Sunday, September 22, 2019 - How Can I Feel God’s Presence?
Pastor Roger R. Marcos
September 22, 2019
Psalm 42:2-11
Every minute all is alive with God glorious Presence, to those whose hearts are intimately connected with God. As you give yourself more and more to a life of constant communion with Him, you will find that you simply have no time to worry. Thus, you are freed to let My Spirit direct your steps, enabling you to walk along the path of peace."
Last Sunday I talked about “Reading God’s Word”- God trusted us a lot pertaining to the riches of our soul in reading His word. In conjunction today message yes, HOW CAN I FEEL GOD’S PRESENCE? Do you feel it His presence? Do You Church?
A One Lady Said: When I sin, I am refusing to love the Lord and therefore I can’t worship Him. My sin also drives me to hide from Him.
Take time to realize that God will take you farther than you ever dreamed possible if you learn the secret of practicing His presence. What a privilege to become a best friend of God! Have you grasped the reality of what this means?
“Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure. - Rick Warren
Psalm 42:1-11 - “As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people sayto me, “Where is your God?” 4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts. 5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. 6 I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night- a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God, my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?” 10 My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, “Where is your God?” 11 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Psalms 42 gave us a lesson and teaches us a very clear view on HOW TO FACE THE REALITY dealing with the stresses and life struggled. David, was experiencing a terrible, horrific DEPRESSION which I believe draining his strength, his spirit for the Lord. In this passage he describes how God seemed so distant to him.
- Three times he asked “Why am I so depressed? 5, 6, 11
- Two times he asked, “Why is this turmoil within me? 5, 11
- Two times it was asked, “Where is your God? 3, 10
- 1 time he asked, “Why have you forgotten me? 9
- Two times he remembered earlier and better times. 4, 6
- Two times he expressed his continuing faith. 8, 9
- Two times an excellent conclusion and direction for life is stated. 5, 11
Church to feel the presence of God we must walk in holiness- increasing ourselves in loving Him. God is hurting if we sin. ..remember we are a slave of God’s righteousness so in order to have a safe travel to eternity WE MUST STOP SINNING.
A loving God, merciful and understandable so if you feel God is so far you can overcome and feel’s God’s presence, closeness, and forgiveness again . . . If, you Truly Want to. ...
WHEN GOD SEEMS SO FAR AWAY TO YOU LIKE DAVID.
A. Psalm 43:2 - “You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
It’s one of the most common experiences of the Christian life. God feels far away, like he’s hiding himself. You feel destitute, dry, and desperate for a sense that he is still there, still listening, still caring. But you can’t seem to out a prayer since even your prayers feel empty, and they seem to return with an echo of defeat.
Rely On Truth, Not Feelings
David’s cry in Psalm 22 sounds a lot like ours: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer and by night, but I find no rest. Ps. 22:1-2
Where are you, Lord? Why are you hiding yourself from me? I am your child, so why, Father, does it feel like you are ignoring my cries? How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will I seek you, only to find silence? I am languishing, O Lord. Do not delay, O my God.
David felt like he had been tossed aside by God forsaken
Four Things Cause us to Feel Spiritually Withdrawn.
1. A Loss of Feeling. Have you ever been completely bewildered? Emotionally, spiritually, or relationally numb? Wondering where you are in life, how you got there, where God went, and what to do next? Are you there now? You’re not alone. But you are vulnerable. Life’s biggest mistakes are often made right where you are right now. SO. before you do the wrong thing, stop, take a breath.
a. Indicates that Something Is Wrong.
b. Numbness Is Not A Good Thing.
- Numbness in our physical bodies requires a visit to a physician.
- Numbness in our spiritual condition requires a visit to the Great Physician.
c. Feeling is no longer present where numbness resides.
2. A Loss of Concentration.
a. Indicates that distractions have moved in.
b. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8
3. A Loss of Fellowship.
a. Deprives us of a great source of spiritual strength.
b. Brethren are here to help us reach Heaven.
c. We are here to help other brethren reach Heaven.
4. A Lack of Practice.
a. Interrupts our walk in faithfulness.
b. Takes our focus off of what is really important in this life . . . The things of God.
B. Someone defined worship as “being preoccupied with God.”
WHEN TROUBLED COMES WE QUESTIONS GOD.
A. Psalm 43:5 - “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within
me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
B. David is Asking two Important Questions:
1. David asked “Why?” Psalm 42:5, 9, 11
2. David asked “For what may I hope?” Psalm 43:1
“Vindicate Me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.”
When we are struggling, and when we have distanced ourselves from
God, we don’t feel we have much to work with, do we?
Herein We See the Importance of Remaining Close to God.
We remain close to God by remaining faithful to God.
We remain faithful to God by remaining faithful to His written Word.
We remain faithful to God by meeting with Him in worship.
We remain close to God through careful study of His word . . . The Bible.
Psalm 34:8-9 - “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
CONCLUSION:
Two Thoughts:
1 - If God seems distant to where you are, ask yourself, “Who moved?” Move closer, for He has always been there for His people.
2 - Just knowing God is there makes where you are better!
May David’s conclusion be your conclusion as well: Psalm 42:11 - “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
Make today a moving day . . . A day in which you begin to move closer to God . . . Begin to close the distance you have allowed to exist between you and God.
1. Any distance between you and God was put there by you . . . not God.
2. Close the gap . . . Your Father wants you home!