Where is God at?

Where is God at? Intro: You ever wonder where God is at. Why don’t I feel His presence? Or maybe you know where God is at in your life but I am sure at some time or another you have been confronted with this question from others. When things don’t seem to be going our way, we begin to question His existence or if things don’t move as quickly as we would like them to we question God’s presence. Central truth: I’m Here! Points: 1. Why don’t we always see God. We build barriers, we put up walls. First we put these walls up for our protection, protection from hurt of a loved one, insecurities, fear at failing. So we listen to the lies that tell us if you let someone get close they will hurt you, if you try something you will fail and so up the walls go. Funny thing is now we have created a barrier that we can’t see around ourselves. And we wonder why we don’t see Jesus. Just because you don’t see Him doesn’t mean He isn’t there. Nothing can separate us ! Romans 8:35-39 New Living Translation (NLT) 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. God is always there. You ever feel as if you’re all alone? Many times we are going through some crisis and we shut others out. We stop communicating with our friends, families, we stop coming to church. We fall right into the enemies trap. There is power in numbers and Satan knows that, that’s why he temps us to isolate ourselves. He is like a roaring lion looking for who he can devour. 1 Peter 5:8 New Living Translation (NLT) 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Lions attack sick, young or straggling animals: they choose victims who are alone or not alert. So there we set wounded, bleeding all alone and the enemy sweeps in for the attack. No matter how alone you may feel, no matter how hard to try to isolate yourself, God will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 New International Version 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He was in the lion den, he was in the fiery furnace, and he was there in the garden of Gethsemane when all His disciples couldn’t even stay awake for Jesus and He is with you now and always will be. Ex. Footprints in the Sand Another danger we have when we isolate ourselves from the things of God is when we tell ourselves “ I am still doing fine” I have plenty of time to live my life the way I want to before I start to live the life He wants me to live.” 3. Drawing Near. Story of man in car. We serve a God that doesn’t move, He changes not. Mal. 3:6 "I am the LORD, and I do not change. A lot of time we want to use the excuse well God is leading me in a different direction now. That I disagree with God doesn’t change His mind and He always finishes what He starts. I do believe God does move us in different direction but not until He alone is finish with us where He currently has us. We are the ones that have slid over and no longer are close to Him. James 4:8 New Living Translation (NLT) 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. So how can we draw close to God today? 1. Humble ourselves and repent for leaving. 2. Read His word. 3. Pray and commune with Him. Establish a relationship once again with Him. 4. Come to church, fellowship with Gods family. 5. Seek His will and surrender your life to Him. Central truth: I’m Here!