Trusting God's Active Presence in Our Lives

 

Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound truth that God is an active presence in our lives, always working behind the scenes, even when we may not see it immediately. We began with a real-life story about a power outage at the church, which was resolved just in time for Sunday service, illustrating how God prompts us to act in ways that align with His plans. This led us to reflect on the nature of God's involvement in our lives, especially during difficult times.

We delved into Romans 8 and John 14, which remind us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and that Jesus promised another Helper to be with us forever. These scriptures set the stage for our main focus on Psalm 18, a royal psalm by King David that celebrates God's active intervention in his life. David's trust in God was unwavering, built on a deep understanding of God's promises and past faithfulness.

We contrasted this with the experience of people who believe in inactive gods, highlighting the unique relationship we have with a God who is deeply involved in our lives. Through various biblical examples, from Adam and Eve to the New Testament, we saw how God has always been active, guiding, protecting, and rescuing His people.

David's trust in God was likened to a toddler's trust in a parent, a trust built on experience and understanding rather than innocence. This trust is something we should strive for, recognizing that God's ways and timing are perfect, even if they don't align with our expectations.

We concluded by emphasizing that God's promises to us are even greater than those made to David. We are called to trust in God's active presence, knowing that He is always working for our good, even if the results are not immediately visible.

### Key Takeaways

1. God's Active Presence: God is not a distant deity but an active presence in our lives. He prompts us, guides us, and intervenes in ways that align with His divine plan. This was evident in the timely resolution of the church's power outage, showing that God is always at work, even in the small details of our lives. [28:23]

2. The Holy Spirit as Our Helper: Romans 8 and John 14 remind us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and is our eternal Helper. When we are at a loss for words, the Spirit communicates our deepest groans to God, ensuring that we are never alone or unheard. This divine intercession is a powerful testament to God's ongoing involvement in our lives. [30:11]

3. Trust Like David: David's trust in God was built on a deep understanding of God's promises and past faithfulness. This trust was not naive but rooted in experience. We are called to develop a similar trust, recognizing that God's ways and timing are perfect, even if they don't align with our expectations. [46:46]

4. God's Promises to Us: The promises God made to David are significant, but the promises we have through Christ are even greater. God promises to be with us, to rescue us, and to care for us. These promises should inspire us to trust Him more deeply, knowing that He is always working for our good. [50:24]

5. God's Subtle Workings: Sometimes, God's intervention is not dramatic but subtle—a quiet voice, a sense of peace, or a small glimmer of hope. These moments are just as significant as the more obvious miracles. Recognizing and appreciating these subtle workings can strengthen our faith and trust in God's active presence. [51:03]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[25:53] - The Power Outage Story
[28:23] - God's Timely Intervention
[28:52] - Difficult Situations and God's Response
[29:39] - Romans 8: The Spirit Intercedes
[30:11] - John 14: The Promise of the Holy Spirit
[31:16] - Introduction to Psalm 18
[32:07] - God's Active Presence in History
[33:23] - God's Miracles in the New Testament
[34:25] - Personal Testimony: Trusting God's Plan
[37:24] - Psalm 18: A Royal Psalm of Trust
[38:59] - Psalm 18 and 2 Samuel 22
[39:50] - The Power of God's Response
[46:46] - David's Unwavering Trust
[50:24] - God's Promises to Us
[51:03] - Recognizing God's Subtle Workings
[55:41] - Closing Prayer and Fellowship Invitation
[59:36] - Hebrews 13:5-6: God's Unfailing Support

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 18:1-3: "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies."
2. Romans 8:26-28: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
3. John 14:16-18: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

### Observation Questions
1. What was the real-life event that illustrated God's timely intervention in the sermon? ([25:53])
2. According to Romans 8, how does the Holy Spirit assist us in our prayers? ([29:39])
3. In Psalm 18, what are some of the metaphors David uses to describe God? ([39:50])
4. How does Jesus describe the Holy Spirit in John 14, and what promise does He make about the Spirit's presence? ([30:11])

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of the power outage at the church illustrate the concept of God's active presence in our lives? ([28:23])
2. What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to intercede for us with "wordless groans," and how might this affect our understanding of prayer? ([29:39])
3. How does David's trust in God, as described in Psalm 18, compare to the trust a toddler has in a parent? What does this analogy teach us about faith? ([47:25])
4. Why might God's intervention sometimes be subtle rather than dramatic, and how can recognizing these subtle workings strengthen our faith? ([51:03])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's subtle intervention in your life. How did it impact your faith and trust in Him? ([51:03])
2. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God, similar to David's trust, especially during difficult times? ([46:46])
3. In what ways can you become more aware of the Holy Spirit's presence and guidance in your daily life? ([30:11])
4. Think about a recent challenge you faced. How might recognizing God's active presence have changed your perspective or response to that situation? ([28:52])
5. How can you remind yourself of God's promises and past faithfulness when you are going through tough times? ([50:24])
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to trust God's timing and plan. What steps can you take to surrender this area to Him? ([49:54])
7. How can you support and encourage others in your small group to recognize and trust in God's active presence in their lives? ([32:33])

Devotional

Day 1: God's Active Presence in Our Lives
God is not a distant deity but an active presence in our lives. He prompts us, guides us, and intervenes in ways that align with His divine plan. This was evident in the timely resolution of the church's power outage, showing that God is always at work, even in the small details of our lives. [28:23]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt alone or unsupported. How can you recognize God's subtle hand at work in that situation today?


Day 2: The Holy Spirit as Our Helper
Romans 8 and John 14 remind us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and is our eternal Helper. When we are at a loss for words, the Spirit communicates our deepest groans to God, ensuring that we are never alone or unheard. This divine intercession is a powerful testament to God's ongoing involvement in our lives. [30:11]

John 16:13 (ESV): "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."

Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you felt overwhelmed and didn't know what to pray. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to intercede for you in your current struggles?


Day 3: Trust Like David
David's trust in God was built on a deep understanding of God's promises and past faithfulness. This trust was not naive but rooted in experience. We are called to develop a similar trust, recognizing that God's ways and timing are perfect, even if they don't align with our expectations. [46:46]

Psalm 37:5 (ESV): "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you struggle to trust God's timing. What steps can you take today to deepen your trust in His perfect plan?


Day 4: God's Promises to Us
The promises God made to David are significant, but the promises we have through Christ are even greater. God promises to be with us, to rescue us, and to care for us. These promises should inspire us to trust Him more deeply, knowing that He is always working for our good. [50:24]

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV): "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

Reflection: Reflect on a specific promise of God that you find difficult to believe. How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises?


Day 5: Recognizing God's Subtle Workings
Sometimes, God's intervention is not dramatic but subtle—a quiet voice, a sense of peace, or a small glimmer of hope. These moments are just as significant as the more obvious miracles. Recognizing and appreciating these subtle workings can strengthen our faith and trust in God's active presence. [51:03]

1 Kings 19:12 (ESV): "And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you experienced a subtle sense of God's presence. How can you cultivate a greater awareness of these quiet interventions in your daily life?

Quotes

1. "We serve an active God, a God who is here with us, a God who loves us, who put in Jim's mind, in the back of his heart, in his stomach, just as niggled that he had to come to church early. He was going to come on Thursday night, maybe. But he was almost fine. It was great. But he felt he needed to come here early. We serve an active God." [28:23] (25 seconds) ( | | )

2. "Many of us have lived through difficult, difficult situations. Whether death of a loved one, loss of job, career, financial hardships, abuse, rejection, betrayal. We've called out to God. Has he answered? Has he responded? Has he even heard us?" [28:52] (23 seconds) ( | | )

3. "We are never, ever, ever left alone. We are not orphans. We have a God who is with us and loves us." [31:38] (11 seconds) ( | | )

4. "As Christ followers, we worship an act of God, a God who cares about us and loves us, a God who created the world and stayed with us. He walked with Adam and Eve through the garden of Eden. Noah, he helped him build the ark and then helped collect the animals. With the Israelites through the desert, he was a pillar of fire or a cloud, column of clouds. For Moses, he spoke in the tabernacle almost daily." [32:33] (33 seconds) ( | | )

5. "We've all heard stories where people have prayed and they go for surgery, or they don't have the problem anymore, they've been healed. Or during a very traumatic time, all of a sudden, they have comfort when there is no comfort to be found. But they have an unexplained comfort from God. As Christians, as believers, we know that God is with us." [33:51] (28 seconds) ( | | )

6. "David's call to God resulted in David being rescued from peril. It talks about how he reached down from on high and took a hold of me. He pulled me out of the deep water. He rescued me from the powerful enemy and those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support." [46:14] (24 seconds) ( | | )

7. "The God that David trusted so many years ago is the exact same God that we have today, who we can trust today. He hasn't changed. He's exactly the same God that was there at the creation. He'll be there at the end. He will not change." [49:54] (19 seconds) ( | | )

8. "Sometimes there's times when God is actively working in a situation and we expect mountains moved and we expect lightning to come down, we expect thunder to happen. And sometimes God's response is simply a small, quiet voice in the back of your head, a time of peace, a time of calm." [51:03] (21 seconds) ( | | )

9. "God is still working through this situation and he will continue working through it. And we might not see the result in five years, in ten years. We might not see it in twenty years. Because God's still actively working in it. And all of a sudden, by the grace of God, we'll get this little glimmer, this background image, this idea of who God is and how God has worked." [52:00] (32 seconds) ( | | )

10. "We need to have understanding of who God is. We need to have a trust, not in the innocence, but of understanding of who God is. And sometimes there's times when God is actively working in a situation and we expect mountains moved and we expect lightning to come down, we expect thunder to happen. And sometimes God's response is simply a small, quiet voice in the back of your head, a time of peace, a time of calm." [51:03] (39 seconds) ( | | )

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Transcript
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