“How Can We Go Before God? (God Wants To Spend Some Time With You pt. 3)”
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 10/01/23 (1st Sunday Message)
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{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}
Message Title:
“How Can We Go Before God? (God Wants To Spend Some Time With You pt. 3)”
Each week we started with a question:
How Often Do You Spend Time With God?
God is a God who loves us. He is also the all knowing God. He is the one who can lead us.
guide us.
He is the one who can answer our deepest prayers.
{How Many Of You Are In Need Of God’s Direction?}
The best place to talk to God is WITH God.
Getting In God’s Presence Is The Best Way To Talk To Him!
Yes we can pray!
Yes we can shout!
Sometimes We Need To Actually Get In God’s Presence To Find The Answers We Need!
We can’t leave out how we need to spend time with God! Here’s something we can overlook:
Job 1:6-7
6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Satan knew there was a good place to have a conversation with God. It was in his presence!
We also see Satan coming back in Chapter 2. A different day.
a different time…
But he is STILL there to have a conversation with God.
Satan wanted to talk to God directly… And to do that…
The BEST place was in front of him!
And if God allows Satan to come in…
you can have a place in his presence also!
But truth is:
God Has Always Wanted Us Close To Him!
“God Wants Me Close To Him”
We’ve talked about 3 things we get in the presence of God. Today we’ll talk about the 4th.
What We Get In The Presence Of God:
4. In God’s Presence - There Is Safety and Protection!
We have safety and protection in the presence of God!
Psalm 91:1-2
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
He who dwells in the “shelter” of the Most High. If you are in the shelter…you are in his shadow. you are in the presence of God.
Did you ever have a kid hit you and run under their parent before you hit them back?
They run to the protection of their parents because they believe their parent won’t let them get hurt!
It’s something about the protection of a parent. God protection covers us also!
Psalm 91 talks ALL about the protection we get from God’s presence.
Psalm 91:3-6
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
God Presence: Saves Us (v.3) Covers Us (v.4) Give Refuge (v.4)
Is Our Shield (v.4) Removes Fear (v.5)
The remaining verses talk more about this:
Psalm 91:7-10
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the Lord, who is my refuge— 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
This is saying that others around you may fall.
But it won’t be you!
God Is A God That Will Sustain And Protect You!
How does this happen?
Psalm 91:11-12
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
God will command his angels… To guard you in ALL your ways.
God Is Concerned About Things That Concern You!
“God Wants Me Close To Him”
This is why it is good to be near God.
If God offers these things to those who are close to him… What happens to those who are NOT close to God?
They wouldn’t have the same things!
Psalm 73:27-28
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Those far from God will perish. We can’t live apart from God! God is our life!
God is our strength!
THIS is where we should be! This is where he wants us to be!
How Do We Get In The Presence Of God?
There are multiple ways of getting before God.
We’ve talked about 3 so far.
How To Get In The Presence Of God:
4. Spending Time In Praise And Worship!
It’s something about worship that seems to put you before God. But the bible tells us THIS is the way before God.
Psalm 100:4
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
ENTER his gates.
with thanks giving. Enter his courts with praise.
Scripture says that there is a RIGHT way to come before God… And that is by giving thanks and giving praise.
Your Praise Places You In God’s Presence!
God loves our praise!
Psalm 22:3 (AMP)
3 But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered].
God LIVES in the praises you offer to him.
Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
When we come together… SEEKING GOD!
In Praise and worship… It brings God!
This Week:
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Review This Message (Today’s Stream, Study Groups, Lunch Recap)
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Spend Time This Week Actively In God’s Presence
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Make An Effort To Talk To Someone About God This Week (or come to service/study groups)
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Don’t Miss Opportunities For Praise And Worship
