The Awareness of God’s Presence – Dr. Charles Stanley

somebody says well I haven’t needed in

my life well think about this look at

that made in the light of the presence

of Jesus Christ who’s the same yesterday

they in forever who provides the needs

for his children if I if I’m aware if

I’m living in the awareness of his

presence and Anita Rises I don’t have to

worry about it I may not have an answer

at the moment but I know that he knows

all about Annie next on InTouch the

awareness of God’s presence where’s God

in your life you say well he’s not in my

life well is that the way you want it if

you decide you don’t want God in your

life he’s not gonna force himself on you

but you don’t know what you’re missing

or you may say well I’ll tell you about

God in my life sometimes I feel it’s

there and sometimes I don’t

sometimes I’m close to him sometimes I’m

distant well what’s going on when you

feel close to it well he’s meeting your

needs and you’re in church and read you

read the scripture and everything sort

of going your way what is it that makes

you feel he’s distant instead because

something’s missing in your life that if

some needs you don’t feel like he’s

exactly working on to your best

advantage what makes you feel this

distance from Almighty God when he says

that he’s everywhere and he is other

which when you look up in the sky at

night and you study a little bit of

astronomy and you begin to see all the

planets and how absolutely perfect

their schedule is in relating to each

other and all the fantastic things

beyond their comprehension there is a

God and he’s in charge and he’s in

control and everything is going the way

he wants it to go down here on earth we

just make all kind of messes of things

but those of us who trust him

we have an awareness of him that others

do not have why do you want to live your

life apart from a loving sovereign God

who knows all he’s omniscient has all

power he’s unlimited and he’s

omnipresent which means that he is

everywhere but a better way to say that

is that everywhere is in his presence

somebody says well it’s got over yonder

and over yonder backyard nook and they

listen now all of that is in the

presence of Almighty God what an awesome

God we have and you don’t want him in

your life he’s a God of love and

goodness and mercy he sent His only

begotten Son Jesus into the world that

you and I might discover what a true

genuine life is about and that our sins

can be forgiven and name written in the

Lamb’s Book of Life and we can listen we

can be on our way to heaven when we die

in other words when you look at what

becomes yours when you become a

Christian why would why would you not

want God in your life think about the

sin in your life that’s keeping you from

warning and God in your life that you

compare that with a forgiveness of sin

peace joy and love goodness mercy

kindness your name written in the Lamb’s

Book of Life you have this present

helper with you constantly night and day

24 hours a day every day of your life

what in the sinful world that you have

the compares rillette and you and I both

we know that you don’t have anything why

not trust him as your personal Savior

well what I want to talk about in this

message is our awareness of God now he’s

here whether you’re aware of him or not

he’s there when you rework whether

you’re aware of him or not in other

words your awareness of him doesn’t

determine whoever he is in fact the

scripture says Jesus Christ is the same

yesterday today and forever he doesn’t

change and the reason is location

doesn’t change is because all locations

are in his presence

why would you want to live without a

loving father who wants the best for you

so I want to talk about this matter

the awareness of his presence not just

his presence we all know his present but

the awareness of his presence I want you

to turn to the most familiar song you

know the twenty-third song as one

phrasing that I want us to look at

primarily and so if you’ll turn there

for just a moment the 23rd song and you

remember that David penned this and he

was going through difficult in all kind

of hardship in his life many times

before we ever became the king and even

afterwards so how many times have you

read this the Lord is my shepherd I

shall not want he makes me to lie down

in green pastures he leads me beside

quiet waters he restores my soul he

guides me in the paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake what an awesome God

who’s doing that then he says even

though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death I will fear no evil was

that for you are with me your rod and

your staff they comfort me as far as I

want to go you are with me and if you’ll

think about it all through the

Scriptures that God uses that same

phrase and in a different way to

different people and I want us to think

about this in the light of the fact that

God God works in the life of his

servants he provides their needs on the

basis of his love and kindness toward us

and if you look at the scripture it’s

evident from the scripture that our

awareness of his presence is Bible that

whatever he wants to do in our life so

let’s started with the Old Testament for

example the Bible says that Enoch walked

with God and he was not because God took

him what a sense of awareness of God he

had and if you think about Noah God told

him to build an ark and the one thing he

said

he said I’m gonna be with you even in

those times when he was persecuted for

what he was doing because they didn’t

understand I’m with you and following

you Noah let’s just take Abraham for

example he said to him you get up and

leave your family and go into a land

that I’ll show you even tell him exactly

where he was going at first he said but

I’m going with you I’ll be with you and

they field remember when God spoke to

Moses and he gave him that challenge the

good end talked to Pharaoh about letting

the people go and he said I’m going with

you and on one occasion I thought it was

interesting in the third of their

chapter in the fifteenth the verse I

believe of excess he said no we’re going

but we’re not going without you have you

ever thought about that in your life

you’ve had things that you needed to do

but she’s something no one to do without

God and then when God began to speak to

Joshua I want you to take over Moses

place and absolutely impossible task and

he said I’ll be with you and then if

when he talked to Gideon for example and

Gideon said well Lord I’m my family’s

their lowest family in the whole city

and the why you asking me and God said

to him here’s what I want you to do and

I’ll be with you and if you recall when

David was fighting Goliath that he said

that Goliath he said my God will deliver

you into my hands that sense of oneness

when he called Isaiah Isaiah Jeremiah

prophesy in a very difficult time in the

nation of Israel he said to Isaiah there

not be afraid I’m gonna be with you and

the Jeremiah Jeremiah said what’s this

he said I’m going with you and you slip

through all the other prophets over to

the New Testament

you remember what Jesus said to his

apostles when he sent them out he said

go into all the world and preach the

gospel to every creature

he said baptizing them in the name of

the Father the Son the Holy Spirit and

though I’ll be with you even to the end

of this age and you remember Jesus spent

time talking to his disciples about the

fact he was going to lead them but he

wasn’t going to leave them as orphans as

he

said he said I’ll come I’ll come back to

you and at Pentecost the Lord came in a

very special way to inhabit the life of

every single believer so that when you

and I got saved the Spirit of God a

personal eternity inhabited our life at

that very moment in Edison – enabled you

and me to live a godly life in an

ungodly world and I think about the

Apostle Paul for example how many times

he had to rely upon the presence of God

in his life and it was aware of that in

prison when when one prison after the

other then he comes to the end of his

life and he says I fought a good fight

I’ve kept the course and I’m coming to

the end male and there was this sense of

somehow of a sense of peace and and

awareness in his heart that he’d given

his best fought a good fight kept have

kept I’ve kept the faith finished up my

course now and so all of these people

whom God use were people who were aware

of the presence of God in their life and

God hasn’t changed no words Jesus Christ

the same yesterday today and forever

when you trusted Jesus as you save you

listen carefully you had just as much of

Jesus in your heart as did the Apostle

Paul or any of those other apostles and

Jesus made an issue of this he says I’m

going away but I’m not gonna leave you

as orphans he said for example I’m in

the father the father’s in me I and you

he went to all kinds of ways of

encouraging them that even though he was

going to be gone he’s still gonna be

with him it was the awareness of his

presence that he wanted them to

understand and remember that Jesus

Christ was the same yesterday today and

forever

he had changed now what she hasn’t

changed locations away said nothing

about him has change and so as they had

the Holy Spirit indwelling them you and

I have the Holy Spirit indwelling us but

you can live your life even as a

believer and oftentimes not be aware of

the presence of God in your life and

when I think about how Jesus worked and

sending them out and

how important that was I want you to

turn to the 14th chapter of John for a

moment and let’s look at one verse here

that seems to be it seems it would be

almost impossible but he was he said to

him the early part of the 14th chapter

did not let your heart be troubled you

believe in God believe also in me

and then he he’s working with his

apostles here and he comes to this same

chapter 14 chapter and he comes to this

12 verse and listen to this amazing

thing he said to them truly truly I say

to you he who believes in me the works

that I do he will do also and greater

works than these he will do because I go

to the Father what was he saying well

how can you something great at what he

did that doesn’t even make sense

but what was he saying he wasn’t saying

the very nature of the work of the

quality of the work but he says as a

result I’m leaving you but I’m coming

back to you in the Holy Spirit and what

I’ve done you’re gonna do greater so

somebody so that could be impossible but

let’s just think about it we don’t see

Jesus very much in large crowd speaking

except Sermon on the Mount maybe a few

other times usually it’s individuals

he’s dealing with but at Pentecost Peter

preached and and brought him three

thousand people got saved I don’t know

how big the crowd was but 3,000 of them

got saved everybody didn’t get saved but

3,000 did so what did it mean when he

said greater works than these well that

was a greater work when it came to

speaking to a huge crowd because that’s

what he said he’s not gonna send the

Holy Spirit he’ll be in you with you and

upon you and that meant that the the

power of God with the upon his servants

then for example if you’ll think about

it and Jesus never traveled over 80

miles from home he didn’t he didn’t

leave Palestine and I think about this

he’s telling this group of his disciples

I want you to go into all the world and

preach the gospel I think if I’d been

out I said oh wait a minute

have you been in all the world what do

you knows out there and so of course

this is the Roman world of slavery

Verde power and all the rest he said I

want you to go into all the world and

preach the gospel so what happened he

said that the work you do gonna be

greater than what I’ve done the Apostle

Paul and those apostles went preaching

the gospel they spread that little New

Testament church all over the Roman the

world and so if you think about that I

mean you can even count the people and

the impact look at the impact that the

Apostle Paul had and starting all these

churches and going back into cycling all

these people and and just multiplying

Christians coming and going well if you

look at if you look just look at Paul

and look at Jesus Paul just went

everywhere Jesus went 80 miles from the

sea went from home then you think about

the few people compared to lid that

Jesus talked to and compared to who Paul

talked to no comparison that think about

this and and today we have television we

have radio they can reach every country

in the world and when Jesus said greater

things that I’ve done he says they’ll be

greater now watch this he didn’t say

you’ll do them but it’s the Spirit of

God within every single one of us who

has who has the opportunity and their

northing of the spirit upon each one of

us when the spirit of God’s there he’s

there to equip you to do whatever he

called you to do so we’re not comparing

ourselves with Jesus that’s not what

this is all about it’s the fact then he

promised them what you gonna do as a

result of what’s gonna happen when I

come back to you in the power of the

Holy Spirit what’s gonna happen it’s

gonna maze you

you’ve been amazed by what you’ve seen

now he resurrected the dead and all

these things he didn’t say that you’re

gonna resurrect the dead you gonna do

this any other he’s saying greater works

what was the most important work Jesus

came for not to raise the dead to have

miracles and healings and so forth but

to bring people to saving knowledge of

God through the shed blood of his cross

that’s why he came these are the things

of things that happened validate his

ministry but he came to bring people to

a saving knowledge of

Christ of himself so watch this Jesus is

the same today and we quote this verse

he’s the same yesterday today and what

and forever so the Jesus and used the

same Jesus that walked in Palestine

hundreds of years ago it’s the same

Jesus who said to his apostles these

works that I do you need to even greater

did that single is out that will do this

that and the other no but it meant his

followers would do greater work because

because he was going to and dwell them

in the person of the Holy Spirit the

third person of the Trinity and it’s not

like God the Father God the Son I got

the Holy Spirit three persons but rather

God the Father God the Son God the Holy

Spirit one person God in three persons

the Trinity we sing that so we have the

Spirit of God within us and it doesn’t

making a difference what happens where

when how the Spirit of God is living

within us what is the desire of God’s

heart the desire of God’s heart is that

you and I would live listeners that we

would live in awareness of his presence

it have changed your life it makes all

the difference in the world if you’re

living in the awareness of his present

it doesn’t mean that you live believing

there is a God that’s not in its the

winner awareness of his presence in your

life every single believer is indwelt

but the Spirit of God and says in

Ephesians in other places that when you

trusted Christ as your Savior he sealed

you he sealed you forever as a child of

God and that seal is the presence of the

Holy Spirit so what I’d like to do is

I’d like to help you identify the

evidence of the awareness of his

presence in our life what’s the evidence

well here’s one of the I’m gonna give

you 16 of them yeah that’s right get

ready

because they’re all important they could

be more but this is the best number one

he’s continually in our thoughts

conscious or unconscious

he’s continual in our thoughts let’s

take a mother who has a newborn baby the

babies about three days old and she’s

gone about her work and her in her

household doing what she does but

subconsciously you know what there’s

something into her that they can hear

that baby in her words she has this

something inside of her which is her

subconscious that God gave all of us

that she she’s aware of that child that

he may be three rooms over but all of us

have a subconscious and the conscious so

that God makes it possible for you now

to go about whatever we do in life

openly speaking or whatever it might be

at the same time there is that spirit of

God in our subconscious that makes us

aware of his presence it’s it’s almost

like a holy silence within us but he’s

there and so the issue is are you aware

of that

are you aware of the Lord in your life

consciously and subconsciously secondly

we are continually seeking his guidance

if I’m aware of his presence I’m gonna

be continuing seeking his guidance we

all make decisions every day many people

make decisions

tell the oblivious to God they don’t

even think about you then so I don’t

have to ask God about everything well

you may not ask God about whether you

wear brown shoes or black but all of us

face decisions every day whether it’s on

your job or whether it’s in your family

or whatever it might be we face

decisions now let me ask you something

when a decision comes up how do you make

that decision do you say well I think

I’ll handle this

did you ask god I said lord give me

wisdom to handle this

their words watch this think about this

what area of your life is God not

interested in what area of your life God

is I had no interest

that are there any none amen

these answers and everything therefore

if he is then I should be I should be

aware that he has a preference in my

decisions as we said we not Thomas using

socks and stuff like that we talk about

the decisions you and I make every day

if I’m aware of his presence in my life

I’m gonna be aware that it will not have

a decision and for example you meet

somebody and they’ll tell you something

and the Spirit of God says to you mm-hmm

don’t go there that’s the Spirit of God

doing what giving you guidance in your

life and it’s not that you say you don’t

have to say oh god please give me

guidance at this point no because you

are aware of his presence he’s ready to

speak to give you guidance because

that’s his desire because he loves you

absolutely unconditionally then there’s

another thing we must view him as our

constant companion that is if if I see

him as my constant companion that I’m

always aware of in other words if I’m

aware of him I don’t have to want

anything about it and I’ll tell you

something that happened to me many years

ago and the reason I don’t I don’t know

exactly the year but I can tell you by

this that I know I used to drive a when

I first came to Atlanta I used to drive

a white little white VW Bug and

somewhere at a church I’m driving my bug

and it’s like the Lord said to me I made

you for myself I heard it that loud not

in hearing a voice it was so loud to me

that I almost turned to look I realized

God you’ve spoken to my heart he is

willing to speak to you in areas of your

life that you didn’t even haven’t even

thought about but he wants you to think

about he’s ready to reveal himself to

you in ways that no one else somebody

could say what you were just thinking

that

I wasn’t even thinking about anything of

the sort if you’re not living in the

awareness of his presence remember he’s

their companion would you say he’s your

companion amen then how often are you

aware of his companionship well most of

you look like you’re married a wallaby

to itself so yeah let’s say you’re

married are you aware of the

companionship of your husband or wife

yes you are you are sensitive to what

goes on if you were to think that she’s

that you saw danger and somewhere and

you know that your wife is shopping

there instantly you’d be concerned why

because there’s a oneness between you

and yeah and you are aware of her eye or

him all the time what about your

children they go to school and and you

are aware that they’re in school and no

matter what you’re doing around your

house or at your job you are aware of

your children because you love them and

you want to be instantaneously told if

something happens

well what about Jesus as a companion

think about this the most powerful force

in the world is the person of Jesus he’s

omnipotent I’m the president our mission

and our all loving can you tell me a

better companion than that

anybody know you Kate and you see here’s

the reason people can go through

difficulty and hardship and pain and

sorrow the loss of loved ones in their

life whatever the reason may be and

still just move on in life do whatever

God calls him to do why because while

they lost a physical companion the

companion is still there he’s still

there to guide them and to help them and

to be the kind of companion they need in

other words God knew what was going to

happen in this world and so he’s so

framed it and to be our companion that

we don’t have to say now Oh everything’s

over what am I going

we’re just going to look to our

companion then of course we view

everything in the light of his presence

if I view everything in the light of his

presence then what is that

that that gives me a sense of safety

whatever is going on

watch this has to go on in the presence

of God now that’s true of sin and of

good deeds everything that goes on goes

on in that listen in the in the presence

of God because everywhere is in his

presence and you know there’s no secrets

there’s nothing hidden from God and so

whatever is going on in our life think

about in this light it’s in light of his

presence in other words everything

everywhere you are everything we do is

in the presence of Almighty God well

that’s a wonderful thing for the simple

reason we all need him and sometimes you

can see where I don’t believe that God

stuff because you know that would

interfere with my lifestyle it needs to

be interfered with if you if you don’t

want God anywhere around then of course

one of the evidences of our awareness is

we have peace in the midst of storms all

kind of storms hit us in other words we

all go through difficulties trials and

storms in our life and what happens what

keeps us and what takes us and what

helps us and helps us to survive what I

have got with me when you and I go

through some storm remember that the

first thing we all remember is this I’m

in this but I’m in yeah I’m in this with

God Jesus is with me in this the Holy

Spirit of God is going to guide me

through this help me comfort me assure

me whatever needs to be done and you

know once you once you begin to feel

since the awareness of God everything in

life changes things can be difficult

hard blinding but if you’re looking at

circumstance in the awareness that the

Lord is with you let me ask you what in

this world is more powerful than God

laughing who’s more knowledgeable than

God he already sees their storms before

they come his power is already working

to enable us to face them whatever they

might be so the awareness of his

presence it’s a very practical issue

then I think the awareness of his

presence creates a hunger now hard for

the Word of God this is why I say just

about every Sunday

you ought to begin the day every day and

with the word of God it may be one verse

or a whole chapter whatever it might be

because what does it do reading the Word

of God does what it ignites us to think

about him and to realize that he’s going

to be with us that day and so if a

person doesn’t read the scripture I

can’t exactly what happens their

awareness of the presence and the of God

and their life begins to diminish it’s

the word which is the word of God which

is the voice of God it’s the hand of God

at work and when you’re not we go

through some situation and we come to a

passage and mmod said the jaw should be

strong and of a good courage fear not

neither be dismayed for the Lord your

God is with you how many times have you

quoted that verse before probably all of

us have at some time or the other it’s

the Word of God that does what that

brings me back to the awareness that I

have him they help me through this no

matter what it might be this is one of

the reasons I say to you just the better

of a week you ought to start every day

with the Word of God and to me

personally on your knees

not necessarily you’d have to read it on

your knees but there ought to be a sense

of reverence and if you are aware of his

presence you will reverence him and when

you begin to read the Word of God what

does he do he speaks because he has

something to say and you see the only

thing you may see the only thing you may

feel tomorrow morning is his awesome

piece where that come from came God or

he may trigger your mind to think about

something that he knows you going to

face during the day

and he’s brought it to your mind this is

why if we live in the awareness of his

presence we don’t have to worry about it

I used to forget this and I could forget

that and this that and so forth living

in his presence doesn’t mean you have a

perfect memory but it does mean that God

will assume responsibility for bringing

to our mind and heart the things that we

need to remember then of course we’re

gonna have a joy in our heart if you

live in and you’re living in the

awareness of his presence Wow think

about this you have an omnipotent

all-powerful God in the person of Jesus

Christ in the Holy Spirit living on the

inside of you that should give me joy

you say well you know it’s Monday

morning it’s cloud in this and what are

you where you were you were of the

weather who’s sitting in the seat

besides you in the car if you are alone

the Lord’s there in other words it’s

it’s where we focus what’s F focused and

focus should be upon him he’s there

there was nobody else can follow you

around like he can yeah there’ll be

times when your best friends are gone

and that becomes your family’s not there

and it’s just you by yourself you are

never alone and he wants us to live in

the way that we recognize the fact we’re

not alone he’s present with us but am i

aware of that presence for example you

could you could be sick and then your

medicine cabinet is exactly what you

need and you look in the medicine

cabinet and you find aspirin and a few

things like that if you’re not aware of

here here’s the cure right if you’re not

aware of it you just pass right on bond

stay sick a lot of people are in trouble

because they live their lives unaware of

the presence of our Lord of his

willingness to help them and sometimes

if you have an unforgiving spirit in

your life toward somebody and you say

well you know what I don’t understand

why God’s not answering my prayer and

why this is why that and so forth you

get all tied up and maybe you need to

stop and ask the Lord Lord what are you

trying to say to me maybe there’s

something you want to deal with me about

and all of us have to live with that

tentacles out Lord I want to be

I’m living in obedience to you in every

single way awareness of his presence

changes everything

and certainly there’s gonna be a Joe in

your heart then of course I think we are

more conscious of the good things God

sends us when we are aware of his

presence in our life you see a lot of

people are blessed every single day

never give God any credit what does the

Bible say every good and precious gift

comes from the father above but if I’m

not if I’m not aware of his presence I

give someone else a credit I’ll say look

how what’s the next word look how I was

look how lucky I was

Christians don’t talk about luck we

talked about being blessed the presence

of God in our life but that makes the

difference I think when a person is

aware of God then we see these things is

God being good to us amen if it listen

he’s good to you here he’ll be good to

you there that’s the awesome presence of

God then of course we feel a continuing

dependence upon him there was when you

aware of him you feel dependence upon it

for example let’s say you’re coming down

the street and all of a sudden somebody

pulls right out in front of you and I’m

you doing about 40 miles an hour and

they’re doing I don’t know what they do

they didn’t even look at the red light

and all of a sudden you see this other

car right in front of you what’s your

first thought well y’all are in danger

what’s your what what’s your first

response

what’s that Jesus that’s exactly

Oh Jesus help me Jesus help me you know

what because we’re living in their

awareness of his presence he wants us to

be aware of him at all times we’re

dependent upon him then if we were aware

of him I believe that for that prayer

will be a priority in your life that you

just won’t say some short prayer because

you’re in trouble but you’re talking to

him all the time and I don’t like to

give myself as an example of some things

but I’m just telling you the way I would

see it and that is I’m walking through

my house a lot of times I’m talking to

him Lord I’m I talked to him out loud

there’s nothing he can’t hear it’s just

that you know what sometimes I need to

hear it sometimes I need to hear the

Lord and once in a while I’ll lose some

I said Lord now I know you know where

that is I don’t remember where I put it

but but but I know that you know where

it is and it’s amazing how fondly it

shows up you know what he’s interested

in every single aspect of our life all

right then we continue to have hope even

when things look really hopeless but in

listen they may turn out to be hopeless

as far as what we would change but

they’re not hopeless now of God no child

of God is hopeless he is not only our

hope he’s our power our strength

he’s our helper he’s our guy he’s our

sustenance he’s our everything but when

people are aware and live in the

awareness of his presence when hopeful

that things come along that seem

hopeless they’re not then if I’m really

aware of him I’m what I’m gonna do is

I’m gonna sift every decision through

his will Lord what is your will about

this what is your will about that all of

us face things that sometimes people

come up and ask us something or they say

what would you do about this and so if

somebody asked me a question

or if somebody comes in

line and says I have a question you know

what when somebody says that to me you

know what I instantaneously say quietly

help me Jesus I don’t mean to help me

Jesus cash allow me I mean I’m in it

Lord whatever that question is give me

the wisdom to give them a right answer

God to answer whatever it might be

because I think if we live with

awareness of his presence it doesn’t

make a difference what the decision is

we want to run it by him and somebody

may make you a big offer a good offer or

something that sounds fantastic run it

by him in other words every decision we

are let’s sifted with him because some

things are good and they’re fine

some things only look good but they’re

not good some things look free but

they’re not free and so God is the one

who keeps us from making mistakes if I’m

aware of his presence I want to need

arises I’m gonna see that need and right

of his presence somebody says well yeah

I haven’t needed in my life well think

about this a look at that need in the

light of the presence of Jesus Christ

who’s the same yesterday in forever who

provides the needs for his children if I

if I’m aware if I’m living in the

awareness of his presence and leader

rises I don’t have to worry about it I

may not have an answer at the moment but

I know that he knows all about her needs

and if you think about it he knows the

better needs before we do and because he

does he’s already prepared to meet that

need of whatever it might be but I think

a lot of people think about this a lot

of people who are not aware ever God

don’t pay much attention to him here

comes the need and they want to go

borrow money oh yeah it comes and eat

and they want to be and this had never

and so forth instead of stopping to say

Lord what the here’s the need father

what do you want me to do about it

many people are deeply in debt because

instead of asking God to provide and

whatever way he sees fit

they just go ahead and borrow the money

and so if you sift every decision and

every need through the awareness of his

presents then what happens life gets

light life becomes more peaceful because

we’re living in this presence the

presence of Almighty God now if I don’t

understand who God is if he’s some

distance somebody out yonder that’s a

whole different story then our worship

is more real and rewarding if I’m aware

of his presence you can come on the

Sunday morning and not worship God at

all it’s the awareness of his presence

but some of these songs we sing for

example what happens everything and you

just wants to fly out why because you’re

happy you’re aware of his presence well

that’s the way God wants us to live our

life and he wants us to worship Him

aware of his presence not just the

things that are going on around us and

you think about this there are people

who come to church and go to churches

every single Sunday with problems heart

aches

burdens hopeless situations and they go

to church to come to church or listen to

the television or listen to the radio

hoping hoping hoping hoping they’ll hear

something that encourages their heart

and so when we live aware of his

presence God is going to give that hope

wherever it’s needed then if I’m going

to walk in obedience to God as a way of

life just think about if I’m gonna walk

in obedience to God as a way of life

which we all should do I have to be

aware of his presence listen carefully

you do not have to sin

I can tell some of you don’t believe

that you remember people say I’m just a

sinner saved by grace that’s what some

people’s I’m just a sinner saved by

grace

well suppose you get up every morning

say that you know what you’re saying you

are programming your mind to sin against

God the the right thing is I’m a saint

save of the grace of God I may falter

I’m a sin but but but listen this think

about this if we are if we are walking

in obedience to him and that’s the will

of God then when do I have to sin and

might you say well do you say you don’t

know I didn’t say that I’m just saying I

don’t have to sin you don’t have to sin

we just accept sinners just normal

sinners a choice if we’re living in his

awareness of his presence and love and

goodness and mercy and kindness and all

all of adjectives we could use if we’re

living in the presence of that why do

you want this obey God let me ask you a

question what does disobedience gain you

or you may have an immediate gain you

think but the longer you look at it’ll

turn absolutely rotten because it

doesn’t fit you the more aware you are

of Jesus Christ in your life the less

you will tell a great sin in your life

because you know it doesn’t fit you it

doesn’t even feel good no matter what it

is you listen people can explain away

sin I hear the most crazy stories people

just say well you know listen this

nobody’s perfect we all know nobody is

that’s not information you know that you

know what to tell us that nobody’s

perfect he gotten those who are not

perfect but we shouldn’t get up in the

morning saying I’m just a sinner saved

by grace

no I’m a saint walking in the presence

of a son of God in his strength and his

power if I stumble if I falter today

he’ll forgive me and I keep walking in

his presence

it’s a decision we make and the more

where I am listen the more where I am of

the holy presence of Jesus the less I’m

going to be tempted by anything it’s the

lack of awareness that makes the

difference then of course I just say one

last thing all of these contribute to

what if I’m if I’m aware of all of these

things I’m gonna have a stronger

intimate relationship with Jesus now

every husband and wife if you really

love each other

you want to have it you want to have a

strong intimate relationship now people

won’t take the word intimacy I always

make it sex has nothing to do with it it

has to do with relationship how you feel

toward someone what the way you see them

is your husband or your wife you cherish

them you love them you adore then you

want the best for them and so what

happens the more aware you are of him

and of her and the more you love them

the more aware you are and them and the

more intense your your sensitivity to

each other is and what happens it makes

for a wonderful joyful relationship the

Lord wants us to have that kind of

relationship with him intensely in love

with him aware of his presence no matter

what’s going on in life so if you’re one

of those persons who said in the very

beginning that God is not in my life do

you realize what you’re missing what

you’re going to miss is the gift of

eternal life what you’re going to miss

is heaven what you’re going to miss is

all the joy and the wonderful things

that God provides you say well I’ll look

around I don’t see much joy it depends

on where you look there are difficult

times these are very difficult times but

what I want you to see is that Jesus in

your life when you become aware of his

presence in your life he changes your

view point because you begin to see

everything in light of his presence that

means we’re safe somehow he’ll work the

things out according his grey will if

you’ve never trusted

images save you you’re living a fools

life I know you don’t like that that’s

the truth you will reap what you sow

more than your soul later than yourself

if you saw life without God a life that

absolutely denies Jesus in your life and

you saw a life of worldliness and

wickedness and all kinds of moral and my

relatives then you’re going to get what

that brings when you trust Jesus as your

Savior and give your life to him to live

a godly life you get what that brings

and that is awesome father we are

grateful to you for your goodness to us

we know that there’s so much to learn

and yet we sort of really boils down

Lord our relationship to you and I pray

the Spirit of God and seal this message

in the heart of every believer and every

lost person who hears even recognized

I’m missing something in life I don’t

have all that in my life and help them

to see they’ll come a time when they

wish with all their heart that they knew

you is their personal Savior and that is

their prayer form today in Jesus name

Amen

as believers we should continually be

aware of our need for God’s guidance and

follow his direction in obedience at

integer RG learn more about how to

strengthen your walk with God there you

can find today’s message the awareness

of God’s presence along with a library

of free and inspiring messages from dr.

Stanley sermon notes and resources to

help you find God’s direction for your

life download the intouch app to take

the teaching of dr. Stanley on the go or

follow us on YouTube Facebook and

Twitter the spirit bill life is a life

lived through us by the Holy Spirit and

the goal is

demonstrate and to express the character

of Jesus Christ an intimate look into

the Ministry of dr. Stanley the spirit

filled life a new edition of one of his

classic books this biblical perspective

on the work of the Holy Spirit can

deepen your intimacy with God

we tried the drill I’m with you buddy

life principles to live by dr. Charles

Stanley exploration of the 30

foundational truths that continue to

guide his life and ministry order a box

set on CD or DVD at InTouch o RG share a

personal message on a beautiful note

card from the lens of dr. Charles

Stanley enjoy 6 nautical designs

featuring boats from around the world in

this 18 card set

come with us as we celebrate God’s

faithfulness through the years and

discover the purpose of your god-given

talents listen you will never reach the

maximum of your potential you’ll never

be as happy as you could be you’ll never

have a sense of satisfaction and

contentment and fulfillment and you

could have until you found out what God

is up to in your life what he had in

mind and employ your life in service to

him in some fashion and so feeling

inadequate we all feel inadequate about

things at times and feel inadequate

about whatever we’re doing for the Lord

that’s that’s not legitimate reason for

not doing it second reason people give

or feel is they say well you know I feel

so guilty

that I’ve not been what I should have

been and I should have done this and I

shouldn’t have done that and therefore I

can’t serve God the Bible doesn’t say

that that’s what grace is all about

grace enables us Mother

by His love and forgiveness to forget

the past and move on in the future of

doing what God has called us to do

having been forgiven of the past and

cleansed equips us to do the work that

God has called us to do so saying well

you know I feel so guilty that’s not

excusable and somebody says well I don’t

know how but then you can learn how well

I don’t know where God will show you how

well and somebody says but you know I’m

afraid of failure everybody fails at

everything that they do well who has

ever started that perfect in anything

and who does anything perfectly

everybody makes mistakes all of everyone

fumbles at times in life but so what

waiting to be perfect there’s no excuse

well I’m I’m afraid I’ll fail I’m afraid

of criticism everybody’s gonna be

criticized about something so forget it

and just relax failure

being a fear fearful of criticism is not

an excuse for not serving the Lord and

so people say well you know I would but

this and but that in but the other the

truth is a priorities get out of order

if you’re thinking about seven days a

week 24 hours a day

who gave you and made the gift of life

but Almighty God

there’s same God who gives us 24 hours a

day and good health and strength and an

occupation and make enough money to make

a living this same God says that each of

you special if gifted employ your gift

in serving one another that is not a

suggestion it is not a possibility it is

a command of God gifted and talented by

God we’re to give ourselves away to one

another in service to Him and so when

you think about all the excuses and the

reasons the truth is we don’t have any

the problem is that some people just

pure lazy they just don’t want to do any

more than they have to do any more than

is required of them they don’t want

learning them more than is required of

them they’re just gonna drift through

life and wonder why things don’t do

better and they’re the kind of people

most of the time who always wanting

somebody to do something and to give

them something the truth is he says we

are each one to employ put to work put

to service those gifts and those talents

that God has given us it isn’t a matter

of choice it is the command of God and

he says for example back over in

Ephesians chapter a 2 he says we are his

workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto

listen created in Christ Jesus unto good

works which he prepared beforehand that

we should walk in them so you can go all

through the scriptures and find command

after command that you not to discover

what we only seek the truth is what we

need to do is discover who are we if you

never know what your talents and gifts

are you never know what your your your

spiritual abilities are you’ll never

discover what you’re like who is this

person in this flesh how gifted are you

how talented are you what could you do

and what do you have the capacity to do

what are you able to do if you really

chose to put it to work well he says

we’re responsible and all of these

excuses the truth is as I said often

times it’s just pure laziness we don’t

want to do any more than we have to do

but remember who we are serving

we’re talking about Jesus we’re talking

about God the Father and so the truth is

we arrange our time the way we want to

and so we fill it up with so many things

the person is old you know I just don’t

have time to sing out a teacher don’t

have time to usher to work in the

parking I just don’t have time to serve

God I’ve got so many other things to do

you mean to tell me you tell Almighty

God that he said employ your gifts in

serving him I don’t have time to do what

you told me to do you musta made a

mistake musta made a mistake so we’re

saying you made a mistake because you’ve

given me so many other things to do that

I don’t have time to serve you I don’t

have time to do what you’ve called me to

do and therefore I’m gonna this do what

I have to do let somebody else serve you

there’s not a single verse in the

scripture that says that somebody else

do it

there listen there are areas and avenues

of service for every single child of God

or he would never have said discover

what your spiritual gift is and employ

it in serving one another that is a

command of God and we’ll get to it in

just a moment he says you’re not gonna

stand before him one of these days and

give an account for those gifts and

those talents that we have what did we

do with them how did we employ them

we’re responsible to God and so he says

each one has received a gift and

secondly he’s received it for a specific

service the man and the woman is gifted

intelligent for God in order he says to

serve one another now the problem is we

get mixed up on these two ideas for

example all of our talents and abilities

and our gifts have their origin in

heaven with God so he sends them as we

would say into this life into your life

and mine uniquely tailored to fit you

and me now we will either be channels or

terminals now terminal is where

something stops that’s where that’s

where it ends if it’s sent from

somewhere else it terminates here God

didn’t give you and me anything in order

for us to be terminals but channels into

our life a part of our life into someone

else’s life

leading people worldwide into a growing

relationship with Jesus Christ and

strengthening the local church in touch

with dr. Charles Stanley is a

presentation of in touch ministries this

program is made possible by the grace of

God and your faithful prayers and gifts