“God Is Waiting On You” (God Wants To Spend Some Time With You pt. 4)”
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 10/15/23 (1st Sunday Message)
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{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}
Message Title:
“God Is Waiting On You” (God Wants To Spend Some Time With You pt. 4)”
Each week we started with a question:
How Often Do You Spend Time With God? God Has Always Wanted Us Close To Him!
John 14:2-3
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
“God Has Always Wanted ME Close To Him!”
We have been talking over the last few weeks on what we get by being in the presence of God. Let’s start with #5
What We Get In The Presence Of God:
5. In God’s Presence - Miracles Happen!
Miracles happen in the presence of God.
John 9:1-2
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
We see it’s established:
A man is blind.
But he’s blind from birth.
He was NEVER able to see.
The disciples ask the question: who’s fault is this?
who did something so terrible that he was born without this ability?
Verse 3-5
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus says that THIS was not the cause of sin.
But this was so God could do a work in his life!
The Things We Go Through In Life Are An Opportunity For God To Work A Miracle!
We don’t know how old this man was.
But he was a man…
meaning he had been blind for a long time… Yet…all of it was for something.
It was an opportunity for God to work in his life!
You might have been dealing with something for years. You may have just “accepted” the cards you’ve been dealt.
but the blind man just so HAPPENED to get in the presence of Jesus.
He was born blind…he didn’t know what he was missing! And something he never imagined…was about to happen.
Verse 6-7
6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and .
This man was in the presence of Jesus… Jesus spat on the ground.
and put the mud on the man’s eyes.
He was in the presence of Christ. and BECAUSE of that:
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He Was Touched
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He Was Given Direction
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He Came Home Healed
When We Get In The Presence Of God, We Can Not Only Hear From Him, But We Can Receive A Touch From Him Also!
This happens in other places also.
The Woman with the issue of Blood (she had to get “close” to Jesus)
The Centurion
(he needed to get in front of Jesus to make his request) But one more to read.
Daniel 3 talks about a king who created a giant image of gold. he put it up and commanded everyone in the kingdom
to worship this statue when they heard the music.
…basically at his command.
Nebuchadnezzar was a crazy king! if they did NOT, they would be thrown into a furnace
burned alive…in front of everyone.
In Verse 7, all the people bowed down to the statue when they heard the music. all except 3
3 young men decided they would NOT worship this statue of gold. The king had these men brought to him.
“maybe you didn’t hear the decree.”
bow down and worship what I tell you…or you die.
What God is gonna save you from me?
These three respond to this crazy king.
Verse 16-18
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Oh King, you’re wasting your words talking to us. If you do try to kill us…God will save us.
Even if he doesn’t, we’re not bowing down today!
Verse 19-23
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual (??) 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
The king had the strongest men tie these guys up.
Just WALKING to the furnace killed the soldiers who took them there. And these men…”firmly tied” fell into the furnace.
Daniel 3:24-25
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
This same fire that killed the strongest soldiers who approached… Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are now walking around…
but they’re not alone!
there is now a FOURTH person who showed up!
and even the king could see it!
God Can Show Up In A Way That Even Doubters HAVE To Acknowledge It!
It said they aren’t just standing there either.
In this thing that was designed to kill them…
they’re walking all over the trap that was set for them. the BEST effort the soldiers did to tie them up.
was burned away.
God’s Presence Can Undo All The Things People Have Used To Hold You Down!
Verse 26-28
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them.
These men had an encounter with God… And by being in the presence of God…
They didn’t look like what they’d been through.
“Thank God I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through!”
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
These are things we have in the presence of God.
This is God…
and he is going to do something mighty on your behalf.
So how do we get into the presence of God?
How To Get In The Presence Of God:
5. Actively Seek Him!
Make the decision that you DESIRE God. That you are looking for him.
And go after it!
Jeremiah 29:13
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Psalm 145:18
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
So let’s do a review of all of it and see how GLC tries to get you in front of God:
{Review:}
What We Get In The Presence Of God: {Only the BOLD points on the screen}
