April 4, 2013

From Gary V. Womack... Vacation From God?



Vacation From God?

Man's concept of deity was typically limited to the concept of local gods. Each nation was thought to have their own god. Consequently, the God of Israel was understood by the surrounding nations as "just another god" among many gods. But the God of heaven is not confined to earthly places.

Examples - Judg. 16:23
                   Dagon - the god of Philistia

2 Kgs. 1:3 Baalzebub - the god of Ekron

Abraham acknowledged God wherever he travelled:

Gen. 12:1-8 Abraham leaves home & erects 
                   alters in Canaan & at Bethel. He 
                   erected many alters to God.

Gen. 28:10-17 His grandson, Jacob, en route to 
                       Haran had a vision of a ladder 
                       going up to heaven - He hadn't 
                       known God was there.

God is ever-present

Psm. 139:1-12 God sees in all places - There is 
                        no escaping His presence.

We can't take a vacation from God. Yet we need to have a time to rest:

Mk. 6:30-44 Jesus & His disciples went to a 
                   desert place to rest -  but the crowds 
                   found them & Jesus fed 5,000

What if God took a vacation from us - and did not provide for us?

When we go on vacation - take Him with you - because you are His temple:

Do we act - dress differently when we are away where no one knows us?

Remember your influence goes with you where ever you go.

1 Cor. 6:15-ff Our body belongs to God.

Temple - [naos] = "A shrine or sanctuary"

Wherever we go - remember that God dwells within us:

Jn. 14:23-24 "Jesus answered and said to him 
                     (Judas - not Iscariot ), 'If anyone loves 
                     Me, he will keep My word, and My 
                     Father will love him, and We will come 
                     to him and make Our home with him. 
                     (24) He who does not love Me does 
                     not keep My words, and the word 
                     which you hear is not Mine but the 
                     Father's who sent Me.' "

God led Israel out of Egypt - His presence seen in the pillars of fire & cloud:

Ex. 13:21-22 "And the Lord went before them by 
                      day in a pillar of cloud to lead the 
                      way, and by night in a pillar of fire to 
                      give them light, so as to go by day 
                      and night. (22) He did not take away 
                      the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar 
                      of fire by night from before the 
                      people."

Moses pleaded with God not to depart - but to lead them to Canaan:

Ex. 33:7-16 If God would not lead them, they 
                   would not go. Our attitude?

We need to have this same mind - that we dare not go without Him near.

God is always not far from each one of us:

Acts 17:24-27 Paul at Athens taught that God is 
                       not confined but yet is near

Joshua was given assurance that God would not leave him:

Deut. 31:1-8 "I will never leave you nor forsake 
                      you..."

When we go on vacation, will we leave Him behind?

Will we plan ahead to meet with brethren to worship Him?

Mt. 18:19-20 (Jesus) "Again I say to you that if two 
                     of you agree on earth concerning 
                     anything that they ask, it will be done 
                     for them by My Father in heaven. (20) 
                     For where two or three are gathered 
                     together in My name, I am there in the 
                     midst of them."

Midst - [mesos ] = "In the middle." Is Christ in the center of our life?

There is no vacation from God.



INVITATION

Eph. 1:3 Every spiritual blessing is available to 
              us in heavenly places in Christ

Eph. 2:7 We can sit together with Him in 
               heavenly places

How do we enter into Christ in order to sit in heavenly places?

Gal. 3:26-28 Baptism puts us into Christ.

No comments:

Post a Comment