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Manifest Presence
Ruby and Abel- May 2014 bitter for 11 days
Friend played the role of a prophet and called me out.
In June we went to the SBC.
SBC Pastor’s Conference in Baltimore- James McDonald preached on Isaiah 64:1
Since that time Isaiah 64 has been very special to me as I have studied it and the context of the chapters around it.
Hard, stressful, sad events do not have to make us run from God.
They should cause us to run to him.
4 Actions That Lead to God's Presence
Desire(1a)
"Oh that you would"- a desire to be in the presence of God.
Rend the heavens"-- to be in the manifest presence of God.
Jews pictured a great curtain that seperated heaven from earth.
The curtain was used in the Temple to separate the Holy of Holies.
Jesus "rend the curtain"- demolished the separation because of sin.
So why do we get satisfied not living in his presence.
Omnipresence
Manifest presence-- Jesus was the greatest example.
1 John 4:9
Worst affliction is for God to remain silent (64:12)
They were experiencing the worst time in Israel's history. Taken into captivity and temple destroyed.
What was worse than these horrible colamities was for God not to be present.
But Isaiah was concerned and crying out to God for the spiritual condition of the nation not the physical condition.
Isaiah 63:18-19--
Connect to Isaiah 64:1
ILL- U.S. is going through a difficult time.
COVID has taken away our basic dignity.
415,000 people of died.
Economy is in shambles.
But what should drive us to our knees is the spiritual condition of our country.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Spending time with God causes us to desire him more.
Moses had spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai with God receiving the 10 Commandments.
Was that enough to satisfy him? No
Exodus 33:18-23
God rewards Moses’ desire- he doesn’t rebuke him as selfish.
Spending time with God in prayer and devotion causes us to want him more.
Change (1b-2)
There is mever a question when God shows up.
Earthquake November 5, 2011-- Saturday night after watching football- sitting at computer looking at sermon. Jonathan had not yet gone to sleep. Whole house shook.
Pentecost-- No one had to ask the person next to them if The Holy Spirit had just come. It was obvious.
When God is in control of your life it will be evident to everyone.
"filled with the spirit"= We always have the Holy Spirit in our lives. But there are times when the power is different.
Acts 4:8
Acts 4:31
Stephen before being stoned in Acts 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Ephesians 5:18
No one ever experiences the presence of God without change.
Remembrance (3)
More than likely a reference of Mt. Sinai
Deuteronomy 5:22-29
Do you remember times in your life when you experienced God's power?
Do they drive you, like Moses, to want even more of God?
Monday night at Southern Baptist Convention was one of those times. I want to stay close to that God who touched my heart and brought me back to where I needed to be.
Patience (4)
God acts- but for those who wait on him.
Are you trying to do it on your own?
If you act like you don't need God you are saying you don't need God.
Would you rather do nothing than to do something without God?
We must stop being busy without God.
We must stop doing ministry without God.
We must stop teaching without God.
We must stop singing without God.
It's just empty religion without the presence of God.
It's about relationship. I love him so much I don't want to live without him.
I read about a story of a couple in Holdenville Oklahoma who died on the same day after 63 years of marriage.
When I was looking up that story I found two other stories of couples who died on same day after 63 years of marriage.
It is a moving story of couples being together so long they can’t live without the other.
Are you satisfied living without God’s presence in your life?
Are you comfortable living without God's presence in your life?
CONCLUSION
Do you desire to know God more?
Do you desire to see more of God?
What is the prayer of your heart today?