THE WEIGHT OF HIS PRESENCE

When I learnt that I would be speaking to day, I thought of speaking to you about raising praise to be raised. Isa 54:1 say sing oh barren woman, you who never bore a child, burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor, because more are the children of the desolate woman, than of her who has a husband.

BUT

On Wednesday we had a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord during the lunch hour meetings in the minor hall. After the meeting we were talking with Pastor Ochieng and he told me “you know this is what the young people are missing today” but it’s not just the young people but all people, white, yellow or black, men and women. People are hungry and thirsty but they are meeting their hunger and quenching their thirst on other things, things that cannot fulfill. And as Mrs. Weru said a few Sundays ago, people lives are full but not fulfilled.

As I read the 1 Samuel, I couldn’t help but shed tears. The word of God was rare those days; there were not many visions. Eli had been the priest of God at Shiloh. He was growing old. His sons had taken over as priests at Shiloh but they were evil in the sight of God. To this sanctuary a family visited every year. Elkanah and his two wives Hannah and Peninah. Driven by the fire of barrenness that burned in her womb Hannah began to call on the Lord. After years of arguing with her co-wife she realized that nothing would change unless she shifted her focus. She sought God and God shifted the weight of his presence in her favor. Eli confirmed it. The Bible says that she left the tent of meeting and was sad no more

Later she prayed,

Do not keep on talking so proudly

Or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. (1Sam2: 3)

Application: Sometimes some doors are shut because God has a greater purpose in mind that we cannot see at the present. He wants to bring forth a prophet and all we ask from him is just a child. A Samuel is coming but will only be delivered as an answer to prayer. Why is that so, so that you wont treat him as a common child.

When Hannah prayed she encountered Gods presence that totally transformed her life, attitudes, mind, heart. Peninah’s antics to get to her nerves could not work anymore. She was confused. Hannah had been with Jesus/God. Hannah had been in the presence of God. Yes her perspective changed and she began to sing the Lord’s song. She conceived and bore a son, called his name Samuel, Saying, “I asked him from the Lord” and she gave him over for the service of the Lord has she had pledged in prayer to God.

Samuel grew up in the presence of God (1Sam 2:21).

Application: How many of our children are today growing in the presence of God?

The sons of Eli despised the presence of God and their fathers warning

·      They took people’s sacrifices by force

·       They slept with women in the Sanctuary.

I Samuel 2:22-25: Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.

Application: are you living in rebellion against God and doing things you know are not right before God? Why should you die before your time? Quit your evil ways be reconciled to God

It was not just the sons of Eli but also the entire nation of Israel had turned their hearts away from God.

I Samuel 4:2-3: The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”

When they were defeated in battle instead of seeking God earnestly they in-fact accused God of causing their defeat and presumptuously decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant in the battlefield.

They did not know that God had lifted the weight of his presence. Even when they took the Ark of the Covenant, which was the visible representation of Gods presence in Israel, nothing happened.

I Samuel 4:5-22 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp, the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli.

Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

Ichabod

The wife Phinehas captured the moment when before she died called her son I-chabod.

Chabod-is the Hebrew word-translated glory. It means weight, burden, possessions, impressive appearance, weightiness, heaviness, splendor, magnificence, distinction, respect, mark of honor, abundance, glory and riches.

I-chabod means no weight, impressive appearance, weightiness, heaviness, splendor, magnificence, distinction, respect, mark of honor, abundance, glory and no riches

Note the glory did not depart when the philistines defeated Israel. It had departed long time ago before they even contemplated going to war.

When the fear of God ceased, when God was not being given glory due to His name. When His word/counsel ceased to carry weight in their lives. When He was not respected, not honored. That’s when the glory departed and it was just a matter of time before this manifested physically.

Application: Does God carry weight in your life? Are you leaving in total disregard of his presence and counsel? Are you compromising little by little and reasoning it out that God understands. I warn you today, you are courting an ichabod situation in your life.

Without Gods presence

1.    We may be full but not fulfilled

·      Busy building but building the wrong wall

·      Busy trying to enjoy life but end up being enjoyed by life

2.    We may have fun but will never be fired up

·      Fun is an artificial inducement to amuse from without, passion is a fire that burns from within defying and conquering the spirit of apathy or boredom

·      Fun or fire what’s your choice?

·      With Gods fire your choices and decisions generate heat that is able to conquers the cold spells of any shoulders shrug in disapproval

3.    We flee instead of fighting our enemies

·      Our faith dissolves into fear

·      We cannot hold ground against the enemy

4.    We feed on falsehood instead of the truth

·      We live in self deception

·      We lack wisdom and understanding even in very basic matters

5.    We walk with a false sense of security

·      We assume God is with us when he is not

6.    Without God’s presence we are featherweights who fall everywhere and for everything

·      Without his presence we are mere mortals, ordinary people, with no distinction, just part of the mob, just part of a crowd. We wake up in the morning, work, eat, sleep, grow old and wait to die. Life is meaningless, chasing the wind.

·      With Gods presence we are heavyweights. We determine which direction the weighing balance falls for our careers, friends, family and nation.

Conclusion

The plan of God since creation has always been to bring up people of distinction. Unique men and women who carry the aura of his presence wherever they go

What would you rather be, a featherweight or a heavyweight in his presence?

God is looking for a man, a woman, a boy or a girl.

I believe God wants to raise heavyweights in our midst. Young men and women like Samuel whose word He will never allow to fall to the ground.

 Do we have people in this place people whose hearts desire is the weight of his presence? People who are willing to refocus their lives and organize them around Gods presence and his purposes.

I Samuel 7:3-5 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only. Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

It is as we turn to the Lord that the weight of his presence will shift in our favor. We will triumph over all the forces of darkness that have held us captive.

I Samuel 7:10: As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.

I anyone willing to turn towards the Lord in repentance...