HIS PRESENCE IS EVERYTHING (PART 1)

APR. 12TH

TEXT: Exodus 33:12-18 King James Version(KJV)

12.    And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

13.    Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14.    And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

15.    And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

16.   For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

17.   And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

18.    And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

The story of Charles Finny visiting a factory and the presence of God causing such deep conviction that brought the workers to their knees pleading for the forgiveness of their sins reveals to us that our God is much more than words. Know that it is a privilege to carry whatever degree of the manifestation of God’s presence you have. Be thankful for it and God will smile on you.

CONTEMPLATION

Until you are confronted with extraordinary opposition that makes nonsense all of your abilities, you may not understand why Moses said except your presence goes with me I do not want to leave this place.

King David understood well that the only reason he was chosen ahead of his older brothers was nothing but the presence of God attracted upon him in the place of intimacy with God. That same presence gave him victory over the Lion, Bear and the giant; Goliath. He fought and won several wars on his way to becoming the king of Israel, and throughout his reign, he was able to subdue all his enemies because of the presence. He was only able to escape the plot of King Saul and other people with evil intentions because of the presence of God. In all your getting, please get the presence; God’s presence is everything.

Whatever you seek can only be a blessing when the glory of God is in it.“A blessing without the presence of God is a curse.

Check out Lot, the nephew of Abraham who thought he was very smart when he chose the well-watered valley of Sodom and Gomorrah over the divine covering he had abiding with Abraham, and you will see better (Genesis 13:8-11).

 Lot thought he got a blessing when he settled for Sodom and Gomorrah, but it was a curse. He later had to run out of Sodom for his dear life, but by this time his wife had become a pillar of salt, and his daughters later committed incest with him (Genesis 19:15-38). ” FFPW p.99.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

When Lot settled for the well watered valley of Sodom, he thought he got a blessing. It was an assessment based on face value. (Genesis 19:15 - 38).

 If your passion for anything exceeds your passion for the presence of God, it will become a problem.