HIS PRESENCE IS EVERYTHING (PART 2)

APR. 13TH

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 is told of a little girl who had cerebral palsy and was unable to move. The parents knew the report of the doctors, but they chose to fill her room with the presence of God by playing messages of faith continuously.

One day, they heard a noise from her room and when they got there, she had gotten up and to the amazement of all, she said “By His stripes I am healed.” You are what you hear and believe.

CONTEMPLATION

The first time most of us encountered God, the passion and satisfaction of our souls was just to be in the presence of God. But today, some of us have become too sophisticated to crave for more of God. 

“I know of places where the people started with a strong hunger and total dependence on the Lord, but after a few successes they became too confident and began to trust in their wisdom, methods, gifts, and skills.

They suddenly felt they knew what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. As long as they were still getting results here and there, they failed to see the need to passionately seek God.” FFPW p100-101.

If you celebrate the gift of God over the presence of God, you are probably more concerned about glamour and the recognition of men than the glory of God. Do not exchange your gold for brass. They do not have the same value.

PRACTICAL ISSUES

There are worship houses and individuals that started out in the spirit but are now in the flesh because they wanted to be acceptable, sophisticated and politically correct.They have left their first love.Whatever experience you seek after be careful not to miss the presence of the Lord.