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Hosting The Presence Hosting The Presence

Hosting The Presence Order Printed Copy

  • Author: Bill Johnson
  • Size: 896KB | 248 pages
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About the Book

"Hosting the Presence" by Bill Johnson explores the concept of hosting God's presence in our lives and how it can bring about transformation, breakthroughs, and miracles. Johnson delves into the importance of intimacy with God and how it can impact every aspect of our lives. Through personal stories, biblical teaching, and practical insights, Johnson encourages readers to cultivate a deeper relationship with God and experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their everyday lives.

Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts "Joy to the world, the Lord is come / Let earth receive her King / Let every heart, prepare him room / And heaven and nature sing." In his later years, Isaac Watts once complained about hymn singing in church: "To see the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that sits upon the faces of a whole assembly, while the psalm is upon their lips, might even tempt a charitable observer to suspect the fervency of their inward religion." He had been bemoaning such since his late teens. His father, tired of his complaints, challenged him to write something better. The following week, the adolescent Isaac presented his first hymn to the church, "Behold the Glories of the Lamb," which received an enthusiastic response. The career of the "Father of English Hymnody" had begun. Head of a genius At Isaac's birth in 1674, his father was in prison for his Nonconformist sympathies (that is, he would not embrace the established Church of England). His father was eventually freed (and fathered seven more children), but Isaac respected his courage and remembered his mother's tales of nursing her children on the jail steps. Young Isaac showed genius early. He was learning Latin by age 4, Greek at 9, French (which he took up to converse with his refugee neighbors) at 11, and Hebrew at 13. Several wealthy townspeople offered to pay for his university education at Oxford or Cambridge, which would have led him into Anglican ministry. Isaac refused and at 16 went to London to study at a leading Nonconformist academy. Upon graduation, he spent five years as a private tutor. His illness and unsightly appearance took its toll on his personal life. His five-foot, pale, skinny frame was topped by a disproportionately oversized head. Almost every portrait of him depicts him in a large gown with large folds—an apparent attempt by the artists to disguise his homeliness. This was probably the reason for Elizabeth Singer's rejection of his marriage proposal. As one biographer noted, "Though she loved the jewel, she could not admire the casket [case] which contained it." Though German Lutherans had been singing hymns for 100 years, John Calvin had urged his followers to sing only metrical psalms; English Protestants had followed Calvin's lead. Watts's 1707 publication of Hymns and Spiritual Songs technically wasn't a collection of hymns or metrical psalms, but it was a collection of consequence. In fact, it contained what would become some of the most popular English hymns of all time, such as "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." Watts didn't reject metrical psalms; he simply wanted to see them more impassioned. "They ought to be translated in such a manner as we have reason to believe David would have composed them if he had lived in our day," he wrote. Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament followed in 1719. Many of his English colleagues couldn't recognize these translations. How could "Joy to the World" really be Psalm 98? Or "Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun" be Psalm 72>, or "O God Our Help in Ages Past" be Psalm 90? Watts was unapologetic, arguing that he deliberately omitted several psalms and large parts of others, keeping portions "as might easily and naturally be accommodated to the various occasions of Christian life, or at least might afford us some beautiful allusions to Christian affairs." Furthermore, where the psalmist fought with personal enemies, Watts turned the biblical invective against spiritual adversaries: sin, Satan, and temptation. Finally, he said, "Where the flights of his faith and love are sublime, I have often sunk the expressions within the reach of an ordinary Christian." Such looseness brought criticism. "Christian congregations have shut out divinely inspired psalms and taken in Watts's flights of fancy," protested one detractor. Others dubbed the new songs "Watts's whims." But after church splits, pastor firings, and other arguments, Watts's paraphrases won out. "He was the first who taught the Dissenters to write and speak like other men, by showing them that elegance might consist with piety," wrote the famed lexicographer (and Watts's contemporary) Samuel Johnson. More than a poet, however, Watts was also a scholar of wide reputation, especially in his later years. He wrote nearly 30 theological treatises; essays on psychology, astronomy, and philosophy; three volumes of sermons; the first children's hymnal; and a textbook on logic that served as a standard work on the subject for generations. But his poetry remains his lasting legacy and earned him acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Benjamin Franklin published his hymnal, Cotton Mather maintained a long correspondence, and John Wesley acknowledged him as a genius—though Watts maintained that Charles Wesley's "Wrestling Jacob" was worth all of his own hymns.

10 Times Denzel Washington was Candid about His Christian Faith

Throughout his career, actor Denzel Washington has been open about his faith. Most recently, Washington reportedly offered some Biblical-inspired wisdom to actor Will Smith after he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Here's a look at 10 times Washington has talked about faith and its impact on his life and career. Denzel Washington, Washington shares his supernatural experience coming to Christ 1. Oscars 2022 on Smith-Rock Incident "Denzel said to me a few minutes ago, he said, 'At your highest moment, be careful— that's when the devil comes for you,'" Smith said during the Oscars while accepting his award. Smith was referring to the commercial break when Washington approached Smith after Smith rushed on stage to slap Rock for joking about Smith's wife. Washington's statement to Smith refers to 1 Peter 5:8, which says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 2. Showtime's Desus & Mero Podcast 2022 on talent "One of the most important lessons in life that you should know is to remember to have an attitude of gratitude, of humility, understand where the gift comes from," Washington said. "It's not mine, it's been given to me by the grace of God." 3. New York Times 2021 Interview on spiritual warfare "This is spiritual warfare. So, I'm not looking at it from an earthly perspective," Washington told the New York Times. "If you don't have a spiritual anchor, you'll be easily blown by the wind, and you'll be led to depression. "The enemy is the inner me," Washington added. "The Bible says in the last days – I don't know if it's the last days, it's not my place to know – but it says we'll be lovers of ourselves. The number one photograph today is a selfie, 'Oh, me at the protest.' 'Me with the fire.' 'Follow me.' 'Listen to me.'" 4. 2021 "The Better Man Event" on the role of a man "The John Wayne formula is not quite a fit right now. But strength, leadership, power, authority, guidance, [and] patience are God's gift to us as men. We have to cherish that, not abuse it. "I hope that the words in my mouth and the meditation of my heart are pleasing in God's sight, but I'm human. I'm just like you," he said. 5. 2021 Religion News Service Interview on how his faith impacted his film, "Journal for Jordan" "The spirit of God is throughout the film. Charles is an angel. I'm a believer. Dana's a believer. So that was a part of every decision, hopefully, that I tried to make. I wanted to please God, and I wanted to please Charles, and I wanted to please Dana." "I am a member, also a member of the (Cultural Christian Center) out here in New York. I have more than one spiritual leader in my life. So there's different people I talk to, and I try to make sure I try to put God first in everything. I was reading something this morning in my meditation about selfishness and how the only way to true independence is complete dependence on the Almighty." 6. Instagram Live with Pastor A.R. Bernard of Christian Cultural Center on his salvation "I was filled with the Holy Ghost, and it scared me. I said, 'Wait a minute, I didn't want to go this deep, I want to party,'" Washington said of the time he gave his life to Christ. "I went to church with Robert Townsend, and when it came time to come down to the altar, I said, 'You know this time, I'm just going to go down there and give it up and see what happens. I went in the prayer room and gave it up and let go and experienced something I've never experienced in my life." 7. 2017 The Christian Post Interview on advice for millennials "I would say to your generation – find a way to work together because this is a very divisive, angry time you're living in, unfortunately, because we didn't grow up like that," he said. "I pray for your generation," he added. "What an opportunity you have! Don't be depressed by it because we have to go through this, we're here now. You can't put that thing back in the box." 8. 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards "I'm a God-fearing man. I'm supposed to have faith, but I didn't have faith," he said, according to Faith Wire. "God bless you all, all you other actors." 9. 2015 Church of God in Christ's Charity Banquet "Through my work, I have spoken to millions of people. In 2015, I said I'm no longer just going to speak through my work. I'm going to make a conscious effort to get up and speak about what God has done for me." 10. 2007 Reader's Digest Interview on his faith "I read the Bible every day. I'm in my second pass-through now, in the Book of John. My pastor told me to start with the New Testament, so I did, maybe two years ago. Worked my way through it, then through the Old Testament. Now I'm back in the New Testament. It's better the second time around." Amanda Casanova ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor
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