How Can I Relate to God? - Part B

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 with a full final encounter. Sometimes we wish we could just see God. That's where faith comes today on connect with Skip Skip talks about how God revealed himself to Moses and how he feels himself to you. Even today, before we begin to let you know about an amazing opportunity to visit the sites with the prophets and kings in the Bible from God, this is Pastor Skip. And I want to let you know that our 2022 trip to Israel is full speed ahead. Israel is now open trip is safe and you can still register, we will be touring May 4 through the 15th. This is such a beautiful time of the year to be in his room enjoy the sea of Galilee where Jesus spent so much of his time will stop at Mount Carmel and potato then I look forward to walking with you through the gorgeous port of Caesarea baptize people in the Jordan River will tour Masada and will even float in the Dead Sea, then the highlight up to Jerusalem, where there is so much to see and do. Finally, we will enjoy a powerful time of worship as we take communion in the garden to those are just the highlights. There is so much more on this tour lately and I hope you will make plans now to see Israel with us on this trip. There's more information touring agenda and registration details that connect.com Israel for inspiration increases mentors, one 800-4789 20 Army for three days over 40 iconic site appropriate for excursions around there's still time to join and Lenny think for an ethic tour is registration open connect with.com/Israel.

Okay, let's dive into today's teacher will be in Exodus chapter 32 Skip Heitzigs and begins the study, so the Lord said to Moses, I will also do this thing that you have spoken for you have found grace in my sight. I know you by name. A look at this last request was 18 and he said please this is Moses prayer please show me your glory. Fill in a couple gaps as we read just select verses because of the rebellion that took place in chapter 32 with the golden calf because the people rebelled. God essentially said I knocking to be going with this group of people in the same way that you had me go with this people I'm going to instead send my angel on my behalf. Moses is disappointed with that goes to have a talk privately with God and basically goes like I don't want less of you. I want more of you.

We as a people need more of you, not less of you, and then his culminating prayer is please show me your glory, not our glory, followed in Hebrew means your weight or your heaviness.

Please show me how heavy you are.

Meaning I want I want 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 is all we need, show us the father and that will be sufficient know 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 mall 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 got to be like a bug zapper right in the plug that thing in and there'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 a 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 ID 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 have kids I go in a business trip and I miss my family, but I I carry something with me their image a picture of them in the old days they used to be. Things call photographs you claim in your wallet or purse. Nowadays we have our smart phones. 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 of by forever know in 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 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 thirst to whet your appetite for the fall 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. Psalm 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 satisfied. 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 the 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 with 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 in 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 seeing the glory of God in the person of Christ back to our story.

Moses said show me your glory. God said no can do mall you can't see my glory and live bug zapper so it Moses didn't get what he long for the water to get one.

Glad you asked. Verse 19 the very next verse in chapter 33 then he said that it God said to Moses, I will make all my goodness pass before you know Alexis and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you negative.

Chapter 34 verse five cadets were 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 to preach us the idea and proclaim 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.

Dominic cover that next week.

A 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 words got proclaimed something God spoke something to the words he asked for glory.

Miguel words he got 51 glorious words are nine full description, a list of attributes, theology spoken by God himself. So Moses says show me your glory. And he says you know what I minute tell you who I am and I'm 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 is got not really. You need that you might think you need this and pray for this want to give you that show your glory. I give you words oversee an apparition.

Here's a Bible study. While I want tingles. There's 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 this will 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 live by site, we can see, we believe it we hear it we respond.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Melissa that's gonna have to be enough for you right now for a while.

That's why the series 2020 seeing truth clearly is so important because I'm hoping to this you gonna 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 that 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. I will more glory, more more more good. I understand that but God gives you his word, and not 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 of lease in this Bible study course are 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 said I misread 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 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, timeout. 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 enter and and a vision. I want to be moved on a quiver here, get that he had 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 his health.

He lost his goods and he bowed down and he worshiped God's of the Lord gives the 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 you safe.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 the mark of this 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 for averages.

No, not now. Always 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 son says I want to drive and you tell him what you tell advocates as communiqués on drive you say no.

Now when you say no you not say no forever know when you're 30.

You're never going to drive this thing not yet. Next year I'll teach you how to drive in the next year and when you're 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. Step three 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 went back where I couldn't perceive them but he knows the way that I take.

I can see him but he can see me someone 39 were can I go from your spirit work. Can I flee from your presence. Answer nowhere. God is everywhere, like Annette opening illustration.

The mother surrounds us. She's wearing her.

We live in him we in him we live and move and have our being here to go on television. They televise circuses for people's entertainment that a live audience and in one particular act in the live audience and televise was the Bengal tiger act. So a trainer would go into a cage and is filled with tigers Bengal Tigers. The door locked behind him in the peopling of the cameras move around the people are plotting and the guy puts the Tiger so all their paces all their tracks the crowds you know use excited it's it's is pretty cool and suddenly right in the middle of the act, the lights went out. Now picture year 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 cage doors locked 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 taken 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 sees in the dark in your darkness. God sees the darkness of cultivated 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 that conclusively applies its message.

How can I relate to God the series 2020 years of research that explains how Jesus forgiveness of your past unlocks peace and purpose for your future is truth. The question may seem like a postmodern music.

Maybe the core of the Christian deconstruction movement, but Scripture records that Pontius Pilate asked that very question. Just before he handed over Jesus to be crucified so what is truth here Skip night the Bible makes truth claims in some of those claims are well pretty absolute.

Here's why Jesus said I am the way the truth the life.

No one comes to the father except through me.

And you know it's really true. We want to help you get started in answering that question with Tucci focused resources the booklet why truth matters and bloodline both by pastor Skip our way to say thank you for your gift of $35 or more today to help connect more people to God's truth to reconnect with Skip Jesus as absolute truth. Pilot thought it couldn't be found. So he dismisses the case and in effect, he dismisses Jesus amount of his life get your copies of these two powerful resources when you get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1880 tomorrow. Skip Heitzigs. It explores God's autobiography in Scripture, hoping you know him even more personally. The best way to learn about God is from God himself to enter into a relationship with him and hear from him. What he says about himself. Moses does that.

Moses grew up in Israelite you learned about that as he was raised in Egypt in the last few chapters he has had intimate contact with Castillo Skip presentation of connection communication. Truth ever changing time