In His Presence!

Scripture Text

Psalm 16:11

Intro: Many Christians spend each day merely surviving in their relationships and spiritual life. They go through the motions, but they've lost a deeper connection to God. Prayer is a great place to start to change our lives into what God desires for us.

1. In His presence we find the path of life. Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) ¹¹  You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

a. Even though this verse applies to Jesus, it also applies to God's elect ones. We need guidance and direction in our lives as we live each day here below until we reach our final destination which is our home in Heaven.

Our Father is the only One who can show us the right path to follow each day as we make our way to our eternal home. Only the Lord knows the beginning from the end. Psalm 139:16 (NLT)  God, You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. He created us and knows what is ahead for each of us. He has a path which is right and good for us all, and in Him we find the right path of life we should take. Bible reading, meditation and prayer puts us in the Father's presence. It connects us with the Father for the direction we need in this life.

2. In His presence there is fullness of joy. [Psalm 16:11]                                  a. As we spend quiet time in God's presence through bible reading, meditation and prayer, we will find fullness of joy. There is nothing on earth that can ever bring us the fullness of joy like time with the Father can. The joys we might find on the earth are temporary and soon fade away. God's joy is eternal. 1 Peter 1:7-9 (NKJV) Jesus Christ, ⁸  whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹  receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. John 15:11 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. We can experience it no matter what our situation in life. Time in the Father's presence is something that fills every need we have and gives us fullness of joy that the world can't take away.

III. In His presence are pleasures forevermore. [Psalm 16:11] 

a. The more time we spend in the Father's presence, the more we experience pleasures that the world can not give. The pleasures of the world are temporary and can do nothing for our souls. The fleeting pleasures of the world always depend on good circumstances and situations. The pleasures that come from the Father satisfy our souls and are ours forevermore because they are supernatural spiritual pleasures such as peace, rest, joy, mercy, grace, forgiveness and love, heaven and all its glory.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) ⁶  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
As we put our faith in God and His word, we not only believe that God exists and is real, but we also believe that the Father rewards those who diligently seek Him through bible reading, meditation and communing with Him in prayer.

He rewards us with the correct way to go I life, fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore

Conclusion: As we connect with Him in prayer and ask for His purposes to be accomplished in us, life will take on a new meaning. Our lives will become vibrant, renewed and will be anything but mediocre and we will be full of the Father's blessings.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help each of us to take more time to be in Your presence and experience the reality of Your joy and pleasures that last forevermore.

And Father, for those who may not have experienced the joy of sins forgiven, may they right now, confess their sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive them and save them from an eternity in hell and give them the joy and pleasures of Your presence in their lives forevermore. We ask in the name and Spirit of Your Holy Son Jesus Christ. Amen!