My Recent Experience In The Presence of God!

I briefly mentioned some lyrics by Shane Barnard on another thread. I wanted to share my experience at his concert a couple of weeks ago in Illinois. I will not soon forget it! Since this experience- all the religious phrases and words and everything that is not HIM has fallen away. I am once again completely focused on Him. Can i just say also that at the end of that concert we stood to sing a song and then sang "we exalt thee" and they lowered the lights. There were about 1000 people there- 3/4 of them were Korean. The presence of God almost drove me to the floor! My legs were shaking and so were my daughters. I was so blessed. I have not felt that in such a long time. I was sobbing. it was so heavy. All I could feel was that He was so worthy and I was not. I won't forget that feeling for along time. I miss it even now.(Edit: I needed to include this or it really would not make as much sense: The Lord showed me in a dream that He had withdrawn His presence from me in an intimate way and I was hurting and in despair because of it. But He did show me that He was leaving me with a stack of notes (His words to me) and that His presence would be in Illinios (where the concert was going to be) So, I was really looking forward to meeting up with Him again in this close personal way. I knew it would be a time of revelation for me.)I have been praying to write and put into words this experience so that I could post it.I can tell you this. There will be no revival as we have known it before. We cannot try to adopt the ways of the past. I can say that God is truly doing a new thing but really it is an old thing- as old as Adam and Eve. It's not something new that He has come up with- it's what was meant to be from the beginning- a relationship, a love between Him and His people. It is not really all about "repentance" or this or that (phraseology)- that is just a small part. It is truly about how WORTHY He is and how we ARE NOT. It is about our love and adoration toward him and His returning love. I cannot explain it. It is about His "bigness" and our smallness. It is not about a terrible angry God looking down on us shaking his fist- it is about this incredible heavy presence full of so much holiness that you can't help but say "I am not worthy". People are getting things all wrong because they think it is going to be a certain way. They are trying to copy the ways of the past and it's not going to be like that.This came to me while walking on my treadmill the other morning: we are looking to all of these books and past preachers for our "path", our purpose and our "formulas". God showed me this so clearly- His purpose for you and for me is inscribed on the palm of His hand. It's like a map of sorts. Only He holds it. You can't get it from a book or a preacher or a teaching. You can only get it from Him as you are in INTIMATE COMMUNION with Him. I have been guilty of trying to find my "way" by looking at others, by looking at books, etc... so it's gotten a little confusing lately. When , all along , He has my "map" and He is patiently waiting for me to STOP looking every where else for it. No one in this world or this past life knows His plans for me and for you. only He does and only He orchestrates it.One of the coolest things about the concert is that at the end they keep the lights dim and they have us sing a song that is not theirs (a worship song) we sang 'we exalt thee' again) and as we sing and have our eyes closed- they leave the stage very quietly. that way they get no applause or praise- only God gets the glory. Isn't that cool? I have never seen such humility.I'll end this with something Shane talks about very often in his writings, songs and concerts:We have got to have Him! Jesus, who seems way too good to be true, is the greatest taste we have ever known. So, may all that we hold so dear leave us appetized, at best, for Him who created it - the Author and Fulfiller of life and pleasure. Who, no matter how shiny "things" become, out shines them, and no matter how cloudy our days become, outlasts them. For in Him, clouds become glorious (Romans 8:28)! Their rain falls with grace and we are flooded under the downpour of a fallen world (Romans 8:20). Wet, hurt, and ...satisfied. Blue skies are no longer our pursuit and sunny days no longer our reward...HE IS! And He is better! JESUS- The richest of fare (Psalm 63:5)! Who came not for "Good days," but that we may have life and life to the FULL! (John 10:10)Satisfied in Him, Chanin

Hi Jane (The Baptist) :-) Didn't know where to post this, here or in the 'torn to shreds' post.But, just wanted to say thanks, for both, they were an encouragement to me.It's been a rough week or so and this morning I woke up with "Your house is left unto you desolate" in my thoughts, I rambled about it in another post. Not sure if I misinterpeted it there, maybe it does apply to me.I am now at the complete mercy of the Lord.I have been sorely tested and torn to shreds.I feel as if I have spent most of the day suspeneded in this unknown area of 'What am I going to do?' Only God can help me here.It's all a bit much to get into, but thanks for these.I covet your prayers, that the Lord would just show me what I need to do.

I have had times as you have spoken of Chanin. Only 3 times. He emptied me of everything. It seemed as though my body was seperated from me. All I could do was kneel down and cry. I would try to sing again and again, nothing but adoration was felt by me for my Savior. I know what you said in this thread is true, because it is Him who fills. It is the only way. In ChristJeff

Praise the Lord Chanin. May he light a fire in your heart that others long to see Him in their own hearts! Our relationship with the Lord is indeed both real and personal and I can attest to that. It's his holiness and my need for Him that is so overwhelming at times. He just overwhelms me at times, when I'm alone with Him or worshipping with believers who love Him. Our God is indeed an awesome God and he is worthy of our praise.As a brief aside, my wife is Korean and we attend a largely Korean church. It's great to worship with those who love God with all their hearts and I often tell our pastors that they are missionaries to the U.S.To God be the glory, for he alone is worthy..

Ed, My daughter (14) would love to go to your church! She was in heaven at that concert because she is in love with all Asians. We have learned so much from their humility and simple lifestyles.We are always saying how they have the qualities that we Americans need more of: moderation in eating and all things, humbleness, meeknes, respectful, disciplinedThen here are Americans: prideful, gluttonous, disrespectful, haughty, money hungry...I could go on- but why?! We have been blessed by the Asians (notably Koreans) that we know. My daughter will probably end up a missionary in an Asian country or at the least, she will marry one. :-) (don't tell her I said that.) ;-) It's funny because many of the independant bands we listen to which include Shane Barnard are all about Humbleness and the intimacy with the Lord- and it just so happens that the "followers" or most listeners happen to be Korean or Asian. There is something to learn here.In Him, Chanin

Mike,I was thinking of you today when I was listening to this song called "His Faithfulness". It was about how we may not know know what tomorrow holds but we can trust His faithfulness.You know that He holds you in the palm of His hand, don't you? You are His and will always be. He has everything under control, He is just "growing" you, that's all.You can trust Him, just hang on a little while longer and the light will shine brighter than the noon day sun! :-D In His perfect love, Chanin