There is nothing we need more than the fire of God’s presence. If we are hungry for the world to change, we must first be desperately hungry for the presence of the Lord. Our insatiable appetite for Him will be the most attractive thing about us, because it speaks to something far greater than anything we can physically offer to the world.

We’ve gotten it backwards in our communities these days, we’ve placed the mission over the Presence and in doing so have committed ourselves to execution of our plans, programs and visions. I see publications, articles and forums regularly focusing on the modes and models of ministry, but few focused on the practice of His presence.

I was flipping through some old books from my university days, looking over the titles, when this feeling of sadness and frustration came over me. I spent so much of my time frustrated at the institutional church, so much of my energy raving against the machines of ministry that I lost focus on the desperate importance of the face of Jesus.

Of course this is the strategically deceptive plan of the enemy.

He wants us to focus on ministry goals, fundraisers, what others are doing right or wrong and the like. Satan would love nothing more than for the church to live in a place of frustration and disunity over our models, doctrines and dogma.

I’ve noticed a need in my life over the past few years to spend far less time focusing on my ministry efforts and more on the face of Jesus. In that time I’ve seen more ministry fruit, felt more fulfilled in my life and calling and fell more in love with Jesus than ever before. I’ve noticed my character and even demeanor change before my very eyes, everything about me in some way has changed because of a priority on the presence of the Lord.

Perhaps if we focused more of our efforts and energy on the face of Jesus, the Glory of His holy fire, we would have a world around us clamoring to know Jesus.