Sermon Central
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Don’t Lose Sense Of His Presence
Contributed by Christian Cheong on Aug 10, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: God is present in our lives but we do not always sense His presence, because life’s distractions and calamities often drown out His voice. We need to remember Him (think of His presence), recognize Him (trust His presence) and realize His presence (tune
God did not designed life to be lived alone. When God put man in the Garden of Eden, He was there. Gen 3:8 says He walks in the Garden. Man sins and hides from Him.
• Genesis described man’s life as a WALK with God – the Bible says Enoch walked with God, Noah walked with God, and Abraham walked with God. God was present in their lives.
• It was sin that separated us from Him and destroyed that relationship. We’ve lost that SENSE of His presence because of sin.
• But by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, we are now restored in this experience.
God walks with us today. He is present with us always.
• This is the truth King David wrote about in Psalm 139. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Ps 139:7)
• The answer is I can’t! You cannot escape from God’s presence. You can’t hide from Him.
• If He is omnipresent, then there is no place in the universe (and therefore on this earth) where God isn’t.
No matter where you go this week, God is going to be there.
• As Christians, the Lord dwells in us. We carry with us His presence!
• This truth ought to be one of the greatest comfort and encouragement to us, but sadly it is not always so. We don’t always have that sense.
• There are times we feel lonely and sad; lost and abandoned. His presence remains a dormant theory. We fail to experience the joy and hope and security of His presence.
If God is around and you cannot experience Him, then this truth is of no use to you. It is useless. It does not make a difference.
• But the truth is, God is always with you and you can experience and enjoy His presence.
• We can really say, as the Hymn says, “I serve a risen Saviour; He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy; I hear His voice of cheer; and just the time I need Him, He’s always near.”
Chorus: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way…”
How do I sense His presence in my life and be blessed by it? A few things:
1. REMEMBER… Think His Presence
We feel helpless and lonely because we are not THINKING about Him; we’re not giving Him a thought.
• We have forgotten about Him in the midst of our trouble or pain; hardship and calamity drowns out the sound of His voice.
• We turn inward and focus on our self – we feel sorry for ourselves.
Deut 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.”
• What you see, God tells Joshua - the difficulties, obstacles, and enemies before you – can cause you cause you to be afraid and terrified, and forget what I’ve said.
• The situation I face in life can so overwhelm me that I remember nothing of what I know about God. I can become so demoralized that nothing that God has said makes sense.
• The Lord says, “Do not be afraid or terrified…” You need to calm down and THINK. You need to quiet down (shut off all noises) and listen to the voice of God.
• The Lord says in Psalm 46:10 - “be still and know that I am God.”
God is always with me, I need to THINK ABOUT that.
• Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• Circle the 3 things God promises to do: strengthen you, help you out, and uphold you.
• In order words, if you KNOW that God is with you and not allow FEAR to grip your heart, you will experience MY STRENGTH, MY HELP, MY SUPPORT, the Lord says.
David says “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” (Psa 27:10)
• God will never walk out on you; in fact, He was the One who took the first step, to walk into your life (through Christ). Why will He leave?
• And He wants to WALK WITH YOU. That’s God’s plan right from Genesis.
• You may be alone but you can never be lonely. You don’t have to face anything alone.
2. RECOGNISE… Trust His Presence
We need to BELIEVE it. We know it, but we don’t really believe it.
