT) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

PPT 16.0 – Just the animated slide. Wait for 16.1 to fill the verse in.

4. Conclusion

This series of messages is a journey into a path of victory that begins with a heart of surrender and will produce a life of abundant harvest.

May I propose an unusual response to the word today? In your hand, have a slip of paper. There is no place on it for your name because this is private between you and God. At the altar, I have a basket. I am encouraging you to write on this paper the first and perhaps the biggest thing that needs to be moved out of the way: that thing that is preventing you from experiencing abundant life again.

Remember my shed? My shed seems overwhelming. Life can be like that tormenting mess in the shed. It may seem hopeless, but it is not! Just the honesty of admitting that this needs to change is an excellent beginning.

You are here, moving in our midst

I worship You. I worship You

You are here working in this place

I worship You. I worship You. (you are)

Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper

Light in the darkness, my God, that is who You are

You are here touching ev'ry heart

I worship You. I worship You

You are here healing ev'ry heart

I worship You. I worship You

You are here turning lives around

I worship You. I worship You

You are here mending ev'ry heart

I worship You. I worship You, Lord

That is who You are, That is who You are

Even when I don't see it You're working

Even when I don't feel it You're working

You never stop You never stop working

What about your life? Are you tired of that thing that constantly gets in the way of a victorious life?

It could be a woundedness or bitterness from unforgiveness toward someone. It is stacked up in the corner. Worse yet, the unforgiveness has the aroma of death, and you feel helpless to deal with it.

It could be that familiar sin that keeps showing up to defeat your joy and leave you with a mess of guilt shoved into another corner.

It could be the shame and remorse from the consequences of bad decisions that you keep tripping over any time you try to move forward in life.

PPT 16.1

James 4:7–10 (NLT) 7 So humble yourselves before God. … 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.

FOLD the paper, then bring that honest expression of your surrendered heart forward and lay it at the altar as you place it in the basket.

Tonight, at my home, I plan to light my fire pit. I am going to put all of these moments of surrender in the fire and pray for New Beginnings in your life!

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