Sensing God's Presence - cont.

Deut. 51:6 - God as their Father.
Heb. 13:5 - written to Christians. God is Father in truth to the Christian. Comes from the scripture in Deuteronomy.

Some observations:

#1. for MOST believers sensing His Presence is not the norm. This doesn't mean that they NEVER have or NEVER do, BUT it's not an everyday experience.

#2. Whether this is His WILL for us is open to question and debate.
On one hand, a relationship IS an experience and a presence.
BUT, "we walk by faith, not by sight". So, even though His Presence isn't experienced or felt, it IS still with us.

#3 The sense of His Presence (experience) may differ according to temperment, personality, make up, etc. EXAMPLE: women claim to feel His Presence more than men do.

BUT:
#4. The whole thing is SUBJECTIVE (impossible to measure outside the individual)
THEREFORE: A. A Claim of experiencing His Presence is NOT NECESSARILY TRUE!!!
On the other hand: B. A claim NOT to have the experience of His Presence may ALSO be false and untrue.
Have you ever experienced calm, peace, comfort, a certainty, confidence, a revelation, epiphany, clarity, conviction, correction, rebuke? COULD these NOT be God's Presence?

Ultimately,
#5. The sense of His Presence is within HIS control. He determines it.
A. We're not to seek the EXPERIENCE - we're to seek GOD.
B. We're to be SATISFIED with our experience (provided we've done our part)

A Biblical example of believers in difficult times and how the Issue of His Presence was handled.

JOB - His situation. His questions: why is this happening? Why won't You answer?
He kept questioning and challenging God, BUT he NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING!! Job 13:13-16
Compare that to: John 6:66-69

We have something Old Testament believers never had:
The additional evidence of God's love, concern, Presence in"
A. the incarnation - emptied, came, became - showed His love for us
B. His teachings -
C. the cross/crucifixion - Rom. 5:8
D. the Resurrection = assurance in Christ and hope for the future.


His heart drove him to question, but his head forced him to believe.