Manifest Presence Series
“His Presence—Our Only Hope” Part 1
(Inspired by Don Nori Sr.’s Manifest Presence: You Can Live Within The Veil)
January 11, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
A I remember spending countless weekends at my grandparents house nearly every weekend when I was growing up.
1 I remember always hoping I would get a popsicle before bedtime.
a Sometimes I did, sometimes I did not. If I didn’t get one . . . I didn’t die.
b His presence is not connected to that kind of “hope”, rather if His presence doesn’t invade us, enter our lives . . . we’re sunk.
2 God has always wanted to abide permanently with His people, not just visit.
a He wants a place to stay . . . permanently, perpetually.
2 Chronicles 7:16 (NASB) 16 "For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
b If you’ve ever had guests in your home who stay a few days/weeks, every bodies schedule must adjust for a minute.
aa Meal times altered, kids leave their bedrooms and sleep on the couch while the guests are there in your home.
bb When the guests leave . . . it’s back to normal and everything continues as it was before.
c If someone moves in your house to stay, the arrangements are different . . . routines change permanently: alters your lifestyle.
aa God wants to come and live in our hearts, rule/reign through us.
bb He doesn’t save us just to fill us with the HS, but that His Lordship may be manifested in and through us.
cc If we don’t have Him, His Presence, it’s devastating to us.
B The Children of Israel had that kind of dependancy on the Manifest Presence of God.
1 If the cloud moved during the day/fire by night . . . they moved with it.
a His Presence offered them shelter from the sun, protection from wild beasts at night.
aa His Presence lead them, guided them, spoke to them, showed them the way.
bb Through His Manifest Presence they could see what God was doing.
b They couldn’t have survived with His Presence.
2 We serve that same God who wants to lead, guide, speak, and show us what He’s up to.
a John 15:15 (NASB) 15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
aa He wants us in a place of intimacy where He can speak to us/share His innermost desires with us.
bb Ephesians 3:8-11 (NASB) 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
b God wants to tell us His secrets!! (He desires to have intimate friendship & fellowship with us.)
C His Presence would often lead the ancient Israelites . . . progressive.
1 Our pursuit of His Presence is not a destination, it is a journey. . . a forward leading, progressive journey.
a Too many Christians try to categorize God & His Word into neat little compartments.
aa Does the Bible have theology/Doctrine, Yes. But it’s not a theology book/doctrinal statement.
bb In essence it’s a window for us to see Jesus seated at the right hand of the Father.
cc By gazing upon Jesus through the Word we begin to understand the fullness of His desire for us.
b If I’m going to go forward with God, I’ve got to learn to be flexible to gain new insight, fresh revelation.
2 When we chose to be more adamant about being in His Manifest Presence than we are about doctrinal/denominational distinctives we will understand more the deeper things of God.
a Psalm 73:16-17 (NASB) 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.
aa In His Presence we learn fresh, deeper, higher thoughts, mysteries of God.
bb Micah 4:2 (NASB) 2 Many nations will come and say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
b There is a price to pay to be where God wants us . . . our life!
aa Matthew 10:39 (NASB) 39 "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.
bb When we learn that there is nothing worth more, greater value than His presence we are ripe to receive fresh revelation.
D Can you imagine how awesome it would have been living where His Manifest Presence abided?
1 The word that never would have been used? “Bored.”
a Where the Manifest Presence abides there is little opportunity for boredom.
aa We don’t get bored, get into ruts/routine/content to just existing in the Presence.
bb If we do get bored, ruts then our wineskin has become ossified: His Word tells us He wants our wineskins to be pliable.
Mark 2:22 (NASB) 22 "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
cc He doesn’t “need” them to be that way . . . we “need” them that way for Him to change us.
b Where His Presence Manifests . . . there’s always change, transition.
aa He’ll upset our doctrines, views of worship, see the role of the Pastor/Deacons, how we do “church.”
bb “Isn’t God a God of Order?”
1 Corinthians 14:33 (NASB) 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
cc Yes, He is . . . but we don’t get to define the “order.”
2 We are in a time when what can be shaken will be shaken and God is shaking the apple cart!
a I believe we are entering a time of chaos/hardship.
aa Manmade institutions/doctrines will topple around us and there will be no place of safety.
Revelation 6:16 (NASB) 16 and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
bb But God’s people have a refuge, shelter from the storm . . . His Manifest Presence.
b Psalm 63:7 (NASB) 7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
aa God’s people will need to find this place of rest, shelter.
bb If we’re going to endure . . . we must be in His presence. (It’s not optional)
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
