How much stained glass, how high a steeple, how awesome a choir, and how great a preacher would it take to cause God to leave the splendour of heaven?

1. A DWELLING PLACE FOR GOD

2. What throne can we build for God, what church building would be magnificent enough to bring him down from heavens throne?

3. How much stained glass, how high a steeple, how awesome a choir, and how great a preacher would it take to cause God to leave the splendour of heaven?

4. Mankind has tried to build a throne room for God using man made tools while he seeks to be enthroned in our hearts.

5. If he had wanted a great building he would have rebuilt Solomon’s temple…

6. If God had wanted great praise and worship he would have resurrected the Psalmist David

7. If he had wanted a great preacher he would have resurrected the Apostle Paul.

8. There was no room in the inn when he was born and it seems there is little room for him in our fine churches. So where then will God find room?

9. ‘ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise’ Psalm 51:17.

10. If God was seeking a throne would he settle for a man made creation over the heart of a repentant sinner?

11. In truth God seeks ‘a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart he will not despise’ Psalm 51:17

12. All other offerings are strange fire, despised Cain offerings, and meagre man made half hearted offerings.

13. God’s presence was not found in the camp, it was found outside Abrahams childless tent of sorrow. It was found in a rag top tent which Moses built…

14. God presence was not found in Pharaoh’s palace it was found in Joseph’s pit of despair and a dark dungeon.

15. His presence was found at Jabok’s stream as he fought with broken Jacob. He came to a youthful Joshua, an elderly Caleb, a fear-filled Gideon, and a sinful broken King David.

16. Gods manifest presence was found by blind Bartamaeus on a dusty Jericho road … Mark 10:46-52, not in the carpeted halls of Herod’s temple.

17. It was found by a rejected leper on a mountain who doubted his will to heal him… Matthew 8:2-4. and by a ‘rejected mad man’ in the tombs of Gadara. Luke 8:27-35

18. It was found among a multitude when a desperate dying woman dared to touch the hem of his garments with her fingertips, Matthew 9:20-22

19. God’s manifest presence was with a distressed father whose daughter was dying…Mark 5…

20. His awesome miracle working presence was found among the 5000 hungry listeners; John 6:5-13

21. He walked among the ‘multitudes of broken, wounded sinners who sought him and Heavens virtue healed them all’ Luke 4:40

22. It was found by Peter when he was about to be drowned and called out; ‘ Lord save me’ Matthew 14:30

23. God preferred a stinking stable more than a palace, an old wooden cross more than a throne, a crown of thorns more than a crown of gold.

24. He preferred to be in the upper room with his frightened children more than any earthly palace.

25. Why then does he not turn up in our meetings? Why are we not ‘seeing’ instead of just ‘feeling’ his presence?

26. Why then no real miracles? Why no fire In the pulpit or weeping in the pews?

27. Can it be we have settled for dignity instead of Deity? Can it be that we have settled for a ‘bless me club’ instead of a ‘bless God’ lifestyle?

28. Can it be that we have settled for the fruit of his hands instead of the glory of his face?

29. Can it be that we have settled for the dying embers of yesterday’s revival flames rather than the constant raging consuming fire of his presence?

30. 30 seconds in God presence changed murderous Saul into the greatest preacher, teacher and apostle who ever lived.

31. One look from Christ changed proud, denying, fearful Peter into a broken Apostle who was willing to die for his Lord.

32. One word from Christ changed mere men into obedient yet unruly disciples who turned the world upside down for Christ.

33. So what then? Can we truly expect God to turn up when we are too proud to weep before him and to humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways and to seek his face? 2 Chronicles 7:14

34. He walks every church, every gathering today seeking a broken and a contrite, crushed, wounded spirit to flow through,

35. He seeks for dry tinder which he can set on fire, and for empty vessels that he can fill...

36. It’s his presence we need, it’s his glory that will forever change our lives, its God walking among us that should be our only desire, Christ the master, we his servants.

37. So what now children of God,? Are we hungry and thirsty? for if we are he will fill us… Matthew 5:6

38. Do we long for his presence more than his giving? if so ‘he will come and manifest himself in our midst’ John 14:21

39. Can we say that he is truly all we will ever need? If so he will come...

40. If we ‘walk the winepress alone’ Isaiah 63:3 He will walk with us,

41. When we come to our ‘Gethsemane moment’ he will send his angels to strengthen us…

42. If we are wrongly judged he will ‘ judge us in righteousness’ Acts 17:21

43. If we are called to Calvary, then let us walk the streets of shame and bear our cross knowing that ‘while weeping may last for a night joy will come in the morning’ Psalm 30:5

44. If the tomb awaits our flesh, rejoice, there is no stone big enough to separate us from God, be still then for resurrection is just a few hours away.

45. Now is Gods day of visitation, let us not harden our hearts and end up in another wilderness with yet another Jordan to cross,

46. … rather let us be broken by his presence, and raised by his power to a new life.

47. God is seeking a throne and he has chosen the heart of the broken and contrite… Are you ready to receive your King?

48. A Studio 18 Production 02-09 © David Robinson