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don’t know if the following is worth considering for upcoming sermons. I believe the Lord shared it with me primarily for intercession instruction, but since you put out a call for input, I thought I’d submit it and let you discern if it’s useful outside of my own prayer life. The main concept is the connection between the power of His presence and revering His holiness, Sorry if it seems to ramble. I thought it easiest just to copy/paste part of my journal entry:
Monday May 4, 2009
Yesterday as I was getting ready to go to church, I became aware of a deep hungering and longing for the power of God’s presence in the midst of our worship. I became aware that I am tired of ‘going through the motions’ of ‘church on Sunday morning’. What I really hunger and long for is the Presence of the Lord among us so heavily, so intensely, so manifest, that anyone entering our midst could not escape an encounter with the Living God. I asked the Lord what is preventing us from experiencing the Power of His Presence in this way. Almost immediately, He began speaking to my spirit about holiness and righteousness. We are an un-holy people and He is a Holy God who does not tolerate sin. But we have been given a robe of righteousness by the blood of Jesus, so what is this really all about? As I pondered it throughout the day, I felt the Lord was saying it’s more of a heart attitude issue. We as His church are too flippant about our sin, and about His Holiness. We don’t come before him with a reverence for His Holiness, or a true understanding of our complete and utter dependence on Him (and His redemption of us by Jesus’ blood sacrifice) for our righteousness. We mistake our good deeds for righteousness, when in fact, they should be considered nothing more than acts of obedience and service done out of our love and devotion to the One who is worthy of all our praise, worship, obedience, love, devotion and service. As I was trying to express these thoughts to Martin, I was reminded of a favorite teaching of mine by David Demian. He talks about the difference between the Lord’s visitations, and the Lord actually dwelling with His people.
Today I meditated on it more, asking the Lord to show me if what I thought I was hearing from Him was really consistent with who He is as seen in scripture. I remembered David Demian referencing passages about Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness, so I went to Exodus and Deuteronomy. I ended up, I believe by the leading of the Holy Spirit, looking first at the section about Moses not being able to enter the promised land. What I found there was of great interest to me, as I felt the Lord was giving me further instruction on this whole topic of giving reverence to His Holiness. The reason God gave Moses for not letting him enter the Promised Land was:
51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. (Deut. 32)
Wow! Moses not upholding the Lord’s holiness among the Israelites (and breaking faith with Him in the presence of the Israelites) was reason for this face-to-face friend of God to be blocked from entering the Promised Land! God is concerned about His Holiness being upheld!!!!
Then I listened again to the teaching tape to find the chapter David Demian was referencing. It was Exodus 33. God tells Moses He will not go with them to the Promised Land, but will send an angel instead, because the Lord is fed up with the stiff-necked people and may destroy them if He were to go with them – “even for a moment”. Here is evidence that the rebellious behavior of a people will cause the Lord to want to withdraw from them – for their own sake! Even when they’re His people! He doesn’t abandon them, He just plans to send an angel instead. But the amazing thing is what happened next! Moses discusses it with the Lord, reminding the Lord:
You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” and 14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” !!!!!! The Lord changed His mind and decided to go with them! Then Moses goes on as if He didn’t even hear the Lord’s reply – Moses is still pleading his case, saying:”If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” Then the Lord answers again, in more detail:”I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” The Lord says He will do what Moses asked because He is pleased with Him and He knows Moses by name. Wow!!! The Lord actually changed His mind just because Moses pleased Him and they knew each other personally. What does that teach me about the benefit of standing before God on behalf of a people group, as one who pleases the Lord and knows Him personally? Pretty powerful! What is also powerful is Moses’ argument. He recognized that it was the Lord who made him and the people of Israel different from all others. Without the Lord, they would be just like all the other people. I believe that acknowledgement of their unique identity being only in Him was very pleasing to the Lord. Also, Moses wasn’t going to settle for just an angel. Has the church in the US settled for less than His presence with us? Are we satisfied with His angels, not contending with Him to have His very presence with us? Moses would not settle for anything less than the Lord Himself!! The next bit of instruction was verse 14 of the next chapter: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (italics mine) This is more instruction on the Name of God! I never saw this before – that His Name is Jealous! He names Himself ‘Jealous’! He is Holy and He is Jealous, and He is Jealous about His Holiness!!!
So, I think what He is wanting me (and His entire bride) to learn is that reverence for His Holiness is very important to Him. He is jealous for it. Parts of the church have had the focus too much on our own ‘holiness’, but this is about HIS holiness. Our ‘holiness’ is only found in Him, and He loves it when we acknowledge that – acknowledging that HE is HOLY and we are not. Our ‘righteousness’ is as filthy rags, and we are utterly, totally dependant on HIS Holiness to make us holy.
I have really enjoyed hearing concrete examples of how we can share our faith with our neighbors and would enjoy hearing more. (Not sure if that could even be a sermon topic…)
I’m always intrigued as I learn how God’s story takes us all the way from Genesis through Revelation with one central plotline. I’d be anxious to hear some preaching on the metanarrative of scripture and how the OT informs the NT and even vice versa.