Before the Moment

John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”(ESV)

Truth: Aletheia – The reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter.  Worship at the BASE LEVEL of the heart.  To understand base level, lets talk about the three levels of communication.

1 John 3: 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1. Verbal communication – (lowest level) Saying things matter.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.  However, this level of communication can be misused.   Matthew 21:28-31 summary  –

James 2:15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

Marriage/couples example  “That is not going to happen anymore”

Parenting/Disciple example

2.    Deed/Action –

We communicate with our actions.  When we actually do something, we are speaking. However, scripture tells us that even actions are not the deepest level of truth.

1 Corinthians 13: 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

3.  Truth/Heart – this is the highest level of communication.

Actually, it is the core level of belief.  The base level of the heart.  We want to worship God in Truth. At the core level of our heart.  We can’t simply communicate in words and deeds.  We can’t simply go through the motions of singing and church attendance.  Let’s look deeper at our heart.  Let’s examine our core level.

If we are hiding issues in our heart from God, then we will never share a moment with him.  However, when we reveal all our heart to God and at our core surrender to Him, then we create the environment for a moment.

John 14:21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Reveal- manifest – be clear or obvious to the eye or mind. To become apparent!

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

What happens when we don’t guard our heart?  We become deceived  What is really scary about deception is that you think you are right.  Your heart is hardened.   Your ‘truth’, your core, your base level is contaminated with the cares of the world or your doubt.  Your ACTIONS and WORDS, may not change.

This is why we call it going through the motions.  You are talking the talk and maybe even doing some of the things, but you are having no authentic moments with God because there needs to be an adjustment in the heart.

Galatians 5: 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? We know it isn’t God.

Luke 13: 25When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

We see a difference in ‘abiding in His Presence’ and ‘His presence that accompanies ministry’.  God often uses people in ministry that have a heart far from Him.  Through out the Bible we see God using many things, but that doesn’t mean they are abiding in the presence of God.  God used a donkey and it started talking.  That doesn’t mean that the donkey will be walking the streets of gold when we all get up there.

WHAT IS AT OUR CORE?

• I’m still blaming God for my past
• I want God to give me that miracle and he isn’t
• I don’t understand why so and so is doing well and I am not
• Why did I get fired
• Why did she get the promotion

God says he will ‘live with us’.  We will have a home together.  What a great reward.

What a great moment when heaven and earth collide.