Driven by God's Presence

Driven by God’s Presence
Exodus 33:1-19                                  
July 23-24, 2022

One of the great themes that we've been looking at recently, it's a theme that runs through the entire word of God from beginning to end, is that God is Emmanuel, God with us. That's a promise. That's a promise to cherish, a promise to hold onto, to rely upon, to build your life upon it, and to never take for granted. What if God were not Emmanuel? What if God's presence did not go with us? That is the crisis point that Israel comes to in Exodus 33. What had happened was, Israel had become such a difficult, stiff-necked, obstinate people that God finally got to the point where he said, "Go on up to the land I promised but go without me. If I should go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you for you’re such an obstinate and stiff-necked people."

Well, when Moses heard that, it broke his heart and he couldn't imagine Israel traveling through the desert without the presence of God. Moses interceded in behalf of Israel and that interceding and what happened there is really the crux of the story. He intercedes and he says, "If Your presence does not go with us, then don't lead us from this place." In other words, Moses is saying, "Without you, God, I don't want to go anywhere." There are life lessons in this story that are so important. Now, one of the great keys to understanding Exodus 33 is to realize that it follows chapter 32. I say that because you need the backstory, you really need to understand what happened in chapter 32, to really understand what's going on in chapter 33.

What happened was this, God had brought Moses up to Mount Sinai, those 40 days, Moses dwelled in the presence of the Lord. God showed him the pattern for the tabernacle, which is really a shadow of the very throne of God. He gave to him the law and commandments, the word of God, the way of greatest blessing, but he had been up there for 40 days. Well, the people of Israel thought Moses had been gone far too long on that mountain. They didn't know what had become of him, so they went to Aaron, his brother, and insisted that Aaron make a God to go before them.

They hadn't heard anything from Jehovah during those 40 days, and they decided they needed another God. Aaron told them to take the earrings and whatnot of gold that were in her ears, and from these things, he melted them down, fashioned a golden calf. Then they said, we don’t know the they, but they said "These are your gods, oh Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." Interesting use of the plural there "These are your gods." There was just one calf there. What do you mean these? Well, to make the story even more intriguing, Aaron built an altar before the thing, obviously for the purpose of worship, and then made a proclamation, "Tomorrow, we shall have a feast for Jehovah."

Now the phrase, "These are your gods," comes into the focus. In other words, they weren't trying to cast off Jehovah. They wanted to add the golden calf to it. They wanted both. That was the thing. In other words, you can take the people out of Egypt, but it's pretty hard to take Egypt out of the people because there's an Egyptian God, Apis, a sacred bull that they worshiped there in that region from where they came in Egypt. This sacred bull was supposedly the son of Hathor, mother of the son God Ra, the symbolic mother of all Pharaohs. This sacred bull was the god of virality, of power, fertility, strength.

That was the vitality and strength of the Pharaohs, so they said. They wanted Jehovah, but they also wanted the golden calf, the god of virility and power. Now I'll tell you it's a great lesson in the story for many people are like that today. They want God and they want the "golden calf" thing. Whatever that golden calf thing is, God will explain. I think God will show, but they don't want to cast off God. No, they want God, but they want that thing too. God, you can be sure is not pleased. They hold this great feast and they began to dance before it but the Scripture says, "Their dancing got lewd, worldly, sensual.”

That's where it all went. When Moses and Joshua came down from the mountain, Joshua said, "There is the sound of war in the camp." Moses said, "That's not the sound of war, that's not the sound of triumph and that's not the sound of defeat. That's the sound of singing. That's what I hear." He was furious and angry. He took the tablet, you know the story, he threw them down, broke them, grabbed the golden tablet in the powder, made people drink it, and then he said, "Whoever is for Jehovah, come to me now." The entire tribe of Levi came to Moses was a great scene. He said, "Strap on swords men” and purged the camp. It was a tragic story.

That is the back story to chapter 33. God then told Moses, "Take these people, move these people and go up to that land that, that He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but I will not go with you." There's that interceding, that part of the story. There are so many insights to take hold of for our lives today. Let's read it. Exodus 33, we’ll begin in verse 1. "Then the Lord spoke to Moses," again after all that happened in chapter 32, the Lord spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought from the land of Egypt to that land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob saying to your descendants I will give it. I promise to give it. I will give it. Go on and I will send an angel before you.

I.  God is Faithful to His Promises

I said I would send an angel I will do it go. I will drive out to Canaanite, Amorite, Hittites, Perizzite, Hivites, and Jebusites. Go on up to that land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up in your midst because you are an obstinate and stiff-necked people. Lest I destroy you on the way." Now, when the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, sadness, mourning. The reaction to such a word is also very, very key to the story. Sad, they’re mourning and none of them put on their ornaments. You've been wearing these ornaments the whole time?

It says for the Lord had said to Moses, "You say to the sons of Israel, you are an obstinate people. Should I go up in your midst for one moment I will destroy you, now therefore, put off your ornaments from you that I may know what I will do with you." The sons of Israel stripped themselves off these ornaments from Mount Horeb onward. Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai are the same. You what? You were wearing those ornaments you were wearing in Egypt? From that moment onward no more. Now he's going to explain again, part of this, the backstory scene, verse 7.

Now Moses used to take a tent, and he pitched it outside the main camp, a good distance from the main camp. He called it the tent of meeting. It came about that everyone or anyone who served the Lord could go out to that tent of meeting, which was outside the main camp. Anyone who wanted to. Tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to meet God, anyone who wanted to seek God, anyone you want to? You desire to? There's the tent of meeting. Now, what's interesting, verse 8 is that a came about that whenever Moses went out to that tent, that all the people would arise and stand at the entrance of his own tent and they would gaze after Moses until he entered the tent.

Now take hold of this scene. It's really a critical understanding of what's happening. He sets up a tent outside the main camp, tent of meeting. Anyone who wants to seek the Lord, there it is. Whenever Moses would go out there, the people seeing him leaving to go to that tent to meet with God, they would stand on their feet and they would rise. It came about that whenever verse 9, whenever Moses entered into the tent, that the pillar of cloud would descend that presence of God would descend on the tent and would stand at the entrance of the tent. The Lord would speak to Moses.

Now, when all the people saw that pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship each at the entrance of the tent. Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses, face to face just as a man would speak to a friend. Oh, highlight that verse. That is a beautiful, beautiful picture of that kind of relationship. Speaking to Moses like a man would speak to a friend. Then when Moses returned to the camp, the servant Joshua son of Nun a young man would not depart from the tent. Oh, what a privilege is that he'd stay right there.

Then all of that explanation to this next moment because now Moses goes to the tent because he could speak to God as a man would speak to his friend. He's now going to intercede because when he heard that God said, “I'm not going with you” he intercedes and here it is. Moses, first of all said to the Lord, “See you say to me, you say, bring out this people, but you yourself have not let me know whom you’ll send with me like this angel. Moreover, you have said, I have known you by name and you have found favor in my sight. Now, therefore I pray if I have found favor in your sight--” now here's what's interesting. He's interceding for Israel, but he takes opportunity to ask for something personal.

He has something he wants to ask of God personal. He says ''You say that I have found favor. I therefore pray to you if I have found favor in your sight, let me know your ways that I might know you. I want to know, I'm asking for more. I want to know you more so that I might find favor in your sight. Now consider also that this nation is your people.'' He said, ''My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. You have promised this.'' Then he said, ''If your presence does not go with us, then do not lead us. I don't want to go anywhere if you don't go with us, don't lead us from this place. For then how could it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, is it not by you're going with us so that we, I and your people may be distinguished from all other people who are upon the face of the earth.” Now that's a great truth.

The Lord said to Moses, ''I will do this thing. I will do this thing which you have spoken for you have found favor in my sight and I have known you by name. I will go with you in other words and I will give you rest.'' Then Moses dares to ask for one more thing. “While we're asking, since you've made it known that your favor is poured out, I would like to ask just for one more thing,” verse 18, “I pray, show me your glory, show me your glory.” He said, ''I myself will make my goodness pass before you, will proclaim the name of the Lord before you, for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” Great verses.

The interceding here the result of it in God's answer is such a wonderful opportunity for us to understand some things about the Lord. Starting with this. God is faithful to his promises. I promised you that land and though you are obstinate and rebellious and stiff-necked people, I am faithful to my promises. You will go to that land. I promise to send an angel before you, I will send an angel before you to drive out the enemies, but I will not go with you, for you an obstinate and rebellious people, lest I destroy you along the way.” I submit that when he said that it was an act of mercy for that they not be destroyed. It was an act of mercy.

A.  His mercies are new every morning

It's one of the great things the themes that we know of God is that his mercies are new every morning. That's one of the things we love. Now, every person in this room has failed at one time or another. I don't even need to do a show of hands because I already know it's true. Every person in this room has failed at one time or another. Therefore, we all understand that if God gave us what we deserve, we would all be in great trouble. By God's mercy, He does not give us what we deserve. Now this clearly certainly was the low point of Israel's relationship to God thus far.

Thou they were in fact a rebellious people, therefore God said He would send an angel before them as He promised, He would give them that land as He promised, but He would not go with them lest He destroy them on the way. He was saying this for no other reason than mercy. He is holy in every way. He knew that if they're going to continue being stiff-necked, hardhearted, obstinate that they would be destroyed. If you're going to continue being that way, it will not end well. The neck, that phrase stiff-neck it's a very uncommon phrase and it's a picture of an attitude, an attitude of heart. The one who is stiff-necked won't bow, his neck is stiff.

He refuses. There's a resistance there see, and it’s a picture of a Father putting his hand on the neck of a child. We raised and God says many children and there's a vast difference of reactions when you place your hand on the neck of a child who has a willing heart. When there's a good relationship between the Father and the child, that child's heart is like, ''That's my dad, there's something powerful and strong about my dad. He's strong and the big strong hand on my neck just feels so good.'' It's just strength and you love your dad. There's strength there. Then you know that all of that strength and that covering is for you, it's to your good.

You love your dad. It's like you like welcome it. Oh, my dad that's because there's something wonderful there. What if there wasn't? What if there was resistance? What if there was almost a rebelliousness? What would the attitude then be like uh-huh? No. Don't touch me. No, no, don't do that. Don't touch me. You see the difference? By the way if my kids ever demonstrated a resistance or whatever my question and then would always be the same. Am I for you or am I against you? Let me just remind you. I am for you in every way and I will never stop being for you in every way. Amen.

See an amazing thing is that God is steadfast to his promises though they be stiff-necked. That's the amazing thing. Go on up. I promise to give you that land flowing with milk and honey, go. It's a powerful statement of God's faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:13 He says it similarly, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot deny himself. He who promised his faithful though we are faithless.” It's one of the aspects of God's heart. How about this one? Romans 3:3, “What then if some of them did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God now will it?” Now that's a really key verse.

Now here's what's interesting. You roll the tape forward in the history of Israel many years and they will once again come to a place to a point of wanting the gods of the world so much so that it will lead to their destruction. This is predictable, but even while the Babylonian soldiers were pouring into Jerusalem, Jeremiah the prophet wrote this, and becomes one of the most beautiful, powerful, wonderful expressions of the mercy of God. While the Babylonian soldiers were pouring into Jerusalem, he wrote this. In fact, one of the great hymns, perhaps one of the greatest hymns of the church was written on the foundation of this promise and this verse, Lamentations 3: 21-23.

“This, I recalled in my mind” there he was, he says he could see he was looking he can see the Babylonian soldiers pouring into Jerusalem, but I recall to my mind and therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never ceases, His compassions they fail not. They are new every morning, new every morning, great is they faithfulness. Oh Lord, great is thy faithfulness. Ah, that's a great truth. That's the truth to hold onto. His mercies are new every morning. That comes to us out of the story. Then we see this, the interceding of Moses becomes a picture of the interceding of Jesus Christ in our behalf.

B.  We have an advocate with the Father

In other words, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. Moses is the picture of our advocate. He's interceding for the nation. The relationship between Moses and God is like none other we've read in the Bible thus far. In verse 11, you see the depth of that. God spoke to Moses, as a man would speak to a friend. I tell you, that's a powerful thing because God does want that today. He wants a nearness, he wants a relationship to you and to me of nearness. I will speak to you as a friend.

Let me give you what Jesus said in John 15:15, Jesus said to His disciples, “No longer do I call your slaves for the slave does not know what the master is doing. I call you friends. For all things that I've heard from my Father, I made known to you. I call you friends.” God wants that kind of relationship, a nearness. When Moses heard that God would not be in their midst, He intercedes. He's appealing to God. Consider Moses said, “This nation is your people” and as a result of Moses interceding, God said, “My presence will go with you, I will give you rest.” He's an advocate. In fact, in chapter 32, such was Moses’ interceding, that he even went so far as to say, “Please forgive their sin but if not, then block me out of the book, of which it is written.” That is powerful.

Please forgive their sin but if not, then blot out my name, too. That's powerful. Moses is a picture of Jesus Christ. If it were not for what Jesus has done for us before the Father, we would all be in desperate trouble. Let me use some really amazing verses. Romans 8:33-34, Paul writes, “Who will bring a charge against God's elect?” You tell me, God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns Christ Jesus is the one who died? Yes, He was raised, who is that the right hand of God and who is interceding for us? We have an advocate with the Father.

Let me give you another verse. 1 John 2:1, would you take note of this verse? I tell you this is one of the most powerful verses in the New Testament. Take note of this verse, it is that powerful. Some of the insights at that depth come to us here, “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin.” Clearly, we know that is God's heart. I want to give these things to you and promises you, I want to equip you to fill you that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous He himself being the propitiation for our sins. That's an amazing thing.

I read these things to you that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, you have an advocate. See, this is not the way many people understand God. Many people think that when they fail, when they blow it, when they falter, that God responds by something like stiff hand be gone. I have nothing to do with thee because you've blown it again. You faltered again, you failed again. That's not what I read in Scripture. I read this, if anyone does sin, we have an advocate, a sinner has an advocate. That's amazing. Jesus Christ, the righteous is the advocate for the sinner. That's one of the most amazing truths in the Bible that should give hope to everyone in this room. Amen.

C.  His presence gives power to purpose

Let's give the Lord praise and glory. It's just amazing. Absolutely, but would you notice this in the story, his presence gives power to purpose. His presence, His power to purpose, verse 15, after God said that his presence would not go or that sorry-- that his presence would go with them, then he said, and if your presence does not go, then don't lead us in this place. It’s though Moses is saying, it's not your purpose that drives me, I'm driven by your presence. That's more important than anything else in my life. It’s your presence is more important than anything else in my life.

I am reminded of the lyrics of a song that I've been listening to recently. Love just putting on my headphones and listen to worship when I'm mowing the lawn or working outside or whatever. You can do a lot of worship when you're mowing the lawn. This is one of the songs that just came out to me. We don't sing it yet, but maybe we will I don’t know. It's called Nothing Else. It's by Cody Carnes. I just want to give you some of the words. I'm caught up in your presence. I just want to sit here at your feet. I'm caught up in this holy moment. I never want to leave. Oh, I'm not here for blessings.

Jesus, you don't owe me anything more than anything that you can do, I just want you. Take me back to where we started. I open up my heart to you. I'm not here for blessings. You don't owe me anything more than anything that you can do. I just want you. I love that verse. That lyric it’s so powerful. I just want you. It's the most important, it's the most, there's nothing else. See, God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses is essentially saying, I don't want the land if you're not in it. I don't want the milk or the honey or any other blessing unless you're in the midst of it.

It's the presence of God that Moses cherished more than the land or any other blessing and the same should be said of us. May we cherish the presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord is beautiful on the soul. Notice, for example, Psalm 139:5-6, “You have enclosed me behind and before and you laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It's too high, I cannot attain to it.” Psalm 73, “Whom have I in heaven but you and besides you, I desire nothing on this earth.” That's power. There is nothing on this earth that I desire that compares to you.

II.  Desire More of God in Your Life

My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart, and God is my portion forever. As for me, the nearness of God is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge. He has understood a great truth. Now, back to Exodus 33 Moses is interceding but he takes the opportunity to ask for something for himself and here, take hold of this, it’s a great truth. He wanted more. While we're asking something personal, I want more. I want more of you in my life. There's that thing, desire more of God. That's what He's showing us, desire more of God, I want more. How many would say the same thing, I want more of God in my life, I want more Lord?

A.  “Let me know your ways”

See, when Moses does interceding he wants this request to be known because Moses is seeking more, he wants a deeper spiritual life. Can you imagine what Moses has already seen? He's already seen God destroy Egypt. He's already seen God part the Red Sea and bring forth water from a rock. He's already seen God provide mana for all of the people. He himself received the pattern of the tabernacle, the throne of God. He Himself received the law and the commandments but he still wants more. He says, “Let me know your ways that I might know you. I want to know you. Show me more. Let me know your ways that I might find favor in your sight.”

He wanted to know what God is like. He wanted to know his ways, so that he would know God more. He knew that favor and blessing would come from knowing God's ways, from knowing God's heart, and then living by God's ways. That's the way that my life would be the greatest blessing to be in that place. It's interesting. There are a lot of articles and books today written about successful people and the way that they live. Many people want to know the way that they live. Warren Buffett, a very successful person. Many people want to know, well, how does Warren Buffett live? I want to know the ways of Warren Buffett because he's a successful man and I want to be successful like that.

They write articles 10 habits of Warren Buffet, or they'll write Seven Ways to Organize Your Life like Satya Nadella. He's the CEO of Microsoft. He's successful. I want to know how does he do it? How does he organize? How does he live his life? I want to be like that. Or how to balance your life like Pat Gelsinger CEO of Intel. By the way, side note Pat Gelsinger the new CEO of Intel, I'm here to tell you he is a man of God. We are very fortunate to have a man of God, a pillar of God in the community. It is a joy to see what God is doing in his life. He truly is a man of God. Well, of course, people want to know, well, how do people like that live?

Well, I'll tell you, here's my point. You can't get any better than knowing how God lives. You want to know how God is, you can't get any better than that. You live the way God is and your life will be truly blessed. Do you believe me? Here's the thing you want to mess up your life? Yes, live by your ways. That's a sure way to mess up your life, but when you live by God's ways, it's beautiful. God wants to give a beautiful life, live by the ways of God. Let me know your ways that I may know you. I want to know your heart. I want to live by your ways so that your ways become my ways, and so He gives many places where you see God's ways.

Exodus 23:4 “You see if you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away of your enemy, go return it to him.” Or Exodus 22:26-27 “If you ever take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge," like a personal loan or something, "You are to return it to him before the sun sets, for I am gracious.” You see, that's the way I am. That's the way of God. I am gracious. I want you also to be gracious. Now we love the fact that God is gracious. It is the way of God. We love that. God is gracious, especially when we're the ones receiving it. We all have stories. I'm sure many, many people here in this room have stories of God's amazing grace.

We love God's grace, especially when we're receiving it. You've got your stories. I'll give you one of mine. Many years ago when the kids were still in the house our oldest son called and said he was sick. He wasn't feeling well. Could I come pick him up at school? He was going to Beaverton High School at the time. Of course, I said, "Sure, I'll be right there." I'm taking the back route over to the to the school to pick him up but then a police officer pulled me over. I was going just a little bit over the normal little bit over. You know what I'm talking about? He comes up, and he goes license and registration and so he says, "Where are you going? Why so fast?" I said, well, my son is sick at school. "I'll be right back."

He goes to his motorcycle and he's on the radio, whatever. He comes back and he says, "I have a question. What do you do for a living?" Oh, now I got to tell him “I'm a pastor.” "Oh, you're a pastor, be right back." I'm thinking oh it is what it is, and so he’s back there whatever and he comes back up and he says, "So, you're a pastor." I go, "That's true." "Then you tell me, what should I do?" Oh, yes. I said, "Well, I was speeding so I deserve a ticket. However, grace is a good thing.” “I'll be right back." He comes back, I don’t know what he is doing. He goes back and he says, "Now, listen, you and me, we share the same birthday and I have a policy. I never give tickets to anyone that has my birthday. Happy birthday."

I'm thinking, "God, you are the blesser of my life." We love God's grace when we're on this side of it, but he says, “I want my ways to be your ways” for his ways are higher. His ways are better. He wants to give you a beautiful life. Like Isaiah 55, “Let the wicked forsake his way. Let the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts and let him come. Let him return to the Lord.” Then he says, Isaiah 55 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways” declares the Lord “For, as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts and your thoughts. I want my ways to be your ways.”

B.  “Show me your glory”

Ask for more. "I want to know your ways that I might know you." Moses said. Some people, they come to receive salvation and that's enough. That's all they want. They have salvation. They've taken a hold of that. Wonderful, but that's enough for them, but there are others who want more. They seek for more. A deeper spiritual life. Moses is an example who wants more and we should want more also. I want to know you, show me your ways that your ways would become my ways, but then he asked, "While I'm asking, I want one more thing. Show me your glory." Moses had already seen more of God's glory than any human that had ever lived, more than Abraham, Isaac, more than Jacob.

Moses had been in the presence of the Lord to the point that when he returned from the mountain after being with the Lord, those 40 days, there was an actual light of God's glory visible to the eye. There was an actual light visible when he added the presence of the Lord, out of the glory of being in the presence of the Lord, those 40 days, an actual visible glory on his face. Moses knew that was not the fullness of God's glory. He knew there was yet more. He had experienced enough of God's glory to want more, and he had the boldness to ask for it. He understood something.

He tasted of the glory of God that no one else had ever tasted, and he knew how beautiful it was. "I want more, I want more," because he understood something. The presence of God and the glory of God is beautiful on the soul. It's beautiful on the soul. It's beautiful on the soul. I want to give you that beautiful soul. It's my presence, John says that does that. "I want that, which is beautiful. Show me." He had the boldness to ask. You got to love that. He had the boldness to ask. In verse 20 God said that no one could see the face of God and live and yet Scripture tells us, when we stand before the Lord of God in heaven, we will see Him in all of his glory. We will see Him face-to-face.

You get a portion, a taste, but long for this, you'll see him face-to-face in all of his glory. You have no idea. Moses is trying to show us. "You have no idea. The presence of God, the glory of God is beautiful on the soul." 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now in this life we see in the mirror dimly, but then we will see him face-to-face.” Now I know him only in part, but then I will know him fully, just as I have been fully known. God made himself known to Moses there in that fiery bush on that same mountain, it was the beginning of a relationship that continued to grow through the trials and the conflicts in Egypt, leading the people of Israel back to the same mountain. Verse 11, that relationship grew and continued to the point where it said that the Lord would speak to Moses like a man would speak to his friend.

Moses would go to that tent and just be there, and at that place of meeting with God and they would just talk, a tent to meeting experience, I submit, we need more meanings with God. We need a tent of meeting experience with God. The first meeting you ever have with God, we could call it the come to Jesus’ meeting. We need that meeting. What's interesting is the world has taken that whole idea and picture and they made it a business phrase. We're going to have a come to Jesus’ meeting. It means we're going to reckon with this thing. You're going to have to come to Jesus’ meeting. They use it in the business world.

They took it right out of the point. God sent his Son to seek and to save sinners so that sinners could come to Jesus. You come to Jesus and you to come to Jesus’ meeting. When you recognize your sin for what it is, when you see the devastation that it does to the soul, there's no hope in that. God answers by sending his Son to go find sinners, bring them to himself that they would have a come to Jesus’ meeting. Let me just submit that if that's the only meeting you ever had with God, you're not going to grow very much. We need more meetings with God. That should be the beginning of meetings with God.

We need personal intimate, devotional, spiritual meetings with God. May I suggest that there are those who don't want spiritual meanings with God. You know why? They still got have that golden calf thing. That's why they still have that golden calf thing. God is trying to show us something. You can't have that golden calf thing and the glory of God's presence. I want to do a wonderful work. You have no idea how beautiful is the presence of God to the soul. Don't let this thing stand in the way, this golden calf thing, whatever that golden calf thing is, don't let that thing hinder you. It's standing in the way that which is glorious, beautiful to the soul. Don't let that thing hinder you.

Get rid of that thing that you would have everything that God has for you because the presence of God and the glory of God is beautiful to the soul. God wants you to have that glorious, transformed, beautiful soul. We need personal, intimate, devotional, spiritual meetings with God. I want more. Let me know your ways. and I might know you, but just one more thing show me your glory. It's beautiful to the soul. Let’s pray. Father, thank you so much. Oh, how beautiful is the presence of God to the soul. We want that. We want that, we want more.

Tell me you would say that to the Lord today. I want more. I want more of you in my life. I want the glory that transforms. I want that. God this golden calf thing, you can have it. You can have it all. I'm done with this golden calf thing. It's hindering. It's standing in the way. I don't want this anymore. Take it. I want you. That's what I want. I want that which is glorious to the soul. I want more of you. Show me yourself and Lord, one more thing. Just one more thing. Show me your glory. It's beautiful on the soul. That’s what I want.