Conscious of His Presence
Bro. Michael Hendershot
03-05-2017e
62-0909e - "In His Presence"
72 Psalms 16:8, David said, “I have set the Lord before me.” That’s a good thing to do. Psalms 16:8, “I have set the Lord before me.” So, he could not be confused about it. He wanted to be conscious of His Presence, so David said, “I have set the Lord always before my face. Now I, David, have set the Lord before my face, always to be conscious—conscious of God’s Presence.” Wouldn’t that be a good lesson for all of us tonight? Set the Lord before our face so we’ll be conscious of His Presence. Put Him first. Why? Put Him first, before you. Why? Then you won’t sin when you are realizing that constantly you’re in the Presence of God. When you realize God is around, you watch what you say.
73 A man, when he thinks God is gone, he’ll cuss, he’ll lust after women, he’ll do…he’ll steal, cheat, lie. He’ll do anything when he thinks that God don’t see him. But bring him into the Presence of God, he’ll stop it right now. See? And David said, “I have put the Lord always before me.” That’s a good thing. No wonder God said he was a man after His Own heart. Man will do everything when he thinks that God isn’t near. But when he realizes that God’s near, did you ever notice a sinner? Let a godly person walk up, he’ll quit his cussing, if he’s got any respects at all. See? He won’t tell the dirty jokes that he would have told. See? See, he’ll leave off that, because he knows that he’s in the Presence of God, ’cause God dwells in the tabernacle of His people. See?
74 After David did this, he said, “My heart shall rejoice.” I wish you’d read it, Psalms 16. “My heart will rejoice, and my flesh shall rest in hope.” Why? My heart shall rejoice because I’ve got God before me all the time. “And my flesh shall rest in hope; if I die, I’ll be raised up again. For He’ll not suffer His Holy One to see corruption, neither will He leave His soul in hell.” See? When David put God before him, and was conscious that constantly he was in the Presence of God. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.”
91 But one day I come into the Presence of God. He changed me and made me another kind of son. His grace brought me into His Presence. I’ve never wanted to leave It. I been in here now thirty-some-odd years. I don’t want to leave It. I’ve got the assurance that I’ll always be There. Even death itself will never separate me from His Presence. No. I’ll be with Him forever. When I seen His Presence the first time, I cried like Isaiah, “Woe is me.” Then He touched me with His grace. I was a changed person. The little renegade that used to get out here and carry on and everything, was changed, and since then I’ve been His child. Since then, I’ve desired to give my whole life for His service, only wish I had ten thousand more lives to give for Him. This one’s getting pretty well wore out now, fifty-three years has passed. About thirty-three of those has been, or thirty-two of those has been in the Gospel. I wish I had another thousand that I could spend. Why? When I once into His Presence and realized that there was Somebody Who loved the unlovable, there was Somebody loved me when no one else did, there was Somebody Who cared for me when no one else cared. I put my arms around His cross, I embraced it to me, and me and Him become one then. And from then on I’ve loved Him. He stained my bosom and my heart with His Blood, by touching me and forgiving my sins, and I’m happy tonight to be one of His. I never desire to leave this Heavenly place, though the tempter to persuade me oft hath tried; but I’m safe in God’s pavilion, and happy in His love and grace, and I’m living on the hallelujah side. My! It makes my heart rejoice.
63-1130e - "Go, Awake Jesus"
16 My purpose has been, in the church, is to try to get that idea away from these American people, that you have to lay hands on them. See? I’ve—I’ve…When you do that, it looks like that you’re…They say, “Well, Brother So-and-so come, layed hands on me.” Just let Jesus lay His hands on you, see, and your faith reach up and touch Him. But now I’ve had about sixteen years, and I’ve totally failed with it, see, they…’cause there is too many that wants to believe it the other way. And so we satisfy the people, we do it anyhow, lay hands upon it.
17 But my opinion, that if we can see the Presence and know that Jesus Christ is here, what more do you need, when the whole congregation is praying at one time? See? That’s when the power of the Lord falls, when the Word is known. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the Word.” When the Word is being preached, and It’s the Truth, and God proving His Presence, that—that should do the work right there.
65-0410 - "The Easter Seal"
125 Notice. God’s Life, which is in the Greek called Zoe, moving through them and in them, quickened their minds to His Word. Now, let me say it real quietly now. The Spirit of God that moves among the people, quickens the mind of the person to the promise of God. See? It does it. Look. And I’m trying to show you the—the… and let you realize that I’m speaking now of the Church, and also quickened to Life, in Him.
126 Although, they only was His attributes, to begin with. But if God said, “In this day,” back in the beginning, “John Doe will be My servant,” millions of years ago. Now, John Doe is born in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies, because he’s a mortal. But, maybe, he gets a little religious feeling. He’ll go join a church. Maybe he’ll join Pentecostal church. Don’t know. He might join anything. But let him get under the atmosphere of God, once. See? John Doe is bound to recognize Who his Father is, just as that eagle recognized who the mother was. It’s got to realize it. See? Only, that John Doe is God’s attribute that’s become a word, spoken, and then the Holy Spirit seeks that word out. Here it is. He calls him, gives him everlasting Life, and brings him into the Presence of God, God’s Word.
127 Look. God had the same when He saw Jesus. It was the—it was the finished work that God finished with Jesus, when He said, “It’s finished.” All the plan was finished.
128 And when the Spirit of God comes upon you, and you truly are one of God’s attributes that He spoken of. Now, if you’re not, you’ll wonder and flusterate, and run here and there, and everything else, and never come to the knowledge of the Truth. [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] If you are one of those, the old things pass away right quick, see, and you become new, and the plan of salvation is finished. You’re ready to obey every Word that God ever spoke of you, see, for you to do. You’re submissive to His Word. The contract, exactly, the abstract to the contract, the title deed belongs to you. The debts are all paid. It’s all struck off, and as it was at the Day of Pentecost.
58-1221e - "The Unity Of One God In The One Church"
96 Jesus prayed for that, in the prayer tonight, our Heavenly Master prayed to the Father, that we would be “one” as He and God is one. And how close were They? God was the Life and Spirit in Him! And if we are one with Him, we will be, Life and Spirit of Him will be in us. Then, earthly, carnal intellectuals’ conception, and creeds and dogmas, will fade out; and a new, generated, born-again, virgin experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit will take place in the human heart. Then you’ll be one, then brother will really be brother, sister will be sister. Your objectives and your motives, and all that you are, and all that you ever want to be, or try to be, will be for the Kingdom of God; no matter what church you represent, where you go, or what you do.
64-0629 - "The Mighty God Unveiled Before Us"
81 You know, in the Old Testament, to enter behind that skin was death. Now to stay from behind it is death. Then to enter into His Glory was death. Now to stay away from His Glory is death. That happened, of course, at the renting of the veil at Calvary, when the veil was rent, the old veil. Now to stay out of His Presence is death. Then to enter His Presence was death. See? It changes back and forth, and you must find the Scripture to see what day we’re living in.
62-0909e - "In His Presence"
76 When we come into His Presence, we’re changed, never to be the same. Look all down through the ages, of every walk of life, at man. Look at Abraham. You say, “Well, the changed life is just for ministers.” Oh, no. The changed life is for everybody. See?
63-0803e - "Influence"
72 I wonder, my brother, I wonder, my sister, if we’ll look at that! When, holy Angels has to cover Their face, to stand in the Presence of God, in reverence and in respect. But today we find people who call themself Christians, even, has no respect at all for God, or His Word, or His people, or His ministry, or nothing. Where are they going to come up at in the resurrection? The Bible said, “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the sinner and the ungodly ever appear?”
73 And when, Seraphims, the highest order of Angels, right by the Mercy Seat, the Burners of the sacrifice, had to cover Their holy faces, to stand in His Presence, and here They was. God setting up there on His throne, and these Cherubims going back and forth, screaming, day and night, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God!” Do you know what I mean? Notice. They, two wings, They covered Their faces. And why?
74 We notice today, that, because that people are…have no reverence. They’ll come to church, people will come to church, and—and cut up, and laugh, talk, make fun, sitting where the Gospel is being preached, no reverence at all. And meet you on the street, and with…You don’t expect any respects from people; we mustn’t do that. But yet it—it shows Christian dignity to at least honor the people, say, “Good morning, brother,” or whatever you wish. Some of them holler, “Hello, Preach!” Oh, that’s so common.
75 Remember, Jesus said, “As you do unto these, you do it unto Me. He that receiveth Me, receiveth Him that sent Me. And he that receiveth Him that I’ve sent, receives Him. See, as you do to them, you have did it unto Me.”
76 And the irreverence, you know what it is? It’s the…They are not conscious of the Presence of God. The world has become so—so common, and religion has become such a low ebb, until there is no respects, just as it’s always been.
77 Look at them soldiers. We could think, tonight, what a rashel and a horrible thing it was for those soldiers to put a—a rag over the face of our Lord Jesus, to make fun of Him being a Prophet and could know the secrets of the heart. They put a—a rag over His face, and set Him out there in a courtyard, and took a stick and struck Him on the head with it, and then passed it one to another, and said, “If You be a prophet, prophesy now, tell us the one of us that hit You.” See, no respects at all. They couldn’t feel no virtue.
78 But that little woman, with enough faith that could touch His garment, she got her desires. You see, we’ve got to be, we’ve got to be conscious of God’s Presence.
79 This little five senses that we live in, that’s just a little world of our own. See? But God…That’s, we was only given these so we could contact our earthly home. But there is senses beyond that, another dimensions.
80 And God is always present. If we could only remember that. “The Angels of the Lord are encamped about those who fear Him.” In this building, tonight, stands Jesus Christ. In this building tonight is hosts of Angels, thousands of Them gathered around. You don’t see Them, but you can feel the influence of Them, telling you that They are here. If that isn’t so, then the Scripture isn’t so. And if the Scripture isn’t right, then God isn’t right. The Bible said, that, “The Angels of God are encamped,” They don’t leave, “They stay near those that fear Him.”
81 Jesus said, “Wherever two or three are gathered in My Name, I’ll be in their midst.” Then that makes Him in a world that we cannot see, that our five senses doesn’t contact. Jesus Christ is here, present. If we could be conscious of that!
82 And, remember, not only here, but when you’re walking down the street, wherever you are, you that profess to be believers and fear the Lord, remember, the Angels of God are moving with you wherever you are. They watch everything you do, every thought that goes through your mind, and They know all about you. Therefore, we must be conscious of that.
83 If we’re not conscious of it, then you act any way. So people mostly, today, too many people, are not conscious of the Presence of the Lord Jesus, that’s the reason (they) we have these things that we have going on now, that’s not right.
84 If we could only do like David said, “I put the Lord always before me.” Oh, I like that. “The Lord is always before me. Where He goes, I’ll follow. And I’m conscious that everywhere I’m going,” other words, David said, “that the Lord is going before me.”
85 “I will not leave thee nor forsake thee,” said Jesus. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” He cannot leave us. He promised not to.
86 That’s the very objective of these meetings. That’s the objective, my brethren, of holding my ministry out from the denominations, is to try to let the people see that Jesus Christ is still alive, and He’s here, to every believer, to every denomination that will believe Him…or the people in those denominations. “The Lord is before me,” David said, “and I shall not be moved.”
62-0909e - "In His Presence"
43 So, we’re not ordained to do nothing but stay with that Word. And if a man is sent of God, he’ll stay with the Word, because God can only send by His Word. See? See, He must stay by His Word. Then when we come into His Presence, when a man once comes into the Presence of God, he’s changed forever, if there’s any changing to him. Now, there are those who could walk in the Presence of God and pay no attention to It. He wasn’t ordained to Life. But if he was predestinated of God, as soon as that first move hits, he knows it. That catches fire.
64-0121 - "God's Word Calls For A Total Separation From Unbelief"
181 Well, I set the rifle down on the ground. I said, “Mother, take your babies and go on out in the woods. I’m here enjoying myself in the Presence of God. I promised that I wouldn’t kill game for other people.” I said, “Now you take your babies and go on in the woods. I love that woods, too. Go on out!”
182 She looked at me. And both of them looked around, all three of them. Then they turned and walked away, and then come back again.
183 And I said, “I’m not going to hurt you.” I said, “Go on in the woods. You’re in my hands. You couldn’t get away. But,” I said, “I’ve been in God’s hands, and yet I couldn’t get away, either. He spared me. I made Him a promise. I’m sparing you. Go on, have a good time, enjoy this woods. I like it. You go on!”
184 They stood there a little while, and walked up close to eat out of my hands, almost; turned around and looked all at me, like that, and walked on off. Stand and looked back again, walked right on out in the woods. And I was standing there. I thought, “That’s unusual, for deer. Wonder if it’s because that the Lord Jesus is here, His Presence?”
185 And just then a Voice spoke to me, said, “You remembered your promise, didn’t you?” I knew it was Him.
I said, “Yes, Lord.”
186 He said, “So do I remember Mine. I’ll never leave you. I’ll never forsake you.”
187 That burden lifted. Christian friends, it hasn’t been back since. That was last October. I’ve been a different person.
188 Keep your promise to God. Whatever you say to God, you believe it. Separate yourself from anything contrary to His Word. God will hear and answer prayer.
Let us bow our heads just a moment.
189 Are you willing to separate yourself, tonight, from all unbelief, to hear the Word of the Lord? If you’ll do it, and believe that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! These things what He has promised to do, we see Him doing it. Will you raise your hands and say, “God, I make You a promise tonight. I believe everything that You promised. I believe every Word; that I’d never doubt no more”?