Dearly Departed

We pray that we never experience a time when the presence of the Lord departs from our lives and ministries. A way to combat this is to remain humble and obedient to the Word of God. We must continue to move with Him in whatever way He chooses to reveal Himself. When we are trained to recognize Him, then we are less likely to miss the move of God.

Dance ministries of yesteryear may find themselves stuck in the form and fashion of trying to work an equation in an attempt to invoke the Presence of the Lord. Our contrived formulas cannot force the Lord to permeate an atmosphere. It is our hearts that He searches. Nothing can cause an "Ichabod" experience like sin, pride, and self-reliance. Just because we seemingly carry the Presence with us often when we dance, does not guarantee a God-encounter in every ministry piece we render.

Our Lord is not limited to objects or particular ministries. He can work through the ministry down the street, just as well as He can choose to use us for His Glory. A powerless dance ministry is a troubling sight to witness. Without the Spirit of the Lord operating through us, our efforts are fruitless. We need the Glory, not for ourselves, but to introduce the Savior to a dying world. Who else can snatch them from the grips of death and usher them into eternal life? Not unto us, Lord. Not unto us...

1 Samuel 4:22 (NKJV)
And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 16:14 (NKJV)
[A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul] But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.

1 Samuel 18:12 (NKJV)
Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.

Psalm 51:11 (NKJV)
Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Proverbs 3:7 (NKJV)
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

Jeremiah 17:5 (NKJV)
Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD.