God's plans - 3 requests to find out
Notes
Transcript
Welcome - Vision - Good morning all who are watching...
Welcome - Vision - Good morning all who are watching...
Wondering if we do a pastoral moment or not...
Christmas Eve gift
Then you will...
Then you will...
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
was a prophesy that was made before all of that happened…God promised that in the midst of all of this pain, confusion, frustration, bleakness, darkness, that He STILL…HE STILL…KNOWS THE PLANS THAT HE HAS FOR HIS PEOPLE…THAT HIS PLAN IS GOOD…IT’S SO GOOD THAT IT MAKES THE FUTURE BRIGHT, SO BRIGHT IN FACT THAT WHATEVER IS DARK NOW HAS TO RETREAT…HE HAS PLANS TO GIVE US A FUTURE AND A HOPE...
Daniel didn’t know what that plan was…He didn’t know exactly what that future would look like…it didn’t matter to Him…He knew God…He knew that if God said it was good it will be the greatest good…He knew that if God said he has a plan for a future and a hope…He knew it was bright…gotta remember, this was said before the captivity, before things went bad, got dark, seemed hopeless...
He knew that if God said it, it was going to happen. God is not in the bait and switch business. He doesn’t say one thing and do another…Every word that God says comes to pass…Daniel knew that…that’s why he was able to have a bright future…in fact a bright present...
But we, today, we get to know what God’s action was…What God did to make good on His word…He sent His Son Jesus…I can’t think of a better time than the month of December as we approach Christmas, to look intently into this reality AGAIN AND AGAIN...
For I know the plans…for your good and not for evil…plans to give you a future and a hope…This is Good news…No matter what our present circumstances/surroundings look like, our present future is bright b/c of what God said, and ultimately, what God has done and will do.
But if you notice, the next 2 verses reveal that we have something to do…a response, an action to take in light of this amazing promise and act of God...
THEN YOU WILL CALL UPON ME…AND COME…AND PRAY TO ME…AND I WILL HEAR YOU...
YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME, WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART...
(Those 3 questions reveal you are going after Him with all your heart…)
Note how Good God is…He’s added additional promises…that after you see that God has followed through on this promise, you will respond…meaning you will move towards Him…what we say…Meet/know/follow Jesus…Have a relationship…and then he says, he will interact with us…he will speak with us…he will be found by us…it won’t be in vain…it won’t be futile…it won’t be just some religious exercise...
God IS SOOOOO GOOD Friends! Do you see it?
NO Good thing does He withhold
NO Good thing does He withhold
God gives and gives and gives…Everything God says He does…He has given us the ability to have a future and a hope…he has plans for our good…He knows them…and because of Jesus, every promise is a Yes…and Yes…that is backed up in God’s word...
20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
God promises that He will hear us…God promises that we will find Him…GUARANTEES…CERTIFIED…SEALED AND DELIVERED…Because of Jesus...
We get tempted to think that these promises are just words on a paper to prop us up for a bit only to come crashing down…disillusioned with God…I get that, because I sometimes fall into this camp, where I don’t believe that God hears me, there are times where I’m convinced that no matter what I do, He won’t show Himself, reveal Himself, He will remain hidden...But we can’t forget Jesus…It’s because of Jesus, that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God hears us…that God comes near us…that God is near…That God will be found…He gave us His son…Our God is the greatest giver of all…
He doesn’t bait and switch us…Christmas reminds us of God’s heart…Reminds us of the precious gift that He gave the world…That’s why Christmas celebrates giving…and why many of us try to remind our precious kids that the greatest gift is Jesus…and then the PS5…Joke...
Part of the thrill of Christmas is the process of gift giving…The surprise and suspense of it all. The anticipation. Kids working on the lists and parents deliberating over the lists…kids wondering, “Am I getting what I asked for…? I remember being a kid being all cool about it with my folks…try to act like it doesn’t bother me if they did or didn’t get me what I asked for…then I remember moments when I’d be disappointed with whatever gift my parents got me…that wasn’t on my list…it wasn’t what I wanted…Really Brandon…it’s a gift…it’s not a wage...
I never knew or understood how that may have made my parents feel…but now, I get it…Christmas shopping is a stressful thing as a parent, minus spending stupid amounts of money on gifts that are only around for a week (grinch…I know), because you don’t want to let your kids down…and you want an element of surprise so you don’t always get everything they ask for…then you run the risk of disappointment, which I discovered I take personally...
Our relationship with Jesus is not that much different than our relationship with Christmas…we ask, we make requests and we wonder, will I get what I asked for? And then if we don’t get or experience what we want, it’s all too easy to get disappointed...
But here’s what’s true about Christmas gifts - kids listen up - your parents are giving gifts that they think are good and they mean well in giving that gift, even if it is a crummy gift…Parents, thank me later...
Here’s were it is different with God - He always gives not just what is good, but what is best…yes, that does mean he may not always give you what you ask for…He may not give you everything on your list, but He will always give what is best...
Because He KNOWS…NOTE THAT WORD…HE KNOWS THE PLANS FOR YOU…PLANS FOR YOUR GOOD AND NOT EVIL…TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE...
What do I should I ask for then?
What do I should I ask for then?
What I want share with you are three requests that are sure fire, absolute, guarantees…100% yes from God…in fact, so many of our requests and desires can actually found to be satisfied within these 3 requests…Let’s turn to Exodus 33…again, I strongly encourage you to grab a bible, open the app on your phone, etc.
background
background
1 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” 4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
The people of God…God's chosen People…With a powerful promise
God delivered them out of Egypt and Slavery…they were still a complaining lot even after that. God led them and directed them…fire and cloud…God provided for them food and water…miracle after miracle…God invited Moses up the mountain to give them a way of life…Took too long…turned to idols…This angered God…
God is still holding true to his promise to lead them to the promised land…BUT, he's not going with anymore. It's for your good I'm not going…I will consume you if I did. You broke covenant with me…a golden calf? Really people…really…Aaron really, it just came out…really…wow.
He is trying to show the uniqueness of His people…no other religion claims such nearness as God does…No other god is as PRESENT as He is…GOD WITH US…GOD WITH HIS PEOPLE…No other god, b/c there isn't, is as involved as God…God hears…God speaks…God relates…God cares…
You see, when Moses went up on the mountain, where was God, His presence, when Aaron and the Israelites decided to sin, to make an idol out of the gold that God provided for them…where was He? Was God's presence near or far? Was it in their midst or gone completely?
It was right there, in a awe inspiring manner too…and yet, they committed spiritual adultery…It's like they weren't aware of His presence anymore…It's like they said He left…Moses has died…No big deal…make us a god to follow…we are going to act as if God isn't near…like God doesn't care…
I mean, come on…really, did they really believe that just because Moses didn't come down yet, that God left them, gave up on them…I mean did they really think that God, who is covering this mountain with his glorious presence doesn't notice, or that God left…really…
I mean, isn't it tempting to think, just for a moment, that if we were in their shoes, we wouldn't of done that? Like you read this, and you go, come on people…He's right there! What are you thinking…
But come on now…as a Christian, God's presence is living inside of us…and can I tell you something…That's way more glorious than a cloud that has an appearance of fire surrounding a mountain…When I say that, I'm not downplaying that…but I'm saying that God has made himself so absolutely accessible to each one who believes in Him, is way beyond our comprehension…
And don't we act as if He isn't present…isn't near…isn't involved…Oh but He is…
When this news was shared…they wept…God is no longer with us…But a word sticks out to me…Disastrous…a telling adjective...Webster defines disastrous as something causing great damage. This word that God gave Moses, gave Israel, that His presence VERSE 2-3 isn't going with them…that word, they saw it…they heard it and they processed it as being disastrous…
So let's lean into this a bit…because, I just want to be honest, I'm not sure if I heard it, I would have saw it as disastrous, mainly because I may not fully understand the significance of God's presence…I mean come on…God is still going to support the effort of getting to the promised land…the land flowing with Milk and Honey…prosperity and peace and world influence…He's going to send an angel to lead them…and he is still guaranteeing that the promise will hold….
Sounds like a good deal to me…
I mean God's presence at times can be overwhelming…we see glimpses of who He is and it convicts of sin…it challenges our sinful nature to it's core…I mean God is essentially saying, in a way, I will give you the blessing and you can carry on you merry way…
As another preacher said, "Most people, especially Americans, would consider this to be a dream offer; God will give all the success you desire - economic, military, political - and with no real obligation to him. No tabernacle (church) to maintain, b/c after all God isn't there; no religious duties, because God isn't there. Just blessing."
Hey…Good deal…REALLY THOUGH? REALLY?
KAY-BEE TOY STORE STORY???
KAY-BEE TOY STORE STORY???
Obviously, it was disastrous to them…these sinners…these individuals who just committed a gross sin in the presence of God…who seem to complain all the time, and grumble all the time, not good enough, too hard, are we there yet…They mourned over this news…It's as if it just dawned on them they just lost the greatest gift in the whole wide world…so great that no matter what blessing they got will seem rotten to them…they were losing the very source of the blessing…
Listen, AOC, what we are going to get into now, I believe is a major game changer for our faith…I believe that these 3 ASKS that we are going to study can and will dramatically change our relationship with God…it will guide us to understand just how bright our future is...
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
The Lord would speak with Moses…Pause - The Lord, the one who created all of this PICTURE...This guy…would speak to Moses…There was something of great awe here…The people would stand…and Joshua wouldn't leave even after it ended…
This interaction was intimate…as friends speak…This is how near our God gets…This is how near our God wants to be and it all starts with Him…this is all His idea…to be in the midst of His people…and for us, because of the gift of Christmas, Jesus, when we are made alive in Jesus, He lives in the midst of our hearts…and we have this very same opportunity…But do we take advantage of it…
VERSE 12-13
Moses is having a conversation with God, and let's not forget that God isn't real thrilled with the actions that His people just did…Moses begins to share his heart…and what Moses asks God is a great blueprint for us…
Verse 12 - Who's this angel…I don't know this angel…Don't just want some random angel…These are your people God, not mine…This was your idea, not mine…
Yet, God, here's where I'm confused, you tell me that you know me, you know my name, that we have an intimate relationship, that I have found favor with you…then why are you giving me second best?
So, if this is true God…If you have established this relationship with me, that you know me by name, that you have "graced" me…God, then now, please show me your ways, that I may know you better…
This is ASK #1: ASK - GOD SHOW/TEACH ME YOUR WAYS. ANSWER - YOU BET.
I want to know why you do what you do…what is your heart…what is driving what you do…This is a question, an ask, that delights the heart of God! God will always say YES to this. ALWAYS!But, let's go back a step before we look at the question…
Why was Moses able to ask the question? He was able to make the ask on the basis of his relationship with God.
Who initiated the relationship? It was God...Who extended grace? It was God...Who wants to lead his people? God...Who wants to bless the world? God...Who wants people to know Him? God...How do we get to know more about God? God has to take the initiative in showing Himself...Does God want to do this? Yes...How do we know? Look at Jesus. Look at the Story of God. Christmas
Folks listen, we can ask this question to God and He will ALWAYS SAY YES...Always. He will never say NO.
We can ask this question with absolute confidence that God will say Yes, because of the basis of our relationship to Him and with Him. Even if you are not in a relationship with God yet, you can still ask this question and God will still say Yes, because He wants you to be in a relationship with Him.
So maybe instead of asking God the list of things that we normally bring, what if we began to ask this question…God teach me your ways…So that I may know you better…Want to know the core of who you are...Listen you can never ask this question enough, because there is no end to knowing God and the more we know of Him, oh my, the more we experience life, joy, freedom, power, etc…
Knowing God is the key to everything…In this moment of disaster, Moses doesn't ask for personal things, protection (none of those things are bad) but Moses wants to ask for one of the most essential things which will bring solutions to all these other things…this is ONE of the greatest things God can give us!
This is what happens to a person, who gets a glimpse of God…they want more…and more…and more…Paul in Philippians 3:8
So, knowing that God will always say Yes to this question, let's find out why this question is a game changer.
A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite authors and he speaks into this very eloquently. Listen to what he has to say, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God…the most determining fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like."
Listen, YOUR VIEW OF GOD WILL DETERMINE EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOU.
What’s one of the best things that God can give you? Himself…It’s the only thing that secures a bright future that breaks into your present.
Moses asks, Now show me your ways…that I may know you better…That's the first request...Now let's look at God's answer…
VERSE 14
What? Is that the answer you expected? I mean, wouldn’t you simply expect God to say, Yes Moses. Sit and learn. Grab another stone tablet and let me give you some systematic theology! Let me teach you some things. Here's a power point Moses…Are you writing this stuff down? These are my ways
God answered by saying, My presence will go with you. And you I will give you rest...What's up with that? We just don’t understand the power of God’s presence...
Tozer says this, "Most Christians are theological Christians. They're trying to be happy without a sense of the presence."
Big Books…we in the west love the academic…empirical findings and cold hard objective truths…Yes…we can know things about God…objectively…but that is missing the boat entirely…b/c this is not the knowing that the Bible speaks of…in fact, it could be said that it may warn against that approach…Jesus…diligently study but missed me…this knowing is personal, experiential that is based and grounded in TRUTH…It’s learned by being with me and not just by knowing things about me...
What's the greatest Gift God can give? Is it not His presence?!?
Show me your ways…teach me your ways…Yes. I will. Here's how…I will be WITH YOU...We may want a more objective answer, but God knows what's the best thing to give…His presence…
God teaches us who He is by being WITH us. IMMANUEL…GOD WITH US…PLEASED TO DWELL...
This folks, is amazing...God's presence in our lives leads us to knowing Him better…God's presence in our lives leads to rest…Rest…which is a powerful and most essential promise given to us in the Scriptures! Gods presence gives us the rest to know that our present and our future are bright come what may!
Rest…The Peace that surpasses all understanding…The joy that can be found in all circumstances…The lifestyle that desires to learn to praise God in all things and to give thanks in all things…Stable…constant…No need to strive to get their own gain…but one that trusts in God in all things…
The rest that sings God works it all out for Good…He can only do Good…He can only lead to life…The rest that knows that there's no need for religion, to earn anything from God, but just has to believe…The rest that knows there's nothing we need to do to please God...The rest that knows the world has nothing to offer and that all we need is God's presence
Rest can only be found by placing our faith in who God is. In order to know who God is, we must be aware of God's presence.
Listen folks, if you have been made alive in Jesus, God couldn't be any more near you…He lives within us…We are radically attached to him (vine/branches)…but sometimes we lose sight of this marvelous truth…
I think mainly because we don't understand the power of God's presence...I think that many of us think of this gift like this…
(pull out present and snuggie)
That's God's presence is like a warm, fluffy snuggie…Close and cuddly…When the storms hit, and someone says, God is with you…you may think, well that's nice, but what difference does that make? I don't need a snuggie right now…
My wife…God's presence means that God's involved...Yes, you may not see Him…feel Him…but that doesn't mean He isn't involved…
Moses asks for God to teach His ways…God answers, I will go with you…and I will give you rest...Then Moses responds by asking for the second thing
VERSE 15-17
Essentially this is what Moses is saying…God I caught that you said that you would be with me…but listen, the people need this too! We don't want some random angel…We don't care about the blessings…We don't care about the promised land…We care about having your presence in our lives…in our lives…how else will we be distinct…
Moses is making the appeal again, on his relationship and covenant...If your presence isn't with us, we are not distinct…all of this is a waste of time and effort…It's your presence…If God's presence isn't here…isn't real…isn't powerful…then all that we do on a Sunday morning is a complete waste of time and our singing can be equated to some strange karaoke…
Moses, "God you can keep all the success if it comes without you…if you don't go with us, I don't want to go!" If God offered to give you everything you dreamed, without his presence in your life, would you take it?
REQUEST #2 - BE PRESENT IN MY LIFE.
When we ask this question, God will always say YES. Always. Yes, it's true, our sin can hide his presence from our sight, but he has never left. The problem isn't him it's us. We must repent. He's always there...Moses, a warrior, a high level leader, desired nothing else besides God Himself. Not success. Not the blessings. He wanted God and God alone...Moses understood enough what God's presence meant - He knew that God's presence implies, guidance, help, companionship, power, love, rest, provision, joy, security, etc…
God said, Moses, this very thing, I will do for you…I will give you my very best…Myself
10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
The Father always wants to give you the very best…in fact, God wants to SPOIL YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT…YES THAT'S RIGHT…IF YOU ASK FOR THE SPIRIT…HE WILL GIVE YOU THE SPIRIT…HOW MUCH MORE…But I'm asking for provision…I'm asking for this or that…He gives the Holy Spirit?
Yes, that's right! When you ask God for whatever it is you ask God for, God gives the Holy Spirit. You ask for comfort, He gives the comforter…You ask for Help, He gives the Helper…You ask for truth, you get the Truth giver…you ask for power, you get the Spirit of Power, You ask for wisdom, you get the Spirit of Wisdom, you ask for guidance, He gives the Guide, you ask for love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, kindness, self-control and have gave you the Spirit whose fruit were released in your life…
You ask for a gift and He gives the giver…YOU ASK FOR THE EFFECT…HE GIVES THE CAUSE…YOU ASK FOR THE PRODUCT, HE GIVES THE SOURCE…
When you pray, when you call upon Him, REMEMBER THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN WILL ALWAYS GIVE HIS VERY BEST.
It’s not really about the items that we ask for…it’s about the relationship…1. God show me your ways. Teach me your ways. Because there's no one like you…and I'm dependent upon you for all things. Your ways and your thoughts are above mine…Show me your ways. To which God responded, I will give you the best answer to this ask…My presence will go with you…I myself will be with you…and as you go about your life, you will come to know and learn more and more about me...2. To which Moses, then asked, God be present in my life…
and we see that in the next ask clearly...
VERSE 18...
Moses is totally caught up in a moment…He's meeting with God, he asked for God to show him His ways, to which God said yes, be present in our lives, God said yes…and then it's like Moses just slipped in the third ask…Almost like he just couldn't help himself…
ASK #3 - PLEASE Show me your Glory
Charles Spurgeon, a great preacher and theologian, said that this is the greatest request, ask, that anyone can make of God. There's no greater ask than this…
God is so gracious…he knows that Moses doesn't even know what he's asking for…just like us, we sing it a lot but honestly, we don't really know what we are asking, or what the implications are for such an ask. Show me your glory…
There's something about this ask that is telling of Moses' heart. I believe that when we genuinely ask this of God, show me your glory, our hearts, even though they may wander on occasion, even though we may sin on occasion, if we genuinely ask this of God, it reveals that our hearts are for Him…that we are moved by Him…That we are beginning to see Him as beautiful…
Yes, you may still stumble, and you may wander…but your heart will always been drawn to His glory…Be comforted in that grace…DO you love me…Yes…We will never on this earth get to a spot where we will love God with 100% of our being 100% of the time. God knows this…
But this ask comes at a cost…Because we simply do not know what we are asking…
EXODUS 33:19-23
It's like God is saying to Moses…buddy, you have no idea what you asking for…you are literally asking to die…no one can see my face and live…But God in His grace answers YES to Moses' request…And as we will see in little bit, God will always say Yes to us when we ask this question too…
How God responds to Moses is loaded with Grace…God wants to honor the ask but He also knows that if He were to show Moses His face, Moses would die on the spot.
Moses simply didn't know what He was asking for…He didn't know the cost involved with seeing God's glory.
You see, God's glory, the weight of who He is, the otherness of God, the pure holiness of God, causes a few things…When we see God's glory we become aware of our sinfulness.
That's a cost. In fact that's why many don't want to ask for this…Because He's so Holy, So pure, so set apart, we see our short comings and we become broken of our sin…God knows this…This is God's grace to us…It's only when we encounter Him, when we get a glimpse lf him, where God's grace is tangible…Because we know that when we see His glory like this, we become broken of our sin…and then God in His grace, heals, restores, forgives, renews…like He did with Isaiah…like He did and does through Jesus…
That's grace…EVEN THOUGH THE COST OF SEEING HIS GLORY IS BROKENNESS…IT'S BEAUTIFUL, BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BROKENNESS WHERE WE CAN BE MADE ALIVE IN HIM.
It's in this moment, where we experience the great tension that comes when we experience the glory of God…Fear & Joy...Moses didn't know that…He was just caught up in the moment…
For instance…(NIV PLEASE>>>) LEVITICUS 9:22-24...This is the tension of seeing God's glory - SHOUT FOR JOY BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE & FALL FACEDOWN IN REVERENTIAL FEAR.
I believe this tension is missing often in the church. We love that God is loving and that all the "SNUGGIE" stuff, which is good, but we can't fall to remember the other side of God…the awe that such a Holy God would accept us and provide the grace to bring us in…We need to ask ourselves a very difficult question… ARE WE HAVING EXPERIENCES OF GOD OR EXPERIENCES WITH OURSELVES?
We are told that the worshippers that God seeks are those who worship in Truth and in Spirit…I think this joy and fear is a reflection of that. There will be a cost…there will be change…there will be something inside of us that has moved…
When we ask to see God's glory, we must be prepared to pay a price…The cost is our life…Our old way of life must die…And can I tell you something, that's a very small price to pay when you get all of God in exchange…You want a bright future…these are the 3 asks that God will always say yes too...
Verse19-20…Moses didn’t get to see God face to face…but God to see His goodness...Because of Christmas, because of Jesus, we see clearly that God has chosen to be gracious to all and to show mercy to all…Let me hint at something, which I'm going to come back to…HEBREWS 1:1-3
Jesus is the goodness of God…Jesus is the radiance of the Glory of God…Moses wasn't able to see God's glory…but we can…all we have to do is look at Jesus…Do you see why I'm saying that God will always say yes when we ask "God show me your glory?" God will always say, look at my son…Look at Jesus…What a marvel that Christmas is…
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11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Then you will call…You will seek me…There are 3 requests that we can make of God to which He will always say Yes to that allows us to understand His plans for our good, our future and hope…These 3 requests encapsulate what it means to seek God...
Stop and think for a moment...What do you ask God for?
Maybe begin to make these 3 REQUESTS more than anything else
· Teach me/Show me your ways
· Be present in my life
· Show me your glory
These three REQUESTS are game changers…The Bible constantly reminds us of God's desire to say YES to these 3 REQUESTS…
He gave the gift of His one and only Son…who entered our world as a baby some 2000 years ago…God became tangible, touchable, knowable, approachable. He came to be with us. Jesus is the one who makes us distinct…He lives in us who believe…through His Spirit…
LUKE 2:10-12 - UNTO YOU…THE GIFT OF THE PRESENCE…FOREVER…THE GIFT OF LIFE…WE CAN KNOW GOD WHICH JESUS SAID IS ETERNAL LIFE…God's presence…dwelling WITH us has been and will always be God's desire…
Let's make this practical…It's real simple folks. I am not going to give you a list of things to do…because I really just want to show you God's heart, especially as displayed in His Son Jesus…and allow that move you to do things…But here's what I'm challenging all of us to do…
REQUEST THESE THINGS & THEN PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO ENCOUNTER IT.
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EXODUS 34:1-4
Words to observe - Be ready, Come up, Present, did as the Lord commanded him…
God is willing to share His glory, to reveal himself to us, but it's on his terms, his timetable, his location, etc. God's glory, the sum total of God, is a really big deal…and so he's willing to do this, but he leaves it in our courts…because it's on His terms…
Listen, this, even though I may not like it, because, I don't know about you, but for me sometimes I'm like God I need you now, I need to experience you now, I need to see you now, I need to hear you now, and it's like…nothing…and Then I'm tempting to think, what's wrong with me? Yes, I may have willful and deliberate sin I'm not choosing to deal with, and yes I may not be willing to do what God is requiring…that's a different thing…
But let's say, I've confessed my sin and repented and I'm willing to do what he's requiring, and yet nothing…Listen, let me encourage you, there's nothing wrong with you…God will reveal Himself, His glory, on His terms and on His time table…And not only that, when we ask - HE WILL DO IT.
This powerful times and encounters with God - they are on His terms…The terms that God gave Moses are really the same with us…
We must be ready.
For Moses it was the morning…be ready…be accessible…be available…be willing to come when I say come…be willing to drop whatever it is that you are doing when I say so…
College movie story…
It's a journey up a mountain…COME UP
It's not always easy trekking…but it's always worth it…He invites us up…He invites us on this journey…Ever climb a mountain…It's not easy work…Some mountains require acclimatizing…Like Everest
4 camps…it takes time and it takes a ton of money. It's extremely dangerous, but it's worth…so I'm told
Yes, God came down to us, but He's still inviting us up…Invited to come and to know God. Nobody can stop you from going as far into God as you want to go. Nor circumstance that can stop you…The invitation is on the table for us to come and know Him…the only thing that will stop us in ourselves. Our own satisfaction and laziness…content with what we already know etc…the sin in our lives…
Sometimes we know God is calling us up…but we built a hut at basecamp and we are like, I'm good right here…I'm content with this view, I'll listen to the stories of those who have gone up…I'll live vicariously through them…I'll borrow their stories…I'm good with that…I'm just not willing to pay that price…
I got altitude sickness at this camp…they were going to go up higher, and I so wanted to but I just wasn't willing to pay the price of it…I was sort of afraid of it too…So I'll just enjoy the picts…Let me tell, I was so mad at myself for not going…
Listen, we are all invited up…all of us…Will you, will we settle for less?
So, be ready, come up, present yourself…
PRESENT YOURSELF
Don't bring gifts, there's no need, no pretense, no need of excuses, just come as you simply are…present yourself…This reminds me a bit of the prodigal son…He journeyed back home after his sin…he had a speech all rehearsed all the Father wanted was him…no gift, no rehearsed speech…just his heart…
Just get yourself ready and then get yourself there…Never settle
Moses did all of this and God revealed more of Himself to Moses…
EXODUS 34:5-8
Check these names out…this was the OT equivalent of our John 3:16
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Folks, if and when we ask God to show us His glory, He will ALWAYS SAY YES.
Here's why…because UNTO YOU A CHILD IS BORN, A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD - JESUS.
The God who can't be compared to anything or anyone, made himself a baby, to be fully dependent on his mom…to empty himself, humble self to give of himself for us…
He ultimately paid the price SO THAT we may be able to ask to see HIS GLORY…
To see the Glory of God is still on God's terms - Look to Jesus, call upon the only name that can save…that can bring life…He's the only way…
You are invited by God to call upon Him…to look to Him…to believe in Him…not just once, but always…We can always ask for more of God…show me more…teach me more…
So we must be willing to be ready, available to him, and then simply come…present ourselves to him…
AOC, can I share with you something………asking to see God's glory will transform your life in ways you can't even begin to imagine…2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18
AOC, will you join me this Christmas season by being ready to come up to the mountain of God and there present yourself to Him? If so, the Bible tells us what would happen if we do…
PSALM 24:3-6
We share what moves us…And nothing should move us like the Glory of God found in Jesus.
Pray