1 Corinthians 2:1-16 KJV 1 And I, brethren, when I came
to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto
you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you
in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not
stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 Howbeit we speak
wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world,
nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak
the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes
of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified
the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them
unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the
deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of
the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not
in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,
yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of
the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Theologians define the presence of the LORD as omnipresent, manifest or indwelling.
David said: Whither
shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell,
behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand
lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the
darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the
day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Psalms 139:7-12
KJV
His
omnipresence is being everywhere. We cannot escape that fact! He
hovered like a dove over the waters of creation but longs to be with you
in a special way. He was with Israel in his omnipresence but manifested
Himself in the Temple. There is a desire in God to have man dwell in
His presence. God wants to manifest
His glory to you so that you can rejoice in His presence and share in his glory
MAN WALKED IN GOD’S PRESENCE BEFORE THE FALL
There is a special way in which God wants to commune with man:
Adam
had that special relationship with God before the fall. He dwelt in the
presence of God who walked in the garden and talked with Adam.
Of man the psalmist says: When
I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the
stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of
him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made
him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and
honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy
hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen,
yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish
of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O
LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Psalms 8:3-9
KJV
After the fall a tragic statement is made: And
they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool
of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of
the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8 KJV
They
hid from the presence of YAHWEH. It was a presence they were accustomed
to but with the act of disobedience they were immediately aware of
estrangement from the presence of the LORD. Man in disobedience is cut
off from the presence of God.
For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 KJV Wherefore, as by one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12 KJV
JESUS CAME TO RECONCILE MAN TO HIS ORIGINAL STATUS WITH GOD
Jesus
came to restore man to the original relationship, to make available
once again access to the glory from which we fell short.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 KJV
To
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV
Colossians
1:10-29 KJV That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks
unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the
body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things
in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he
reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made
a minister; 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his
body's sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister,
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to
fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from
ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching
every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working,
which worketh in me mightily.
SEEK THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD NOT TRADITIONS AND PERSONAL AGENDA
When
we begin to follow hard after God and seek His face to the exclusion of
everything He reveals Himself to us and we enter into His presence.
2
Corinthians 3:17-18 KJV 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
When
we become involved in our own agenda God hovers but when we seek His
will, His face, His presence, His glory then He settles and His glory
fills the temple. Ichabod is written over the door of many churches and
the hearts of men because of their departure from the presence and
clinging to their own agenda and traditions and culture.
1 Samuel
4:19-22 KJV And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child,
near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God
was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she
bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about
the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear
not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she
regard it. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is
departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of
her father in law and her husband. 22 And she said, The glory is
departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
Israel
had a hollow form of worship which proved tragically ineffective
against the attacks of the enemy. They mistook the structures and forms
of worship for the presence of God but all they had was an empty shell.
Mark
7:6-13 KJV He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied
of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their
lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they
worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For
laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as
the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that
ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father
and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the
death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It
is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be
profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do
ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none
effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such
like things do ye.
Colossians
2:8-9 KJV Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily.
Colossians 2:16-19 KJV
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an
holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a
shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man
beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of
angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly
puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which
all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and
knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Do
not be mislead into holding on to the shadows seeing Christ has brought
the substance to us…in fact He is the substance and fulfillment of all
types and shadows. We are no longer chasing after shadows and traditions
for we have reality in our spirits “…CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY”
INVITE YAHWEH’S MANIFEST PRESENCE THROUGH TRUE WORSHIP
John
4:21-24 KJV Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh,
when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship
the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship:
for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:
for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
In the Bible His glory came down when true worship prevailed.
After Moses completed the tabernacle it was filled with Yahweh’s glory
Exodus
40:34-35 KJV Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the
glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to
enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode
thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Of the temple that Solomon built the Scripture records:
It
came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make
one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they
lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of
musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the
house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister
by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house
of God. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 KJV
Again after Solomon finished praying:
Now
when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from
heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the
glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter
into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the
LORD'S house. 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire
came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and
worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 KJV
What kind of people seeks the face of YAHWEH?
Who
shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy
place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not
lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall
receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of
his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that
seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Psalms 24:3-6 KJV
People with clean hands
People with pure hearts
Souls that are not inclined to useless, false, vain idolatry
People who have not used guile, subtlety, treachery in their oaths.
The
confidence of the saint is in YAHWEH Who is his light, salvation and
strength (place of defence). The enemy cannot defeat the saint who lives
in the presence of the LORD.
The LORD is my light and
my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my
foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though
an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war
should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4 One thing have I
desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the
house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the
LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he
shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he
hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be
lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in
his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises
unto the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy
also upon me, and answer me. 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my
heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 9 Hide not thy face
far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help;
leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Psalms 27:1-9
KJV
When the face of God shines on His people good things begin to happen!
God
be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us;
Selah. 2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among
all nations. 3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people
praise thee. 4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou
shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
Selah. 5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise
thee. 6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own
God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the
earth shall fear him. Psalms 67:1-7 KJV
Thou
wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at
thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:11 KJV
When God’s people praise Him something happens But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 KJV
It stands to reason that the more praise and worship rise from our hearts the more we can experience His presence. For
through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being
the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also
are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:18-22 KJV
As a child of God
Christ lives in me. I have eternal life. Within this body of time dwells
God who inhabits eternity. The concept of God living in me is
staggering. I am bigger on the inside than on the outside, for Almighty
God is able to live in me. I cannot, should not, and will not allow my
body to subject me to its limitations. Rather I will allow God who “…
is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20 KJV) to work in me For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 KJV
