Live In God's Presence

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you have GOD's Presence with you?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we live in GOD's Presence and He [GOD] lives in us.

IV. TEXT:

Ezra 2:70 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled in villages near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel.

V. THESIS:

GOD's Presence and He [GOD] lives in us.

VI. TITLE:

Live in GOD's Presence

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: unknown. Ezra might have been the compiler

B. Date written: 450 B.C.

C. Purpose: To document GOD's faithfulness, keeping His promises, sovereignly protecting His People and returned them to their own land.

D. To whom written: Jerusalem's restored remnant and future generations.

E. Main theme: Return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity

F. Keywords: Word of GOD, Power of the Word of GOD in human life, Word of the LORD

G. Key verses:

Ezra 1:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!

Ezra 7:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

H. Jerusalem is the pledge of GOD's Presence.

2 Kings 21:4 (Amplified Bible)

And he built [heathen] altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put My Name [and the pledge of My presence].

Deuteronomy 12:5 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The Leaders lived in GOD's Presence

"So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers,"

The leaders are expected to live,dwell, stay permanently in GOD's Presence.

Deuteronomy 29:10 (New International Version)

All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God--your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel,

B. The workers lived in GOD's Presence

"the Temple servants"

The servants/workers/ministry workers and their children lived or stayed permanently in GOD's Presence.

Psalms 102:28 (New International Version)

The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."

C. The people of Jerusalem lived in GOD's Presence

"and some of the common people settled in villages near Jerusalem."

1. The word "settled" or "dwelt" came from the Hebrew word: "yashab" meaning "to sit down", "to dwell", "to remain", "to settle", "to marry"

When we settle or dwelt in GOD's Presence, we are meaning to stay permanently, to settle with no plans of leaving.

2. Who left and who stayed in GOD's Presence?

a. Cain is the first man to leave GOD's Presence - He wandered instead.

Genesis 4:16 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

There's an event more tragic than death, that is wandering or "vagrancy". You just wandered in life.

It's excellent to allow GOD to prepare our mansions in heaven rather us, with our own failing human efforts to prepare our death plans.

John 14:1-2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

b. Abram is the first man to dwell in GOD's Presence and able to worship GOD there by building an altar to the LORD.

Genesis 13:18 (New King James Version)

Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

When Abram decided to stay, he removed his tent and dwelled, it doesn't matter what the material of the dwelling place, as long as GOD's Presence is there, He worshipped GOD there.

We are much, much better in the New Covenant although we are children in the faith of Abraham, because GOD's Presence lives in us.

1. Who dwells in our heart? It's our decisions from time to time to let CHRIST dwell, stay permanently or not. We allow Him to take full control as an inhabitant of our heart.

c. Mary, sister of Martha, first woman who dwelled in GOD's Presence.

Luke 10:39 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.