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The Word of God for This Month

                      Rev.  J. I. Minor

Preaching Theme for October – Insights for Living in the Presence of God

October is insight for living in the presence of God.  We spent a month seeking revelation on living in God’s grace.  It follows that if we are to position ourselves to receive God’s grace we may want to know something about living in the presence of God.  Psalm 91 reads, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  Much of what God promises comes in the presence of God.  As we seek to live by the grace of God we want to know how to live in the presence of God.

 

First Sunday – October 2 – – 16th Sunday in Kingdomtide

Break, Smash, & Burn Them All– Deuteronomy 12:1-7; Matthew 21:33-46

In the natural we clear an area and level the ground if we want to establish a place to live.  The same is true in our spiritual lives.  If we want to establish a place to live in the presence of God we have to level the area of all the things that would hinder the presence of God.  We break, smash, and burn it all so the way might be clear for God.  We cannot expect to live in the presence of God with all manner of other idols present in our lives.

Second Sunday – October 9– – 17th Sunday in Kingdomtide

Only At the Place He Chooses – Deuteronomy 12:13-18; Matthew 22:1-14

Living in the presence of God is about recognizing God’s presence.  It is not like God is not present.  It is more like we are not paying attention.  We must seek the place where he is.  To be present with someone in the room is to turn and fix you eyes and mind on them.  We can be present with God only at the place he chooses not the one we desire.

Third Sunday – October 16 – – 18th Sunday in Kingdomtide

God’s Holy Blowout – Deuteronomy 14:22-27; Matthew 22:15-22

God gives us directions concerning being with Him.  We are not to hinder the work of God in seeking to draw us into his presence by disobedience.  His instructions are to take what has been set aside specifically for him and go with family and workers and friends and enjoy community for he is in the midst of the celebration done to His glory.

Fourth Sunday – October 23 – – 19th Sunday in Kingdomtide

Your Best or Nothing At All  – Deuteronomy 15:19-23; Matthew 22:34-46

To be in ones presence is a communion of spirits.  It is a giving of all one’s self.  What we do for God to be with God has to be the best or we have not sought God but our own way. 

Fifth Sunday – October 30 – – 20th Sunday in Kingdomtide

Remember God  – Deuteronomy 18:1-8; Matthew 23:1-12

God instructions for being in his presence are to remember his anointed.  The Levites represented the sacred of God.  Living in the presence of God is remembering to give time to God.  It is remembering that to be in God’s presence is to remember God’s presence in all we do.

 

   The NIB Commentary on Deuteronomy notes that chapters 12-26, contain an extensive collection of laws and legislative prescriptions.  They can be outlined as follows:

12:1-14:21, these laws deal with unity and purity of worship;

14:22-16:17, regulations concerning the sacred divisions of time;

16:18-18:22, order within the community and the officials of the state;

19:1-21:9, matters of life and death;

22:1-30, boundaries of life and society;

23:1-25:19, matters of general conduct;

26:1-15, first fruits and tithes.

Deuteronomy 12

 1 These are the rules and regulations that you must diligently observe for as long as you live in this country that God, the God-of-Your-Fathers, has given you to possess.

 2-3 Ruthlessly demolish all the sacred shrines where the nations that you're driving out worship their gods—wherever you find them, on hills and mountains or in groves of green trees. Tear apart their altars. Smash their phallic pillars. Burn their sex-and-religion Asherah shrines. Break up their carved gods. Obliterate the names of those god sites.

 4 Stay clear of those places—don't let what went on there contaminate the worship of God, your God.

 5-7 Instead find the site that God, your God, will choose and mark it with his name as a common center for all the tribes of Israel. Assemble there. Bring to that place your Absolution-Offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and Tribute-Offerings, your Vow-Offerings, your Freewill-Offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. Feast there in the Presence of God, your God. Celebrate everything that you and your families have accomplished under the blessing of God, your God.

Message Scripture  Deuteronomy 12:1-7

1 These are the statutes and ordinances that you must diligently observe in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to occupy all the days that you live on the earth.  2 You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods, on the mountain heights, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. 3Break down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their sacred poles* with fire, and hew down the idols of their gods, and thus blot out their name from their places. 4You shall not worship the Lord your God in such ways. 5But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there. You shall go there, 6bringing there your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, your votive gifts, your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks. 7And you shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your households together, rejoicing in all the undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.

Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Acts 20:32
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

 

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

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