Sunday 7th Nov 2010Just about everybody with access to u-tube, the internet and MMS, must have heard of Achmed, the dead terrorist. One of the star attractions in Jeff Dunham`s show.
In their little discourse, Jeff asks Achmed, if they learnt a lesson when one of the student suicide bombers, blew their training camp to smithereens. Achmed responded with “location, location, and location”.
In this very funny sketch, Achmed reminds us of a very important fact of life: where do we find ourselves, where do we locate ourselves.
Are we where we are supposed to be or are we in the wrong place at the right time?
When we invest in property the guideline is this: It is best to own the worst place in the best area than it is to own the best place in the worst area.
Our text:
Psa 84:4 Blessed are they who dwell in Your house; they will still praise You. Selah. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Your ways are in their hearts. 6 Passing through the valley of weeping, they will make it a fountain; the early rain also covers it with blessings. :7 They go from strength to strength, appearing in Zion before God. 8 O Jehovah, the God of Hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. 9 Behold, O God, our shield, and look on the face of Your anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Very early on in his life, David realized and discovered an incredibly important fact. He discovered the importance of location.
He discovered that, in order for him and us, to be able to live life in a way that would bring blessing, protection and order, we need to very carefully decide, where we would position ourselves.
Exo 40:34 And the cloud covered the tabernacle of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tabernacle of the congregation because the cloud stayed on it, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel journeyed on in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, in all their journeys.
Whilst in the wilderness, the people of Israel gathered around the temple, in the presence of the Glory of God.
They understood at this point, the importance of being in His presence, the very location where they had to be. In the presence of His Glory.
While the `cloud` was settled, they settled and when the cloud moved, they moved. They did not dare move away from it, without taking major risk.
Why the Glory?
In this context it speak of the cloud as a `covering`. God covered the tabernacle with His presence, and in so doing, He covered the people with His presence.
At night He showed His presence by fire that covered the tabernacle. But this was a different fire. Not the all consuming and destructive nature of fire, but the nature of protection, heat, safety and light.
This was his Shechi'nah. (dwelling). It was used by the later Jews, and borrowed by Christians from them, to express the visible majesty of the divine Presence, especially when resting or dwelling between the cherubim on the Mercy-Seat, in the Tabernacle, and in the Temple of Solomon, but not in the second Temple. The use of the term is first found in the Targums, where it forms a frequent periphrasis for God, considered its dwelling among the children of Israel.
The idea which the different accounts in Scripture convey is that of a most brilliant and glorious light, enveloped in a cloud, and usually concealed by the cloud, so that the cloud itself was, for the most part, alone visible, but on particular occasions, the glory appeared.
Now, we need to understand that where the Glory of God is, there also is the power of God.
Why do we need to position ourselves, why is it so important that we keep contact and focus on the presence of God in our lives?
Surely we can survive without it; surely we can make it without constantly watching out for it.
Perhaps yes, maybe we will have a measure of success and maybe we will have some sort of peace and prosperity. But – not without a price.
1Ch 16:17 And He has confirmed the saying to Jacob for a Law, to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 saying, To you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance, 19 when you were but few, even a few, and strangers in it, 20 and they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, 21 He did not allow any man to do them wrong. Yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, 22 saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm. 23 Sing to Jehovah, all the earth. Show forth from day to day His salvation. 24 Declare His glory among the heathen, His marvelous works among all nations. 25 For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods. :26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Jehovah made the heavens. 27 Glory and honor are in His presence, strength and gladness in His place.
Ø In His presence, we receive the inheritance, the inheritance promised to us from the everlasting covenant. The land of rest.
Ø In His presence, there is protection: He did not allow any man to do them wrong. Yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, 22 saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm
Ø Glory and honor are in His presence, strength and gladness in His place
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is only in the Law of Jehovah; and in His Law he meditates day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of water that brings forth its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf shall not wither, and all which he does shall be blessed.
Ø In His presence is blessing.
Ø Like a tree. In His presence I can stand solid and firm, when life attacks me, my roots are deeply seated. Fear has no hold on me.
What happens when we remove ourselves from His presence?
Psa 1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. :6 For Jehovah knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
The people of Israel learnt this lesson the very hard way.
Like typical children, they began to rebel, they began asking questions and the moved way from the Glory, they took their focus off God and focused on the circumstance. They forgot the importance of the position they had to be in.
Some of those who spent time in His presence and then moved away, lost their access cards into the Promised Land, they died in the wilderness.
Instead of going on a short stroll through the wilderness, they spent forty years, wandering around the wilderness.
By removing themselves from the best location ever, they destroyed their own future.
How do I relocate?
1. Gather together in the house of the Lord
Act 13:44 And on the coming sabbath day almost all the city came together to hear the Word of God.
Ø We need to be in a place of worship on a day of worship.
Ø The belief that “I spent time with God on Sundays when I watch TV is a copout. There is no accountability in that. If I don’t like what the pastor says, I switch the channel or I go make a cup of coffee.
2 Submit to solid teaching
Heb13:7 Remember those leading you, who have spoken to you the Word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conduct: 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried about with different and strange doctrines, for it is good for the heart to be established with grace, not with foods, in which those who have walked in them were not helped.
Ø We do not chase after feelings and emotional events. Chasing after a rainbow is a futile exercise.
- Who teaches you, spends time with you, makes an effort to help you develop and grow.
Ø Look at the fruit they bear. Not the toys and the bells and the whistles. That’s possibly fake and designed to draw you away from the location where you have to be.
3 Worship and yield
Heb 13:15 By Him, then, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Yield to those leading you, and be submissive, for they watch for your souls, as those who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.
2Ti 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. :7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him.
In Christ rests the dunamis power of God
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