NOTES ON THE INESCAPABILITY OF GOD’S CONSTANT WATCH OVER THE FAITHFUL – (WITH VIDEO)

1. THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me, even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.” – PSALM 139:7-12, AMPC

KEY TERM: “PRESENCE.” ‘Panim’ [פָנִים]: “Refers here (and elsewhere) to ‘The face of God (that sees all);’ the countenance (and mouth) of; in front of; under the eye or oversight of, under the eye and regard of.” WEBSTER (1828): [Latin proesentia; proe, before, and esse, to be]. The existence of a person or thing in a certain place; opposed to absence; a being in company near or before the face of another; approach face to face or nearness of a great personage.”

QUOTATION. “Down through history Man has taken many paths in his quest for God’s Presence, all to no avail. ‘Only One Path is correct,’ and that Path is revealed in the Word of God. Only in the Bible do we begin to understand what these inward stirrings are and how to find entrance into the Presence of God. A right understanding of The Bible opens to us the only path into the Presence of God …

The great labor of the Church has always been to get people to give serious attention to [such] spiritual matters. A great many Pastors and Preachers do not worry about this at all, because they do not expect anything and, therefore, they do not get it. But a man of God, with the burden of the Holy Spirit on him, will want to stir the people to serious attention. ‘Until serious attention has been given to the Claims of Christ, it is for us as if the Bible had never been written.’” ― A. W. TOZER, Experiencing the Presence of God: Teachings from the Book of Hebrews, 2010; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?’ – Where shall I go where Thy Spirit is not; that is, where Thou art not; where there is no God. The Word ‘Spirit’ here does not refer particularly to the Holy Spirit, but to God ‘as’ a Spirit. ‘Whither shall I go from the all-pervading Spirit – from God, considered as a Spirit?’ This is a clear statement that God is a ‘Spirit’ (compare John 4:24); and that, as a Spirit, He is Omnipresent.

‘Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?’ – Hebrew, ‘From His face;’ that is, where He will not be, and will not see me. I cannot find a place – a spot in the Universe, where there is not a God, and the same God. Fearful thought to those that hate Him – that, much as they may wish or desire it, they can never find a place where there is not a Holy God! Comforting to those that love Him [but devastating to those who hate Him]- that they will never be where they may not find a God – their God; that nowhere, at home or abroad, on land or on the ocean, on earth or above the stars, they will ever reach a world where they will not be in the Presence of that God – that Gracious Father – who can defend, comfort, guide, and sustain them.” – ALBERT BARNES, Notes on the Old and New Testament, 1834; edited

1. TEACHING

In the midst of our collective anguish over the Perilous Times of Antichrist and Apostasy that we see all around, I sometimes (too often) permit myself to despair. But this passage is powerful Antidote to that notion! He is never, ever, for even one millisecond out of touch with us – though we may fall out of touch with Him.

THE PRESENCE OF GOD. I can think of no better expert on this crucial spiritual discipline than the man of God with whom this study opened, A.W. TOZER in his classic referenced previously: Experiencing the Presence of God (2010; compilation of his work, 1940-1963).

What follows are TEN KEY EXCERPTS from this timeless work from the excellent review of the book by Becky Laney, writing for Operation Actually Read Bible (May 12, 2012; edited).

1. PREMISE. “In the deep recesses of man’s soul lies ‘an overwhelming yearning toward the Creator.’ This is a common thread through all humanity, created in the image of God. Unless and until that desire is fully met, the human soul remains restless, constantly striving for that which is ultimately unattainable” (Ch. 1).

• PRIORITY. The most important thing we can devote ourselves to is giving attention to the things of God to save our soul. This must be ‘an active, persistent and deliberate intent’ on our part, regardless of the difficulties that lie in our path” (p. 30).

• PRESUPPOSITION. “Any religion that ignores the truth that ‘man is fallen’ and separated from God is a sham religion” (p. 57).

• SALVATION. “‘Redemption is wrought by God and not by man.’ There is not any place in the head of a man or in the fingers of a man, however skilled or brilliant, for redemptive plans or purposes. God purposed Redemption in Christ Jesus before the world began, and it does not need any editing on my part or on the part of any living man” (p. 97).

• MORALITY. “We have today what is called the ‘Relativity of Morals.’ When you come to the things of God, open your Bible and put away this woozy idea of Relativity, this floating standard of morals” (p. 98).

• AUTHORITY. “God’s words are not for me to edit and tinker with, but to ‘believe and obey’”(p. 99).

• INTEGRITY. “‘Regarding God’s Word,’ let us love it and live in it and eat it and drink it and lie down on it and walk on it and stand on it and ‘swear by it and live by it and rest in it’” (p. 105).

• MEANING. “Mark Twain famously said, ‘The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.’ It is very important that we ‘get hold of the right words and know exactly what they mean.’ There has been a big effort in recent times to colloquialize Christianity. By that, I mean to get rid of all the old standard words we have used ever since English was spoken and put in their places words more familiar. When that happens, we lose the meaning when we lose the word that contains the meaning” (p. 149).

• TRUTH. “‘Christian writers today are busy writing down to the people and making morons out of us.’ Have enough gumption and intellectual verve to learn the simple language of the Bible, that when the Word says ‘repent’ it means a certain thing; and when it says ‘born again,’ it means a certain thing. Find out what it means. It would not take you a minute and half, and from that time on, until you die, you will know exactly what you mean when using that language” (p. 151).

10.LIFE. “There is not a Christian alive but has to ‘die, and   die daily,’ to thoughts of self-importance” (p. 209).

SUMMARY. What Tozer is saying to us is that there is no possible Path to God’s Presence except by: ‘A zealous, all-encompassing desire to fully Know Him!’ Followed by the laying down of our own lives daily, in order to acquire the great privilege of His Presence and Favor. It is all or nothing with God, and no less, beloved.

Selah.

1. LAST THOUGHTS

So long as we truly Love Him more than all else, He shall never leave nor forsake us, no matter our circumstance or sense of isolation from ‘The Many.’ Who these days say that they know Him, but they do not. And too often are those who wear the label of “Christian,” but are the very ones who hate and persecute us the most.

THE REASONS. Though we have been over some of this ground before, let’s take a fresh look at the Causes of this Disastrous Condition of the American Church. We shall do so by a compassionate, yet candid look at ourselves through the thought and pen of DR. JOHN PIPER once again.

From his recent Desiring God podcast titled, “American Church: Is Your Christ Too Cheap?” (Sep. 19, 2024; edited). Here are his CENTRAL POINTS.

• RENEWAL. “‘I think what we are longing for together’ has historically been called ‘Revival’ — a Work of God in the Church first. We call it ‘Awakening’ when it touches the world, but in the Church first, ‘Revival,’ a Work of God that causes the hearts of God’s people to burn — like in (Luke 24:32): ‘Did not our hearts burn within us when we walked with Him?’ Revival causes our hearts to burn with love for God’s Word and love for God’s people, love for God’s service, all rooted in an increasingly intense love for God Himself, and for communion with God in prayer and meditation, with a growing delight in holiness and a growing horror at sin (especially our own), and a growing concern for lost people.”

• WORLDLINESS. “About forty years ago, David Wells wrote a book called No Place for Truth (1994) which made the case that in the American Church, God rests far too lightly on the people of God. He doesn’t have weight. It was the same heart cry from Dr. Wells as from J.B. Phillips [Your God is too Small, 1953]. God is marginal. God has little weight in our worship services and little weight in our lives. He’s taken lightly. He’s simply one among many factors rather than the all-consuming factor, and I have thought that if I were to write a book today with a similar burden, it might have this title: Your Christ Is Too Cheap, Your Heaven Is Too Distant, Your Earth Is Too Big!”

• CHEAP CHRIST. “When I say, ‘Your Christ is too cheap,’ I have in mind (Philippians 3:8). Do the people who flirt with the world and seem to be totally at home in secular entertainments [or politics] that are void of God, Christ, Christian morality — do those people really say, with the Apostle Paul, ‘I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ?’ For Paul, Christ was the supreme and all-pervasive Treasure of his life, and I would ask all of us: How does our treasuring of Christ compare to our treasuring of entertainments offered us by the world?”

• DISTANT HEAVEN. “When I say, ‘Your Heaven is too distant,’ I mean that the Reality of the Afterlife is simply not operational in the daily mindset of many believers and virtually all unbelievers. But as I read the New Testament: ‘The call to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven and not on earth is pervasive’ (Matthew 6:19-21). We are called to set our minds on things that are above (Colossians 3:1-2). We are called to look to things that are Eternal, not transient (2 Corinthians 4:18). We are called to bank our hope on the rewards of the Resurrection, not the rewards of this life (1 Timothy 6:17-19).”

• BIG EARTH. “When I say, ‘Your Earth is too big,’ I mean that people are simply not thinking clearly when it comes to how tiny this Earth is — not only in the Universe, which is not very significant, but in the Scope of Eternity, which is very significant. I wonder if people ever think that, in one hundred years, virtually every person alive today will be gone — eight billion people gone. There is a complete turnover of humanity on the Earth every ten decades, which seems very short to me now because I’m in my eighth [Me too!] … ‘If people were rational, they would not be Earthly Minded; they would be Heavenly Minded.’ And if they were Heavenly Minded, they would not find their greatest pleasures in the entertainments produced by Earthly Minded people. So, we pray, and we teach, and we live with the hope that God would break in with sovereign, reviving power, and cause His Word to be so loved that it will no longer be, as Jesus says, choked out ‘by the cares and riches and pleasures’ of this world (Luke 8:14).”

CODA. Beloved friends of God, I have been “Dying to Cliff” rather intensely during the past nine years or so – but especially since 2020. ‘And more in the last month!’ Especially ever since I was forced out of the Employment Boat to venture for Him on my own in this Circuit Ride Enterprise I am still on.

The EDITORS of the Got Questions online journal define this absolute requirement most accurately:

“‘Dying to Self is never portrayed in Scripture as something optional in the Christian life. It is the reality of the New Birth.’ No one can come to Christ unless he is willing to see his old life Crucified with Christ and begin to live anew in obedience to Him. Jesus describes Lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly in the new as those whom He will spit out! (Revelation 3:15–16). That Lukewarm condition characterized the church of Laodicea as well as many churches today. Being ‘Lukewarm’ is a symptom of unwillingness to die to self and live for Christ. Death to self is not an option for Christians; it is a choice that leads to eternal life’” (ret. Sep. 23, 2014; edited).

It has always been this way, beloved, and shall ever be – but most especially and pervasively in the Last Days of Mankind gathering force daily. But take deep comfort in what follows, friends:

THE ENCOUNTER. I have never shared this publicly before, but sensed this is the perfect place. Around two years ago (2022), my wife Suzette was walking one evening in the backyard of our apartment in a lovely grassy area. She then saw an astounding sight:

What can only have been – AN ANGEL.

‘She clearly saw him arrayed in white, with a wingspan of some 30 feet across, standing about 7-8 feet tall. He did not speak as she gazed at him but after a few moments watched him ascend to the next building to perch on the rooftop some 50 feet high. And she actually heard the ‘swoosh’ of his wings as he flew up to the building. She came running into the apartment to shout for me to come and look, but when I got there, I saw nothing.’

Now perhaps you can understand why we do not share this publicly, but on occasion with a close friend. The Point: We are always under His Loving Watch, as we understood The Event as assurance that we are never left to our own devices in this life.

CODICIL. ‘Should we continue to Choose Well, therefore:’ We are indeed never, ever alone to face our times and trials. Nor will we ever become Lukewarm so long as we remain in His Presence daily. Weary at times, yes! But not tepid in our love for Him and His Words and Ways of Life.

I love the image of the Angels of God in the classic PSALM OF MOSES: “For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany you and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot” (91:11-13, AMPC).

This is the Heritage of the Saints, beloved, for all those who remain faithful to our Redeemer, the very Lion of the Tribe of Judah who commands all the Armies of Heaven on our behalf.

To get us wherever He has ordained us to go! Selah.

VIDEO-YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/sQby5Mr3zXI