WEBVTT 00:04.115 --> 00:11.983 [SPEAKER_00]: Many of us deal with the fear of abandonment, rejection, or loneliness, and often for good reason. 00:12.984 --> 00:19.470 [SPEAKER_00]: The beautiful thing about our Heavenly Father is that He is present in our lives, and we are never alone. 00:20.591 --> 00:32.282 [SPEAKER_00]: As we continue our week, looking at the ways God is good to us, open your heart today to the very tangible presence of your Father, even now in your midst. 00:32.262 --> 00:40.405 [SPEAKER_00]: Allow truth to permeate the broken places and make you confident and whole in God's ever-present love. 00:41.207 --> 00:43.774 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:14.163 --> 01:20.315 [SPEAKER_00]: our Scripture for today comes from Deuteronomy 31 verse 6. 01:20.335 --> 01:32.339 [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says, be strong and courageous, do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. 01:33.261 --> 01:36.407 [SPEAKER_00]: He will not leave you or forsake you. 01:40.741 --> 01:50.362 [SPEAKER_00]: If there's one truth that has the power to guide you into the fullness of life available to you in Christ, it's that God is present. 01:51.885 --> 01:59.020 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 139 verses 7 through 10 says, where shall I go from your spirit? 01:59.506 --> 02:02.069 [SPEAKER_00]: or where shall I flee from your presence? 02:03.110 --> 02:05.774 [SPEAKER_00]: If I ascend to heaven, you are there. 02:05.834 --> 02:10.059 [SPEAKER_00]: If I make my bed in shill, you are there. 02:11.240 --> 02:22.594 [SPEAKER_00]: If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 02:25.915 --> 02:32.184 [SPEAKER_00]: No matter where you go, no matter what you do, God is with you. 02:33.266 --> 02:36.250 [SPEAKER_00]: And he isn't just with you in an abstract sense. 02:37.091 --> 02:43.080 [SPEAKER_00]: He is available for you to tangibly and powerfully experience. 02:43.398 --> 02:57.798 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 23 forces, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. 03:01.003 --> 03:05.389 [SPEAKER_00]: In the presence of the Lord, there is fullness of comfort. 03:06.365 --> 03:08.808 [SPEAKER_00]: throughout every season of your life. 03:09.429 --> 03:16.138 [SPEAKER_00]: He is there ready to empower you, encourage you, strengthen you, and love you. 03:16.158 --> 03:27.833 [SPEAKER_00]: He longs to meet you where you're at and provide all the guidance, love, comfort, and fatherly encouragement you need. 03:29.399 --> 03:36.289 [SPEAKER_00]: You see, when God meets with us, He both satisfies our emotions and transforms us. 03:37.671 --> 03:43.400 [SPEAKER_00]: He heals our hearts and empowers us to live the life He has planned for us. 03:45.162 --> 03:54.917 [SPEAKER_00]: As our Father, He not only comforts us when we need Him, but guides and helps us through the various seasons of life. 03:55.775 --> 04:03.627 [SPEAKER_00]: God is present, not only to love you emotionally, but practically as well. 04:03.647 --> 04:09.336 [SPEAKER_00]: Isaiah 41 verse 10 says, fear not for I am with you. 04:10.578 --> 04:13.904 [SPEAKER_00]: Be not dismayed for I am your God. 04:14.985 --> 04:16.167 [SPEAKER_00]: I will strengthen you. 04:16.187 --> 04:17.690 [SPEAKER_00]: I will help you. 04:17.710 --> 04:22.457 [SPEAKER_00]: I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 04:25.323 --> 04:30.370 [SPEAKER_00]: as a father teaches his son or daughter how to walk by upholding them. 04:31.511 --> 04:40.303 [SPEAKER_00]: Your God belongs to uphold you through whatever decision, trial, season or pain you are presently experiencing. 04:41.985 --> 04:49.255 [SPEAKER_00]: He is not a distant God who just gives his children rules and tells them to go through life on their own. 04:50.500 --> 04:56.231 [SPEAKER_00]: He is not a far off creator who leaves his creation to its own devices. 04:57.694 --> 05:05.429 [SPEAKER_00]: He is working presently in our midst to shepherd us toward the fullness of life Jesus died to give us. 05:06.993 --> 05:12.323 [SPEAKER_00]: There is no more present loving or powerful father than our God. 05:13.653 --> 05:26.238 [SPEAKER_00]: There is no greater helper than the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and there is no greater life than one lived in constant communion with our Creator. 05:28.783 --> 05:34.935 [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever season you find yourself in today, press into the heart of your Heavenly Father. 05:36.367 --> 05:44.899 [SPEAKER_00]: as you enter into guided prayer, allow God to fill you, satisfy you, comfort you, and love you. 05:46.441 --> 05:52.309 [SPEAKER_00]: Allow him to shepherd you, empower you, uphold you, and encourage you. 05:53.912 --> 06:05.007 [SPEAKER_00]: Experience the nearness of your heavenly Father and walk today in constant communion with your God who is present. 06:34.096 --> 06:46.437 [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on the fact that God is present, allows scripture to fill you with the faith to encounter your heavenly Father today. 06:48.340 --> 06:54.450 [SPEAKER_00]: Deuteronomy 31 verse 6 says, Be strong and courageous. 06:55.645 --> 07:02.630 [SPEAKER_00]: Do not fear, or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. 07:03.914 --> 07:07.005 [SPEAKER_00]: He will not leave you, or forsake you. 07:49.578 --> 07:50.220 [SPEAKER_00]: and next. 07:51.865 --> 07:54.533 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need God to be present in your life? 07:56.058 --> 08:01.815 [SPEAKER_00]: Where do you need his encouragement, love, guidance, and empowerment? 08:45.805 --> 09:01.941 [SPEAKER_00]: And last, ask God to make His presence known to you, ask Him to fill you with His love and nearness, rest in His presence, and allow Him to love you and speak to you. 09:03.575 --> 09:13.275 [SPEAKER_00]: John chapter 10, verses 27 and 28 says, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. 09:14.498 --> 09:22.815 [SPEAKER_00]: I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 10:09.522 --> 10:15.749 [SPEAKER_00]: a vital part of Christian spirituality, is making time to simply fellowship with God. 10:17.251 --> 10:22.156 [SPEAKER_00]: Resting in the presence of the Lord puts all of life in perspective. 10:23.238 --> 10:29.204 [SPEAKER_00]: It places God at a higher value than whatever else we could spend our time pursuing. 10:30.606 --> 10:34.230 [SPEAKER_00]: It empowers us to live peacefully and purposefully. 10:35.425 --> 10:43.075 [SPEAKER_00]: And it lays a foundation of God's love, on which we can live out the calling given to us by our heavenly Father. 10:44.957 --> 10:54.369 [SPEAKER_00]: Take time throughout your day to receive God's presence, allow Him to flood wherever you are with His love and encouragement. 10:55.650 --> 10:59.475 [SPEAKER_00]: May your day be transformed by the nearness of God. 11:29.273 --> 11:32.278 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast. 11:32.718 --> 11:34.681 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with verse 15. 11:35.803 --> 11:46.540 [SPEAKER_00]: If you begin to feel like God is distant today, in any way, I want to encourage you to stop and ask God to reveal His nearness to you in a fresh way. 11:46.520 --> 11:49.945 [SPEAKER_00]: God is moving around us in so many ways. 11:50.827 --> 11:58.278 [SPEAKER_00]: Every drop of rain, every loving embrace, every bite of delicious food, God is near to you. 11:59.179 --> 12:03.285 [SPEAKER_00]: It's simply about allowing our eyes to be opened to see it. 12:04.587 --> 12:06.550 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day today. 12:06.590 --> 12:09.675 [SPEAKER_00]: And may God bless you as you seek Him.