With You!

In 2010 a movie starring Tom Cruise & Cameron Diaz was released called “Knight & Day” where Tom Cruise was a super spy and was helping to protect his costar “June”.

One of my favorite scenes is when June decides that she is going to try to handle things on her own and doesn’t want the Super Spy’s help & he explains to her that her life expectancy is significantly different with him or without him!

Life is better with God!

Have you ever felt like God was not with you?

Maybe something went awry or something went really badly, maybe you just felt really alone & you felt like God was not with you?

I have Good News for you - If you are a Christian and a child of God, then GOD IS WITH YOU!

If you are not a child of God and a Christian…yet…I have Good News for you - You can have God with you All The Time!

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Psalm 24:9 NKJV

Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.

If we will simply open the doors of our life & invite Him in, Jesus will come in to stay!

Our Feelings & The Truth!

We can truly feel something and yet our feelings can be totally and completely wrong.

I remember thinking & feeling that my parents didn’t love me and enjoyed punishing me - but I was wrong!

I remember times where I felt that I was failing at everything & failing everyone in life that was important to me and mattered - and I was completely wrong!

I just simply couldn’t see the actual truth at that time.

So, have you ever felt like God wasn’t there?

Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The TRUTH is: God is with us - whether we feel like it or not.

Activating God’s Participation in Your Life:

Psalm 46:1 NKJV

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Just because God is with us doesn’t mean that He is an active participant.

How do we bring God actively into our life?

Get Humble:

Lean on the grace of God

James 4:6 NKJV

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Grace is God’s Ability!

Have you ever asked someone for help with something, but continued to try to do it while they are trying to help?

Opening a jar demonstration

We don’t need God’s participation in things that we can do, or choose to do, without Him.

Do (Big) Things:

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

James 2:26 NKJV

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jeremiah 1:12 ASV

Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it.

God watches over His word, not over our ideas & desires.

2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

Ask God to be in it and to Lead it:

Exodus 33:14–16 NKJV

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

In every part of life, especially the areas where you feel competent, conscientiously invite God in to be the source of your ability.

It’s so easy to rely on our own strength when we feel competent - but we don’t have to…we can choose to rely on God’s ability.

Acts 17:27–28 NKJV

so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

When we don’t feel like God is there, we can live by the truth that He is with us - then ask Him to get deeply and personally involved.

Why have God in it if we aren’t going to let Him lead it?

Just One Thing:

God is with you whether you feel it or not! Now let Him lead!

Discussion Questions:

What movie can you watch over and over without ever getting tired of?

Do you more often feel that God is with you or that He is not with you? How do you typically respond to that feeling?

Please read Exodus 33:14-16 and share what impact this passage has on you. Then, share with your group how much of your life is lived in this way (i.e. If God doesn’t go with me, I won’t go).

In what way mentioned in the sermon, or that you personally came up with, can you purposely involve God more actively in the affairs of your life?