dwell in the midst of us...

In a church where resolve is slowly leaking out of the half hearted life styles of some "American Christians" I am so encouraged when I walk into a church and hear a message that is not watered down.

I was still laying in bed this morning, and pondering the sermon I had heard the night before; and I thought to myself,

            "Somewhere along the way the sermons that are supposed to make you feel all "good inside" but bring no conviction to the heart- now make me frustrated; and the sermons that come down hard and convict have become a comfort to my heart."

And I truly mean that with all of my heart. I remember being the phase where I liked going to church, cuz I liked the atmosphere, it made me feel good. I liked sipping my Cinnamon Dolche Latte as I listened to whatever speaker teach on whatever God was showing them...but it's like it was so surface. I didn't even realize it at the time. I thought I was a really good and "spiritual" person [or whatever] and thought I was doing a good thing by always going to conferences and being in houses of prayer and in worship services. But if you're going about life and doing all of these things and it doesn't change you it is for nothing.

I am in NO way saying I've arrived anywhere high or lofty, but I am saying that when God opens up a revelation to someones heart, it's busted wide open. And I know that He's shown me the difference between being a Christian because it's "in style" [perhaps in certain groups] and because you just want to tame the evil within, or being a Christian because your eyes and your heart have been enlightened and awakened to Jesus Christ and you know that you absolutely cannot live without Him. Upon that revelation, you progressively realize that you can't even exist daily without being with Him.

It's an indwelling, not a meeting.
It's a permanent residence, not just a visit.
He's here to stay.
And He is changing everything.
He is shaking everything.
And He is fierce, but He is good.