Title: Perceptions About God's Presence
Bible Book: Psalms
Author: Donnie L. Martin
Subject: God, Presence of; Glory of God; Worship, Wonder of
Objective:
Introduction
The presence of God is something that should never be taken lightly. The idea that a holy, pure, altogether perfect God would ever choose to associate Himself with sinful men seems to be an irreconcilable contradiction. And were it not for the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, man could never hope to experience God’s presence and fellowship. The apostle Paul was speaking of this very thing when he said, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph.2:13). Paul then went on to say, “For through him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph.2:18). The bottom line here is simply that if the child of God is not enjoying the presence of God, it is not because God does not desire it. He has made every provision in His Son, Jesus that men might come into His presence.
However, it is not man’s capacity to enjoy God’s presence that I want to speak of today, but the characteristics of God’s presence. It has been my privilege to experience some extraordinary moves of God, where His presence was so obvious to all present. It was during these times that I became aware of the characteristics of God’s presence that I wish to share with you today.
I. Powerful
A. God’s Presence Is Imposing In Its Form
Chronicles 16:27a, “Glory and honor are in his presence…”
Perhaps images of the Shekinah glory of God were fresh in the mind of the writer as he penned these words. The word “glory,” as used here, means, “grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and appearance): beauty…excellency, glorious…majesty.”1
The word “honour” carries much the same idea as that found in the word “glory” above. This word means, “manificense, i.e. ornament or splendor…”2
I have been in worship services where the presence of God was awesome and imposing. I have seen times when the presence of God brought a solemn hush upon the people to the extent that one almost felt that the act of breathing was an insult to the holiness of the moment. At other times the presence of God resulted in such conviction and power that tears began to flow in torrents of confession and soul-searching. The presence of God is imposing in its form.
The real question is, “Are we really hungry for the presence of God among us?” Tenney accurately notes…
It’s time that we punch a hole in the heavens and break through in hungry travail so the glory of God can begin to shine down on our city. But we can’t even get a trickle to flow down the aisle, much less see His glory flow through the streets, because we’re not really hungry.3
B. God’s Presence Is Imposing In Its Fearfulness
Exodus 19:16, “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightenings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.”
One can only imagine how awesome and fearful this sight must have been to the Israelites. However, this sight impressed upon their minds the need for reverential awe toward Jehovah God. So much so, that later, they requested that God speak verbally only to Moses (Ex. 20:19). Some may fault the Israelites for their response to God’s presence, but at least they did not take it lightly. In our day, we tend to be much too flippant about the presence of God. The majority of Christians these days never seem to consider the need to search their hearts while in God’s house.
Would to God that Christians of our day would regain some reverential awe of God. The psalmist said, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth” (Ps. 96:9).
I suggest to you that many churches have experienced very little of the manifest presence of God. This is mainly due to the fact that we Christians often come to God’s house with selfish motives in mind: (1) We come looking for a blessing rather than the Blesser; (2) We come looking for a gift rather than God; (3) We come looking for help rather than Him. There’s nothing particularly wrong with seeking God for those things. But I have a sneaking suspicion that we’d be better off if we’d stop merely seeking goodies from God’s hand, and start seeking His face. We don’t merely need what God can provide; we need His presence and power. But as Tommy Tenney says, “Intimacy [with God] will bring about ‘blessing,’ but the pursuit of ‘blessing’ won’t always bring about intimacy…God is not coming to people who merely seek His benefits. He’s coming to people who seek His face.”4
C. God’s Presence Is Imposing In Its Forcefulness
Chronicles 5:13, “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 music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever: 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.”
What our churches need these days is a good dose of the overwhelming presence of God. In the case just mentioned, the presence of God took over and controlled the scene. The priests were in the middle of their dedicatory service when the presence of God changed the order of service.
I wonder what would happen in many of our Baptist churches this morning if the awesome presence of God broke out in the service, so that the preacher couldn’t preach for people weeping under the conviction of their sins, or people having to leave their seat to go to another person in the congregation to ask for their forgiveness?
It’s truly wonderful when the presence of God directs a worship service. But don’t miss the prerequisites mentioned in 2 Chronicles chapter five. The presence of God came as the result of purging, preparation, and praise.
II. Penetrating
1 Samuel 16:7b, “…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
1 Chronicles 28:9a, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imagination of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee…”
Psalm 44:20, “If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange God; 21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.”
The Bible tells us that, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). How a person appears to be does not fool God in the least. God does not see us as we perceive ourselves to be, or even as we profess ourselves to be. He sees us as we are. You may have come into God’s house today thinking that no one really knows what’s going on in your life. That may be true. But dear friend, God knew the truth about you before you ever arrived here today.
The presence of the Lord is penetrating. God looks deeper than the surface.
III. Pervasive
A. God Is Everywhere
Psalm 139:7-12, “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.”
Jesus said that men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19b). Any attempt on man’s part to hide his evil conduct with a cloak of darkness, or by any other means, is futile. God doesn’t miss anything.
B. God Sees Everything
Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
IV. Pleasant
1 Chronicles 16:27, “Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.”
Psalm 16:11, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Going one’s own way may seem pleasurable and exciting for a time; but for the Christian, living outside the will and presence of God is a truly miserable experience. If you should have any doubts about my assertion, consider the case of King David, who, for perhaps a year, refused to repent and confess his sin with Bathsheba. Only when the Holy Spirit, through the prophet Nathan, exposed his heart, did the king confess, “…I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam.12: 13a). While Psalm 51 is the account of David’s confession before God, Psalm 32: 1-5 recounts the misery King David endured up until he got right with God.
Psalm 32:3-5, “When I kept silence (refused to confess my sin), my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
V. Promised
A. His Presence Is With Us Along Life’s Way
Genesis 28:15, “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”
Hebrews 13:5b, “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
B. His Presence Is With Us In Our Worship
Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
VI. Precious
A. David Feared The Loss Of God’s Presence
Psalm 51:11, “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”
B. Sin Causes The Sense Of God’s Presence To Pale
Isaiah 64:7b, “…for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.”
Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
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- James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: published by MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia; #1935 in the Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, pg. 32.
- Ibid, #1926 in the Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, pg. 32.
- Tommy Tenney, The God Chasers: Pursuing The Lover of Your Soul, published by Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310; pg. 32.
- 4. Ibid, pgs. 38 & 47.
