The Joy of His Presence

Illustration: I was in my office this week praying and had a supernatural time of prayer. I was praying for Fenton and that God would continue the work he had begun here at First and he would do a mighty work of Revival in our midst. But then God began dealing with my heart but also encouraging me at the same time. I personally was convicted of growing Content in my walk with Christ. I had grown personally comfortable and i was resting in where i was at with Christ. But i realized that i was operating in my own strength and did not have the blessing of God upon my life. I was comfortable in doing alot of Good things but i was neglecting the most important thing and that is the power and presence of God in my life. This sermon i could not get away from speaking today and it is with fear that i present this to us as a church. I fear if we do not heed this message we will continue without God’s blessing. It was in my heart that he drew a line and said you can have my blessing or you can operate without it but you must make a choice. I have been so convicted this week about this message and do not doubt that this message is paramount to us going forward as a church. I believe God will bless this church but only if we Heed this message this morning. It is with Great fear that i bring it to you.

Transition: In this Psalm David is writing during the time they are bringing back the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. Jerusalem means the dwelling place of God. See the problem was even though it was a place God’s presence should dwell God’s presence wasn’t there. That didn’t stop them from their rituals, feasts or festivals. They had Grown accustomed to going on about their lives without the presence of God. I think we do the same. I think we get so caught up in our Jobs, and day to day life we rarely take time to think about the presence of God in our life. We go to worship but the reality of him not being the total pursuit of my life doesn’t even really concern us.

The church today is in a very similar boat. This Gathering should be identified by The presence of God but most of the time what happens in our church’s can be explained by man’s methods, planning, programs or machinery. We get used to the routines and we grow getting used to the natural to where we don’t even question about where is the supernatural.

There is a tremendous difference in the omnipresence of God and the manifest presence of God. The manifest Presence of God is was consumes a man’s heart

Illustration: The welsh revivals. in south wales there was a tremendous move of God through a man Named Evan Roberts at 31 years old he talks about God and how the Spirit of God led him to preach on the love of God, the Love of others and of our love for Christ. What came forth from this young man was a revival that this world has rarely seen. Bars closing down, marriages restored, lives changed etc.... One night during one of the Prayer meetings of the welsh revival was a dance at one of the local schools. It is told the during the prayer meeting at a supernatural presence of the spirit of God came upon the church and God’s spirit went out like a fire consuming men’s hearts. There began a time of confession, Repentance, and restoration. During that time at the dance across town a supernatural move of the spirit of God fell upon that school dance and students felt led to come to the church. When they came into the church conviction fell on those students and they began to weep and cry out the famous welsh revival saying “is their mercy for me”. Church we live in a day where this is just a story of yesterday. We have grown so comfortable in our Christianity that this sounds crazy because we never see the move of God like that. Let me tell you why… Its not because of God not wanting to send revival. anytime his people began to seek him he always sent it. The problem is with us.

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We need to change our Perspective about who God is: (vs 1-3)

Many people will scoff at the idea of God doing might work because they are comfortable with their brand of Christianity that doesn’t interrupt their lifestyle.

Many people barely trust God to move a mustard seed let alone a mountain. We will say things like who are we? or why would God use us? or what would this type of move of God look like? what’s the method? etc. The truth is we don’t believe God for big things so we rarely see God do big Things.