The Bible says that nothing of lasting value can be accomplished on the earth without Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the embodiment of God on the earth, and the presence of the Lord is absent where there is strife, unforgiveness and unrepentant sin.

God is holy and wants a relationship with His children but He will not compromise His standards to do so. We should not therefore selfishly ask Him for things when we have no intention of changing from our sinful ways; instead, we should ask God for His presence, who will answer our prayers when we don’t grieve the Holy Spirit.

God is not an impersonal ATM machine but a vibrant living God that is grieved over the errant behavior of His children. Programs can never replace the presence of the Lord, and every activity in which we participate should be in an atmosphere of prayer and consciousness that God is the center of it. Jesus told us to seek the kingdom of God first, and where the presence of God is, you will also find His kingdom. We need to redirect our attention away from just asking God to bless us and seek His presence instead.

Sermon Outline:  https://eaec.org/sermons/2011/RLJ-1304.pdf

RLJ-1304 -- AUGUST 21, 2011

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