TH121018/Show Me Your Glory!

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Read Exodus chapter 30 2X of this chapter 32 the title of my message is show me your glory. This phrase together. Father that's really our prayer tonight this show us your glory Lord that we could see your power that we can sense your presence that we could know you're leading that we would walk with you as your friend like Moses was. We want to be friends of God. So speak to us as we open Scripture.

Tonight we ask in Jesus name, amen. Hey, how many of you here tonight have friends. Frazier had a big give some friends yet. How many of you have no friends at all is a few well interesting that you would admit that what's going on not getting what we all have friends in you know in our friendships are in different stages, possibly there is a new friend. For instance, that someone you're just getting to know you like each other you like to hang out together, but you're not totally comfortable with them so they tell a lame joke you live even when it's not funny if their food in their face. You don't say anything because you don't know him well enough yet your unit still in that new phase for your getting to know one another but then there are people that you've known a long time. I have friends going back 35 years and you don't even know someone a really long time.

I know some of your selected know I'm even 35 years old right we have Fred Simpson go back that far.

You know it's fun because you can pick up where you last left off. I have friends that I may not see for two years and I get together with and we start telling the same old lame stories and laughing again in you know you just have that continuing friendship that stands the test of time. It's been said, it takes a long time to grow an old friend and you know one of the marks of true friendship is you get totally comfortable with one another and you'll really tell a person the truth. In fact, the Bible says faithful of the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful, what is it mean the wounds of a friend that means that a true friend tells you the truth.

A true friend stabs you in the front. Not in the back of the here's what you need to know because I'm your friend, they say it to you.

You can they be compared to how a person comes into your home. I think if I if someone you don't know that well they knocking the door. You really don't want him coming in maybe leave them on the porch at the most they get in your front room and they never get past a true friend. You walk right past the front room award you go the kitchen. Why is it always the kitchen of the November building houses is to be a big giant kitchen that's all bent over here to be there bathroom kitchen just because that's what everybody wants to hang out even if your kitchen is small. Everyone stands around in the kitchen leaning against the burners in our search on fire. We don't care because the kitchen is where the action is. The kitchen is where the food is so you going to someone's house be known a long time. It is walk right in their kitchen really no money to supplement the bridge and grab something you know you you might think that I have a warrant if you know them super well is take the water start drinking at grandma Pete's tardy net it on the market to printer just comfortable one with another, or you may be an intruder.

I'm not really sure. You can compare that to marriage as well like to start with getting to know a guy or girl you know you little bit nervous. Number one I was in high school I was a girl I had a crush on so I got a phone number and I told her I was going to call her. She knew I was calling I was so nervous X he had a list of things to talk about literally like 1234, funny, witty little things I blew through my list in like two minutes and I like you know so that's a first date did you get to know them. Maybe they become your boyfriend or girlfriend and then eventually they become your fiancé you you pop the question. My wife tells me I never officially proposed to her and I don't recall site you must be right on this.

She said UNC just said to me while I get for getting married, as I really am. The romantic night.

Some guys you know they be righted in the sky.

The planes full banners, may I say so I guess you're getting married, but then you do get married and then years go by producing decades go by my wife and been married so long now that you know we know each other very well. I can finish her sentence if she turned remember something actually know she's going before she even gets there she knows the same about me have often said Torino between the two of us we are one complete brain you know but and then you start interpreting what a person means when you're married, for instance, when a man says to a woman. Well, it's a guy thing. What that really means is there is no rational thought pattern connected with this and you have no chance at all of making a logical. But just know that about a God when a man says to his wife. Can I help with dinner.

What he really means is, why is in it on the table now when a man says. Oh sure, honey. Yes, there it means nothing that the condition response when a man says what it would take too long to explain what is really saying is I have no idea how it works myself when a man says take a break honey you're working too hard really means. I can hear the game on TV. We have stopped with the vacuum when a man says that's interesting there would he really means is, are you still talking when a man says I can't find it.

What he means is you didn't fall into my outstretched hand.

I'm completely clueless when a man says you look great. Let's go. What he really means. Just don't change her outfit again. Finally, when a man says I'm lost or choosing what immense is.

I'm not lost, I know exactly where we are. What he means is no one will ever see us alive again we have a force in the book of Exodus is a story of a man would've very close relationship with God more than a relationship. He had a friendship with God. It is said of him that he was God's rent Exodus 3311 says the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face as a man speaks to his friend, the Lord revealed to Moses things he had never revealed to another human being before I one day when God and Moses the friends were deep in conversation Moses asked the unthinkable. His request is almost without parallel in human history up to this point. Moses actually asked to see God. But you know what friends can ask special favors (and in fact God was not offended by this request and it had been drawing Moses out as Moses was discovering what prayer is really all about. What were in the series that were calling the greatest stories ever told and analyzed to message messages. We look at the 10 Commandments given by God to remember that the Lord called his friend Moses up to Mount Sinai to receive those commandments written on tablets of gold on the front and the back Moses left his brother Aaron in charge of the people which turned out to be a big mistake because instead of waiting with baited breath for the message from Mount Sinai. They turned to fulltilt idolatry and gross immorality event. When Moses came down from the mountain holding the tablets the people were at present, violating at least three of the Commandments in real time. They were having another God before them.

They were worshiping a graven image, and they were engaged in immorality and and if you had Aaron's excuse which really was a lie. You have another commandment that was broken. I mean, this is classic what Aaron said any here comes Moses commandments and hand and here's what he sees a golden calf with a bunch of naked Israelis dancing around of it dancing around some of it in caged in what we would call an orgy. This is pretty bad. Rights, sorry to put that image in your mind that that's what's in the story of Moses is like in shock and Aaron says I can explain everything. I know this looks bad but let me just say we threw our gold and the fire in this cast came out so what else can we do with strip up our clothes and all this crazy stuff right you through your gold in the fire and this calf came out yet.

That's not exactly what happened.

What actually happened was the people said we want to God were tired of waiting for Moses he's been gone forever.

We want a God like we had back in Egypt. Nothing we can reach out and touch something that's tangible the spirituality if you will of Moses is too high really unattainable. We need God. That's something we can relate to. So it was Aaron that had the bright idea of St. bring your goal. Bring your jewelry and he melted it into the shape of the golden calf and he put it in front of the people that says here is your God, O Israel. He was the cheerleader. He was the worship leader if you will.

So what a mess this all became. And this brings us to a very important point. After looking at all of this, Moses says in Exodus 32, 30 you have committed a great sin. This raises the question, are some sins greater or worse than other knowledge and to think about this because her knee-jerk reaction is all sin is the same right. Actually that's not true. All sin is not the same.

According to Scripture some sins are greater we could restated as their more offensive to God than other sins are known abroad since all sin is wrong from the smallest infraction to the most gross out right sin and it all separates us from God and even one sin can separate us from God and Jesus made this clear on the sermon on the Mount.

You know, he pointed out that lusting is as bad as committing adultery and heating was as bad as murdering okay so in one sense, adultery and lust are the same, but in another sense they're different right in one sense, murder and hate are the same, but in another sense or different princes by hate someone they won't arrest but if I murder someone, they will see.

So some sins have greater ramifications than others but all sin separates us from God. But what was this great sin will Jesus effectively said the same thing to Pontius Pilate. He said you have no power over me if were not given you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin or there's that phrase again.

Moses says you committed a great sin.

Jesus as the pilot, the one who delivered me to you has committed a greater sin, as horrible as a sinner pilot was in ordering the torture and execution of Jesus was a greater sin committed or was it was the sin against the light if you will. I think that Jesus was referring to one of two people when he said the one that delivered me to you speaking the pilot committed to greater said he was referring to Caiaphas or Judas. You see, Caiaphas was the high priest.

He was the man what his nose in Scripture. He was the man who represented God. He was the man who was supposed to be close to God. Judas was one of the handpicked disciples of the Lord. So if Jesus was referring to Caiaphas or Judas. It really is, in effect, the same sin they would've committed. It was sinning when they knew better. Using the worst sin you can commit the worst of all is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I'm often asked about this because some people are concerned that maybe in their days before there were Christians. They cursed the Holy Spirit. That doesn't mean you blasting the Holy Spirit actually the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sin and bring us to Christ, to blaspheme him means you reject him, you disregard him. You effectively blow him off urethane. I know it's true but I refuse to accept it or follow Jesus.

The only unforgivable sin is a sin of rejecting Christ the sin of blossoming of the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit or the unforgivable sin is the outright rejection of Christ. The Bible says, how can we escape, we neglect so great a salvation accuser coming back on the war story, Israel committed a great sin, but why lie Caiaphas the high priest, the new, better they were God's chosen covenant people. They had seen his power demonstrated time and time again they saw the Red Sea parted as a pastor, then closing back down on the pursuing Egyptian army. They some men and provided every morning to feed on.

They saw God supercool GPS system of fire by night and a cloud by day they some miracle after miracle after miracle and they made a promise to will be gone on three separate occasions. Back in Exodus 1978 we read Moses called for the elders of the people and lay before them. All these words of the Lord and the people answered and said all that God is commanded we will do. They said were going to do it. We've seen God work.

We believe that were saying were going to do it. Listen God takes your commitments seriously.

Jesus said for everyone to whom much is given from him much will be required to him whom much is been committed of him they will ask the more. Much was given to Israel, and much was expected from Israel. So let me ask you a question. Have you said to Jesus, Lord, I will do what you want me to do. I will go where you want me to go all say what you wanted me to say how many of you said something along those lines, reserving to God's gonna hold that you made a commitment and now the Lord's, and okay no I expect something from you. I've done a lot for you right now.

I expect you to obey me. You see, and you know a lot from studying my work.

So this was a radical sin and it was going to be dealt with harshly know some people choking. What happened next, because Moses came down he was ticked off through the Commandments on the ground and God took their golden powder are the golden calf and ground it to powder put in a water meter shrink. It and then he gave the command that a number of them would be slain so they were put to death for their sin. Some people of course have a hard time with that because it almost seems unfair.

The goblet deal so harshly with those people 3000 people were put to death someone say how could a God of love do something like that.

And really, as I pointed out when you make a statement like that you're showing your ignorance because God frankly doesn't know us the time of day, much less an explanation of why he does or does not do certain things. He just does what he's going to do but to the bottom line is God says mine thoughts are higher than your thoughts of my ways are higher than your ways, and basically God is saying, I hate sin, it will not be tolerated and it must be dealt with swiftly listed spread and do even more harm. The Bible compares sin to love and which is effectively yeast that you put in bread and it causes the bread to rise.

It's always a picture of people in the Bible we could say sin is like cancer and needs to be cut out before and metastasize before it spreads through one someone system and that is why the Lord tells us to deal quickly with sin. See sometimes people have a real incorrect view of sin going to say things like we know what I know God loves me and I know the Lord understands me and I know that if I do this God will forgive me. So now I'll just go ahead and do it, you're an idiot. I'm even questioning if you're a Christian, what are you talking about.

The Bible says, shall we continue in sin that God's grace may overflow or literally be poured down the drain. What you think God is giving you a license to sin. Are you 007 now he is a license to kill you of a license to sin understand this. It is true that God loves you. It is true that God will forgive you, but just because he forgives you, doesn't mean you will not face the full ramifications for your sin, for years to come. Will God forgive me, but that doesn't mean that there's not results that come your way. God forgave David for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it up, a leading to the murder of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah David face the consequences. At that sin for the rest of his life well into his older years, and he saw the same sin he committed repeated in the lives of his children, so don't be so quick to think alike and discard and commit to sin. And there's no repercussions because there will be because the Bible says will report yourself careful of these people were now going to read what they sell in the Lord was going to deal with them harshly because of the great sin that they commit. In fact, God was so angry he was threatening to wipe them out in Exodus 32 verse nine, the Lord said to Moses, I've seen this people to stiffnecked people. Let me alone them my resume Bernhardt against them, and I may consume them and only give you a great nation. Think about this God is saying the Moses you know and Moses. I've had it on that up about it up to here. I wipe them all out, to start over again and make a nation out of you a Moses.

It had many frustrations with the people and he had complained to God in multiple occasions about the people, but now that God says I'm in a wipe them out. Moses is taken away. The second don't do that and I want you to know something here. God never was going to wipe these people out he was trying to grow Moses up and he was trying to see if Moses would learn what it meant to be an intercessor would Moses stand in the gap and pray for the people would he throw them under the bus and you know what God is still looking for intercessors today in John chapter 4 is a story of a desperate father whose son was at death's door. He was part of a royal family, but he heard about Jesus and humbled himself and bowed before the Lord, asking him to touch his dear son is any loving father would do.

And Jesus gave response, it can seem almost a bed hearts a Jesus said unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe what kind of thing is not to say doorman was a dying child but like God was doing with Moses, Jesus was testing this man and and really he wasn't directing the words to the man at all. He was just saying them to the fickle crowd that wanted to be impressed that was you guys see a miracle you won't believe God just stood there patiently, waiting for Jesus to finish a sermon and then he came right back to Jesus and said listen come to my house before my child dies again intercessor.

Pray for his son Jesus and all the problem your son lives go and he went home and the sun was high but he stood in the PP pressed on and this is the thing is, sometimes, will pray for something we will get an answer right away holding will.

God is obviously insane. No many God wants you to step up your game a little.

Maybe God wants you to pray a little bit more.

Maybe God doesn't want you to give up so easily to that was the case with this man. I just reference in John four, and that's certainly the case here with Moses.

We can also take the illustration of Abraham. Lord said take your son and offer him as a sacrifice to me up in Mount Moriah. It was never God's plan to take the life of Isaac because in the back or in fact, the Lord spared Isaac when Abraham was willing all present.

By the way Isaac was an adult when a young adult when he was growing up with his dad sometimes in the religious art movies you see Abraham tearing up this really tiny little boy and actually Isaac was probably in a like a late blooming team probably bigger than this, that something about that summer going to sacrifice you today know about sacrificing you dad your the old one. Not me. So there's a beautiful story. There is not only a father willing to obey God, but a son willing to obey his father, a perfect picture of Christ willingly going to the cross and dying for each of us what the point was these men were willing to obey God, even when it was difficult, so here's Moses he's hearing God say, wipe them all out. I'm done with them.

This is all I know, Holland. No, no, no, we can't do that.

Lord Liberty says is Exodus 3231 Moses return of the Lord in Selassie's people have committed a terrible sin.

They made gods of gold for themselves.

Please forgive their sin, and if not, blot me out of the record you are keeping. I want you to think about what Moses to set okay no Lord I'm not rationalizing anything.

I know they said it's horrible what they've done. Please forgive them and in the original language there's a pot upon as meaning that the words that followed took a little bit longer to say, please forgive them.dot.and if not, blot me out of the record you are keeping to get one Moses was saying, Lord, take my name out of the book if that's what it takes other words Moses the same as me going to hell so they can go to heaven is what it takes, for that large, you got it son.

Thankfully, we'll have to do that. The great we don't have trade are subbing for salvation for someone else, but it shows his heart calls it pretty much the same thing in his prayer for his fellow Jews and Romans 93. He says my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters, I would be willing to be forever curse that is cut from cut off from Christ if it would save the it is please the Lord. And then he spared them all right, this pair the people. Moses to pass the test you are true intercessor. Your prayer warrior. You're my man, you're my friend man is Moses Cheney you want from that impulsive Prince of Egypt taking things into his own hands and making a mess of everything killing that Egyptian to those years of exile of the backside of the desert this season man of God is putting it all on the line for the people.

So now back to our story, God tells Moses he won't destroy the people. Then he says this he will go with them either. Lord says I'll just send my angel instead now Moses when told the people yeah you know what God's not real happy with you guys. He says go on now is not going to kill you. That's the good news, bad news Inc. home with you sending an angel and the people are like, no, no, we don't want to go without the Lord and they started to get all their jewelry off father blinking. We don't want this anymore were sorry we want God to go with that.

See, this is fantastic. Not only is Moses getting it, but the people are getting it as well.

So now Moses is okay this is good.

I'm in a really push the envelope. We picked the story up in Exodus 33. By the way, that was on my introduction was a long introduction or what Exodus 33 verse 12 and Moses said to the Lord. See you say to me bring up this people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me, yet you have said. I know you by name anywhere found grace in my site.

Now therefore I pray if I found grace in your site. Show me your way, that I may know you, that I might find grace in your site and consider that this nation is your people and the Lord said, my presence will go with you.

I will give you rest. And he said if your presence is not go with us.

Don't bring this up from here for then how will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your site except you go with it.

Shall we be separate your people and I from all the people were upon the face of the earth, so the Lord said to Moses, I will do the thing you spoken for.

You found grace in my side and I know you by name. This is amazing. Moses is negotiating with God and getting away with that doesn't mean we should argue with God, not really, but it does mean that we should plead with God and we should intercede for people that we care about is another man that negotiated with God.

If you will Artie mention them for a moment come back again. It's Abraham, and he also was called the friend of God.

God is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

So Abraham started praying to the Lord. If there's 50 righteous people in that city would you spare them, far be it from you.

The Lord to slave 50 righteous with the wicked should not the judge of the earth do right exactly telling God about his own nature gods is know you're right. If there's 50 righteous all spirit it rinses like I'm just dust and ashes and in whom I would've there's 45. If there's 45, which is backwards. As you can find 45 righteous people all spirit where I want to be rude here. Okay were talking 41 of their sporting widgets.

If there were 43rd fish I would spared if there's even 40 yet don't get many God talking to now if there's tension righteous people would just birds. It looks as yet. I would and you know what God couldn't even find 10 righteous people in that city and it ultimately, he did judge it with the point is, is Abraham to talk to God that way because he was a friend might seem irreverent, but it really speaks of the closeness of friendship. It's sort of the way they do business in the Middle East. You know, if you go with us in one of our trips to Israel and go to the old city of Jerusalem. They have this marketplace, or you can buy all kinds of things in a little olive wood statues and other wares and Sgt. and in almost every start. It's about negotiating infected you pay retail you're crazy and no laugh at you, so you going to give you a super inflated price, you come back with a lower price, you end up somewhere in the middle you go back and forth sometimes to give you little coffee that so thick your spoon would stand up in it and it's all part of the process and it actually it seems maybe like it's a conflict, but actually it's just the way they sort of communicate and find that out as you go for now it's insulting.

If you make a crazy lowball offer with no intention of buying it if you enter into a negotiation in good faith. If the deal is good enough you should make the purchase and you'll play with these people but so that that's kind of the culture of the Middle East are used to negotiation. So here is Moses and Abraham negotiating with God. I want you to notice what Moses asked for number one. He asks for divine direction. Verse 13 he says. I pray if I found grace in your site. Show me your way this and that is a prayer every believer should pray. You should pray Lord show me your way. It's a good prayer to pray in the morning, Lord, show me your way guide me today.

Your word is a lamp unto my feet and light into my path.

James reminds us of any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to every man generously know how my going to know his way by reading his word and as I read his word all know his way because I find out things in the word I would not know.

Otherwise, have you ever had an electronic gadget and he can figure out how to turn it on or off. So would you do you dig out the manual you read through it and you find the little illustration and it says half you know all there it isn't it so obvious now that you know but you didn't know till you read the manual in the same way we consult God's word. The users manual of life, so to speak, and he will guide and so he asked for divine direction.

God says in verse 14.

My presence will go with you. I will give you rest. And by the way the Hebrews vivid here.

It means my face will go with you.

So God is saying this is it. You will have my full attention, and I'll be watching your every move. You can be with someone in the psych or not there right because they're texting the whole time or are there, you know they're playing angry birds are there there talking on the phone is so rude to do that when you're with someone in a restaurant and in the phone rings and I has gone yeah and you're just feeling down right okay great you know it and they just talk and talk and talk and hang up and then you continue in conversation the phone rings again. The start talking again effectively the same. You don't matter to me.

I'd rather talk to anybody else up. It's an emergency or something important. That's one thing but you know sometimes you're with someone and they're not paying attention or your talking with them and they're not looking at you, and you're telling them something there. Looking past the looking around looking at the watch God think I'm in a go with you and not only am I going to go with you. I wouldn't be looking at you I'm in a be watching you to be really dialed into everything you're experiencing. Sort of like watching the small child I have a number of granddaughters for a number think I forgot the number for a moment, therefore, of them and they go from seven to about two years and then I have a little grandson will my youngest granddaughter Allie two years old. You know she's always on the move.

So when you're with her. You have to go with her everywhere you watch everything she does. You want to watch what you take your eyes off her for a second and troubles a Bruin friend if she goes into a room and you and you're not in there with her for I'm talking to minute and she gets quiet when she gets quiet, it's trouble is only she's making noise banging things screaming, singing, you know, jabbering. That's okay, but when she gets quiet she's into something turn of all you okay this is an good to know I'm so you have to keep your eye and or go to St. I will keep my eye on you. Don't sweat the small stuff. I'm in a ticker the system to remember going through life. So often we train our own strength to do what God promises to do for us in. We worry a lot and worry is completely useless if Vince had the problem with worry is that the interest paid on trouble before it's due, worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength. Number two Moses asked for confirmation. Yes, for confirmation verse 15 and 16. He said to them if your presence does not go with us.

Don't bring us up from here for how then will it be known that your people and I am fund raising your site except you go with us know this might seem like he's like an abatement is not that it always and look were happy to have Angels but were kind enough to excited and put Angels Lord we want you to good thing to say to God, we want you Lord Muncy of Mary Magdalene which he came to the tomb after Lord was crucified and an angel says to her, woman, why are you crying now hello Angel said it to Mary Magdalene and other occasions in Scripture. When an angel would speak to someone they would fall down and sometimes they would even try to worship the angel the Angels as hey why are you crying he talks to her care less about an angel just is like taking away my Lord and know where they put the site yeah whatever angel I want Jesus.

Where's Jesus then Jesus standing there watching all of this just Mary and she immediately recognizes the tonality of his voice and the way he said her name and she grabs hold of him and says Redbone which is to say master. I love that, though I don't want to talk to Angels. I want to see Jesus. That's all that matters to me was one occasion when Jesus laid out for his disciples what it really meant to follow him and many of his disciples, so-called bail that day. Then Jesus turned to Peter and the others and said will you also leave me and Peter answered and said, Lord, to whom shall we go. You alone have the words of eternal life. I love that Peter Seelig, Lord, when we don't know everything about you. We don't get you at times, but this much we know were sticking with you.

We have made a commitment to you and we want to be close to you. Are you willing to say this to Jesus, Lord, I want you to go with me wherever I go. Oh sure will say it, when you get on a plane and fly for 18 hours. Lord bless the pilots help them not be drunk as a sometimes our Lord help the plane operate properly. Lord give me to my destination safely. Nothing wrong with praying a prayer like that or Lord is your headed into the operating room with me now by the hands of the surgeons let the operation be successful. Sure were ready to pray over headed into an uncertain situation, or in the rough waters.

Lord be with us right now.

Lord were looking to you right now let me ask you this, you're ready to also say Lord go with us on our vacation or Lord go with us as we go out tonight Lord go with this as we go to that party or that movie would you say that men reunify when Jesus you know you might see things he shouldn't see he sees it, and he sees you remember his eyes on you looking at you and so we should be able to buy Jesus everywhere in the rough waters in the times of crisis, as well as in the leisure time. They ornament to go on online right now I'm in a surf the web and look at the site. Come on you.

It's call.

Check it out and ornament to read that some of the go there to talk to this person. We invite Jesus to be a part of everything that we do. God reassures his friend Moses for 17 so the Lord said to Moses all do this thing. You spoken for. You have found grace in my side and I know you by name. I just love the Lord is just a man. My body you know all do this for you no problem. So Moses the sinking. I'm going for the golf I'm going all the way and listen to what he prays, Lord, show me your glory not understand what he saying you think God I want to see you now. I want you to actually show your face to me right now.

That's really what prayer is all about. It's not about getting stuff from God. Prayer when it reaches it ultimate objective is getting God. It's God you want it.

It's a closeness with God, knowing his presence. A.B. Simpson wrote, no relation to Homer once it was the blessing. Now it is the Lord once it was the feeling now it is his word once is gift. I guess I wanted. Now the giver alone. Once I sought for healing down himself alone." I love that you know when is a new Christian, but I always pray for stuff for me right Lord bless me give this to me, provide this for me. I want more things for me and as you start growing spiritually know to start St. Lord I just want you I want more of you. I want to know you better.

No matter where I go. Everything is good as long as you go with me and I go with you that some Mark of spiritual maturity that is the man that understood what was to pray Jacob after years of conniving and scheming met his match. When the Lord himself showed up they had a wrestling match which of course Jacob lost but it started out with Jacob trying to overpower what may be an angel or maybe the Lord himself. The reason I think Jacob him and actually wrestling with God is because he called the name of the place. Pino which means the face of God.

So there was an angel of the Lord himself diesel wrestling with them, but in the end he's hanging onto.

It started off with cunning and it ended up with cleaning. It began with resisting and it turned into resting. See, that's the ultimate goal, wrestling with God in prayer doesn't mean I'm in a get God but I want him to do it means I'm in a totally surrendered to what he wants to do and I just say, all right, Lord, show me your glory. I want but you want that part of the Lord's prayer. He taught us to pray, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. When I pray your will be done effectively. Say Lord I is a finite person and coming to you now is an infinite God now cares what seems to me to be the best course of action to take.

But if what I am praying that somehow out of your will, of the orbit fall short of what you want to do. I would say overrule it.

Lord, I want your will. Even more than my never be afraid to commit an unknown future to unknown God then repeat that again don't be afraid to commit an unknown future to unknown God, the great evangelist Neil Moody said and I quote, spread out your petition before God and then say that I will not might be done. Moody concludes the sweetest lesson I've learned in God's goal is to let the Lord choose for me."

You say that for God. Lord you choose for me that God cannot grant everything.

Moses was praying for. If he showed himself to Moses.

All right, Lord. Your aunt are at right Moses area. Moses would've done better than the other. Most so we worked out a super sweet deal for his friend. It is Exodus 33 verse 19 I'm reading these verses from the new living translation.

Lord replied I want to make all of my goodness pass before you.

Why will call out my name, the Lord, do you also. Kindest anyone I choose not show mercy to anyone I choose, but you shall not look directly at my face, for no one can see me and live Lord continued stand here on this rock beside me and as my glorious presence passes by. I'll put you in the club to the rock and cover you with my hand until I passed.

And then I'll remove my hand and you can see me from behind, but my face will not be seeing fences amazing guts is all right never done anyone for this before warfarin tell you what you stand over there.

Don't think Dola I'm in the past by the put my hand over your eyes. Here I go here I come ready. What fun you can be, you know, that's all you can handle well I gave you more you blow up you know I do that now. Do you amazing the friend of God. Note we read a story like this with circuited and Moses.

I would like to have a friendship with God like that. Listen to this.

The friendship that a Christian can help with God is actually closer than the friendship that Moses had because you see, though Moses was God's friend and was greatly used by the Lord in so many ways. He lived in the old covenant and the old covenant was different than the new see in the old covenant, God would manifest his presence in the tabernacle of the tent and then later in the temple and the high priest would go in representing the people he would kill an animal symbolically placing their sins upon the animal and there would be that sacrificing the atonement and so forth.

But but God was distant, even to those who were his friends like Abraham and Moses, God did live inside of them. But God would reveal himself or certain aspects of himself to them that the new covenant is different because Jesus died on the cross for us because Jesus now is our mediator between us and the father we don't have to go through up high priest start any other person. We don't have to go through Mary or a priest or someone else we go right to the father through Christ. It's closer than it was ever before. Hebrews 1019 puts it this way, dear friends, we can boldly enter in the heavens. Most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. This is a new life-giving way. The crisis open to the sacred curtain by means of his death for us so we can enter in. Remember when Jesus died on the cross. A lot of amazing things happen. For starters, there was a great earthquake, and then dead people came out of their graves almost a freak a few people out there just been buried in the sky while Rogers and Hales gone well. What and then we read that the veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom understand the veil of the temple that separated the outer court from the holy of holies from the inner sanctum, where the ark of the covenant was That had this big curtain which was really more like a wall made out of material.

So some guy can just come along the river like you was like some sheer material was interwoven thick material, God ripped it, not from bottom to top, teasing out from yet right now from bottom to top of the men were doing it. God did it because he said you don't need this anymore. Come on in the new and living way, your God's friends, Jesus said, no longer do I call you servants for serving this notice.*Doing that I called you friends, for everything Hartford for my father. I've made known to you listen you are a friend of God's and that great when you do with friends hang out with them. You talk to them. You communicate with them. You enjoy their company. You know all about them and they know all about you.

So God is your friend Kent to enter into a relationship like that with Timothy all right Lord, here I go I want you to go with the objective you're not going with me. I'm not going I want to know your presence.

I want to see your glory.

I want to know your will. I want you to be a part of everything that I do you have that kind of relationship with God. Or maybe there's some sin in your life and you're trying to live in two worlds. Kind of like the Israelites were.

You know they they can wanted the Lord, but they also wanted to have their tangible God's if you will that they could sort of control in God's is no I'm not going there with you.

You have to make your choice, and he made it very clear that he would not share his glory with another would not tolerate false God's and all false God is anyone or anything that takes the place of God in our lives, so he wants to be the Lord God. He wants to be in complete control is an interesting place that I've read about called the temple of a thousand Buddha it's in Kyoto, Japan and worshipers there can effectively design their own deity. The temple is filled with a thousand different likenesses of the Buddha.

Each one is different than the other. So worshipers walk through and pick or choose the Buddha they like the most and that's the one they worship. That's a lot of people are looking kind of shopping for God kind of in the spirituality you know what what I find something to really appeals to me, that sort of support the lifestyle I've chosen. Only I can them like this part of Christianity. That's good. I like the forgiveness of like the love but you know I not into some of these other things that you are like some of the teachings of Buddhism. I like some of the teachings of Islam.

I like some of the teachings of of the Hindus and so for the Christianizing and whatever and so you pick and choose whatever it is you like any come up with sort of a do-it-yourself divinity.

The French philosopher Voltaire once wrote God made man in his image and man return the favor. So we are looking for God the looks like us. That's all fine and dandy until you're in trouble and you find out your God is a myth because if you find a God. The looks like you that is in God at all that you worshiping you and you can see you only got so here's out works as a package deal given to us in Scripture of the true God. We don't always understand, but he tells us to follow him and obey him because he loves each and every one of us and this God showed his love in a tangible way by sending his son Jesus to die in the cross for our sin and bear all the sins we have ever committed. So if you've come here tonight.

Most of you have the funds to fearlessly and you have something in your life that you're feeling guilty about remorse about your ashamed of. I want you to know God can forgive you know God is not giving you a license to sin.

We could just gonna do it over and over again, no. But here's what he is offering the complete forgiveness of that sin. If you'll ask him to forgive you and turn from it to put your faith in him. And if you haven't done that yet, to give you an opportunity to do it and get right with God. Neither some of you that been raised in the church you call yourself a Christian, but you live in two worlds. Yet you act like you have this license to sin. You pretty much disregard with the Bible says and do whatever you want to do in your living a pretty miserable life right now because you have too much of the Lord to be happy in the world and too much of the world to be happy in the Lord here in the sort of spiritual no man's land.

And I'm encouraging you that step out of that start following Christ is, you really ought to, and say, Lord, show me your glory. Psalm and extend this invitation to you that need to get right with God as we closed our prayer. Let's all pray father, thank you for your word tonight and I pray Lord that will be responsive as this opportunity is given to get right with you know what our heads are bound in her eyes are closing refrain. How many of you would see the night Greg I I want to know Jesus in a personal way. I want my sins forgiven. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. I want to be ready for the Lord's return.

Pray for me. I want Jesus in my life right now that your desire. You want your sin forgiven.

You want Christ to come in your life if you want your guild taken away if you want a second chance in life, would you lift your hand up right now. Let me pray for you wherever you're sitting slipped her hand up or if you deny God bless you lifted up or I can see it. Please overhear in the side you're in the middle, but she was well slipped her hand up.

You want God's forgiveness tonight.

Bless you there in the backup bless you as well.

God bless you to anybody else. Here's an opportunity to get right with God and opportunity to have your sin forgiven and forgotten. But you must ask for their forgiveness. The Bible says that we will confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Anybody else got bless you over there in the corner there in the backup bless you in the very corner, but she was well one final moment of your validity of your hand yet you want to make this commitment to Christ Brazier again and we pray for you. What I heads are still valid. Maybe some of you would say it. I've been trying to live in two worlds. And I've been playing with sin, and yet professing to be a Christian. I miserable and I know it's wrong and I'm ready to step away from that life and I want to legally commit my life to Christ and nine that your desire raise your hand up in the. Anybody else Brazier and God bless all of your phenomena as needed to raise your hand if you would please stand your feet and Emily join a prayer of commitment to stand your feet all of you then raise your hand. Even if you did not, but you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Christ to stand up for that's right standup others are standing you will be the only one lowering the mentoring, then your feet and I have you pray this for now allowed right where you anybody else raise your hand if you did not you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Jesus stand up knowledge (no one publishing publishing stand on, don't be embarrassed you're among friends and families in the final moment of you in the stands that now. God bless you. Anybody else then number publishing are you that are standing pray this prayer out loud after me and this is a prayer of asking God to give you understanding it as I pray you pray this out loud after being rightly used in prednisone rate is now Lord Jesus I know in the center but you dine in Akron and shed your blood for every sin I've ever committed.

I'm sorry for my sin might turn from it now.

I choose to follow you from this rightful thank you for calling me never giving me and extending me in Jesus name I pray, amen. God bless each one