His Presence--Chapter 2--Praise

Chapter 2 - Praise

Always take the time to enter into My presence before doing anything. Seek My face before you seek My hand. Seek Me even before you seek My will. I desire more than anything to be in your midst, to be the Lord your God in the midst of you. I am a holy God, a righteous God, an exacting God.

I have chosen you to be My people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, kings and priests unto Me, to worship Me, to be a people who are to the praise of My glory (Eph. 1:12; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6). I have chosen you and set you aside from the world for this very purpose, that I might have a people of My own among whom I might show forth My glory.

Enter into My presence. Come before Me with singing, dancing, rejoicing, and the playing of instruments of praise. I delight in My holy ones. I rejoice in My righteous ones. You are My children, My family, My household, and I am the one Father of you all.

I desire that you worship Me in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), and out of that worship will come an abiding relationship between us. I in you, you in Me. We are one in spirit. This is the kind of intimacy I desire to have with you.

I want this intimacy in worship and praise before I want to answer your prayers. When you seek My hand before you seek My face, I feel used of you. I cannot be manipulated. I want to meet your every need. I want to answer your questions. I want to heal your wounds and supply your needs. I cannot do that unless you have first been willing to make your sacrifices of praise unto Me.

Lift up your hearts to praise Me. Center your affections upon Me and not upon yourself and your needs. Think about what I want and need from you. Desire with all of your heart to fill My cup first, then I will come out from My holy throne room and meet your every need.

The highest service anyone can render unto Me is to worship Me in spirit and in truth. I created you for this reason. Men lose their way with Me when they think they have to achieve great works in My name.

I do not want your works. I want you. I want your love, your passion, your desire to be in My presence and for My presence to abide in you.

They who wait upon Me to be refreshed by Me will be My lights in the world. The world will see the sacrifices you make to worship and praise Me, and, through such sacrifices of self, I will draw others to Me.

Your praise of Me is the greatest testimony you can give in the world. It is your message. Your life of praise is your works. It is your sacrifice of self--laying aside your agendas, your plans, and your programs to allow Me to be all in all.

When you come into My presence to praise and worship Me, concentrate upon Me. Fix your eyes and your heart upon Me. Do not allow your thoughts to wander. Do not be distracted by the movement of life round about you. Do not praise me to get Me to do what you want Me to do. Do not praise Me to make a show of yourself. Rather, enter into your closets and minister to Me in secret.

When you come into My presence, you come into My glory. When you come into My glory, My glory fills your house. My presence is My glory and My glory is My presence, and the more you come into My presence and My glory, the more you will want to bask therein. You will cultivate a spiritual appetite for Me. You will want only Me. You will find the things of this earth detestable.