The Pathway to God's Presence

By Tom Elliff

The Pathway to God's Presence encourages those who feel as though they have lost the sense of God's presence in their lives and wish greatly to restore it. Each chapter examines the Old Testament account of Moses and the often wayward children of Israel, making clear the idea that;there is a distinct difference between God's provision and His presence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CLC Publications
• Release date: Oct 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9781619581579

Book preview

1

The Importance of Knowing

The lost sense of God’s presence in a believer’s life is an issue most of us are hesitant to discuss. We know that the moment of our salvation was accompanied by a remarkable, supernatural change. Paul described that change by noting that, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). As newborn babes in Christ, we live with an exhilarating sense of God’s presence. We have actually become a dwelling place for the Spirit of God!

But what happens when the new disappears from our relationship with Christ, and with its departure has also gone that special sense of God’s presence? The question is not whether God is in us or that we are in Christ. His Spirit bears witness to both of those realities. But what about those wonderful, spiritually tangible manifestations of God’s presence? Is that merely a gift for the new or immature believer?

The Old Testament account of Moses with the children of Israel establishes a truth which each of us should constantly ponder: There is a distinct difference between God’s provision and His presence. That sobering reality drove Moses into the depths of intercessory prayer. In that prayer, Moses acknowledged that the presence of God was Israel’s only real, worthwhile and distinguishing characteristic.

If your presence does not go with us, Moses cried, do not lead us up from here! (see Ex. 33:15) Tragically, the sad testimony of many Christians is that, unlike Moses, they are willing to plod onward with no sense of God’s presence in their lives. While certain that heaven is their ultimate destination, they are both preoccupied and satisfied with mere earthly provision.

The world desperately needs the striking testimony of God’s presence in your life. This book is written for those who eagerly, desperately desire to walk a pathway into God’s presence. I am using the term presence to describe not only God’s actual existence in your life but the sense of Him and His power as well.

We have established that Christ dwells within every authentic Christian. So, if you are missing that sense of His presence in your life, you would first do well to heed Paul’s admonition to Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves (2 Cor. 13:5)!

A careful and honest reading of First John will enable you to determine whether you are on that upward path, give visible or outward profession of that reality and possess the inward peace afforded every true believer.

You Can Know!

In the clearest of terms John asserts that genuine Christians can know they are in Christ and Christ is in them. Eight times within the five chapters of First John, we are told that true believers can know with certainty that their salvation is real (see 1 John 2:3, 5; 3:14, 19, 24; 4:13; 5:13, 19).

In the closing chapter of First John (5:13), John reminds us that a believer’s certainty of salvation is the very reason he has penned the letter in the first place: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

How can you know? First John also provides us a guide for knowing the truth regarding our relationship with Christ. Consider the following evidences in the life of a person who is truly born again:

1. Dedication to the Scripture (knowing and submitting), 1 John 2:3–5. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him.

2. Disdain for sin, 1 John 3:6–9. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

3. Devotion to the saved, 1 John 3:14, 18–19. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death...let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.

4. Declaration of the Savior, 1 John 4:1–3. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

5. Deposit of the Spirit, 1 John 4:13. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

So how did you do on your test? In other words, do you know? If it is settled that you are indeed a child of God, an authentic Christian, but missing the awesome sense of His mighty presence in your life then welcome on the pathway to God’s presence!

2

When the Glory Has Gone from Your Life

". . . but I will not go up among you."

(Exod. 33:3)

Seated across the table from me was a personal friend whose life had both inspired and challenged me. The strained look on his face was underscored by the tone of his voice. His mannerisms conveyed a sense of fear bordering on panic, I’m afraid the worst has happened, he groaned, I just do not seem to sense the presence of God in my life anymore.

Now, don’t get me wrong, he continued, I know I’m a Christian. I don’t have any doubt about that. But there is such a deadness in my spiritual life that it frightens me. It really does seem that God has moved away. Perhaps He’s taken His hand off of my life. Frankly, it scares me even to think about it.

For over an hour we discussed what had happened to him. As we retraced his steps, examining the spiritual decisions he had made in favor of his will rather than God’s, it became plain to me that the glory, that special sense of God’s presence, was missing from his life. Now his most pressing question was, Can I ever sense God’s mighty presence in my life again?

I will not go up among you (Exod. 33:3). It must have been startling for Israel to hear those words. The presence of God had distinguished Israel from all the other nations of the world. He had delivered them from the bondage and slavery of Egypt by His mighty outstretched arm. He had parted the waters of the Red Sea. He had provided water and food in the wilderness. He had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. Now He was removing His presence.

What had happened to elicit such a startling decision on God’s part? What had incited the wrath of