February 20, 2011
Morning Worship
Text: Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Subject: Living for God
Title: Living in God’s Presence
I have been speaking to you for the last three weeks about the presence of God and how you respond to His presence. The bible is full of references of people who encountered God in a real and tangible way and how they responded to His presence. Adam and Eve fellowshipped with Him in the cool of the day. After their sin they hid from His presence because they recognized their sinfulness. Moses spent time in God’s presence at the tent of meeting and on the mountaintop and God’s glory shone in his face. Isaiah saw a vision of God in the temple and he was confronted with his sin and then responded to a call to ministry. Saul of Tarsus encountered the risen Lord on the Damascus Road and his life was eternally changed. Finally, the apostle that Jesus loved, John, had a vision of heaven and of God as he was “in the Spirit” on the Lord’s day.
For the last three weeks we have encountered God’s presence as we worship Him. The sense of His presence has been so strong that there is no denying that there is something unique happening in our church.
I have preached about what happens in God’s presence. I have shared with you about where to find God’s presence. Last week I gave you eleven benefits of being in God’s presence. Today I want you to know that God’s plan for your life is to walk in His presence. If the church is ever going to be all that Jesus intends for it to be, it must become a church that lives in His presence on a continual basis. Living in His presence will be the tool that we need to live our lives in a way that will be pleasing to Him and effective for the kingdom. His presence will guide us through our lives and we can be confident that God will never lead us to a place where we can’t sense His presence.
There’s the story of an old Scottish woman who went from home to home across the countryside selling thread, buttons, and shoestrings. When she came to an unmarked crossroad, she would toss a stick into the air and go in the direction the stick pointed when it landed.
One day, however, she was seen tossing the stick up several times. "Why do you toss the stick more than once?" someone asked. "Because," replied the woman, "it keeps pointing to the left, and I want to take the road on the right." She then dutifully kept throwing the stick into the air until it pointed the way she wanted to go!
Today in the Word, May, 1989.
Today I want to show you three aspects of living in God’s presence.
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
You can live in the presence of God.
I. LIVING IN GOD’S PRESENCE REQUIRES KNOWING HIS WORD. Look at what Moses says in verse 11. Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. Isn’t that what many think about being a Christian? It’s too hard or I can’t do it… But God’s word says it’s not too difficult. One of the reasons that people struggle with their walk of faith is that they try to do it alone. You need God’s people to walk with you, but more than that, you need God’s presence with you. Another reason people struggle is that they don’t know what God’s word says about them. There is a total lack of understanding of who they are “in Christ” and the benefits of that relationship they have with God through Jesus His Son. They fail to see that the manifest presence of God is with them in the person of the Holy Spirit – every day of their lives. But it isn’t intended to be difficult or hard to understand. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” When Jesus walked on the road to Emmaus with two disciples after His resurrection this is what it says in Luke 24:45, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” We have the word of God to guide us and the Holy Spirit of God to opens our eyes to the scriptures. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” - 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. If you know Jesus, you have everything you need to live in the presence of God. Now I want you to look very closely to verse 14. No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. God’s word has been sown in your heart. It’s not far away. Many say, “Oh, I can’t memorize scripture. I can’t remember what the word says.” Do you believe that? If you do then consider this – John 14:26, 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. When you say, “I can’t…” what you are really doing is denying the work of the Holy Spirit – the manifest presence of God in your life. You have God’s word planted in you… it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 1) …in your mouth… The confession of God’s word in you will bring about the promises that He has for your life. That is not just for salvation but also for the realization of every promise that has been given you. If you confess with your mouth… and believe in your heart… 2) … in your heart… You can confess with your mouth without believing in your heart. People do it in churches all the time and think that they are OK with God. But a true confession of faith comes from the heart and goes to the mouth. Out of the abundance or overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 3) … so you may obey it… James 1:22 addresses that very issue, 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. You have the word of God and the Spirit of God with you. You can live in His presence and that will lead you to obedience to His word.
II. LIVING IN GOD’S PRESENCE REQUIRES MAKING A DECISION. 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. Contrary to the teaching of some, God’s blessing in your life is not an automatic. Wouldn’t it be great if we could say, “I’m a Christian and all I have to do now is to sit back and wait for God to pour out His blessings on my life?” But can’t you see that the choices you make in your life will determine whether you receive life and prosperity or death and destruction? God wants you to receive His blessings. Psalm 68:19 in the NKJV says, Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits… One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I'm burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it's a wonderful burden--it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!" Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, "I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He 'daily loads us with benefits.'" But, it is your choice as to whether you will receive those blessings or not. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; Three things are required for the blessings He promised. 1) love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5, Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. We are to love Him with every part of our being. 2) walk in his ways… Now most people will read that part of the verse and say that it refers to a life of holiness. Not so fast! True the Word says that we are to be holy for He is holy. But to walk in His ways means to walk according to the way that He walks. How do we know how God walks? All we have to do is look at Jesus who was the exact representation of the Father. Jesus said that He did what the Father did. So if we are going to walk in His ways shouldn’t we be doing what Jesus said we would be doing? John 14:12, I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. So if we make the decision to walk in His ways shouldn’t that mean that we are making the decision that the Bible is true and accurate and that believers should be doing the same things Jesus did? 3) … keep his commands, decrees and laws … #2 and #3 are really connected to the first point. We walk in His ways and keep His commands because we love Him. But because we love Him we know that we can trust Him to be true to His word. When we talk about keeping His commands we do not only refer to the Ten Commandments; we refer to the whole word of God – every promise and every offer that is given to those who believe. Does that mean salvation? Yes! Does that mean healing? Of course! Does that mean Holy Ghost power? Without a doubt. Does that meant supernatural power in our lives by the baptism in the Holy Spirit for the working of signs and wonders and power to witness? I think you ‘re getting the point! …then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. Though this was a specific promise for Israel as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land, it is also a general promise to all who belong to Him. Do you see the connecting word between the conditions and the blessing? It is the word “then”. If you do these things, then you will receive these blessings. It is a choice on your part – will you live in God’s presence according to His word?
III. LIVING IN GOD’S PRESENCE REQUIRES STAYING THE COURSE. One of the saddest statements I have ever heard was, “Oh I’ve tried Christianity. It just didn’t work for me.” Even worse than that is to hear a Christian say, “I just wish that I could believe in the bible the way that you do.” I actually had a pastor say that to me once. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I’m going to speak to you honestly right now. One of the things that I really struggle with is when I hear people who I know are Christians deny that all the supernatural promises that God has given us are for this life – that they refer to eternal life alone. NO healing, no blessings, no provision, no power, no deliverance… only heaven. I struggle with it because it seems like these “Christians” deny the God of the Bible. Are they bowing down to other gods? Is the God they are worshipping the God of the bible? Are their hearts turned away? What has happened to the church of power that Jesus intended us to be? What happened to the miracles and sign and wonders He intended for us to work? What has happened to the gifts of the Spirit that He intended fro us to have? We must stay the course. We hold on to our faith in Christ. We’ll never let that go. But along with our faith, we hold onto every promise, every blessing, every gift, every miracle that He offers us. We will not allow our vision to be veiled by the god of the world. Verse 18 has a significant word for Christians. You are crossing the Jordan to possess a land that He has promised you. That is heaven. But if you can’t trust the whole word of God, your only benefit that you will see is heaven. While you walk through this life in a world that is under the influence of the god of this world, you will certainly be destroyed (in the spiritual battle). You will not live long in the land… Listen to me. Jesus said something in John 10:10 that you may have never thought of. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. You are in a battle for your life on earth. The enemy wants to steal your joy, kill your body, and destroy your faith. But Jesus wants you to have abundant life or life to the full. What kind of life is that? Isaiah 61, 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Stay the course!
In closing,
Know His word.
Make a choice.
Stay the course.
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
God’s presence is not confined to this building. His presence is with you and is in you by the Holy Spirit.
God has not given you a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and of love and of sound mind.
Live in the power of His presence.
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Behold I am with you even to the end of the age.
