1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,520 Yep, Amen. Scripture says that we should 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:11,600 love his appearing. We should love his appearing in 3 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,880 the context of speaking to the second coming of the Lord or the 4 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:22,880 rapture of the church, the dead in Christ rising, all those 5 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,760 things He ends with saying. Comfort one another with these 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,680 words. And so the thing that I've often 7 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:36,080 said is if the coming of the Lord doesn't bring you comfort, 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:44,760 then there's an internal check that needs to be taken, because 9 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,040 if His word said comfort one another. 10 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,120 With these words, then I'm. Under the idea that it should 11 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:56,680 bring me comfort, but if it don't, then I need to do an 12 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,040 internal check. Amen. 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:04,040 And I know there's a lot of things that may come about that 14 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,520 I will not understand. And we will not know the 15 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,080 totality of the unfolding of some things until they happen. 16 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,920 And I'm not going to live in fear. 17 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:21,480 I got comfort in the Lord. Hallelujah, folks, to think that 18 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,640 you lived your whole life for that moment. 19 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:31,120 Why not be comforted? I love the Lord and I show up 20 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,000 Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday and, you know, pray 21 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,360 and fast and see God and all those good things. 22 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,400 Yes, I'm going to be comforted that this thing's going to wind 23 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,360 up. I'm going to be comforted that 24 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,040 the one that at distance as it may be that I can serve and 25 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,480 worship, that I'll see him face to face and be as he is. 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,040 Absolutely. I'll be comforted to know 27 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,360 there's no more. Pain and no more sorrow in the 28 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,760 land of no Moors. No more death, no more dying, no 29 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,080 more trouble, no more tribulation. 30 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:09,360 Ha. Ha, no more. 31 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,960 No more. No more disease, no more 32 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,480 diabetes, No more heart failure, no more pulmonary issues. 33 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:37,440 No more. No more Hallelujah. 34 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,080 Jesus, I'm comforted tonight by that. 35 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:52,000 I'm comforted tonight by that. It's the comfort that stays with 36 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,600 every dying St. Precious in the Lord is the 37 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,760 death of His Saints. It's the comfort of every dying 38 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,400 St. that as they close the their eyes in this world, they're 39 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,360 going to open for the purpose of another. 40 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:13,520 World. Oh, let's raise our hands. 41 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:15,560 I feel the Holy Ghost his presence. 42 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:23,720 I love you, Jesus. Oh yes. 43 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,680 Lord yes. Lord, yes. 44 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:46,320 Lord, sweet spirit of God, I love you, Lord. 45 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:59,760 I love you, Lord. You're good, you're good. 46 00:03:59,760 --> 00:05:00,030 You're good, you're good. There is a comfort man. 47 00:05:00,310 --> 00:05:03,310 It makes me think of Brother Bob Garrett. 48 00:05:06,870 --> 00:05:09,390 He is dying. Bishop and I went to visit him 49 00:05:09,390 --> 00:05:15,990 in the hospital more than once. Every time, almost uncanny to a 50 00:05:15,990 --> 00:05:20,110 degree. Every time he had that broadest, 51 00:05:20,110 --> 00:05:22,830 biggest smile on his face. And he was a. 52 00:05:22,830 --> 00:05:27,280 Dying man. And he's smiling, ear from ear. 53 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,280 I can't help but wonder, Sister Sheila in the corridors of his 54 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:35,280 mind, if he wasn't just comforting himself with some 55 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:41,120 words. He was a happy man. 56 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,440 And. He was leaving this world. 57 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,720 That doesn't really make sense unless you know. 58 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,120 What I know unless you've. Experienced what I've 59 00:05:53,120 --> 00:06:01,320 experienced. Hallelujah. 60 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:26,680 Amen. Jesus, Jesus, 61 00:06:38,250 --> 00:06:41,170 I'm feeling after him because I wasn't really real sure what to 62 00:06:41,170 --> 00:06:44,730 do here tonight and I just, I don't want to get ahead of the 63 00:06:44,730 --> 00:06:47,810 Lord and I don't want to trail too far behind the Lord. 64 00:06:47,810 --> 00:06:50,730 I want to be in step. Amen with him. 65 00:06:52,210 --> 00:07:00,160 Hallelujah, Jesus, Hallelujah, Jesus, Hallelujah, Jesus. 66 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,080 But we'll attempt to go to the word of the Lord, the Numbers 67 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:15,320 chapter #3 a few months ago I attempted to minister this 68 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:19,080 sermon and a little bit. What's happening right now and 69 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,320 what's happening? So I don't know what's going on. 70 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,200 Maybe God never wants this preached, I don't know. 71 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,120 Amen. I have a sign above my office 72 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,920 door. It's been there for years, that 73 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,720 through this door I'll pass to face my ultimate challenge and 74 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,760 that is to feed my sheep. And it is. 75 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,920 I don't take this lightly because I understand the word of 76 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:45,800 God. The word was sent to heel and 77 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,640 sometimes the word is like a hammer and it might cause 78 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,760 fissure and rock and help break it up and other times the Bible. 79 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,920 Says that the word is like the snow. 80 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,440 Kind of sets on the ground and melts and seeps in and sometimes 81 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,920 the scripture says we're washed by the word of the Lord and it's 82 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,960 like water. And so it's so many things and 83 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:06,600 so applicable. Amen. 84 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,320 Numbers chapter #3 verses one through 4. 85 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,400 Amen. Here tonight I'm telling you 86 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,960 that I'm not on the top of my game, all right? 87 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,840 Embody right now, but we're just going to try to follow the Lord. 88 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,600 And so if I don't yell to the top of my lungs and spit all 89 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,800 over you, Amen. Just be blessed anyway in Jesus 90 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:30,720 name, Amen. Verse #1 The Bible says these 91 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,000 also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that 92 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,360 the Lord spake with Moses and Mount Sinai. 93 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,760 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron, Nadab, the first 94 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,880 born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithemar. 95 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,400 These are the names of the sons of Aaron the priest, which were 96 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,720 anointed. Everybody say anointed whom he 97 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,720 consecrated. Everybody say consecrated to 98 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:59,480 minister in the priest office. And Nadab and Abihu died before 99 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,360 the Lord. This is something that's already 100 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,320 occurred and happened, but it's a reflection backward. 101 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:07,400 They died before the Lord. When they offered strange fire 102 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,920 before the Lord in the wilderness of Cyanide. 103 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:14,280 They had no children. Eleazar and Ithmar. 104 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:19,000 Ithmar ministered in the priests office in the sight of Aaron, 105 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,400 their father. So it's kind of given a little 106 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,520 rundown to the sons of Aaron here. 107 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,160 It includes Nadab and Abai, who although they have already 108 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,520 perished and it speaks of that. And so for a little while 109 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,000 tonight, the help of the Holy Ghost. 110 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:38,480 When a minister simply this dying in his presence, the home 111 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:42,040 and Christian study Bible verse #4 says it like this. 112 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,680 Instead of saying that they died before the Lord, it says, but 113 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:49,680 Nadab and Abai who died in the Lord's presence. 114 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:56,120 So when a minister dying in his presence, Amen. 115 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,920 Let's ask the Lord to help us. Father, I'm asking God for your 116 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,800 help. God, I lean upon you, God the 117 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,280 Lord, both mind, body and spirit. 118 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,680 Lord Jesus, heavenly Lord, depend upon you this evening. 119 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,200 I pray, O God, that you have the minister. 120 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:12,960 Lord, God, to this group of people. 121 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,400 God, if no other Lord purpose God rendered from this Lord, let 122 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,320 it be a cautionary purpose. I pray Lord in this house and 123 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,760 will not fail to praise you and give you the glory for what you 124 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,240 accomplish Lord, in this place and will honor you Lord Jesus 125 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:33,280 tonight for what you do in the name of Jesus Christ that I pray 126 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:38,240 Hallelujah. Can the church say Amen, Amen. 127 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:45,960 You may be seated in Jesus name, folks, the verses that I read to 128 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:51,720 you and verse #4 in particular, we don't even have to get out 129 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:56,840 other sources or other reference books and commentaries for verse 130 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:02,640 #4 that single verse within itself holds a very haunting way 131 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,280 in the phrase that I expressed to you tonight as my as my 132 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:11,280 title, that they died in the Lord's presence. 133 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,320 The King James. Version says of course that. 134 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:19,160 They died before the Lord. And whenever you begin to 135 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,120 consider that and really consider it, it is a a sobering 136 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,480 statement. And what it means is this for us 137 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,480 in the modern church. In a day. 138 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,440 Where you can become callous to the presence of God, what it 139 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:40,120 means and reminds us of this, that nearness to God, right 140 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:45,880 proximity to God doesn't guarantee immunity from 141 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,120 familiarity with. God. 142 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:54,360 And as the saying of times goes, familiarity sometimes breeds 143 00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:57,480 contempt. The Bible or the saying is 144 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,440 neither. Is his presence a way that 145 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,320 Shields us away from waywardness? 146 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,760 I think it's in the Psalms. The Bible talks about how a 147 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,320 person could inter metal with all sorts of different things 148 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:16,120 that are ungodly and holy. Being right in the middle. 149 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,000 A man of his presence. And so we leave an hour. 150 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,200 Of course that we emphasize the glory of Lord, we all the time 151 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,360 are talking about having intimate relationships with. 152 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,880 God and that. There is power in God's presence 153 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,400 and we should do so, and we should encourage all those 154 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,320 things, as I believe that we. Do but I believe. 155 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,760 That this passage offers a little bit of a. 156 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:43,720 Balance to that. Seeking after and the glory and 157 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,080 the intimacy and the power of God. 158 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,800 That while I'm a firm believer tonight that we. 159 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,240 Need to seek the presence. Of God, and I hope that we 160 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,120 support that around. This church and. 161 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,080 We make that. Clear enough that that's 162 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,880 something that needs to be. Taught on our priority. 163 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,840 List Amen. For He can accomplish, as I've 164 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,160 often said, things in us in a moment of being in His presence, 165 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,720 that it would. Take years to accomplish. 166 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,560 On our own, His presence can fix a lot of things in our life. 167 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:14,040 Just a moment, yet the truth still. 168 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,960 Remains that he can only fix what our will will permit. 169 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:20,720 We can come. Before his presence be 170 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,480 saturated. Amen in the. 171 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,360 Atmosphere that's charged. By the power of God. 172 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,120 And still. Leave unchanged the same. 173 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,560 That we entered if we. Won't permit him by our own 174 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:36,480 volition and will to. Have impact upon our life. 175 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,320 His presence will not override our will. 176 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:44,120 People have quoted me here in. In the church about me off time 177 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,440 saying that. God is a gentleman and. 178 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,640 He is but Nadab and ABI. Who proved this? 179 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:58,440 That it is possible to die in the very presence it's possible 180 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,120 to die in the very presence of the Lord. 181 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,680 My mind has almost a difficult time reconciling this because I 182 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:09,640 read in scripture other places people are trying to find the 183 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:11,360 Lord. Particularly Jesus in his 184 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,520 earthly. Ministry and they're thinking if 185 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,200 they can just. Get him to the. 186 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,720 Grave or if they can just get him to the coffin or if they. 187 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,280 Can just get him to the circumstance then. 188 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,400 Life is going to come back in a very literal. 189 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,240 Fashion and way so my. Mind has a hard time even 190 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,600 reconciling the fact that somebody could die in the 191 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,560 presence of the Lord. And so the book of Numbers opens 192 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,880 on the first day, the Bible says, of the second month of the 193 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,200 second. Year after Israel's. 194 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:46,400 Departation from Egypt and after this departation, the Bible says 195 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,720 19 days later that they would depart. 196 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,640 From Mount Sinai. After they had been there for 197 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:59,320 about a year, they spent nearly a year at the Mount of God 198 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,520 Mount. Sinai at the base of. 199 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:05,160 That mount and it was during this time that some things took. 200 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:09,320 Place from Exodus to Leviticus and to now numbers, Of course, 201 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:14,120 Exodus is the story of the children of Israel's deliverance 202 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,480 from bondage. It is the story. 203 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:20,280 Of them getting out of the Paschal lamb and the blood. 204 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,680 That was shed and placed up on the lentil. 205 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:24,120 And the. Doorpost. 206 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,960 That is the story. Exodus is the story of 207 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,320 redemption, of getting. Out. 208 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,440 Of bondage, but when you. Come to the book of. 209 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,080 Leviticus. It has a different feel. 210 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,240 There's a lot of people. Sister Sheila don't like to read 211 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:38,760 the book of Leviticus. It is. 212 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,920 It's the. One that's giving all the. 213 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:45,720 Guidance and the instruction on the myriad sacrifices that God 214 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,520 would wish his people to approach him or worship him. 215 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:52,880 With It is the book about denoting what's clean and 216 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:53,680 unclean. What's? 217 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,600 Profane and what's what's holy and and the whole. 218 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,400 Story is about sanctification throughout. 219 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:01,960 Leviticus, but when you get to the. 220 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:06,240 Book of Numbers. Then that begins to track God's 221 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,800 people walk with him. See, up to this point they've 222 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,120 had deliverance out of bondage. Now they. 223 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,000 Have also said at Sinai. For a year to get instruction 224 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,440 about how they. Should do what they should do, 225 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,200 Leviticus. Tells them how they should 226 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,160 worship, how they should separate themselves and 227 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,000 sanctify. But Numbers is really the 228 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,000 beginning of the walk, taking all the guidance. 229 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,920 And putting it to practice. Taking all the information about 230 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,520 sanctification and separation and. 231 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,560 Putting it to practice. And so God, throughout this 232 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,360 period of time leading into numbers, has become a very 233 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,880 personal God. To them he has shown. 234 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:48,320 Up in their place of worship that that Tabernacle in the 235 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,840 wilderness he has showed up. There and put his thumbprint. 236 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,320 Upon everything that they had done to bring that about by 237 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,480 filling that place with a cloud, so much so that those. 238 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:04,000 In ministry could not even. Do their ministerial services 239 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,000 there his spirit, his presence in the form of a cloud with 240 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,680 oftimes hover above the. Ark of the. 241 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,680 Covenant above the mercy seat, where God's told Moses that I'll 242 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,200 come, I'll speak to you, I'll converse with you. 243 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:22,960 Leviticus was God's invitation then to a place of holiness, to 244 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,800 live in such a way that his presence wouldn't just visit 245 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,560 them, but stay among them. Right? 246 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:33,120 Because be ye therefore holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord. 247 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,960 But in numbers of the the journey begins. 248 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:40,320 And we're reminded very painfully early in the narrative 249 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:47,240 that even anointed people can buy everybody, say anointed, 250 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:52,560 even anointed people can die in God's presence. 251 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,320 See from the earliest days at. Sinai it's. 252 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,720 Interesting as we read the. Story. 253 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,200 That God is calling his. People near to him we 254 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,760 understand. That he put a line, Had Moses 255 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,440 set a line around that mountain, People were not to crossover 256 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,240 that line, and some worshipped at his at afar. 257 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,280 But there were others, and. Groups of people that God 258 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,760 allowed to go over that and wanted them to literally come up 259 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,960 the mount to have communion with God. 260 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:25,040 He desired a close relationship with them and he called them to 261 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,640 be a Kingdom. Of priest in his. 262 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:31,760 Kingdom Look in Exodus 24 and verse one God. 263 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:36,200 Some of those groups are circles that he invited even closer for 264 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,240 relationship, for revealing himself to them. 265 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,720 Look at those that are mentioned in this list. 266 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:46,920 God invited Moses, he invited Aaron the high priest, he 267 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:53,800 invited Nadab, he invited Abihu, he invited 70 elders to come up 268 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:59,360 is the verbiage come up and worship of our off verse #9 even 269 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:07,360 says then Moses went up with Aaron and Nadab and Abihu and 70 270 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:12,320 of the elders and verse 10 describes and they saw the God 271 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,520 of Israel. What I'm trying to lay the 272 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:19,960 framework for here is this is that God at one time in the past 273 00:19:20,120 --> 00:19:25,840 had given an invitation even to Nadab and Abaihu to draw closer 274 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,200 than just the common congregation, to have a closer 275 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,200 relationship than just the common man, to enter into a 276 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:37,320 place of fellowship with him that he had really created for 277 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,760 them and that allowed for them. And so Nadab and Abaihu in this 278 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,080 moment was just not like a commoner that that was 279 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,240 spectating with all of the glory of God and and the cloud and the 280 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,040 fire and the thundering that was upon the mount of God. 281 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:57,000 No, they were among some the few men in history who visibly 282 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,040 experienced the glory of God on Mount Sinai. 283 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,600 Think if you will, folks think of this great privilege that was 284 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,520 extended to them. They were hand picked to ascend 285 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,760 the mount of God and experience God. 286 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,560 They were included in one of the most sacred moments of Israelite 287 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:20,600 history, along with. Jesus and Aaron where that mount 288 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,440 with the covenant of God was confirmed for the nation of 289 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:25,960 Israel. He invited them into that 290 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,320 intermosa intimate place of where of that covenant and that 291 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,120 mountain so that they could experience it. 292 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:37,360 And they saw few. They saw what few had ever seen. 293 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:43,400 And that was a manifest presence of the Lord on that mountain. 294 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:47,040 And yet the Bible goes a step further that that they're 295 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,040 calling. It wasn't limited to that 296 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,880 mountaintop moment, although that was fantastic. 297 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:57,960 The Bible also tells us in Exodus 28 and one, it says that 298 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:04,000 these men, they dab in a Baihu and Eleazar and Ithemar, that 299 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:10,520 these men were specifically chosen and specifically anointed 300 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:15,360 and specifically consecrated for the priesthood. 301 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:20,280 These were men that were invited into everything that had to do 302 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:24,360 with the furnishing of God's house, the presence of God's 303 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:26,880 glory. They were invited into this 304 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,600 space. They, they weren't novices. 305 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,320 Please know they weren't novices. 306 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,160 They weren't wet behind the ears. 307 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:38,280 They were exposed to some of the greatest things that the 308 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:44,200 Tabernacle and God had offered. These were men entrusted with 309 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:49,920 sacred responsibilities, if I could say their lives literally 310 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,480 revolved. Around the Tabernacle. 311 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:55,680 As sons of Aaron, they were not numbered. 312 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,560 Among the soldiers. They were not numbered among the 313 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,120 tribal warriors. No, they were Levites. 314 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,720 And so they were not set apart for battle on a battlefield. 315 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:12,320 They were set apart for worship. And the Bible tells us when you 316 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,440 read of the Levites and you read of the different divisions and 317 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,920 the Kohathites and the Gershonites and the Mayorites, 318 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:23,280 you read about these men. And these men attended to the 319 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,760 holy art articles of the the Tabernacle in the wilderness. 320 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,160 It's these men that when you read through the book of Numbers 321 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:34,600 and it's talking about, there were these 3 tribes on the east 322 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,440 and these 3 tribes on the West, and these 3 tribes on the north 323 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,560 and these 3 tribes on the South. That whenever you had all of 324 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,760 them situated where they were, there was a innermost circle 325 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,000 ride around the Tabernacle. And it was the Levites. 326 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,080 They had, if you will, the closest contact to the presence 327 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:56,040 of God in their daily tent living and their daily camping. 328 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,640 They were ride around the house to God in the presence of God. 329 00:22:59,960 --> 00:23:03,080 They carried the members and the structures of that house. 330 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,720 They set it up every time they pitched their tent at a new 331 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,960 location. They took it down when it was 332 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,760 time to take it down. They had all these matters, 333 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,520 concerns and inner workings and dealings with the House of God. 334 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,360 They had access that others didn't have. 335 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,320 They had an anointing that others. 336 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,880 Didn't receive. And they had experiences that 337 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:36,800 others never knew. They were the spiritual elite of 338 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:40,920 their generation. God gave them access not just to 339 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,520 outer courts, but even to the holy place. 340 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,160 They were permitted where others were prohibited. 341 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,000 They dab in the Bible. They went where others could. 342 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,560 Not go. What even others feared to 343 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,760 approach, they were invited to handle. 344 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,440 To them, God wasn't a distant deity. 345 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,800 To them, he was familiar. To them, he was tangible. 346 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,160 To them, he was something to be experienced. 347 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:18,200 This was a God who drew near, who granted these men some 348 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:24,400 access to His Holiness. Having access to the sacred. 349 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:27,200 It's not permission to redefine it. 350 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,560 Access wasn't a license for these guys. 351 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,800 No, no, not at all. Because with Access, they access 352 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:36,560 the type of access that they had. 353 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,960 What really came with their? Access was an accountability. 354 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,360 With that nearness of being near the Lord and the things of the 355 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:46,560 Lord and that pertain to the Lord, it really demanded from 356 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,040 them a reverence for the things that were around. 357 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,480 Them look, if you will. Scripture you can read of it and 358 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,120 Leviticus chapter #10 and one. This is the scenario. 359 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:01,240 This is the actual occurrence in happening of where Nadab and ABI 360 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:06,000 who offered strange fire unto the Lord, Some call it 361 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,120 unauthorized incense unto the Lord that was kindled not from 362 00:25:11,120 --> 00:25:14,080 the coals of the altar, the brazen altar. 363 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:15,560 That was in the outer. Court. 364 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,160 Typically if the coals of the altar from the outer court was 365 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:22,520 kindled, they would take those coals and incense would be 366 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,880 burned up from and upon the fire. 367 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,480 Amen. That was from that altar in the 368 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,360 outer court. But these boys had brought some 369 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,320 strange fire. They brought fire, yes. 370 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,680 It was undeniable that what they had in their hand, a man coal 371 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:39,520 fire. However you wish to describe it, 372 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,760 what they had in their hand was undeniably fire. 373 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,000 It just was from the wrong source. 374 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:49,200 No one could say they didn't have fire. 375 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,760 They had fire. They just didn't have fire from 376 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,840 the proper source. And that might seem very minor 377 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,240 and that's might seem. Just very. 378 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,480 Trivial and maybe they were thinking in themselves because 379 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,000 they have been in a pattern. Just follow me here for a 380 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,040 moment. They've been in a pattern that 381 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,400 this is what we have seen done and this is what this is what we 382 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,600 do and this is some of the activity that we participate in 383 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,440 in the Tabernacle and ran about the Tabernacle. 384 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:15,920 And I'm not, I don't want to speak totally for him, but I'm 385 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,360 going to try to do it just a little. 386 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,640 Perhaps a Nadab and Abiah who begin to think on this 387 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:25,160 particular day, as they came in with strange fire before the 388 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,880 Lord, perhaps they thought in their mind, well, you know what, 389 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,200 we've been anointed as priests. We're already anointed. 390 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,160 So why does this matter that much? 391 00:26:33,360 --> 00:26:37,400 We've already had God's hand and God's oil and God's blood placed 392 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:39,880 upon our life. So what does it really matter 393 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,280 that we just kind of, you know, just move a little bit and vary 394 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,920 a little bit in this because we're already anointed. 395 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:47,360 Why in the world should it matter? 396 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,320 Or maybe in their mind is this. And this is the tragedy of our 397 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,800 generation. This is the tragedy of being a 398 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,960 Christian so long you've gotten comfortable, and it's this. 399 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,880 We've already been in God's presence before. 400 00:27:00,120 --> 00:27:02,960 We've already experienced His Majesty before. 401 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:05,560 We've already experienced His power before. 402 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,320 So what's the big deal today of taking in strange fire? 403 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,280 Because I've already experienced that about the T-shirt. 404 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,000 It is the tragedy of my generation that we become so 405 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,360 familiar. Amen. 406 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:21,680 And so used to his presence and his power that we think, you 407 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:25,360 know what, what's really one day of not doing it right, What's 408 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:29,360 really one day, if you will, of skirting the issue, and maybe 409 00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:32,640 not because I've already experienced his power. 410 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:42,960 I've I've already it is. It sincerely is I sometimes, and 411 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:44,240 I see it. Sometimes ripple. 412 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,440 Amen in our movement. I sit sometimes in some of our. 413 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,840 Conferences and camp meetings and so on and so forth. 414 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:52,280 And I'm thinking to myself, Amen. 415 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,120 If this was a new convert. If this was a new. 416 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:58,400 Convert experiencing what we're experiencing. 417 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,320 Right now they would be looking over and be like I've never. 418 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,400 Felt anything like I'm feeling? Right now. 419 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,880 But I sit there sometimes and I'm nonchalant and I'm like, 420 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,000 you're going to have to do better than that to move me. 421 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,520 I've heard that before, I've heard that song before, I've 422 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,800 heard that passage preach before, and all I'm being is an 423 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,720 A dab in a by who with my strange fire. 424 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,360 I've not stayed connected to the real source and I've become, if 425 00:28:22,360 --> 00:28:30,800 you will, little callous. Amen. 426 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,360 Callous. Maybe they had the attitude that 427 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:41,360 surely God will understand, but God did not understand and the 428 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,920 Bible says that the fire came out from the Lord and consumed 429 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,000 them because it doesn't matter how much. 430 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,080 In your. Past you've been anointed or 431 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,800 consecrated, that doesn't justify a present. 432 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:59,920 Day mishandling of his presence. Yeah, I received the Holy Ghost 433 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:02,760 when I was 8 years old. Yes I spoke in tongues and yes I 434 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,760 was baptized in Jesus name, but that doesn't justify a. 435 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,600 Mishandling of his presence tonight. 436 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:13,680 Come on. Come on. 437 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:15,720 Come on, just follow me here for a moment. 438 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:22,760 Some scholars believe that Nadab and a By who? 439 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,880 Were intoxicated follow me at this time and. 440 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,920 That may be the reason. Why just a few verses? 441 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:37,440 Later in the account of their mistake in Leviticus 10 that we 442 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:39,440 read in. Verses 9 and 10. 443 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:45,560 Then God going on and forbidding priests from drinking wine or 444 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:51,160 strong drink and entering the Tabernacle. 445 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:58,080 If it be the case, then surely God is pointing. 446 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:04,040 Out something in the particular. That drunkenness dolls an 447 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:11,920 individual's discernment. They, they, they, they, they. 448 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,760 Because Nadab and Nabai. Who should who should be? 449 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:24,040 So familiar with the dynamics of Tabernacle life and to act like 450 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:29,400 they did. Clearly they have lost theirs, 451 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:34,480 and for them it may have been a literal intoxication. 452 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:42,200 But for us it's metaphorical because we become intoxicated. 453 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:47,880 Maybe not with a literal drink, but we become intoxicated with 454 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:52,280 things in this life. We become intoxicated with the 455 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:55,320 system of the world in which we are living. 456 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:00,160 We become intoxicated with pride and with position and with 457 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:04,040 performance and with popularity and with pleasure. 458 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:09,120 To the degree that our notions and our discernment becomes 459 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,600 dull. We walk in the House of God a 460 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:20,080 little cavalier, and we walk in just a little cavalier and and I 461 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:24,360 start to live and put God as though he's the best boy, as 462 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,000 though he owes it to me when I want to owe to me. 463 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,320 But that's not the case. I don't want to get intoxicated 464 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:34,000 and be under the influence of anything except for his 465 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,840 presence, except for his power. I don't want my judgement to 466 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:43,480 become impaired, even in the sacred places. 467 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,680 When I learned from nadab and Mabai who is this is that I can 468 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:59,080 lose my reverence for his presence while. 469 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,200 Still going through the motions of ministry. 470 00:32:11,860 --> 00:32:13,700 It's a fearful. Thing I'm telling you this. 471 00:32:16,220 --> 00:32:21,180 Because I've done what I've done long enough, I can 472 00:32:21,180 --> 00:32:24,300 intellectually put together a sermon. 473 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:29,680 I can. Practice all the form of. 474 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:39,640 Oratory We can sew it up with an altar call, and I can go through 475 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:44,160 all the motions of ministry though, and be detached from His 476 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:50,080 presence. And as people in the audience, I 477 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:55,400 know when to clap my hand, and I know when to elevate my voice, 478 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,160 and I know when to raise my hands, and I know when to stand 479 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,240 up, and I know when to sit down. And I can go through all the 480 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,960 calisthenics of being a Christian and yet be devoid and 481 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:14,760 separated from his presence, folks. 482 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:19,280 But what the world needs is not a people or a preacher going 483 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,880 through the mechanics of what we expect and what they expect an 484 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,160 Apostolic Church to have. What they need when they show up 485 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,000 in this place is somebody that's rubbed shoulders with the 486 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,800 divine, somebody that has oil still dripping from their hands, 487 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:37,480 someone that has the smear marks of blood still upon their life. 488 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:41,600 They need somebody that's not dying in his presence, but that 489 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:46,440 has life that they might share. Life to someone that is truly 490 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:58,640 dying. Hey man, we can handle holy 491 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:04,000 things and still be governed by unholy appetites. 492 00:34:09,659 --> 00:34:16,199 The danger is not just that what they may have drank, but more 493 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:19,719 importantly, what it did to their discernment. 494 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:27,040 It made them approach God's presence lightly, and they then 495 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,400 treated the holy as though it was. 496 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:39,000 Common when we. Do the same folks, we jeopardize 497 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:43,520 our spiritual lives as well? And it's not because his his his 498 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,360 spirit. Or his presence lacks power. 499 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:53,480 Or that he doesn't show up, but it's that we don't treat it with 500 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,280 the gravity of weight that it deserves. 501 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:05,880 It's almost like if you're in an audience where the president 502 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:10,880 shows up and everybody's clapping, focus, attention is 503 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:12,960 there. And you're over here. 504 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:15,120 Messing around with something. As though. 505 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:20,120 He's not even there. I understand there's a man in 506 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:23,240 that position, but there is an office that that that deserves a 507 00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:26,200 certain amount of reverence and honor because of the office. 508 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:27,960 And that's a reason why people clap. 509 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:30,320 That's a reason why people turn and focus their attention. 510 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:32,600 That's a reason why whatever else is going in the moment 511 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:35,840 stops and attention is given. But we can get to a place. 512 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:37,560 It's almost that God can show up. 513 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:40,320 But I'm just going to go on, do this little thing right here. 514 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,360 It's not that he don't show up, but we don't give him the all 515 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:47,800 and the gravity of the reverence that's deserving to his presence 516 00:35:47,800 --> 00:36:00,010 being so their. 517 00:36:00,010 --> 00:36:04,130 Death in the moment. Was it just a judgement on their 518 00:36:04,130 --> 00:36:07,690 act? More so on the mindset. 519 00:36:09,450 --> 00:36:14,650 That being in God's presence would somehow excuse. 520 00:36:14,650 --> 00:36:20,960 Their disobedience. That being quote UN quote chosen 521 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:25,160 for anointed and consecration would exempt them from having to 522 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:31,280 be reverent. God had already made it clear. 523 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,160 Leviticus 10/3, he said. Among those who approached me, 524 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:39,480 he said I must be regarded as holy. 525 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:44,920 See, there's been patterns that presumption the past. 526 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,320 And I didn't. Plan on making the 30 minutes. 527 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:50,000 It's probably because I'm going slow. 528 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,520 This isn't the only time someone's died in God's 529 00:36:55,520 --> 00:37:04,880 presence. I was in Ohio driving the. 530 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,400 Cart that the ark. Of the covenant is upon. 531 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:12,440 Been a kerjack cheering. For some 20 years. 532 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:17,480 And as they come to a certain threshing floor, the cart 533 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:21,280 shakes, the oxen shake, and it shakes the cart where the ark of 534 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:24,440 the covenants upon it appears as though it may fall off. 535 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,880 And the Bible says Ooza puts forth his hand and he touches 536 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:34,000 the ark, trying to steady what only holy men of God were meant 537 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:38,360 to carry. And the Bible says he dies in 538 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:42,720 the moment, in essence, in the presence of the Lord. 539 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,760 In Uziah, the Bible says arrogantly one day entered the 540 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:53,800 temple to burn incense, which wasn't his responsibility. 541 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:57,680 He was not a priest. That was not his role, that was 542 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,400 not his function. And so he enters the temple 543 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:06,080 where the presence of God is to do what was not for him to do. 544 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:10,200 And the Bible says in the moment this little white spot become 545 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,680 upon his head, and he was struck with leprosy. 546 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,080 Michael, you know the story of David's wife, Michael. 547 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:21,480 David now has retrieved the Ark of the Covenant, Amen, from the 548 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,720 House of Obed Edom, where it was for three months. 549 00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:27,680 And the House of Obed Edom was being blessed. 550 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,680 And word came back to David concerning that. 551 00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:33,760 And rather than bringing it on a cart, now they're going to bring 552 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:35,360 it on the shoulders of the priest. 553 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:39,640 And they're coming to Jerusalem. Every six paces sacrifices are 554 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:41,680 made. There's horns and flutes and 555 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:46,000 sack butts that are being sound. It's a time of celebration. 556 00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:49,280 And so David is worshiping the Lord, Amen. 557 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,200 In the presence of the Lord. He's acting calamorously foolish 558 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,920 before the Lord. He's taken off his garment of a 559 00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:59,680 king. He's put on linen ephod so his 560 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:02,920 dance and his worship wouldn't be inhibited. 561 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:08,040 And there's Michael, all the wild despising David from a 562 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:12,400 window seal as he's doing what he's doing in the presence of 563 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:15,360 the Lord. He says how calamitously foolish 564 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:19,000 was the king today, uncovering himself before the maidens. 565 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,680 And he says, if you think I've been vile today, I'm going to be 566 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:25,920 more vile. This isn't before your father 567 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:28,640 saw that I've done this. This is before the Lord. 568 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:31,840 But since she despised him for what he was doing in the 569 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:36,000 presence of God, the Bible says she who did not have a child, 570 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:44,360 thereafter her womb, died in the presence the Lord. 571 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:49,760 Each had a nearness, each had a proximity, but they lost their 572 00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:54,880 reverence. It doled their awe. 573 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:03,440 They had seen the fire of God. Consume offerings in Leviticus 574 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:04,560 9. You can read it. 575 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:08,600 The fire of God came down and consumed offerings and 576 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:14,080 sacrifices in Leviticus 924 and in the very next chapter chapter 577 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:21,000 #10 two men haphazardly burning sins and they die in the 578 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:25,600 presence of the Lord. What are you saying? 579 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:30,800 I'm saying you can be close to holy things and lose your fear 580 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:31,720 for. The Holy One. 581 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:40,320 I want to be cautious. And I want to be. 582 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:45,280 I don't want to be. Mean or ugly, but every 583 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:53,720 backslider was a a Nadab in a by who who were in a holy place 584 00:40:53,720 --> 00:40:57,400 around holy things, but lack somewhere along the way their 585 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:05,280 fear for the Holy One. And the longer please hear 586 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:08,400 pastor tonight. Listen, I'm not I'm not listen. 587 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:12,280 I did just come from the womb of of the Lord just last night. 588 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,840 Hey, man, he's I've been filled with him trying to walk with him 589 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,560 for a long time. And that is the danger, because 590 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:22,240 from what I see with my eyes in this real world, the longer we 591 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:24,720 serve, the easier it is to slip into. 592 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:40,920 Routine. Things become mechanical. 593 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:45,920 You never miss a service, right? And I'm thankful. 594 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:49,000 But sometimes we don't just because it's the mechanics of 595 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:55,080 that's just what I do. I don't know if you get what I'm 596 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:57,880 saying right now that on Wednesday I go to church. 597 00:41:57,880 --> 00:41:59,080 On Sunday. I go to church. 598 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:02,440 I get caught in the routine rather than the bliss of the. 599 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:06,880 All you hear what? I'm saying right now I show up 600 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:09,040 to potlucks and I'll work when it's time to work. 601 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,320 But all that is just really mechanics of getting almost like 602 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,480 I become a robot. I just, I just do, you know, 603 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:18,240 input output and I just do. There's no feeling attached. 604 00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:21,760 There's no glory attachment, there's no power attachment. 605 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:29,600 I'm just occupying space in my seating on the seating chart in 606 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:40,040 the church. I'm around holy stuff. 607 00:42:40,640 --> 00:42:43,040 The lyrics are the word of God that they're singing. 608 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:46,960 His presence is falling and thank God I was there. 609 00:42:58,610 --> 00:43:00,970 And I stopped. Treating sacred things with awe, 610 00:43:02,610 --> 00:43:04,610 I become careless in His presence. 611 00:43:06,330 --> 00:43:08,690 The very one that used to leave me speechless. 612 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:11,080 I leave. I leave. 613 00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:14,960 Careless from his presence. I'll tell you how we can tell 614 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:17,680 how mechanical we get. That's whenever. 615 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:20,640 The preacher says let's all stand, people. 616 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:24,000 Are grabbing their jackets and their purse in their keys and 617 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:27,800 they're ready to leave rather than to wonder. 618 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:37,520 It's almost like just, you know, going to work. 619 00:43:37,720 --> 00:43:40,680 I'm going to click in just right on time and I'm going to click 620 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:43,560 out just right on time and maybe a little early if I can get by 621 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:45,920 with it, Brother Mason, because I don't want to be there any 622 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,480 longer than I should be. I don't want to show up any 623 00:43:48,480 --> 00:43:50,640 earlier and I don't want to stay any late. 624 00:44:04,670 --> 00:44:07,310 Numbers 33 looks look what it reminds us of here. 625 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:11,200 They'd have in the by who were anointed and ordained. 626 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:15,320 Or concentrate consecrated to serve as a priest. 627 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:22,880 They were empowered for a purpose and that purpose yes, it 628 00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:30,680 had some boundaries, but my generation we got to watch the 629 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:33,120 yeah there and sister McGee said and we may we talk about the 630 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:39,400 coming of the Lord as and I and I hope that impacts our all. 631 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:48,920 Sometimes we just want the unction won't have anything to 632 00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:54,200 do with our participation in the function though of the holy 633 00:44:54,200 --> 00:45:00,600 living unto the Lord God is a fire. 634 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:05,680 The Bible says the Bible says he is a consuming fire, and fire 635 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:08,280 does one of two things. It will either. 636 00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:14,360 Purify or it will consume it will purify or it will consume 637 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:18,360 and there's no amount Nate dab in the body who I know you've 638 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:21,600 been annoyed and I know you've been consecrated, but all of 639 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:24,880 that call it giftedness, call it history that you had with the 640 00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:27,320 presence of the Lord, call it passion, whatever you want. 641 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:31,840 None of that will protect you if you abandoned God's order and 642 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:35,920 God's plan and God's purpose. Hey, man, I know we have 643 00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:40,040 generations today and others have other persuasions today and 644 00:45:40,040 --> 00:45:42,120 they're celebrating calling. Oh, you need to find your 645 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:43,920 calling. And they have all the charisma 646 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:46,400 and the creativity that goes with that. 647 00:45:46,720 --> 00:45:48,840 Amen. But the caution is clear that 648 00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:52,400 God just doesn't want participation. 649 00:45:52,680 --> 00:45:55,480 He wants and desires our obedience. 650 00:45:55,680 --> 00:46:09,520 He someone say man. The fact of the matter. 651 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,920 The one that called Moses. And Nadab and the Bayou. 652 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:14,240 And all those to draw. Near then is the. 653 00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:17,640 Same God that is calling this generation of people. 654 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,200 Modern now calling. US. 655 00:46:20,200 --> 00:46:22,880 Near, he's still calling people into. 656 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:25,680 Intimacy. He is still anointing. 657 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:30,080 And he is still giving access. Amen to those that will. 658 00:46:30,200 --> 00:46:34,320 But I cannot allow his. Nearness should not become a 659 00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:36,320 casual. Thing to me his. 660 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:38,840 Power should not become a casual thing to me. 661 00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:41,560 For one, his presence is not. Cheap. 662 00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:44,520 Do you hear me? His presence is not cheap. 663 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:49,880 In order for his presence to come to you, it required a 664 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:55,320 kingly spirit in glory, fashioning himself a body in the 665 00:46:55,320 --> 00:47:01,120 womb of a virgin and inhabiting that body, condescending and 666 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:06,200 limiting himself to a certain degree as a man as he walked 33 667 00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:10,200 1/2 years on this earth to get to us, it required a cat of nine 668 00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:16,120 tails, a thorns upon his brow, a man across that he hung upon in 669 00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:18,840 grueling hours of shame and mockery. 670 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:22,560 In order for that presence to get to us, it required him 671 00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:27,640 leaving the 12 disciples he had educated and taught and leaving 672 00:47:27,640 --> 00:47:31,640 this old world so that the Spirit could come and in dwell 673 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:35,120 mankind. So folks, when we experience it, 674 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:38,120 it's not come to us cheaply. What's up? 675 00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:46,280 The sermon that I preached a long time. 676 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:49,480 Ago talking about God telling Moses, I believe it was to come 677 00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:52,320 up, come up the mount, come up, come up, have fellowship with 678 00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:54,040 me. And the host scenario is this. 679 00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:56,800 Moses got to the top of the mount and the Bible says that 680 00:47:56,800 --> 00:47:59,160 the Lord came down meaning simply this. 681 00:47:59,320 --> 00:48:03,560 It doesn't matter how call, how far you climb up, it will always 682 00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:07,560 be because he came down that you could even have access. 683 00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:22,040 It didn't happen cheaply. Someone say man I love. 684 00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:26,320 His presence enough. To reverence his presence. 685 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:32,720 I want to just minister. With fire, I want to minister 686 00:48:32,720 --> 00:48:34,240 with fire from the right. Altar. 687 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:37,200 And I want to. Understand that the. 688 00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:43,400 Closer that I am. The more careful I must walk 689 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:48,320 because I can die. In his presence. 690 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:55,960 Whenever you honor him as. Holy when you walk humbly before 691 00:48:55,960 --> 00:49:00,320 the Lord, when you serve Him reverently, when you minister 692 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:04,480 with purity, when you allow his Spirit, hey man, to guide you 693 00:49:04,480 --> 00:49:08,880 not just in your worship, but in your decisions and in your 694 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:10,880 motives. Hallelujah. 695 00:49:10,880 --> 00:49:16,080 And in your private life. His presence will become, Amen, 696 00:49:16,080 --> 00:49:20,160 not a place of danger to you, but it will be your dwelling 697 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:22,920 place. Your dwelling place. 698 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:46,520 Stay with me please. There is hope, I think. 699 00:49:47,560 --> 00:49:51,160 In the 1st 4. Verses of Numbers 3, not just. 700 00:49:51,160 --> 00:49:57,080 Warning, I think there's hope. Because the same presence that. 701 00:49:57,080 --> 00:50:00,920 Struck Nedab. And Abihu down the same. 702 00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:05,280 Presence that raised those that remained faithful up. 703 00:50:07,640 --> 00:50:10,320 God's presence called Moses. Into glory. 704 00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:13,200 It filled. The Tabernacle. 705 00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:16,400 It filled the. Temple it overshadowed that. 706 00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:19,440 Virgin Mary and caused her to conceive the Christ. 707 00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:24,000 Child it fell like fire in Acts chapter #2. 708 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:28,400 Empowered the Church. It's presence isn't something. 709 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:33,400 To avoid. It's everything we need and 710 00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:39,480 more, but we must never forget that it's holy. 711 00:50:41,280 --> 00:50:43,680 And we? Ought to be all struck. 712 00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:50,040 By it so I. Plead with you tonight. 713 00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:50,920 Come. Near it. 714 00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:55,360 But come with a sense of. Reverence. 715 00:50:56,640 --> 00:51:03,600 Draw close to it, but do so on his terms for when. 716 00:51:03,600 --> 00:51:09,880 We live in. His presence rightly There's no 717 00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:13,480 place more beautiful. No place. 718 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:17,200 More safe. No place more powerful. 719 00:51:18,360 --> 00:51:27,920 Than the end his presence. I don't want to someday. 720 00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:30,840 Look down the road, say, yeah, I've been in church for 35 years 721 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:32,640 as though I've done time in a prison. 722 00:51:35,080 --> 00:51:37,360 You know what I'm? Saying yeah, I'm in there 35 723 00:51:37,360 --> 00:51:37,920 years. Now. 724 00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:44,080 I always, never. Wanted to rear my children to 725 00:51:44,080 --> 00:51:45,720 where it's like, well, we have to go to church. 726 00:51:45,720 --> 00:51:47,760 No, no, no, no. Always wanted the phraseology to 727 00:51:47,760 --> 00:51:49,320 be seen. We get to go to church today. 728 00:51:55,480 --> 00:51:59,800 Yeah, I want to be so compelled by you. 729 00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:04,280 So awestruck by you that Yeah, I. 730 00:52:04,280 --> 00:52:09,040 Show up for everything. But when I show up, I got 731 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:14,440 incense on a fire that came from an altar, has been sanctioned by 732 00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:18,040 God, and I want an aroma to go up. 733 00:52:18,880 --> 00:52:22,800 Because the Lord knows. In the moment, I'm experiencing 734 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:28,840 A presence that has come down, so I'm going to show up on the 735 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:30,920 1st Thursday of every month for prayer. 736 00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:35,000 Not by or because. Of mechanics. 737 00:52:35,720 --> 00:52:37,960 But because it's just another. Opportunity. 738 00:52:38,960 --> 00:52:41,960 Where I can be all struck. By his. 739 00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:46,760 Presence. And I can consider once. 740 00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:49,400 Again. That he took. 741 00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:54,640 Time. To reach down to a Sinner like 742 00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:58,560 Paul McGee and picked him up. Out of the Marie Clay. 743 00:52:59,520 --> 00:53:03,760 Dusted all the mud and the filth of the world off of him and set 744 00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:06,520 him up on a rock, that's sure. And. 745 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:08,920 Stable so that I could live from. 746 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:10,680 That moment. Until eternity. 747 00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:16,960 Giving thanks. Give praise. 748 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:22,280 Extol and give adoration to the one who made it possible. 749 00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:25,640 I don't. Want to die in his? 750 00:53:25,640 --> 00:53:29,200 Presence. I want to thrive in the. 751 00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:30,920 Presence of the Lord this. Altar is. 752 00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:33,840 Open Can you take your? Old flesh. 753 00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:37,040 Can you take your old flesh tonight and just drag it to the 754 00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:39,120 altar? Whether it wants to go. 755 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:40,680 Or not? Can you just take your old 756 00:53:40,680 --> 00:53:43,880 flesh, drag it to the altar and say flesh? 757 00:53:44,320 --> 00:53:46,920 You're going to reverence the presence of the Lord before you 758 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:50,240 leave here tonight. You're going to give homage and 759 00:53:50,240 --> 00:53:53,520 honor to the presence of the King before you leave tonight. 760 00:53:54,240 --> 00:53:57,480 Hallelujah. Don't, don't be intoxicated with 761 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:00,800 the things of this world. I'll dull your senses. 762 00:54:01,440 --> 00:54:03,960 I'll dull your discernment of gratitude. 763 00:54:04,520 --> 00:54:07,200 You'll do. You'll do all your discernment 764 00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:11,000 of the holy things and the sacred things and the righteous 765 00:54:11,000 --> 00:54:13,080 things. I don't want to die in His 766 00:54:13,080 --> 00:54:16,680 presence if that's a possibility, and Scripture says 767 00:54:16,680 --> 00:54:18,600 it is. I don't want to become so 768 00:54:18,600 --> 00:54:22,640 callous and so familiar, Hallelujah, that it's just like 769 00:54:22,640 --> 00:54:25,920 water off a duck's back, that I'm not impacted by it anymore. 770 00:54:25,920 --> 00:54:29,640 No, no, I want to be easily influenced by the presence of 771 00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:32,160 God. I want to be easily touched and 772 00:54:32,160 --> 00:54:34,120 impressed upon by the Spirit of God. 773 00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:37,200 I don't want to die in His presence. 774 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:41,960 Come on. Sir, Ma'am, you've been 775 00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:44,320 anointed. Come on, Sir. 776 00:54:44,320 --> 00:54:50,840 Ma'am, you've been consecrated. I need your presence. 777 00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:56,640 To still impact me. I need your presence. 778 00:54:56,640 --> 00:55:00,240 To still create a holy pause in my life.