God is with us when our hearts are with Him

Introduction

• We're going to spend less time in here than we normally do because while the principle here is important, even sobering and convicting, but I am convinced we would run the risk of communicating something entirely different with overemphasis.

• In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, "I will be with you always"...but will He be with us the same if we do not obey His Great Commission? Is God with us if we're not with Him?

  • God is all-present, Spirit who fills the whole universe, so in that sense He is with everyone--Is that the sense Jesus is talking about?
    
  • Jesus is talking about an intimate-saving relationship with God, where His spiritual-saving power is with you
    

  • Principle the Bible shows: God is with us when hearts are with Him

  • Note: I don't want to overemphasize this because I think our problem more often is being confident in the promises we have from God that He will be with us always.

  • Perhaps though the insecurity comes from our conscience??--perhaps too bogged down by guilt??--where it is known deep down that God is not always with us unconditionally, on our terms??? because He is totally Holy, Righteous, and Just!
    

2Chronicles 15:2

• This verse is probably the clearest of this principle in the whole Bible.

• God will not be with you if you're heart is not with Him--where your heart is directed opposite Him--you've forsaken God
  

1Chronicles 28:9

• In David's farewell address he gives this charge to his son Solomon,

  • who would take over as king and have the responsibility to build the very place where God would dwell with man—the Holy of holies
    

  • It says that David wasn't holy enough because he shed too much blood!

• David finds the need to remind his son Solomon about God

  • God sees everything—"every intent of your thoughts"

  • Solomon grew up around God—it was probably easy to take God for granted

  • David is reminding him how holy God is and how important it is to be whole hearted and willing!

Jeremiah 29:13

• We'll find this condition attached to God's promise: God requires that we seek Him with all our heart!