The presence of God is full of majesty and power. No one can stand truly in the presence of God and not be changed. I am not a scientist but I am told that catalyst is a substance that accelerates change in things but remains unchanged. God is more than catalyst. He can change our situation and still remains unchanged. God has unquantifiable, abundant blessings in store for His faithful seekers and worshipers in His house.
God is omnipresent. But He also gave a command to the children of Israel saying, there is a location where I have placed my name and that is where you must come to seek me. When you call Him elsewhere, He can be there but He also said that where two or three are gathered in His name, just as we are gathered here this morning in the Cathedral of Compassion, this compassionate God will show you compassion. He is not interested in seeing you carry burdens from the challenges of life as if you have no helper. Otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have said, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” [Mathew 11:28 KJV]. Why then are you carrying the burden that God said you should cast on Him? The Bible has assured us of God’s sustenance when we cast our burdens on Him. May God sustain us in Jesus’ name.
The situation in our country can may be standing on its head but God who cannot be dethroned because He is not elected, appointed or selected, He is all by Himself, He is God Almighty, He is Jehovah, which means He is self-existing will see us through. We don’t celebrate God’s birthday because from and before the beginning of time, He remains the same. Psalm 90: 2 say, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
God declared that He has not called anyone to seek and serve Him in vain [Isaiah 45: 19]. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him [Hebrew 11: 6]. The Bible says in Psalm 84: 1 – 2, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” I can feel the palpable presence of God in this auditorium and I believe you too can feel it. Psalm 122:1 says, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” [KJV]. If this God were not dependable and worthy of worship the Psalmist wouldn’t cry out to Him. The question is why do we run away from the presence of God? We can spend hours on other things but shy away from His presence. David said he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God than to dwell in the tent of the wicked [Psalm 84: 10].
Reasons why you have to Worship in His House
There is a divine command: it is not an advice. Deuteronomy 12: 4 – 5 says, “You must not make sacrifices to your God just anywhere, as the heathen sacrifice to their gods. Rather, you must build a sanctuary for him at a place he himself will select as his home.” All Christians Fellowship Mission is the right place to be if heaven is your goal. Numbers 6: 22 – 27, is the prayer of every spiritual father you must strive to receive, not by proximity but by connectivity.
It is a place of instruction: Micah 4: 2 says, “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” [KJV]. When you come to the presence of the Lord you take instructions from Him. The Bible says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” [Proverbs 27: 17].
Testimony by others encourages us: An example is the sister who shared her testimony today. She emphasized that it was God and the support she got from the church that saw her through. In Luke 2: 36 – 17, the Bible speaks of a woman named Anna who lived in the temple. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Here we are, we take church activities with so much levity. Let us not be found wanting in the house and presence of God. It’s our responsibility to invite others to the house of God [2 Chronicle 30: 1, Jeremiah 31: 6]
Blessings of Being in His presence
1.Blessings are released on those who dwell there and their Strength is renewed. “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” [Psalm 84: 10].
You have responsibilities when you appear before the presence of God. King David said, “Moreover because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house” [KJV]. Both you and what you have belong to the Lord. The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord and the fullness therein” [Psalm 24: 1].
We have a role to play when it comes to serving God legitimately.
QUOTES:
“God has unquantifiable, abundant blessings in store for His faithful seekers and worshipers in His house.”
“You have responsibilities when you appear before the presence of God.”
