February 13, 2011
Morning Worship
Text: Psalm 16:1-11
Subject: God’s Presence
Title: Eleven Benefits of Being in God’s Presence
I loved what God did here last Sunday morning. I would like to begin this morning by allowing some of you to come forward and share with the rest of the congregation about times when you encountered God’s presence in a significant way – a way that just changed you because you knew that God was there with you.
For me, I can look back at several events in my life. One, when I was saved. Two, when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. And another very important time to me was about 1992-93 when Charlotte and I were meeting with some other couples in monthly home groups just to sing and pray and share testimonies about what God was doing in our lives. This was a group of about four couples and several single friends who just wanted to be in God’s presence. At the time I don’t remember anyone talking about the Holy Spirit’s baptism or miracles or the power of God or the manifest presence of God. All we knew that God was God and we wanted more than what we were receiving at church.
One particular evening we were gathered. One of the women there was present without her husband. He had a very demanding job that sent him out of town on a regular basis. She was concerned about his health and about their family and asked if we would pray for them. I don’t know how we knew to do this – we had never done it before – but we asked her to step into the middle of our prayer circle and everyone laid hands on her and began to pray. At first it was just a normal kind of prayer, rather formal, using all the right words in a normal tone. But after a few minutes I think that some of us began to understand that we were in a spiritual battle and the prayer became more intense and louder. We didn’t know how but individually we began to take authority over the situation. As the prayer rose in volume the intensity level also rose and I can tell you that after about fifteen minutes of crying out to God as a group we began to sense that God was right there in the room with us. And at that point, the friend we were praying for, the one in the middle of our little prayer circle just collapsed under the power of God’s presence. Some of our friends were alarmed – they didn’t know what had happened and wanted to call 9-1-1. But some of us instinctively knew that it was the power of God at work in her life. I don’t remember how long she lay on the floor – probably a half hour or so – but I do know this, she had encountered the living God in a way that the rest of us long to experience Him. Two weeks later we saw her in church and she said that her legs were still rubbery from the experience. All this because there was a remnant from our church that was hungry for God.
I have given you the opportunity to share and I have shared this story because I want you to know that there are great benefits that come from spending time in God’s presence.
As we read through Psalm 16 today I want to read a verse at a time and reflect on the great benefits we receive from His presence.
1. There is safety in His presence. 1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. Two words of note in verse 1; keep me safe means, “place a hedge around me.” In ancient Israel vineyard owners would plant a hedgerow around their vineyards to keep enemies out. The second word is refuge. It means, “a place to flee to for protection”. If you take refuge in God’s presence who can harm you? Do you believe that? Isn’t that why we pray for the safety of our children when they are out on a Saturday night? Isn’t that why we prayer for “traveling mercies” while on a trip? The fact is, if you continue to live in His presence His hedge of protection will keep you from harm. Satan does not have a free hand towards those who continue in God’s presence. He is under the constraints or limits set by God.
2. Nothing good exists outside of God’s presence. 2I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Outside of God’s presence there is no real satisfaction in life. Turn over to Revelation 3. This is a passage I shared with you Wednesday night. 14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 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 him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
3. There is a joy that comes from being in the presence of God’s people. 3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. Psalm 122:1, I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” I hope that you couldn’t wait to get here this morning. After experiencing God’s presence the way we did last week I can only imagine what He might want to do today. The joy that we have in this does not rest in what happened last week though. Our joy hinges on who God is and what he wants to do in our midst today. 4. There are consequences that come from running away from God’s presence. When I look at those who refuse to come into God’s house I can only think that they are afraid of God’s presence. 4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. Look at what David is saying here. He recognizes the difficulties that await those who run after other God’s. For those who just can’t seem to get a grasp on a normal life, maybe you need to examine yourselves and see if there are some foreign God’s that you are chasing after. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods… David says, “I don’t want anything to do with them. I won’t join with them in their idolatrous practices. I won’t even mention their names. Maybe you have been caught up in an innocent way that was so subtle that you don’t even realize that you are out of God’s will. You need to get back into God’s presence.
5. There is security in God’s presence. 5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. Do you remember in the bible how sometimes the priests would seek God’s will by casting lots? That is the same thing the Roman soldiers did to see who would get Jesus’ robe. That is the “lot” that David is referring to here … you have made my lot secure… We don’t know how they did it. The word “lot” means a small pebble. Somehow in the casting of the pebble God’s will is decided. What he means is that being in God’s presence has secured his destiny.
6. There are boundary lines that are set in God’s presence and they are pleasing. Most people in the world look at Christianity as being too restrictive. When you become a Christian there are just too many things that you can’t do… They have missed it. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. What do you see as your inheritance? We have an eternal inheritance. We will reign with Jesus in His kingdom. But according to scripture, our inheritance has been given for this life as well. Colossians 2:9-10, 9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. It is easier to remember who you are in Christ when you are in God’s presence.
7. You can stay in God’s presence because He has given you His Counselor. Do we think that God’s presence is something that we experience only in church? The truth is that He wants you to know that He is with you right now and will be with you when you walk out of the building. He is with you when you need to make a decision in your life. He is with you when you take the time to ask him questions. In the OT the kings would often call the prophets to inquire of the Lord for them. They wanted to seek counsel from God… to know His will for specific situations. Today it is too easy to make decisions based on knowledge or experience without even considering God’s counsel. 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; In John 15, Jesus, talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit, says, 26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. If Jesus called Him the Counselor, what do you think that He intended for the Spirit to do I your life. … even at night my heart instructs me. I suppose that we have all had that happen – the Lord speaking to you at night – telling you to pray or in a dream or just laying there knowing that you are in the presence of a holy God.
8. There is strength knowing that you are in His presence… 8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Hebrews 12:28, 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken… 1) God’s kingdom cannot be shaken… 2) We are in the process of receiving our inheritance – we are co-heirs with Christ. We have His authority. We have His power. We have His word. 3) Since we are in His presence – we are seated with Christ right now in the heavenly realms – we should not be shaken by whatever circumstance we find ourselves in – as long as we continue in His presence… Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9. In God’s presence the heart is glad. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure… When we are in the presence of God the total man will be affected. 1) 9 Therefore my heart is glad… Heart is the inner man – the spirit man. The heart is brightened because He is at your right hand… 2) my tongue rejoices… out of the abundance of the heart what happens? The mouth speaks… 3) my body also will rest secure… the result of making a positive confession…
10. In God’s presence we are assured of eternal life… Many of our youth that I talk to about their salvation tell me that they are not sure about eternity. They say that they have asked Jesus into their hearts. I often wonder if somebody just led them in a prayer without explaining what has happened. Romans 8 says that if you are saved that the Holy Spirit will testify with your spirit that you are a child of God. In other words you will just know that you know that you know that you have heaven waiting as a home. 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. This is the passage that is seen as a prophetic word about the Messiah. But it refers to those who are saved as well. I am not going to be left in the grave. I will rise when He calls my name… no more sorrow no more pain…
11. In God’s presence his word comes alive… 11 You have made known to me the path of life; The path of life is revealed to us through the logos and through the rhema… the written word and the spoken word through the Holy Spirit. And it never ends. … you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
We saw last week that God’s presence is often manifested during a time of heightened worship. Other times His presence comes while we wait in quite. Still other times require a sincere searching through fasting and prayer.
What do you do when you don’t sense God’s presence in our life? You have to keep seeking His face.
Jeremiah 33:3, Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Psalm 9:9-10, "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 118:19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
I suppose the promise that God has for you is that His presence is here. You are responsible for longing for the manifestation of it in your heart.
Psalm 63:1-8, O God, You are my God; early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul shall be satisfied...
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me."
How far are you willing to go to get into His presence?
What are you expecting to happen when you get there?
How are you willing to respond to His presence?
There are some great lyrics to one of the best songs ever.
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
