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by Rev. Richard W. LaFountain, all rights reserved. 
1. God is ever present, - He is always, everywhere, in all things. (ie) Room w/o light (ie) oxygen, ever present. (ie) burned popcorn, toast - smell stays with you, permiates everything. 2. God's presence is invisible- It is silent, unassuming, still (ie) Mr Harvey T Winkles, principal. Elijah and the voice of the Lord - still small voice. "but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12 3. God's presence can be avoided - It can be quenched, grieved, run from. Though his presence is actually there it is undetected, un-experienced. (ie) Jacob's Dream of the Ladder - Genesis 28:16 (ie) Jonah ran from the presence of the Lord (ie) Saul who knew the anointing of God - lost His presence "He answers me not by urim and thumin or dreams." (ie) David committed adultery with Bathsheba and lost the joy of His salvation, presence of God, free spirit of God, Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 4. God's presence is promised to us! Emmanuel: God is with us! I will never leave you nor forsake you. Some day his presence will be complete (for we know in part and we prophesy in part). We will one day be presented faultless before His presence, accepted, forgiven. It can be found (seek me while I may be found) or intensified (a very present help in trouble, or overwhelming (in thy presence is fullness of joy). We can either wait for his presence, seek his presence, joy in his presence or hinder his presence. (ie) The canary in the mine - sensitive to environment, toxins, and will quickly die in the presence of nocuous gases. 5. God's presence can be withdrawn - or completely removed. King's presence - either cast out of His presence. Many believers already know that there is an "unpardonable sin." - that moment when a man so rejects the Spirit of God that he attributes the work of the Spirit to the devil and light becomes darkness and darkness light. Good appears evil, and evil good. The Spirit of God will not always strive with men. Today if you hear his voice harden not your heart! (ie.) Judas Isacariot Hell shall remove from God's presence. - 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Genesis 3:8 - Adam hid from the presence of the Lord. Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. Exodus - The Presence went before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Jonah 1:3 - sought to hide from the presence. Job 1:12 - So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. End times shall call for rocks to fall on them to hide from His presence. Hell shall remove from God's presence. - 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; Conclusion: Are you hiding from God? Have you lost the sense of God's presence? God invites you back into His presence where there is fullness of joy. NIV Psalms 139:1-24 1. O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8. If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10. even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12. even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16. your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 19. If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20. They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21. Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you? 22. I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. SCRIPTURES ON GOD'S PRESENCE Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Genesis 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Leviticus 22:3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Numbers 20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. 1 Samuel 18:11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 1 Samuel 19:10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 1 Chronicles 16:27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 1 Chronicles 16:33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 2 Chronicles 20:9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Job 23:15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. Psalms 9:3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 17:2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Psalms 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Psalms 68:2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Psalms 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Psalms 97:5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalms 114:7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; Psalms 116:14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. Psalms 116:18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, Psalms 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Psalms 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, Isaiah 64:2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! Isaiah 64:3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. Jeremiah 4:26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. Jeremiah 23:39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence: Ezekiel 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. Zephaniah 1:7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. Luke 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
If you have questions or comments about these sermons notes send an e-mail note to rlafountain@xc.org All Sermon Notes are written and copywrited by Rev. Richard W. LaFountain. You may not reproduce, distribute or sell them for profit. Permission is granted to use them as helps for sermon or bible study preparations. www.parousiatoday.org
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