Being Real For God

When electricity became available in remote rural areas, one woman went to great trouble and expense to have electricity installed in her home. A few months after the power was turned on; the power company noticed that the home didn’t use very much power. Fearing that there was a problem they sent a meter reader to check on the matter.

The meter reader saw that the power was indeed working properly and then asked the woman, “Do you use your electricity?” The woman replied, “Of course we do. We turn it on every night when it gets dark so we can see to light our lamps and then we turn it back off.”

Doesn’t that just sound ridiculous? Having all of the power you need and the ability to tap into it any time you wish, but only using it to see how to light candles? Would we ever do anything that made so little sense? Yes, we do, when we apply that same reasoning to the power and presence of God in our lives.

We go out of our way to go to church, but don’t let ourselves become devoted to the church. We look forward to our time of worship, but don’t let ourselves get too close to God. And we go through all of our troubles, only to ask God for His help as a last resort.

Many of us are just like the woman who didn’t use her electricity the way it was meant to be used. She went through all the trouble to get it, but didn’t use it enough to understand it.

Last week, I told you about a friend of mine in Phoenix who claimed to be devoted to his church, but every month he would skip one service to go to the boat races. I said he was devoted alright, but not to his church; he was devoted to his boat races. How do I know this? Because he would skip going to church to go to the races, but would never skip the races to go to church.

We need to experience the presence of God to experience His power. Just like electricity, when we remove the presence of God from our lives; we remove His power. And we remove the presence of God in our lives when we decide to do something else we enjoy, rather than go to His house to get closer to Him.

Today, I want to look at a very personal encounter Moses had with God. And I want us to concentrate on three things that happened in this encounter that can lead us to a real relationship with God. And a real relationship with God is when we look forward to doing things for Him, where He wants us to do them.

The message in this sermon is profound, and all of us need to know how to put this message into use in our daily lives.

So, with his permission, let’s begin by learning how to …

1. LIVING AND EXPERIENCING GOD

There is one thing we need to do every single time we step into the house of God, and that is to bring the word of God with us. You can always tell who has and who does not have the Bible as one of their priorities by who brings them to church and who doesn’t.

There is no reason to come to church just to hear somebody else tell you what the Bible says. You need to read it for yourself when you are at home. You need to “read to discover” and not just skim over a couple of verses and think you are doing a good job as a Christian. Part of walking the walk is reading the book.

With that in mind, starting May 11, I will no longer be putting the Scriptures I read on the overhead. I don’t want anyone in here to be enticed into settling to just read them there. I want you to be able to open your own personal Bible and read them out of it. You would be surprised how much more you’ll get out of it.

EXODUS 33:12-14

“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.’ 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.” The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

God created us to have a personal relationship with Him. God literally walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Think about that for a moment. Let it sink in. He came down from heaven and walked with them every evening. Can you imagine the closeness they felt with Him, or passing the hours away in personal conversation with Him? How awesome would that be?