The Presence Of God, The Distinguishing Factor

Exodus 24:9-11

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Exodus 33:14-16

The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"

Exodus 34:29-35

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterwards all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commandments the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. 

Its the very early minutes into the month of September and I want to wish my readers a happy new month in Jesus Name, may all your desires and hopes in Christ for this month be fully met in Jesus Name. Its just about ten minutes into midnight and I am tired if I have to be truthful to myself. I just uploaded my forth book unto CreateSapce website for previewing before listing my book. It's been over 10 days since I have been editing the book to meet their publishing requirement and I bless God for His help and grace. 

But before I go to bed, I will like to launch into this month which happens to be my birth month, trusting God to open up our hearts to the importance of His Presence. I had wanted to title this message enjoying the presence of God, but when I read the words of Moses in Exodus 33:14-16, I decide to change to what I have there now. 

In the days of Moses God's Presence was always with His people as a pillar of cloud in the day and as a pillar of fire in the night and though they roamed round the desert for 40 years, the millions of God's people were never attacked or devoured unless the Lord Himself visited them with His wrath. They passed through towns and cities but instead of been devoured they were feared. They were an untouchable breed not because of their ability, number or strength, but simply because of the presence of God that moved around with them everywhere they had to move to. 

But before the days of Moses, I will like us to first consider Isaac, in Genesis 26:2-16 the Lord appeared to Issac and promised to always be with him, so Isaac carried in him the Presence of God as he moved from place to place. When he settled in the land of the Philistine, the Bible tells us that Isaac planted crops in the land and reaped a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him. He became so wealthy that the Philistines began to envy him. 

Jacob was another man who carried in him the Presence of God, Genesis 28:13-15 tells us how the Lord appeared to Jacob and said to him that He the Lord will not leave him, but will watch over him wherever he goes. The Lord promised never to leave Jacob until He has fulfilled the promise He made to him. Jacob was not just blessed, but the blessings of his life by virtue of the Presence of God in his life rubbed off on his master Laban. It was so hard for Laban to let go off Jacob as he had learned by divination that he was just been blessed because of Jacob who had the Presence of God in his life (Genesis 30:27). Then we take a look at Joseph, in Genesis 39:2 and 21 we will see that Joseph prospered by virtue of God's Presence in His life. The Presence of God in the life of Joseph also rubbed off on his master Potiphar. And so we can see that the Presence of  God makes a huge difference. 

But what really struck my heart about the issue of the Presence of God is the word of Moses in Genesis 33, he said "How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" These words cannot be more relevant than in the world we live in today, with the wickedness that looms over the face of the earth as we approach the end of time, there is a need to know and identify those who truly are the Lords' and that can only be ascertained by those who carry in them the presence of God in truth and not falsely. 

You do not have to cheat, steal, defraud others in order to be blessed, all that you need is to carry in you the Presence of God, it stands you out among those who are the heathens. It is the distinguishing factor that separates you from all the people of the earth. And the Presence of God carries an aroma of blessing with it. In every way you are bound to stand out from the crowd when you carry in you the Presence of God. 2 Samuel 6:12 tells us that Obed-Edom and his household were so blessed that people around had to run and tell David the news of Obed-Edom's blessing just because he had in his house the Ark of God which at that time signifies the Presence of God. 

Proverbs 10:22 tells us that the blessings of God makes rich and adds no trouble to it, so I ask; do you seek such blessings that brings wealth without trouble, then seek to have the abundance of the Presence of God in you. Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things will be added unto you.

The 70 elders of Israel ate and drank in the Presence of God and they were not consumed, they saw God yet they lived. Moses spoke with the Lord and he had a radiance of God on his face that was too much for the children of Israel to bear. The beautiful truth is that the Presence of God is not just about been materially rich, but you become one that demons will fear and run from, those who war against you need not be told that they are defeated without you having to fight. You are assured of peace on earth and an inheritance in heaven. In truth the Presence of God is the distinguishing factor.