How Can I Relate to God? - Part B

See all of the greatest spiritual experiences may have had up to this point all the great retreats you been on all the great worship conferences you have attended were never meant to satisfy they were meant to create a deeper first appetite for the full and final encounter. Sometimes we wish we could just see God that's with the faith comes today on connect with script Kaiser Skip talks about how God revealed himself to Moses and how he reveals himself to you today then at the end of today's program Skip and his son make sure how you can help connect children around the world to the Lord reaching their spiritual, their need for Jesus Christ and realizing that any tree change in society and this is a matter where the society is weathered here in America, whether it around the world in Burma, Thailand, the Middle East true changes in the coming society from a reliable relationship that you Skip and make if you want to hear more. Please stay tuned after the teacher. Now we want to tell you about a great resource that will help you tap into a deeper faith and more meaningful prayer life, Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China said it is possible to move men through God by prayer alone and down to other nine books on prayer said God shapes the world by prayer, the more praying. There is in the world, the better the world will be and Billy Graham said to get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees dear Skip I say you know the Bible says that we will experience God's peace. When we pray, and it tells us to pray about everything. We want to help you know how and what to pray.

What to expect.

That's why were offering. Lord, teach me to pray in 28 days by Kay Arthur you give to support this ministry. Prayer is meant to up the game of peace and joy in our hearts, Lord, teach me to pray is our thanks when you get $25 or more today to help keep this ministry on the air, connecting you and others to God's work, call 800-962-1888. Get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer Exodus chapter 6 starts to our glory, all your weight or your happiness. Please show me how heavy meaning I want when it refers to a person's weighty reputation or honored position. One translation says please show me your own self. So here's Moses saying to God I want to see the full disclosure of your glorious person. Sound familiar is a sound like a New Testament character who said to Jesus's name was Philip show us the father. All we need, show us the father and that will be sufficient. Now God in verse 20 here in the Moses story in verse 20 says no can do.

Mow exit and SV. The new Skip version. No can do.

Tomorrow I can show you my glory. If you see me, you'll die. No man can see me and live you can't see my face. You can see the full expression of my glory. I get to be like a bug zapper right you plug that thing in and that's a little light outside and bugs kinda bird attracted by. But if they get too close. I'm sure seeing the glory of God would be much the same way we in our mortal bodies getting too close to perfection. Bug zapper question, why did Moses ask this from God, show me your glory. Now I want you to think about that question. As I remember when I first read this and I thought that's an odd request. I mean if I Moses I'm thinking I've seen enough already.

Right. I mean if you think of what Moses saw and experienced with God.

Up to this point it's more than all of our experiences with God put together. Moses heard God's voice out of the bush. When did that happen to you.

Probably not, unless you're on drugs, a burning bush talk to him gave him instruction plagues from heaven rained down upon his enemies body of water called the red sea opened up letting a couple million people through in closing to kill the enemies of God that ever happened in your lifetime do you did you see that note. Moses saw all of that and more. And yet he has the audacity to say I want more. Show me your glory. I want to see everything. Why, in a word, I'll call it this God hunger God hunger. He was hungry for God. All human beings that I have ever met. Have in their core deep hunger for God matter how brilliant they are, no matter what they believe in, no matter how erudite and spiritually knowledgeable and theologically advanced. They might be. They all have a desire to see God as an example, we have a relationship with person on earth that you really love and your distant from the looks of your family so so I married I kids I go in a business trip and I miss my family, but I carry something with me their image a picture of them in the old days they used to be.

Things called photographs you claim in your wallet or purse. Nowadays we have our smart phones and we can show people pictures or videos of them or we can even FaceTime them or assume meeting with them and we can hear their voice and we can see their picture.

But do we ever in seeing their picture and hearing their voice say well it's all I need. I'll never need to get together with you ever again because I just had this experience over by forever. No and seeing their picture and hearing their voice. All that does is accentuate the loss all the more you know it it doesn't really satisfy me completely and temporarily does, but it accentuates the loss I am now longing for their tangible presence or in the words of the text there glory. I want to be with them so Moses after all his experience is still not satisfied and you know what you won't be either. Until you see him face-to-face. You see all of the greatest spiritual experiences you may have had up to this point all the great retreats you been on all the great worship conferences you have attended were never meant to satisfy they were meant to create a deeper first to whet your appetite for the full and final encounter, and that is heaven because in heaven that'll be the culmination of all of our worship experiences and then and only then will you be satisfied some 17 verse 15 as for me I will see your face in righteousness.

I shall be satisfied when I awaken your likeness when you see God is when you will be fully satisfy. That's when you go this is what I've always wanted Tim Stafford, who wrote a book that influenced me greatly said I believe this longing can only be fulfilled when our eyes are opened on the loving and glorious face of God. Such will someday be our joy not yet the Bible does not hint that our intimacy with God can be satisfied through prayer or through ecstatic worship experiences or through the Bible it Moses could not get what he wanted, then we should not be too surprised at our own sense of incompleteness. Our longing is a mark of God's touch. We long to know him completely because we have come to know him, in part, so good.

We long to know him completely because we've come to know him, in part, so now we understand this request. Show me your glory.

Now back to the sermon on the mount as Jesus forgives the same stages in a relationship you first come admitting you're poor in spirit. I bankrupt. I'm a sinner. You then mourn over that condition called repentance, then the third thing Jesus said is blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. They will be filled. That's where the request comes in. That's where the growth comes in us for the sanctification comes in. So this is always the third step you come to know him you want to grow in him, only give you a spoiler alert Moses prayer was finally answered.

Years later, in the New Testament on the Mount of Transfiguration and the gospel of Luke chapter 9 we are told that Jesus was transfigured before them, and Moses and Elijah were with him and it says Jesus appeared in his glory.

Show me your glory. Okay hold that thought.

Mo it's answered in the New Testament sing the glory of God in the person of Christ back to our story. Moses said show me your glory. God said no can do mold, you can't see my glory and live bug zapper so it Moses didn't get what he longed for the way to get one.

Glad you asked.

Look at verse 19. The very next verse in chapter 33 then he said that God said to Moses, I will make all my goodness pass before you watch this and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you negative. Chapter 34 verse five. That's where God did what he said he was going to do the Lord descended a cloud and stood within there and proclaimed the name of the Lord and the Lord passed before him and proclaimed us 1/3 time we hear the word proclaim your proclaim means means to speak, to announce to declare to teach and preach. That's the idea, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children to the third and the fourth generation dominant cover that next week.

That little self-disclosure that autobiography of God.

But this takes us to the next step.

Revelation so Moses is show me your glory is God showing his glory. No, he doesn't get an apparition. He doesn't see God directly. There is no grand vision others know Jesus appearing in a tortilla. What is you get words worked. Got proclaimed something God spoke something to you. Words he asked for glory.

Miguel words he got 51 glorious words are nine full description, a list of attributes off theology spoken by God himself. So Moses says show me your glory. And he says you know what I'm in a tell you who I am and I'm in a tell you what I'm like, to give you my autobiography and that's all you need for now that's all you need for now. Have you ever discovered this truth sometimes we think we need something, but God knows we need something else overworking that Scott not really. You need that you might think you need this and pray for this moment give you that. So we are going to give you words oversee an apparition for survival say while I want tingles is a theology. This is what you need. So there's an example of that. Paul wanted a miraculous healing.

God knew we did need that God said my grace is sufficient for you, so you need you want.

That is what you need.

Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to prevent Lazarus's death so they wanted they did need that you know they needed a resurrection of Jesus came and raised Lazarus from the dead.

Moses wanted a vision of God's glory. God comes and says let me tell you about myself. So God reveals himself through his word and when he does that.

It forces us to live by faith because we can't live by site and see we believe it we hear it we respond. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Alyssa that's gonna have to be enough for you right now for a while. That's why the series 2020 scene truth clearly is so important because I'm hoping to this or to realize everything we actually need is found in the pages of this revelation God's words.

Second Peter chapter 1 everything that pertains to life and godliness comes through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. A lot of times people are searching for.

For more more in the Christian life, something others don't have the next level. I want more power.

I want more Holy Spirit.

I want more blessings.

There were more glory, more more more good. I understand that but God gives you his word and my question to you is are you as excited about God's word as you are about God's wonders. Now I want some tingles well let me tell you about myself that leads us to the to the 15th and final stage, at least in this Bible study course or more in our growth but that is Moses response because response and in verse eight of chapter 34 so Moses crossed his arms and said not good enough note and say that I miss read that on purpose so Moses made haste. That is, he hurried up and he bowed his head toward the earth, and he worshiped what he he didn't get what he wanted, but he paused, hurried up and he worshiped. He didn't get what he wanted. He got what he needed and he worshiped Moses and say excuse me, time out. This is not what I came for. I came for some goosebumps. I came for tingles.

I will be lifted. I want to get really emotional have a touch and and or and and a vision. I want to be moved on a quiver to get that he got a Bible study worshiped Alyssa to worship when you don't get what you want is true worship. Joe didn't get what he wanted his kids got killed he lost himself he lost his goods and he bowed down and he worshiped God's of the Lord gives Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord in all this Job did not charge God, or do wrong. He worshiped to worship only when you feel blessed only when you feel lifted up only when you are are having no anxiety only when you have perfect health. So what pagans do that to worship God when you don't get what you expect or want or think you need sake.I don't get it but that's okay your sovereign your God. I'm not crazy you're good all the time, such as response, Melanie quickly give you three takeaways to sum it all up number one longing is a part of loving take this away from this Bible study longing is a part of loving you long for more. You long to be close to God that's good that that's a mark of his touch says Stafford longing is a part of loving God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

But you won't be fully rewarded to you leave this earth and enter heaven and you're able to see him. So when God says no God is saying to Moses isn't know forever which is no, not now oversee your glory. No then we know, not ever. But not now. Not yet.

Right so it's like when your kids want to drive in your 14-year-old senses.

I want to drive and you tell him what you tell if your kids is communicated on drive you say no. Now when you say no you're not saying know forever know when you're 30 or never to drive this thing not yet. Next year I'll teach you how to drive in the next year and we are 16 you get a driver's license.

I think it's way too young should be 18 but that's another opinion down a second opinion. Chapter 3 or December 23 rolls around, and her daughter says can I open the present. No, you don't mean no never. You mean not today maybe tomorrow night and Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas day. Yes, so longing is a part of loving number one number two worshiping is better than wondering incentive wondering why God is and more dramatic, wondering why God doesn't show up more let his word be enough for now, knowing that full satisfaction will come when you see him face-to-face and you will so longing is a part of loving worshiping is better than wondering a number three. Invisible does not mean unavailable because you can't see God because there's no immediate evidence doesn't mean he is unavailable. In fact, the issue isn't I can't see God. The issue is God can see you.

That's what Job said upset. I'm looking for God I went forward. I couldn't find my way back where I couldn't perceive them but he knows the way that I take.

I can't see him but he can see me someone 39 were can I go from your spirit.

Where can I flee from your presence. Answer nowhere. God is everywhere, like in that opening illustration. The mother surrounds us. She's learning her. We live in him we in him we live and move and have our being here to go on television. They televised circuses for people's entertainment that a live audience and in one particular act in a live audience and televise was the Bengal tiger act. So a trainer would go into a cage and it was filled with tigers Bengal Tigers.

The door locked behind him and the people you know, the cameras move around, people are plotting and the guy puts the Tigers through their paces all their tricks the crowds you know use excited it's it's it's pretty cool and suddenly right in the middle of the act, the lights went out. Now picture. Here the trainer you've just walked into a cage filled with man eating tigers and women eating divers. He's no respecter of persons here and I cage door slot behind you. All of a sudden the lights go out and you look around you can see that you realize I am in a cage filled with tigers and I can't see them but then you have a second thought, he can see me as their felines they can see in the dark would be a little disconcerting. What I want you to know using that illustration is God's season the dark in your darkness. God sees to the darkness of coalbed and job loss, and rioting in the streets and you feeling anxious because of it because the world is so weird right now and so dark right now. God sees in the dark is not a Bengal tiger, but he is the lion of the tribe of Judah, and he can see it all and he is God you convert so invisible does not mean on available Skip six message from the series 2020. Now let's hit it in the studio with Skip inmate is to share how you can help connect children around the world to the Lord.

Most important to remember that just because God is invisible doesn't mean that he is unavailable. They you and mom have traveled overseas.

She's been part of a thing called reload love that she started turning our bullets into charms and supporting people on the field, especially children impacted by terrorism.

We've taken it to a whole new level and you've traveled with her overseas was it to Thailand and out you it's a whole new opportunity that is developing because of that, Phyllis sent Dana we found in this is historically true. Often times, in the midst of crisis God is historically use the church to fulfill the need that people have.

We see this all throughout history. Great organizations like the Red Cross and YMCA list goes on and on, were founded by Christians with the desire to help people in the primary way that he does any communities to a church and so we had this heartless desire looking at reload love to expand really loves goal to not only build playgrounds which are resource for community but to build churches which can become the ultimate resource in the community to yes meet people's physical needs of feeding them, giving them schooling giving them resources but more importantly, reaching their spiritual needs there when their need for Jesus Christ and realizing that any true change in society and this is a matter where the society has weathered here in America. Whether it's around the world in Burma, Thailand, the Middle East true changes in a come in a society from a revival and relationship with Jesus and so we shifted our vision will partner with an organization called stadia to go into these communities and help them build churches that we can then see flourish and blossom to meet the needs of the communities and the kids in those communities to bring them some safety and to bring them some normalcy and not just to build churches but then to go back to those churches and give input to leadership raise them up, giving discipleship programs train the trainers and I have an ongoing relationship. One of the things were most excited for for our work in Burma and Thailand is partnering to support full-time missionaries to people groups that have yet to hear the gospel while know we know that as Christians part of our our job that Jesus has given to us is to go into the world and make disciples of all men. We know that Jesus is again returned to every ear has heard everyone's had opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel and so there's some great weight upon us to make sure that were spreading that message were built able to partner and for $10,000 support a full-time missionary for years to go out and do this work were really excited about and would love to have your help. Thank you. By the way to our listeners for helping in the passing of many of you have done that you can find out more information at reload. Love.com thanks Tiffany we hope you enjoy continues to donate to this conversation now these teachings coming your way to connect more listeners like Larry today.com/donate.

Connect with.com/donate or call 800-9200 90. Thank you again tomorrow. Skip Heitzig explores God's autobiography in Scripture.

So Skip presentation of connection communications changing truth ever-changing time