The Present of Presence

A couple of weeks ago Tyler shared the idea of advent with us. The idea that we are celebrating the coming and the second coming of Jesus.

Today I want to explore another Christmas concept, the concept of Immanuel, "God with us". During the Christmas season Isaiah 7:14 is the classic scripture.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

You see, the absolute greatest gift that we can ever receive is the presence of God in our lives!

As a young Christian, one of the first books I read was a classic devotional… My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. In that book there was one quote that has stuck with me for the past 30 years…

“It is not God’s promises we need, it is [God] Himself.” - Oswald Chambers

But often we want gifts from God more than we want God Himself. We want health, wealth, knowledge, a better job, a better place To live… and, maybe God wants to give us these things, but we cannot have them apart from Him.

David said it well in Ps 16:11

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Presents may make us happy for a time, earthly gifts from God may make us happy temporarily,

We all know this… ”What are the two happiest days in a boat owners life?” THE DAY HE BUYS IT AND THE DAY HE SELLS IT!

Fullness of joy comes only when we remain in a right relationship with God!

Presence Is Priority

Exodus 33:14–17 NIV

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “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.”

Wow! Moses got it! IF NOT FOR GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES, HOW ARE WE ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE?

What would change in your life if TODAY you decided that you would not go anywhere or do anything outside of God’s guiding presence? How would your day to day life change if you had an accuse awareness of God walking beside you, if you remember that he is with you in the Car, on the computer, behind the backs of others?

About 15 years ago I was introduced to Covenant Eyes by a friend who struggled with porn addiction to the point that it almost cost him his marriage. He shared that he had tried every type of blocking and filtering software that was available at the time, and the challenge of finding the weakness of the software only fueled his addiction.

As we were talking, he mentioned that his accountability software did not block or filter anything, but it did send an email daily to his wife with a report of everything that he did on his computer. He said it was like magic, from that point on he DID NOT WATCH PORN! The temptation was outweighed by realization that he would be held accountable and the consequences were grave.

What changed? Porn was actually more readily available to him now than it had been with the filtering software, the difference was he was now acutely aware of his wife’s presence with him as he surfed the internet. That awareness allowed him to be a better husband, father, brother, and follower of Jesus. Accountability saved his marriage and quite possibly his soul.

How aware are we of God’s presence in our covenant relationship with Him?

Present In Practice

Let’s look at something else that David said in Psalm 16 verse 8

Psalm 16:8 ESV

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

The key to being unshakeable… Setting the Lord before you. Many times we take on a passive attitude when it comes to our walk with God… We become victims of our circumstances.

We recently met with a couple that unfortunately walked away from our fellowship, as we listened to them share their disappointments with God and the church our hearts broke because we could see that their faith was shaken. As our conversation went on we asked about their personal relationship with God and the husband shared point blank… “I do not read!” “I don’t read my Bible, I don’t read books and the Sunday sermons at this church are not enough to sustain me.”

FAIR ENOUGH!

I would agree that neither Marshall nor myself are strong enough preachers to sustain your relationship with God if you yourself do not set the Lord and His word before you on a daily basis.

I would also venture to say that if you goto a Brazilian Steak House and feast after leaving church this evening, that it wouldn’t sustain you until next Sunday. Now, I know that there is at least one of you out there that would like to prove me wrong… if I were in the audience I would be that guy! So let’s say you could do it this week, but what if you built your entire nutrition plan on… I DO NOT COOK, AND I WILL NOT EAT OUTSIDE OF SUNDAYS. What would your health look like 20 years down the road?

We need to become a people of the book! What about challenging yourself to read the entire Bible in 2022?

Last weekend Marshall introduced our theme for 2022, “Living Water” Before we can become living water for Central Florida, we must wash ourselves in the water of the word!

Ephesians 5:25–27 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Let’s make this the year that we recommit our lives to the Word of God! Let’s also make it the year that we recommit to fellowship

Matthew 18:20 ESV

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Jesus IS PRESENT when we are together! It has been so easy to isolate ourselves over the past couple of years.

This is also a great time to remind ourselves to actually be present when we are physically together! Make sure we truly engage with others, practice curiosity, ask questions, discover what makes other people tick… you may be surprised at the things that you learn or the doors that God opens.

Present In Purpose!

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 18:9–11 ESV

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

We know that Jesus has promised his presence, but sometimes we allow fear and insecurity dissuade us from truly reaching others…

How about making this our personal mission statement? I will not be afraid! I will not be Silent! I know the Lord is with me! I will Teach the Word of God to Others!

So this Christmas Season, as we sing “Silent Night” and “Mary Did You Know?” Let’s not fall into the trap of thinking like Ricky Bobby when he said, “I like Christmas Jesus best when I’m saying grace.” It’s not the coming of Eight pound six ounce, newborn infant, but the powerful present of the presence of Immanuel that we celebrate, not only at Christmas, but every day as we make His Presence our priority in our practice and in our purpose!