Acts 2:28  You have made known to me the paths of life;   you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

 

What is God’s Presence?

Have you ever been in the presence of someone with great authority?  How did you feel? Have you been in the presence of someone who is very kind?  Or very scary?  How did you feel?

Their presence affected you.  There was some influence over you as you were in their presence.  You might have experienced joy or happiness In their presence you may also feel nervous or uncomfortable.

The presence of the Lord is no different.  While God is everywhere at the same time,  there is also a  part of God that desires to bring a concentrated presence of Himself to you.  A presence that can communicate with your spirit and share with you His spirit.  When this begins to take place you can understand Moses when He says “I am not leaving Your presence” (Exodus 33:15).  David said in Psalms 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God,  and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from Your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

God’s desire is to be with us all,  He is waiting for you to want Him.  God is waiting to be invited and sought after.  He wants your heart’s attention.  The blessings of His presence require a focused desire to know Him.

My personal experience. (1996)

I had been pastoring for many years.  The ministry was doing ok but I heard of a revival going on in Pensacola at the Brownville Church.  The pastor came up to Indiana to describe what was happening.  As he spoke something in my heart began to want more from God.  I began to hunger after this revival experience.  God was placing interest in my heart to know Him more.  God was waiting to see what I would do with that hunger.

I planned a trip to Brownsville at a pastors conference.  During the month of waiting, I began to read books on revival.  All the reading made me hungry for a deeper connection to God.  As the day approached, my hunger deepened.  I did not know what to expect but I had a hollow place in my heart for more of God.  The service started and I did not feel any different than I did in Indiana.  Then,  the drums began to play and the choir began to sing “We Come To Praise Him”.  Then…His Presence came!! The only way  I can describe what happened next is it felt like several grenades of God Presence exploded in that place.  I felt a deep presence of God.  I could feel it flowing in me.  Feeling up the hollow place in my heart.  Time slowed down.  Nothing mattered except being in God’s presence.  I still feel that presence today.  In my devotions and in my car.  I can call on Him and we talk. He brings hope, healing, protection, peace, rest.  All because of His presence.

Salvation, church, bible reading are all very important.  But there is nothing like experiencing a deep presence of the Lord.  In His presence, you will find rest, hope, faith, peace.  God helps you deal with life’s issues.  His presence makes life’s pressures easier.  His presence helps me respond to others in a more righteous way.

HOW TO FIND GOD’s PRESENCE.

It takes hunger and time seeking Him.  Jeremiah 29:13  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Revelation 3:20  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

If you take time daily to speak to Him in prayer and bible reading and pour out your heart to Him,  you will God and His presence will grow and you will have a brighter lightnside.

Matthew 5:6  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

This is the first truth Jesus spoke to the crowd of people seeking hope.  Christ’s words seem confusing and conflicting in today’s world. Blessed are the poor?? Does that sound right?  Let us look at the definitions of the words used then we will put them together to understand the truth Jesus shared.

Blessed is another word for “happiness”or “fortunate”.

We see someone who seems to be above all the pressures of life and is at peace we would say that person is “blessed”. Arn’t we all looking to be that person in this life.  To find the answer to worry, fear and insecurity?  To be blessed is seemingly a quality of existence and outlook on life that finds joy and satisfaction in any situation.

Poor – the Greek word  ptōchos (po-huas) – beggary, asking of alms, palper, poor.

 The image is of a beggar who has nothing and his only means of survival is at the mercy of others. Image these two words together in one sentence. Talk about an oxymoron!  It belongs with other combinations like  “jumbo shrimp”, “good grief”, or “the silence was deafening”. These two words do not seem to make since on the surface but there is a truth involved here that is profound and a sign of God at work.

Since Adam’s sin darkness has ruled the hearts of men. It has ruled the spirit of a man.  the spirit part of you is the reasoning, thinking, and feeling part of you.  It is the part that justifies your actions and determines your self worth.  Sin always builds it’s self up.  We become self righteous and proud of our achievements and abilities. However in this pool of self righteousness sin sets up addictions, anger, jealousy and other dark thoughts and emotions which lead to sinful actions.

When Jesus spoke – His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) spread through that whole crowd and the hearts of men were awakened.

 

A sudden awareness of the presence of Holiness laid bare the lack of holiness in man’s heart.  Just like in Luke 5:1-10 Jesus spoke to a crowd using Simon’s boat.  After the message Jesus asked him to go back out into the lake and fish.  Simon said “we have fished all night and caught nothing” (which is an illustration of an empty life without Christ), “but at your command we will go”. They went out and suddenly an abundance of fish were caught. Notice the effect this realization of Holiness had on Simon in Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”  Jesus said your life is about to change course for the better.

When Jesus began to speak the very first sign of awakening to the new life in Christ is an awareness of our own need.

An awareness of our own emptiness of righteous.  It is that poor in spirit that brings us to the cross in need of Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing.

It is good to be poor spirit.  It is blessed to be poor in spirit.  It is wonderful to know Christ is a river of Holiness that will poor into our empty hearts the life and light of God and truth. Come to a place in His presence where you say “I am a sinful man and do not desire your mercy” and watch Christ reach out to you and put His light-n-side.

 

 

If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here

 

Exodus 33:12-18

 

12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

 

What is God’s Presence?

The presence of the Lord is different from salvation.  It is different from truth.  The Presence of the Lord  we are talking about is a relational connection with God that is developed through prayer, time seeking, faith and hunger to know Him more.  The Presence of the Lord is the Lord God Almighty actively present in your spirit.  God’s presence makes you different from the rest of the world.

How Does God’s Presence help us?

God’s presence in your life is a real connection with God  as you move though life, work, family, and any other situation you find yourself in.  Salvation is necessary.  Education through God’s word is also needed.  But without the presence of God, salvation and Biblical truth become something of the past and more mental reminders of God’s teaching. However when you have an active God residing with you, He takes His truth and gives new revelation and meaning.  Salvation comes daily as God leads you in your day.

 

Moses knew even though God saved Israel out of bondage and was instructing them on how they should live,  he needed the Holy, Almighty, Glorious, Presence of God to make salvation and truth alive in a daily walk.

Do you want to be better off then the world?  You need God’s Presence

If your presence does not go with us…I will stay.  It’s God’s presence that separates us from the troubles of the world. God’s presence is a guiding lightnside.

Take extra time today, tomorrow and from now on to seek God.  To talk with God,  to know Him.   Be still and KNOW…

Read this Psalm slowly

The amazing, wonderful creator.