The more you have the more you want....

We had an interesting Sunday school class this week. Our lesson was about experiencing "God's deeper presence." Using lines from "Joy to the World" we began our discussion on three pre-conditions to having a deeper relationship with God.

The three pre-conditions to experiencing God's deeper presence are:

1. When WE HUNGER FOR GOD we experience God's deeper presence.

Matthew 5:6 MSG "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat."

Hunger is usually related to our desire to eat. It can be real or it can be nothing more than just a desire - a want to eat moment. Looking at all the food on a Christmas table can give you the desire to eat even if you don't really need to eat. The smell of food cooking will bring on the desire. However, hunger can also be for things like love or fellowship or warmer weather (sorry I don't like winter.). Hunger is a desire to fill a need. If you need God in you life you will go after Him, hunger for His presence. If you don't feel you have a need for God you won't. That is probably why we grow closer to God when we are facing a challenge. The good times seem to draw us away from God by removing our hunger for Him.

There is always an element of choice. They say that you always make time for the things that are important in your life. Matthew 6:33 NASB "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We used Revelation 3:14-21 to make our next two points.

2. To experience God's deeper presence we must INVITE HIM to RESIDE in our Lives.

Reside means to be present or to dwell permanently. Does God dwell permanently in our life?

3. To experience God's deeper presence we must INVITE HIM to Preside in our Lives.

Preside means: to occupy a place of authority, guidence, direction or control. Is God in control of your life?

So the question that was raised was: Do you allow God into every room in your house? From the living room to your closets, does God have free access to come in, look around and see what is going on. For most of us we do not let Him in EVERY room. We say we do but with closer examination we find that we do not. It could be small closest in the back hallway to the family room to the bedroom.

The scripture in Revelations says the Jesus stands knocking at our door. The question is will we open it and allow Him in.

One final note. A lady in our class, Dianne, said that the more you have of God, the more you want. The less you have of God in your life the less you want of Him. GREAT POINT. My wife said it is a proven fact that the more water you drink the more water your body wants. Spiritual law brought to light in the natural.

Psalms 42:2 NASB My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?