Reading: Matthew 27.57-61

Have you ever watched as all your hopes and dreams were declared dead and buried in a tomb? That is the picture this text gives us as the women who trusted Jesus sat by helpless while His corpse was wrapped and placed in the grave.

This is Silent Saturday, when God is at work in ways and places we can’t see or know. His silence isn’t because He has nothing to say, it’s because He is about to make a statement                       too large for words.

Maybe you have experienced loss, tragedy, or discouragement and was left wondering if God would do what He said He would do. Perhaps you have even cried out to the heavens in these moments only to have silence scream back at you compounding your hurt and confusion. Hold on to hope because the last word has yet to be spoken…

Application

Don’t shy away from the hurt, pain or disappointment of the burial of a dream or aspiration. In fact, lean into and tell God you trust Him in the midst of loss and silence. Pour you heart out to God in your despair and in that place you will find hope rise.

Reading: Psalm22.1-3, Matthew 27.45-46

With His dying breath, Jesus quotes Scripture and of all the Sacred Text He could speak in this pivotal event of history, He asks the Father why He has abandoned Him. Jesus had never known the absence of God’s presence but for our sake the fellowship with the Father that Jesus had known as the Son of Man was broken as our death lay hold of the Light of Life.

Jesus suffered the agony of separation from God for a moment so we could enjoy the presence of God for eternity.

Application

Take a few minutes today to read and envision this Good Friday scene. Try to remember a time when the peace of God was far from you. Now be thankful for God’s peace that is present with you and ask God to remind you of this scene if you ever take His presence for granted.

Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8

Isaiah had an awesome encounter with the glory of God. Notice the exposing affect the presence of God had on Isaiah and how he responded to it. Isaiah’s entire being was laid bare in the presence of the “the King” and although he was a man “of unclean lips dwelling in the midst of a people of unclean lips” he was not destroyed (vs 5).

It is when pride dies in our life that we see God

Rather, he was made clean by the transforming agent of God’s glory. Isaiah was broken and transparent before God for himself and his people. He had a new point of view and accepted the commission to become an agent of change for God (vs. 8).

Application

Isaiah saw the glory when Uzziah, a very prideful king, died (vs. 1). In us, pride must die so we can recognize and respond to God. Ruthlessly deal with pride in your life that you may receive the cleansing power of God’s presence. Be ready to be an agent of change today when He sends you to someone or brings someone to you.

Reading: Acts 16:25-31

The Bible says that God is enthroned upon (or inhabits) the praise of His people (Psalm 22.3) so as Paul and Silas began praying and singing in that Phillippian jail, God showed up. When the Glory appeared the prison busted wide open and all chains fell off the people. Even the oppressors were saved and their families too.

God is doing the same kind of work among people today.  Prisons within the heart become palaces of peace when the Presence of the Most High enters. Dungeons of depression are shaken and cracked open when we begin to sing and praise God.

If God inhabits the praise of His people, then every time we worship in Spirit and Truth we have a face-to-face encounter with the King of Majesty

 

Application

Sing and praise unto God. Let His presence free you from any prison of sin, depression, guilt, shame or bitterness. Pray for entire families to be saved and ask for revival in your city like the one in Philippi of Paul’s day.

Reading: Revelation 1:9-18

In this text, we learn that John is like us… a partner in tribulation and brother in Christ. We also learn that one Sunday, he was worshipping in the Spirit – meaning he was consciously seeking, and aware of, the special presence of God.

No matter what you think you know of Jesus, you are one experience away from a fresh revelation of His power and presence.

John, who had walked with Jesus and witnessed Him doing miracles, blessing children, praying, eating, laughing, on the cross and even resurrected,  sees Him in a fresh way in this encounter. John had never seen Jesus like this and the experience had an obvious affect on Him. The new revelation of Christ came with a fresh touch from Christ (vs 17).

Application

Are you ready for a fresh revelation of Christ? Sit quietly and think prayerfully of Jesus as a miracle-worker, healer, savior on the cross, resurrected showing His scars to Thomas and finally in splendor and glory as described by John. Ask God for a fresh revelation in your life of the risen Christ.

Reading: Jeremiah 29.11-13

Jeremiah 29.11 is one of the most quoted Scriptures in the Bible and rightly so with its assurance of God’s plan for a better future for His people.  In the shadow of this famous verse is a truth so profound I want it to begin this final week of Lent with it as our focus.

If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me. – God

Whatever we seek wholeheartedly, we tend to find. We have as much of God as we want. The pre-requisite of finding God is seeking Him with our whole heart. Pursuing His presence unlocks the plans He has for our lives and prayer positions us to live into that divine destiny. The plan of God is found in the presence of God.

Application

What have you been seeking wholeheartedly? For this final week of Lent choose a time to fast and set aside everything else in order to seek God with all your heart. According to God’s Word, expect to find Him as you seek.

Reading: Colossians 3.12-17

Look at all the things that the “holy people” God loves are to clothe themselves with. Make a list of those things in your mind and you will soon see just how demanding that command is (we are told we “must” clothe ourselves). Really it is unreasonable and impossible to do…

The way of Christ is impossible without the presence of Christ

…without first clothing ourselves with the presence of Christ. Even the things I naturally want to do (let peace rule my heart) is out of reach for me without practicing the presence of the Prince of Peace. Think then how impossible it would be to do some of the commands that aren’t as easy to want to do (forgive anyone who offends me). We must clothe ourselves in the presence of Christ for it to even be possible to put on the things of Christ.

Application

To clothe yourself means that you have to intentionally put an article of clothing on. Before you get dressed in all the wonderful things mentioned in these verses, remember that you first must be clothed with the presence of Christ. Do so today singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with a thankful heart.

This post was written by Chris Pittman a member of Elevate’s Teaching Team

Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 34
God constantly searches the earth for hearts that are fully commited to him. When He encounters a humble spirit seeking His face, His purpose and His glory, He responds by revealing the greatest prize in a million universes: Himself. The promise of today’s scripture is that God is receptive and rewarding of our praise. When we seek God, we will never find a dead end. We will always discover the reward of God’s strength and goodness.

“You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” - Augustine of Hippo

We seek God both for our good and His glory.

Application

Will God find you seeking Him today? When He does, will he find a heart fully committed or merely weighing its options? Experiment with the promise of today’s scripture: offer Him your whole heart and discover His strength for the day’s struggle.

This post was written by Chris Pittman who is part of Elevate’s Teaching Team

Reading: Hebrews 10:19-22, Psalm 84:1-12

Boldness. Sincerity. Trust. This is the way God invites us into His very presence. It is not a light privilege – the cost was Christ’s own suffering and death. But His sacrifice to set us free to seek and know him freely, not through duty, fear or apprehension. We can have as much of God as we want. If we remain on the perimeter of His glory, it is not because of some divine harshness. It is only our own doubt and fear that keep us from Him.

If we are easily distracted from our pursuit of God’s wonder, it can only be that we have not truly tasted His goodness, for once we have, we will faint with longing to enter His courts!

Application

Are you afraid of stepping fully into God’s presence? Prayerfully consider what holds you back from running unabashedly into Christ’s open arms. Ask God for a taste of goodness that you would never be satisfied with anything less.

Reading: 1 Samuel 4

The term “kabod” which is the Hebrew (original Bible language) word for “glory’ in this verse, means “weighty with splendor” In this reading we see the glory taken away and all the grief that it caused in the land of Israel. “Ichabod” means “there is no glory” or “the glory has departed.” Many things led to the departure of the glory: sin in the leaders, no one sought the word of the Lord, misuse of the offerings to God and much more.

Refuse to live an “Ichabod” life devoid of God’s glory.

Eli the high priest and judge of Israel understood the significance of the glory, but was not a good steward of his access to God. Now in those days there were many rituals and cleansings that had to take place, but for us Christ has removed all obstacles for fellowship with the Father. Many of us know it is important to spend time in the presence of God, yet we do not take the time or make the effort, allowing little or no glory to be active in our lives.

Application

Exercise the privilege of experiencing God’s glory for which Jesus so dearly paid. Express thanks to God for His presence in prayer and worship. Ask God for the grace to live a life filled with His glory.