The Presence of God

Now, let's take a moment to pray before we open the scriptures. Father, we are grateful today for this means to read the Word of God together, to be reminded of its truths. We live in a world of such confusion, such deceit, we wonder what is true, but we have the Word of Truth with us today, and we pray that it really will be a comfort, a challenge, and a blessing to us today in every place, your people in every place that they are.

We're spread widely across this globe, but the Word of God to us is precious and is sufficient to meet the needs of every circumstance, of every trial, and as we anticipate together to what lies before us. So, Father, bless your Word to us. May it be living.

May we receive it in our hearts, in its power and its living effect on our lives to bless every heart and to carry us through until we see our precious Lord Himself face to face. So, bless our time, bless thy Word to us, and guide our thoughts as we pray, thankfully, for the Lord Jesus that we have, by grace through faith, trusted Him and come to know Him as our Savior, and we long to see Him. So, we give thanks for our living Lord as we pray in His lovely name.

Amen. I'm going to commence my message today with reading Psalm number 23, but primarily for a couple of phrases in it, but it is such a precious psalm that I'm going to read it, and I know it's perhaps familiar to most of us, most familiar, read in the King James version, but as I considered, how am I going to read this today? It occurred to me that there was a real intimacy that came across to me in this way, and I'm going to read it today in the New King James version. The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

And that's one of the keys of my message today, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

And that being the second part of my message, not only that He is with us. The promise in verse 4, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, regardless of what circumstances I find myself in, or you find yourself in this day, God's promise is, and I find this very tender, you are with me. But then the promise of the future, that the psalmist here appreciates, and he has experienced, as we know and think of the life of David, has experienced great tile.

But not only has he experienced the preciousness of the promise of the presence of the Lord, but he understands the confidence, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. We, child of God, we are going to be with the Lord forever. So those two things are before me as I think of the subject of the presence of God.

He's promised to be with us now. And we can see that in so many scriptures, and time certainly will limit us as to how much we can bring together, but we're going to see that today. And I trust that will be a comfort wherever you're walking.

Maybe it's in the valley of the shadow of death, through the valley, or maybe it's on the mountaintop, or somewhere in between, but that we really experience the reality of the presence, the promised presence of God with us. Beneath are the everlasting arms. He's a cover, as a refuge, as a shelter in the time of storm.

He's behind, he's before, he's above, he surrounds, and we're so grateful for that. But then to live also in the reality of that tremendous prospect, though we haven't seen, we've seen by the eye of faith, and we can come into the confident assurance that we are going to be forever with the Lord. I will dwell in the house of the Lord, at home with the Lord, forever.

Let us read, first of all, in the book of Isaiah. In the book of Isaiah, we're familiar with this, it has been mentioned in previous messages on this series, but I'm going to read some selected verses from Isaiah 43, to just bring some of these thoughts before us. Chapter 43 of Isaiah, verse number one, But now thus says the Lord, Who created you, O Jacob, and who formed you, O Israel, fear not, for I've redeemed you, I've called you by your name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Verse four, since you are precious in my sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you, therefore I will give men to you and the people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you.

First of all, we can appreciate, not only is this, the words we are reading here, a truth that Israel, that God could speak by the prophet Isaiah about Israel, but it is true of us, the people of God. And isn't it a wonderful reality, just for that to soak in. I have created you.

I formed you. I redeemed you. There's ascending intimacy, not just in creation and in formation, but redemption.

I called you by name. And perhaps we look back in our experience to the real individual call of God in our lives. And we experienced that.

It was very personal. I own you. He says, you're mine.

I've loved you, verse four. And I am with you, in verse five. As he speaks of when he's with them, he brings this before them, that he'll be with us in the waters.

And I think of the depths when it's, would refer to this, the sea as, as the children of Israel faced the Red Sea. They have been brought out of Egypt. They've seen the mighty hand of God.

And yet here is a new experience. The sea is before them. Behind them is a vicious enemy, powerful enemy.

And they see no way. They call out in desperation. They've lost sight of the greatness of their God.

And Isaiah here, and he looks back, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. I don't know what experiences, what depths you may be facing today. The waters may seem very deep.

There may seem no way. I think of the words of a song, God will make a way. When it seems there is no way, because he is the way.

And there's nothing too hard for him. So dear child of God, as we think of the presence of the Lord with us, think of the fears and thoughts of the children of Israel, as there was the sea and there was the enemy. But a glimpse of their God would bring them hope.

Pardon me. And the reality of his presence would carry them through and he made a way. The land was dry before them.

The water was walls beside them. God made a way through the waters. Secondly, he says that he'll be with as the river that was before them.

And our minds go to that fact of the children of Israel, as they're about to enter the promised land. God had brought them to each step of the way, 40 years. And now the waters of the flooding river Jordan were before them.

And the Lord says, just take one step at a time. And without the waters parting, as they stood still, the waters parted when they trusted God. And they took that one step as those priests put one foot in that flooding river.

The water stopped upstream and dry land was before them. And God made a way. Perhaps you are feeling the direction and guidance of God.

As you read the scriptures and the nudgings of the Holy Spirit in your life, you are sensing his direction and yet you don't see the way. God, again, God will make a way when it seems there is no way. He works in ways we cannot see.

He will make a way for me. Hold me. He will be my guide.

Hold me closely to his side with love and strength for each new day. He will make a way. Perhaps there's a young person and you are sensing God's call for a work that he's laid on your heart and yet you don't see the way and the obstacles are all that you can see.

The flooding river, I encourage you as the Lord is with us, that he makes the way. He will open the path. Just take one step of obedience at a time.

Don't look at yourself. You'll see your weakness. Don't look at others.

They'll seem more qualified. But look to the God who called you and who will make a way, who has promised. Thirdly, I want to think of the, not only the waters and the river, but the fire.

And our minds go to those three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And those three young men with devotion to their God, unwavering devotion. They had experienced the power of God, the leadership of a young man, Daniel.

And as they are called upon to bow to the idols of this world, those young men, they state, I'm just reading here from Daniel chapter three, our God whom we serve. You just love this conviction and devotion of these young men. He is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace.

God is able. There's nothing too hard for God. But if not, if that's not his will at this moment, if not, we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden image.

What price is too high to pay for devotion to God? These young men were confident in the power of God to deliver them. But even if he didn't see fit to deliver them, they knew that God ultimately would deliver them. And ultimately he will.

God proved he was faithful. And those men went into the fire and were not burned. They were not singed.

And we've read here in Isaiah, you shall walk through the fire. You shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. Maybe you're feeling the scorch of the flame.

Maybe you're feeling like I am really feeling this fire, but God is with you and he has his purpose. And these aren't idle words that he's made the promise. When this happens, I will be with you.

Those men were in the fire and that wicked man, Nebuchadnezzar looked in and saw the evidence of the presence of God. And we can display the evidence of the presence of God through times of trial, that we have confidence in our God. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him, Job said.

He experienced the fire. He experienced the trial, but his eyes were fixed on his God that was with him. I want to think of the, not only the, these young men that passed through the fire, but, and this time of crisis that we have been thinking of in Isaiah.

But I also want to direct our minds. And for the sake of time, I won't turn in our Bibles to this familiar portion, but in Luke chapter 24, there was a time of confusion. He's with us in crisis, but he's with us in times of confusion.

And you'll remember then Luke chapter 24, there were two on the road to Emmaus and the events of the past days had left them in that confusion. The Lord whom they had loved, they had followed, they had been with. They had seen him crucified.

They had seen that he was buried. They didn't understand. And then to top it all off, the tomb was empty and they didn't know where his body was.

And in that time of confusion, we read these precious words, and Jesus himself drew near and went with them. You may be in times of confusion. You may have thought you knew the will of God and you walked faithfully in that course that you believed was his direction.

And you've been left in confusion and you don't understand. It's at moments like that, that we can experience the promise of God, Jesus himself drew near. He draws near and goes with us.

May you experience his presence in that special way. As you go through experiences of confusion, you've had a loss that you don't understand. You took a step that you thought was of certain devotion and commitment and obedience to God, and it's been costly.

But what did the Lord do as he drew near and went with them? He opened to them the scriptures and spoke to them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself. In times of confusion, there's no better place than just to see Christ himself in the word of God and to experience his comfort, his presence in his word. I want to think also of his presence that he has promised in fulfilling the commission that is committed to us.

In Matthew chapter 28, and if we were to read verses 18 to 20 together, we would read, and I'll just summarize it in this. He says to his disciples, go and make disciples of all nations. But this is the promise that I want to remind each of us that he made to his disciples, and it carries through to us as well.

Lo, I am with you always. We are not commissioned to spread the good news of a living Savior whose sacrifice has freed us from sin's power and penalty and ultimately from the presence of sin. We haven't just been commissioned to go it on our own.

That would be dreadful. But even those disciples, as the Lord had told him he was going away, he said, but I'm with you always. We were just reminded in our Zoom gathering this morning in Marysville of a young man who, while he was in grade school, sixth grade, was a faithful witness to a friend of his.

And it's at least six years later now that, again, being in contact with this young man who had moved away to another state, he was able again to share the gospel. God was using what he faithfully sowed years ago as a young man to bring his friend to faith in Christ, even now as probably an 18-year-old young man. God is able.

He has commissioned all of us. It's not for the select few. But understand, we've been commissioned by God as witnesses in this world to reach our neighbors, our family, others in our influence, not on our own, but with the presence, the promised presence of God.

I am with you always, even unto the end of the age, right to now. Amen. But not only in the commission, but I want to think of the comfort of his presence.

And we have thought of that a bit already in the Psalm number 23. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Maybe you, as I do, think of the occasion in John chapter 11.

It was a very sorrowful time for Martha and Mary. And the Lord Jesus himself came, was touched with their grief. He wept.

Understand, dear child of God, that the one who has promised to be with us in our crisis, in the confusion of life, in the commission that he has committed to us, but also in times of great difficulty. When it seems the waters will overflow us, he speaks words of comfort. I am with you.

We look to his promise that the Psalmist appreciated in the depths that he went through, in the sorrows that he went through. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. That really is a place to transition to the latter part of my message.

And this is a very, very joyful reality. And I trust as we reference some of the scriptures that we're going to now in these next few moments, that they will really become living and real to us as we read them. I want to think of the promise of the Lord Jesus in John chapter 14, as he is preparing his disciples for his departure.

And they are troubled. And we have these precious words in John chapter 14. Let not your heart be troubled.

You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. And think of these disciples that have been with him. And to hear these precious words from the Lord Jesus, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.

I can't help but think a smile spread across their face that day. Really? We're going to be where you are always? In your home? He said, that's what I said. I'm going to prepare a place for you.

And if I go, and they knew he went, I will come again and receive you to myself. To see what I'm appreciating, and I hope we can all appreciate together as we read some more scriptures, is the fact, he didn't just say, I'm going to take you to heaven, or I'm going to get you to my Father's house. But the precious truth, where I am, in my very presence, you're going to be there too.

Child of God, that's the future that has been purchased for us. We have a certain future. Let's turn over to chapter 17.

One of my many favorite verses, John chapter 17 and verse number 24. Father, I desire that they also whom you have gave me, may be with me where I am. That they may behold my glory.

This is verse 24 that I'm reading. That may be behold my glory, which you have given me for you love me before the foundation of the world. His passionate desire, his promise, when I come again, I'm going to receive you to myself, so that where I am there, you may be also.

I think we see the passion in the prayer of the Lord Jesus. Father, I want, I desire that everyone that you've given to me will be with me right where I am, so that they may behold my glory. I'm sure we've been there.

The thought of sharing what is precious to us with others. Come and look at this. You've got to be with me.

And here's the Lord Jesus. And he's about to go to the cross to pay that redemption price for every one of us. And he's anticipating, he's praying.

I want those, I want those redeemed, forgiven, cleansed people. Once in rebellion against me, but now brought near. And I want them with myself always.

To behold my glory. I want them to share in everything. Yes, and just now the words of first Peter come to me, that we have an inheritance that's incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.

But he's the central attraction. I want to think in, in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, here is, is Paul. And he speaks of, of, of his preference as he thinks of, of being with the Lord Jesus.

And these are, are, are precious truths. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 6 through 8. So we are always confident. Knowing, not fantasizing, not imagining that, that maybe this is going to happen, but knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith and not by sight.

We are confident. We're confident. Yes.

Well-pleased rather or preferring to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Again, he isn't just thinking of, oh, I'm going to escape the persecution and the responsibilities that are committed to me here. This is a difficult life.

We could read of the trials and difficulties that the apostle went through. He's not speaking of the escape to get to heaven, but to be present with the Lord. And he said in to the Philippians, he said, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, be with Christ, which is far, far better.

Yes. Child of God, the Lord has promised to be with us in every circumstance now. But the reality is that in the future, just as real as what you observe around you that is physical now.

By faith, we lay hold of the reality that there is a living savior who has ascended. He's human and we're going to behold him. We're going to be with him.

Paul's preference and his confidence was that he would rather be with Christ. I want to think of in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, as Paul writes to the Thessalonian believers about those who have departed. He speaks of them as being with Christ and that we're going to be with them.

And I'll just read the verses 16 through 18 of chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians. The Lord himself. I love that expression.

We've read it. We've thought of it in Luke chapter 24 as well. And it's here again.

The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord. To be with him, to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus, from then on, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. This is a peaceful assurance.

There may be, well, there are. There's likely all of us have loved ones that have preceded us. Some even this past week.

And you may be in the depths of sorrow. Maybe some have passed on to be with the Lord very unexpectedly. These words of comfort.

They're with the Lord. And the moment is nearing. We can almost hear his footfall on the threshold of the door.

And my heart, my heart is longing to be with him forevermore. The comfort, the precious comfort of the scriptures is that we are going to be caught up together to be with the Lord forever. I want to think too that the promise of his coming and the anticipation of being in his presence is a purifying prospect.

In first, that we read in 1st John in chapter 3, verses 2 and 3, we read these words. Beloved, now are we the children of God. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know.

We know that when he shall be revealed, when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is, that prospect before us. And everyone who has this hope in him, constantly before him, living with that prospect, purifies himself even as he is pure. And so as we think of the prospect of being with the Lord, it has a purifying effect on our lives even today.

And in the week ahead, as we lay hold of these truths and embrace the truth and reality of scripture that we're going to be with the Lord, it purifies, has a purifying effect on our lives. Perhaps you have experienced what it is to be in the home of a very, very meticulous host. Nothing is out of place.

Dust doesn't seem to land on their furniture. And then you have the privilege of inviting them back to your house. And maybe the prospect of them coming through your door has a purifying effect on the presentation of your home.

Because of their standard, you raise it up a bit, things you do all you can to keep things orderly. Well, as we look to the prospect of being with the Lord, of his presence, it should have a purifying effect in our lives as we anticipate being with him. It has a prioritizing effect.

As we think of being with the Lord, and that all of this, what we experience now, what our heart's affections are centered on, what we value here and now, it's changed as we, as the reality of our eternal future is being with the Lord. That's where our treasure is. There will our heart be also.

I just thought of Hebrews chapter 11 and verses 13 to 14 regarding Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They were assured of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth.

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. We have home and that's lying ahead. Home is a very comforting, warm, personal place.

And that's what is reserved for us in glory. I want to think lastly of the place itself. Now that's a whole subject in itself, but I just want to wet our appetites.

It's not an unknown scripture to us. So a fresh, refreshing glimpse of the place that is before us. And I want to think of Revelation chapter 21 verses three and four.

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, and I won't yell these words, but I want you to think of this loud voice from heaven that John heard. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people. God himself, there it is again.

God himself will be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, no sorrow, no crying.

There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. There's much more that could be read further on in the chapter and in chapter 22. And I encourage you to have a look there.

That's going to be home. And it makes the best of earth, pale before it. But again, I refer to another song, turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look, look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. I was thinking of the words of a song.

And I have just printed some of it out here. Some of you may know what it is. It's entitled, this is just what heaven means to me.

Talks about a country where no twilight shadows deepen. Unending day where night shall never be. A city where no storm clouds ever gather.

This is just what heaven means to me. Place where there's no misunderstanding. From all enmity and strife, we're free.

At which characterizes this dark world. No unkind words to wound the heart are spoken. Now this is just what heaven means to me.

Here's the climax. And when at last we see the face of Jesus, before whose image other loves all flee, when they crown him Lord of all, I'll be there. Now, this is just what heaven means to me.

Dear child of God, it's reality. It's the word of God. I trust that the promise of his presence will lift your heart today.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. And the delight, the peace, the confidence, the assurance that we soon will be with the Lord and that that's where, that's exactly, precisely where he wants us. That raises our value, that raises our priorities, our purposes, and all that, all and much more that we've talked about today.

It's real. It's not fantasy. It's the word of a living God.

And I trust you might enjoy these truths as you meditate upon them and think further. Let's pray. Father, as we consider the darkness of this world, we're in it but not of it.

This world has had their thoughts of Christ away with him. We don't want him to reign over us. But by grace you have brought us to repentance and we have claimed him as Lord, Savior.

And we experience and believe the promise that in every circumstance, in crisis, in confusion, in the commission, in every circumstance, you have promised to be with us. And Lord, we lift up to the, the many believers who are with us on this call even just now. And they're going through difficult times.

Lord, may the presence of God be very, very real. Underneath the everlasting arms, the refuge, the confidence, the shelter, the support, the strength. And Lord, may we also be carried and lifted with that confident prospect.

Words from the lips of the Lord Jesus himself. I want, I desire that those whom you've given me may be with me where I am. And we've looked at the prospect and the certainty of being with the Lord and of that place that is home and will be home eternally for every child of God.

We're amazed at thy grace, Father. And Lord, we just commit everyone into thy good hand for blessing and for encouragement and for challenge as we pray in the lovely name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.