(Exodus 33: 11a, 13, 17-18)

God wants us to have an experience with Him that is so powerful, that we are forever changed. He is speaking a Word into our lives and we have to have an attentive and eager ear. God wants us to sense Him like never before, so that there is substance behind our worship.

Pastor Dix began this final part of his teaching series by targeting three groups of believers:

There is something about God that He wants to unveil to us. he's greater and more awesome than we know. The more Satan keeps us in the darkness, the less of God we can experience. Satan wants us to have a narrower view of God, and he wants us to live in fear, doubt and disbelief. But again, the Devil IS a liar! For it is written that:

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." - (2 Corinthians 4:4)

When Paul wrote to the Romans, he boldly proclaimed :

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." - (Romans 1:16)

We all need to know the secret God wants to reveal to us and He needs to know that we're serious. Everything changes when we get a fuller view of God.

God Has The Answer

In Pastor George's analogy from last week, where God is standing with the secret in his outstretched hand, we are separated from God by a pillar of darkness, which can only be penetrated by God's word. If we turn an ear toward God, we can receive the answer he has for us.

The secret God has for us is two-fold:

1. God wants to give you rest & tranquility.

If we let the confusion and hectic pace of life consume us, we cannot receive the fullness of God and hear His word. God offers us rest so that we may receive and experience His glory. For it is written:

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" - (Phillipians 4:7)

Some of us can't sleep at night because we're thinking about all the stuff that we have to endure this coming week. We need to trust in God and He will give us rest, and only by resting in God's peace can we clearly hear God.

1. God wants to give you The Answer to your situation.

Many of us have been struggling a long time, trying to find the answer to our troubles and situations. But only through God can we receive a divine revelation about the answer to our situation, and we can only receive that revelation if we have an attentive ear and apply God's word in our lives.

Pastor George warned us to be careful who we listen to. God is a jealous God. It is the height of audacity to turn our backs to God when He's speaking to us. The Word is being spoken clearly and audibly. We need a "awaken from our sleep" and apply His word. We need "The Answer" from God, that divine revelation that will solve our problems. We can't solve those problems on our own.

God says to us, "I'm trying to give you rest and I'm trying to give you the answer."

For it is written:

"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." - (Deuteronomy 29:29)

There is something about God, the secrets of God, an intimacy with God that we must understand. Remember that God reveals Himself to us on His terms, not ours. God reveals himself to us:

• through His Word.
• through His commands.
• through His promises.
• through His acts.
• through His Judgements on the wicked
• through His Deliverance of the faithful

Moses Beholds God's Glory

Moses wanted intimacy with God. He wasn't satisfied with just surface knowledge. God was very upset with the Israelites at this point in their journey (Exodus 33:1-6), but because Moses fervently sought God's glory and reminded God of the relationship they both had, God revealed Himself to him and agreed to be with them during the journey. (Exodus 33:12-23, NIV)

"Lord, I have seen you in your shekinah presence, but I want more of your glory!"

God wants us to have a burning deisre to experience Him. Not just to have the power, but to experience Who the power is. We need to ask less about what we want, and ask more about what God wants. For as long as there is a cloud between us and God, our view is obscured. We may not get our rest and the answer the way God wants us to.

If we are truly honest about wanting to experience God, about wanting a fuller view of Him, if we want to experience His splendor and majesty... if we want a divine revelation of God, here is what we must do:

• become true worshippers (worshipping God for who He is and not just praising him for what He's done.)
• we must know God, and God must know us. God knows us through our actions and how we live our lives.
• we must serve, fear, trust and worship Him.
• we must ask God to show us His way. We need to park everything we are pursuing long enough so that we can ask God what His way is.

God saw Moses' sincerity and although Moses didn't fully know what he was asking of God, God revealed Himself to Moses. He only showed Moses a little of His glory, because to experience God's full glory would be beyond what Moses could tolerate (and still live). God warned Moses that His glory is so powerful that no one can look upon the face of God and live. So God said to Moses:

"There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen." - (Exodus 33:21-23, NIV)

In other words...

"If I were to show you my full glory, it would kill you. But if you want to experience more of Me, more than just the smoke and fire, but rather the full splendor and majesty, come stand by Me. I'll show you where to stand. Wherever I say stand, you stand. I will take you to a place where you can experience my glory. I will make it so that you can bear it, and I will be with you all the way."

In closing, Pastor George Dix Jr., reminded us that God wants to show Himself to us and it is through his son Jesus Christ, for Jesus is our 'rock' and our salvation. Call God by His name. God is revealing Himself to us, we just have to ask Him of His will and His way. As with Jeremiah's experience in the potter house (Jeremiah 18:1-6), God wants to reshape us so that we can stand by Him and He can reveal His glory to us. And when we seek God with all our heart, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13)

Quote of the sermon:

"As long there is a cloud between us and God, our view is obscured.” - Pastor George Dix, Jr.

Scripture References:

Sunday, October 15th, 2006

• Exodus 33: 11a, 13, 17-18 - "...And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend..."
• Exodus 33:12-23, NIV - "Moses Beholds God's Glory "
• Jeremiah 18:1-6 - "Jeremiah at the Potter's House"