Desiring To Know God Better

Desiring to Know God Better (Ex. 33:7-23) Moses had a desire to: Know God intimately God spoke with Moses directly, clearly and intimately Experience God’s presence God’s presence brings: Rest/peace ( Ex. 33:14 , Is. 26:3 , Ps. 16:11 , Phil. 4:4) Wealth/Provision (Gen. 39:2) During the depression, Mr. Yates, a sheep rancher, wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on government subsidy. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over the rolling West Texas hills, he was greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day. And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he’d been living on relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn’t know the oil was there even though he owned it. Danny Simpson a 24 year old Canadian, went to jail for robbing a bank, in Ottawa. His gun went to a museum. He was arrested for robbing a bank of $6,000 and then sent to jail for six years. He had used a .45 caliber Colt semi-automatic, which turned out to be an antique made by the Ross Rifle Company, Quebec City, in 1918. The pistol is worth up to $100,000. If Danny Simpson had just known what he carried in his hand, he wouldn’t have robbed the bank. In other words, Danny already had what he needed. Joy (Ps. 16:11) Protection ( Is. 43:2 , Ps. 91:1-2, 121:5, 124: 2-3 , Jer. 20: 11) Healing

Strength (Is. 41:10) Freedom (Jer. 1:8) Wisdom (1 Sam. 18:14) Christians can experience God’s presence in reading/hearing his Word God’s omnipresence, that is, that all of God is everywhere present all the time. God is always present with us through his indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18) (We are the tent/temple now) The tearing of the temple curtain at the death of Jesus was not to let God out, but to let us in! The Shekinah: the Glory of God or the special presence of God, i.e. when we become aware in a special and concrete way that God is present among us. The Tent of Meeting Was outside the camp. Separate = Holy Anyone can consult with God But only Moses approached What keeps people from approaching God? Sin separates us from God’s presence Our feeling of unworthiness Distractions God’s decides on who will receive his grace and compassion (Ex. 33:19, also quoted in Rom. 9:13-18))