How many of you this morning, remember the storm we had about a year ago that knocked out power with straight-line winds
For some of us I was restored within hours, for others it was overnight and still for a few select others down on mitchell street, it was over a week later.
As the days rolled by, it became more apparent day by day how vulnerable we really are to nature...
And that we are much more dependent on electricity, then sometimes we like to think..
In fact we are or so it seems, helpless without it..it's almost impossible to get anything done without it.
It's holds true the same way..with the power of God in each
Individual ones life.
We have the power of God at our disposal all of the time but yet we
Choose to disconnect and experience daily power failure and attempt to get by on our own strength everyday.
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 also remove the power.
EX 33:13 Amp.
13.Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight. And [Lord, do] consider that this nation is Your people.
17.And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name.
18.And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory.
19.And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness
When we are in and walk in the favor of God, we are...set apart from the world, because He chooses to show us His favor.. He chooses to give us an advantage
We should feel privileged, God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness.
God created humanity to have a deep personal relationship with Him,
God’s desire for your life is to have that same kind of relationship with Him.
He wants you to be able feel and to walk in His presence and experience His power in your life on a continual basis.
In our text..Moses speaks with God here and simply reminds God of His promises.
Why does Moses do this?
It’s not like God forgot the promises He made.
Moses was genuinely concerned, because God had removed His presence from the Israelite camp!
The power had been disconnected..There was no longer a sense of God’s presence within the nation of Israel.
They had stopped seeking God like they once had and started seeking in themselves for the answers.
And if you were to turn on the news each evening it would seem like it was a repeat of history..in the here and now
It seems now more than ever there is so much chaos in the world
2 Timothy 3:1-5 MSG
3 1-5 Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.
TBS. When you seek Me, you shall find Me
How many christians do the same thing, their just going through the motions,
How many come into church’s all across the globe, week after week having no real experience with God?
What is the problem? They are not seeking more of God,
why would anyone want to settle for the status quo of life and leave it there..
That's what we had before we became Christians
If we settle with what we have already experienced with God we cannot grow.
When we settle for where we are with God, we will never move forward into a deeper walk with Him.
The truth is, that we cannot and we must not...just simply settle, for the status quo anymore!
The status quo...is just a empty state..to be in...and to live in
God is constantly doing new things, He wants to take us to new Highs.
He has so many things he has planned out for us, so many things that he wants to do in our lives, so many things that he wants to give us...
He is willing, the question is are we willing...
to go to the Heights that he wants to take us to?
One of the biggest problems in the world and in the church today...
is that people want all the benefits from a deep relationship with God,
but don’t want to seek it out or take the time to develop it.
Developing an intimate relationship with God takes time and effort.
Illus. there is a new show on TV..instead of a blind date, it's a blind marriage..
and you show up..in a wedding dress and a tux and get married!
Crazy huh?
No one would want to spend the rest of their lives with someone on a whim..
and never have the opportunity to get to know them before they did such a thing!
It's the same way with our creator... If we call ourselves Christians, should we want to get to know the one who we are named after?
You would think everyone would want to know the one their going to spend forever with wouldn’t you? .
Notice what Moses says to God:
Teach me your ways
It is only when we know the ways of God that we can truly follow Him
That should be our prayer every day...Teach me your ways today:
Then he says...Let me know you - There is direct connection between knowing the ways of God and knowing God Himself.
Far too many in this world know about God...instead of knowing God on a personal and intimate basis
We cannot say that we know God if we do not know His Word.
It is only when we know God personally that we can expect to be called His own and receive what He has in store for us.
Moses also said..and we all should be saying this..over and over and over each day
Let me live in your favor - Once we know God’s ways and know God personally, than the favor of God can rest on our lives.
And we should expect it to...God expects us to expect it to.. It's a marvelous thing.
One moment in his favor can propel light years ahead of what you could've ever accomplished on your own merit..
Did you know, that God's presence and His favor affects every facet of your life,
there's not one area of your life that doesn't benefit from it! Amen?
God's unmerited favor on your life is there by His own choosing..to help you
That's why he made it available the first place, it's all part of the benefits of serving Him package, all for just the asking!
But...It is impossible for you to have the divine favor of God in your life..
if you don’t know God.
When we do these things it opens our lives to the presence of God.
When we live to know God’s ways and to know God more, He pours out His favor into our lives.
How do we live to please God?
1. We please God by loving Him
Matthew 22:37-40 MSG
37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Our first priority is to love God with every fiber of our being.
Our second priority is to love everyone else.
Jesus, others and you what a wonderful way to spell Joy!
Me, me, me.. Contrary to popular belief does not spell Joy! Amen?
We are called to love God and to put Him first place in our lives.
2. We please God by believing in Him Hebrews 11:6
Without faith it is impossible to please God...
There is no way that we will ever be able to please God if we do not believe in Him and what He can do.
It's all about trust.. How much do you trust him this morning? Do you trust Him that He can do in you're life..what His word proclaims He can do?
We are called to place our faith in God and trust Him completely, even when life doesn’t make sense.
When life seems the most senseless, that is when we need to trust God the most!
3. We please God by obeying Him
John 15:11-15 MSG
"I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.
This is my command: (listen up..here it is)
Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
Jesus told His disciples that they become friends with God through obedience.
No longer servants, but friends..
Can you say I am a friend of God?
Our obedience determines the depth of our relationship with God.
Now I can see the wheels turning...
and I know some of you are probably thinking...
"Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love"
Love...my Neighbor? You must be kidding?
You don't know them...Their unloveable!
For all you know someone else might be saying the same thing about you!
4. We please God by praising Him
Psalm 150:1-6 MSG
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!
I'd say that David covered from just about every angle there.. Wouldn't you?
God deserves all of our praise..for every single blessing He sees fit to give us.
Instead of telling everyone about your woes, you should be telling everyone about your praise reports and what gods doing for you in your life! Amen?
Remember..Jesus, Others and you
Start lifting up Jesus and watch how He will start working the miraculous..
Not only in your life, but in the lives of everyone around you! Amen?
5. We please God by serving Him
God wants you to live out your life serving Him.
Luke 10:27 MSG
27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
28 “Good answer!” Said Jesus, “Do it and you’ll live.”
Notice, there was no mention of self there...well what about me?
That's what the world says!
But Jesus says when we do what he tells us to do, he makes it all about us..anyways! Amen?
Notice.. Said Jesus, “Do it and you’ll live.”
We don't have to make about us..it automatically becomes about us,
When we have a servants mentality!
Do you suppose that he's talking about living the life of mediocrity?
Do you suppose He's talking about a life of poverty?
Do you suppose He's talking about anything less..then His Best?
No...He said do it and LIVE!
He's talking about a life of abundance..
He's talking about the abundant life! Amen?
The more we seek and follow God, the more He will do and keep all of His promises to each of us...
It's a PROMISE! His Word declares it!
Ex. 33:17.And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name.
That’s the kind of relationship He longs to have with you..friends know each other by name..
and that’'s the kind of relationship you should want to have with Him.
The kind of relationship you can tell Him, or ask Him
whatever is on your mind...
Hey Lord..yes Charlie
You know what I was thinking?
Yes I do..but tell me more, tell me all about it
That's the kind of relationship I'm talking about..
that's the kind of relationship Gods longs to have with you!
Do you know him that way today? You should!
And if you don't..You can!
He's ready willing and able, the only question is are you?
Amen, Lets pray!
