How to Feel God’s Presence Daily: Practical Steps That Work
THE SUBJECT TODAY IS A SUBJECT THAT I DON’T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE I’D RATHER TALK ABOUT, OR ANYTHING THAT IS MORE MEANINGFUL TO ME PERSONALLY, OR THAT I BELIEVE COULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO YOU AS A CHRISTIAN THAN TO WRAP YOUR HEART AND MIND AROUND THIS BASIC, BIBLICAL TRUTH IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THAT, VERY FRANKLY, I DID NOT KNOW FOR A LONG TIME AS A CHRISTIAN; “HOW TO PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF GOD”.
[MUSIC] TAKE GOD’S WORD AND FIND ACTS CHAPTER SEVEN, AND IN A MOMENT I’M GOING TO READ, BEGIN READING IN VERSE 48 AND READ A FEW VERSES. BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION AS YOU’RE FINDING THAT: DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT SOMETIMES TO CONCEIVE OF GOD AS BEING “WITH YOU”? DO YOU THINK OF GOD, MAYBE, AS IN HEAVEN; MAYBE PEERING THROUGH THE CLOUDS, HUH, MOVING THINGS AROUND ON EARTH, LIKE A MAN MOVES CHECKERS WHEN HE PLAYS CHECKERS? SO MANY PEOPLE CONCEIVE OF GOD THAT WAY, AND YOU CAN TELL IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SAY, AH, “WHEN I PRAYED, MY PRAYER DIDN’T GET ABOVE THE LIGHT BULBS.” HUH, HUH, HUH. WELL, MAYBE THEY HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD ALSO LIVES BENEATH THE LIGHT BULBS. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, “HOW TO PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF GOD”. AND THE SUBJECT TODAY IS A SUBJECT THAT I DON’T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE I’D RATHER TALK ABOUT, OR ANYTHING THAT IS MORE MEANINGFUL TO ME PERSONALLY, OR THAT I BELIEVE COULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO YOU AS A CHRISTIAN THAN TO WRAP YOUR HEART AND MIND AROUND THIS BASIC, BIBLICAL TRUTH IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THAT, VERY FRANKLY, I DID NOT KNOW FOR A LONG
TIME AS A CHRISTIAN; “HOW TO PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF GOD”. WHERE DOES GOD LIVE? I MEAN, IF, IF YOU WANTED TO WRITE HIM A LETTER, DO YOU KNOW THE ADDRESS? DO YOU HAVE THE ZIP CODE? DOES GOD LIVE IN A BUILDING LIKE THIS? WE CALL THIS THE HOUSE OF GOD.
IS THIS THE HOUSE OF GOD? LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN VERSE 47, “BUT SOLOMON BUILT HIM AN HOUSE. NEVERTHELESS, THE MOST HIGH,” THAT’S ANOTHER WORD FOR JEHOVAH GOD, “THE MOST HIGH DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS, AS SAITH THE PROPHET. ‘HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS MY FOOTSTOOL: WHAT HOUSE WILL YE BUILD ME,’ SAITH THE LORD, ‘OR WHAT IS THE PLACE OF MY REST?’” WHERE ON EARTH DOES GOD LIVE? IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW, AS WE TAKE THIS BOOK, THE BIBLE, AND STUDY IT, WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT GOD HAS LIVED IN A SERIES OF HOUSES. GOD CREATES A HOUSE, DESIGNS A HOUSE, LIVES IN IT FOR A WHILE, AND THEN IF THE HOUSE
GETS DIRTY, GOD MOVES OUT. YOU SAY, “PASTOR, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.” WELL, YOU’RE GOING TO LEARN A PRINCIPLE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS MESSAGE, AND IT IS THIS: THAT GOD WILL NOT LIVE IN A DIRTY HOUSE. NOW, OTHERS WILL.
I HEARD OF SOME COLLEGE BOYS, AND THE COLLEGE TEAM HAD A MASCOT THAT WAS A GOAT. THEY HAD NO PLACE TO KEEP THE GOAT, AND SOME OF THE BOYS VOLUNTEERED TO KEEP IT IN THE DORMITORY IN THEIR ROOM. THEY SAID, “YOU CAN’T DO THAT.” THEY SAID, “WHY NOT?” THEY SAID, “BECAUSE OF THE SMELL.
