I want to encourage you this morning by speaking about the power of God's loving presence. Bible provides endless examples of how the presence of the Lord empowers his people to live for him, to overcome all hurdles and deception of the adversary. And one of the most powerful of these is found in the life of Moses. Moses was convinced that without God's presence in his life, it was useless for him to attempt anything. When he spoke face to face with the Lord, he said, " “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Exodus 33:15–17 (ESV)
Moses knew it was God's presence in Israel that set the people apart from all other nations. And the same is true of the church of Christ today. The only thing that sets us apart from nonbelievers is God's being "with us" - leading us, guiding us, working his will in and through us. When the Lord's presence is in our midst, no one can harm us. But without him, we're helpless, reduced to nothing. If you have God’s presence in your life, you will experience God's divine order. You'll have a peace and harmony, with no danger or anxiety, no running to and fro to seek guidance, no sense that the bottom is falling out. You'll live at rest, knowing God has everything under control. As Moses spent time in the presence of the Lord, the glory that covered him became so glorious that the people would not look upon him, and he had to cover his face. Yet the Word tells us that the glory which we have is even more glorious. Moses' attitude and guiding principle for life was the reality that the only way for them to be led and governed, to win their battles over their enemies and survive was to have God’s presence among them. Jesus said, “Without me, without my presence, you can do nothing. (Jn.15:5)” It is only when his presence is in our midst that no one can harm us. (Psalm 20:6 )
Have you ever experienced the awesome feeling of knowing that you are loved unconditionally? Bible says "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) The Bible truly is an amazing book. In the Bible, we find prophet Isaiah prophesied about the story of one that would bear sin and iniquity for the redemption of the world. That person is Jesus, and this prophecy took place nearly 700 years before Jesus ever walked the face of this world. Bible is His Story. We learn about the Lord Jesus Christ, His Virgin Birth, His virtuous life, His vigorous death, His victorious resurrection and His Visible return from the pages of the Bible. God sent His only begotten Son into the world (John 3:16) to pay for our sins with His own sacrifice (1st Peter 1:18, 19; Acts 20:28). Jesus came into the world in the flesh, i.e., the Godhead became incarnate (John 1:1-3, 14; 1st Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9). God did this because He loves us.
Why did God make us? God created us to have relationship. Why does God want us to have close association with Him? Because, God is love, and love is a reciprocal act, where God loves us, and we love Him back. And, that love is called worship. And, in order to be loved, love has to have a recipient. And so, God created us, that He might pour His love out to us, and that we might pour our love back to God. And, that’s the greatest thing that we can give God—is our love. Bible says “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16)
Bible reveals to us that God’s love for all mankind is unconditional love. Here are some Bible scriptures that reveal this truth to us of God’s steadfast, unfailing, and eternal love.
"You were precious in My sight, and I have loved you." (Isaiah 43:4) God loves His people with a first love! "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) By nature we were without God, and afar off from God; we were strangers to God, and enemies to God! Therefore if God had not loved us first—we would have been everlastingly undone! God loves His people with a free love! "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." Hosea 14:4, I know they are backslidden—yet "I will love them freely"—God loves His people with an everlasting love! Jer. 31:3, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving-kindness have I drawn you." That is, "I love you with the love of perpetuity, or with the love of eternity.
God loves His people with an unchangeable love! Mal. 3:6, "I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed." Men change, counsel’s change, occurrences change, friends change, relations change, and Government change; but God never changes! "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man, that He should change His mind," 1 Sam. 15:29. God is immutable in His nature, in His essence, in His counsels, in His attributes, in His decrees, and in His promises. God loves His people with the greatest love, with a matchless love!, "God so loved." John 3:16 this signifies . . . the greatness of God's love, the vehemence of His love, and the admirableness of His love. What an unspeakable comfort must this be to God's people—to have the presence of a loving God, to have the presence of such a loving God with them in all their troubles and deep distresses! If the presence of a loving friend, a loving relation in our troubles and distresses, is such a great comport—oh, what then is the presence of a loving God!
This is why Apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians13:1-3 “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.” There is no virtue, Gifts or emotion of greater importance than love. The brand of love which Paul is talking about is not human in origin, but rather a love coming from God—a part of His very nature. It’s unselfish, sacrificial and everlasting love. Since the Lord wants to transform our character into the image of His Son, this priority makes perfect sense, because whenever we display such selfless care for one another, we manifest Christ presence and his love. Without Christ’s love, all our good deeds—even service for the Lord—will profit us nothing. In God’s eyes, a loving and pure Heart is more important than all our impressive words, knowledge, generosity, and self-sacrifice. When we stand before Christ to be judged for our good works, those deeds done for selfish reasons will not be worthy of reward. We are all blinded to some degree when it comes to our motives, so discerning why we serve God or do good deeds is imperative. As Psalmist prayed (Psalm 139:23-24) “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” May God help us to search our heart’s hidden intentions, and replace any self-centered motivations with the excellent way of Christ’s love. Then our works will be of eternal value.
