The LORD is in This Place! by Johnny Calhoun

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THE PLACE Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22 COMMUNION SUNDAY SERMON Preached by Pastor Johnny R. Calhoun Mount Olive AME Church, Annapolis MD June 3, 2012

This is the manuscript from Sunday始s service. I have included portions that were not a part of the proclaimed message that I want you to digest and meditate upon. I pray it will bless your soul and give you one more reason to shout and praise our GOD!

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

THIS MORNING IʼD LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT ONE OF THE PATRIARCHS OF THE BIBLE.

YOU KNOW

THE PATRIARCHS.

THE FATHER OF OUR FAITH.

ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. JACOB THE SON OF ISAAC GREW UP AMONGST GENTILES. NON JEWS. GENTILES WERE DEEMED BY JEWS TO BE HEATHENS. THEY SAW GENTILES AS BEING LESS THEN THEM, WHO THE BIBLE HIS CHILDREN. AS JACOB CAME OF AGE TO MARRY, HIS FATHER COMMANDED HIM NOT TO MARRY ONE OF THE LOCAL WOMEN. BUT INSTEAD TO GO TO A PLACE CALLED PADDAN-ARAM IN NORTHERN SYRIA AND MARRY THE DAUGHTER OF HIS WIFEʼS BROTHER WHOSE NAME WAS LABAN.

HIS FATHER - ISSAC, SENDS HIM OFF BY SAYING, ʻ 3 .“May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples; 4 . And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham.”

ON HIS WAY TO PADDAN-ARAM AT SUNSET, HE SOMES TO A PLACE WHERE HE PREPARES TO GO TO SLEEP, IN WHAT THE BIBLE SIMPLY CALLS A CERTAIN PLACE, OR IN THE NLT, TO A GOOD PLACE TO CAMP. AND THERE HE SET A LARGE ROCK OR STONE TO SERVE AS HIS PILLOW. WHILE DREAMING, HE

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

SEES A LADDER OR A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN AND SEES ANGELS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING, GOING UP AND DOWN THE LADDER. 13 At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. 15 Whatʼs more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” WHEN JACOB AWOKE FROM HIS DREAM, HE SAYS IN V.16-17 (MSG) Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, "God is in this place—truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven."

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, JACOB GOT UP V18-19 (MSG), 18-19 Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured olive oil over it. He christened, (or considered as holy) the place Bethel (God's House). The name of the town had been Luz until then. AFTER HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE HOLINESS OF THAT PLACE WHERE HE LAY, JACOB MADE THIS VOW TO GOD AND MENTIONS 5 CONDITIONS OF THE VOW (V20-22 - MSG) 20-22 Jacob vowed a vow: (1) "If God stands by me and (2) protects

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

me on this journey on which I'm setting out , (3) keeps me in food and (4) clothing, and (5)brings me back in one piece to my father's house, (with these conditions met he promised) this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I'll return a tenth to you."

IN OUR TEXT, THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT I始D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. FIRSTLY: WHEN JACOB TRAVELLED AND WAS READY TO GO TO SLEEP FOR THE NIGHT, HE MADE A BED TO SLEEP IN ON THE GROUND AND THEN HE TOOK A LARGE ROCK OR STONE TO PLACE UNDER HIS HEAD, AS A PILLOW. THAT MUST OF BEEN A HARD BED.

SOMETIMES IN LIFE PEOPLE MAKE A BED THAT始S HARD. BUT ONE THING WE HAVE DISCOVERED, AND THAT IS, IF YOU MAKE YOUR BED HARD YOU始VE GOT TO SLEEP ON IT. WE CAN MAKE OUR LIVES HARDER AND FILLED WITH PEACE, LOVE AND JOY. OR WE CAN MAKE A BED FILLED WITH WORRY, FEAR AND SIN. BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, YOU GET TO MAKE YOUR OWN BED. DON始T MAKE IT HARD, CAUSE YOU AND THOSE WHO SLEEP WITH YOU, WILL HAVE TO SLEEP IN IT. SECONDLY, AS HE SLEPT, HE HAD A DREAMED OF ANGELS, GOING UP AND COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN. I NEED TO MAKE A BRIEF, BUT ESSENTIAL

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

POINT AND THAT IS, HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE. AND ANGELS THERE, PRAISE OUR GOD ALL THE DAY LONG, AS THEY AWAIT GOD始S DIRECTION.

PSALM 91:9-12 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won始t even hurt your foot on a stone.

HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE, WHERE REAL ANGELS ARE ORDERED BY GOD TO PROTECT US WHEREVER WE GO AND TO HOLD US UP SO WE ARE KEPT SAFE. Daniel 7:10 SAYS and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. Hebrews 1:14 - Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE AND THE SERVANTS OF GOD, THE HEAVENLY HOST, ANGELS ARE THERE WAITING TO MINISTER TO US, PROTECTING US AND HOLDING US UP ON EVERY LEANING SIDE. BE CAREFUL, DON始T MISS YOUR BLESSING. SHOW LOVE AND HOSPITALITY TO EVERYONE YOU MEET.

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

Hebrews 13:1-2 (KJV) Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (NLT) 1. Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.[a] 2 Donʼt forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

IN OTHER WORDS, DONʼT MISS YOUR BLESSING.

ANGELS CAN LOOK LIKE

ANYONE OF US, AND CAN TAKE HUMAN FORM, SUCH THAT WE WONʼT KNOW THAT THEY ARE ANGELS.

DONʼT MISS YOUR BLESSING BEING MEAN, AND

INHOSPITABLE AND DISMISS,IGNORE OR REJECT AN ANGEL SENT FROM GOD WITH YOUR BLESSING. HEAVEN IS A REAL PLACE AND THERE ARE ANGELS WAITING THERE TO BE DISPATCHED BY GOD AND BY OUR FAITH IN HIM, TO MINISTER TO US. DONʼT MISS YOUR BLESSING.

THE NEXT THING I WANT YOU TO SEE AND NOTE IS THAT WHEN JACOB WOKE, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LORD, THE VERY OMNIPOTENT AND ALL WISE AND LIVING GOD WAS THERE AND HE DIDNʼT EVEN KNOW IT. THAT IN THE MIDST OF THAT HARD BED HE MADE. RIGHT THERE AS HE RESTED ON HIS WAY TO HANDLE HIS BUSINESS.

IN A PLACE HE WAS SIMPLY PASSING

THROUGH, HE DISCOVERED WHAT HE DIDNʼT REALIZE. AND THAT WAS THAT GOD WAS RIGHT THERE. HE WAS ALWAYS THERE. HE IS EVERY WHERE A BELIEVER GOES AND IS WAITING TO SHOW US WHAT WEʼVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IF WE WILL ONLY WAIT ON HIM AND BE READY TO BE BLESSED AND

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

VISITED BY GOD AT ANY TIME. SOME PEOPLE SUFFER NEEDLESSLY OR WALK IN FEAR OR TREPIDATION. LIVING WITHOUT HOPE AND FEELING HELPLESS, WHEN THERE IS HELP FROM HEAVEN AND A LOVING GOD, WAITING TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED.

IN ALL OUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL

DIRECT OUR PATH.

REALIZING THAT THE PLACE WHERE HE LAY, GOD WAS THERE. NOT ONLY DID HE PAUSE TO REALIZE IT, BUT HE ALSO RECOGNIZE IT. SOMETIMES PEOPLE REALIZE THINGS ABOUT GOD, BUT WON始T ACKKNOWLEDGE IT. THEY KNOW THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE, BUT WON始T TREAT THE CHURCH LIKE IT始S HOLY. THEY REALIZE THE GREATNESS AND HOLINESS OF GOD, BUT THEY

WON始T RECOGNIZE IT. OR ACT LIKE THEY KNOW. TELL SOMEBODY,

YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. AND ALONE WITH RECOGNIZING WHERE HE WAS, HE REVERENCED IT. IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAW IT AS A HOLY PLACE, WHERE A HOLY GOD WAS PRESENT AND HE POURED HOLY OIL OVER THAT LARGE ROCK, THAT STONE HE USED TO MAKE THAT HARD BED.

HE TOOK THAT

STONE AND ANOINTED IT WITH OIL AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THAT PLACE. THE PLACE WHERE HE LAY. THAT PLACE WHERE HE STOOD, WAS HOLY GROUND. AND IDENTIFIED IT AS THE VERY HOUSE OF GOD AND GATEWAY TO HEAVEN.

(I CORINTHIANS 3.16-17 -KJV) KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE

TEMPLE OF GOD AND THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLETH IN YOU. WE ARE THE

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

HOUSE OF GOD AND HE DWELLS IN AND AMONGST US. NLT - 16 Donʼt you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in[d] you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For Godʼs temple is holy, and you are that temple. TELL SOMEBODY, YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. GOD IS HOLY, AND WHERE HE IS HOLY. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE IF WE ARE NOT, THAT WHICH IS HOLY, WEʼLL LET IT BECOME WORLDLY OR JUST ANY PLACE. LET ME GIVE YOU A COMMERCIAL BREAK ABOUT HOLINESS. WE SO OFTEN SEE HOLINESS AS THEM FOLK.

THAT CROWD THAT WHEREʼS THE LONG

DRESSES AND THE PRAYER CAPS. THOSE WHO ARE IN SO MANY PEOPLEʼS ESTIMATION, HOLY FOLK, GOING TO A HOLINESS CHURCH, ACTING HOLY AND SETTING THEMSELVES ASIDE TO BE HOLY.

SO OFTEN WE DONʼT

UNDERSTAND THAT AS BELIEVERS, GOD GOES WITH US.

HE WALKS AND

TALKS WITH US. WE ARE HIS TEMPLE AND HE RESIDES IN AND AMONGST US. WE ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND. CONSECRATE A MOST HOLY PLACE.

TOGETHER, WE AS BELIEVERS

WE CALL THEM OUR CHURCH.

OUR

PLACE OF WORSHIP. IF WE ARE NOT STEADFAST AND MINDFUL, WEʼLL ALLOW THE REVERENCE THAT THIS PLACE IS DUE, TO BE DEFILED BY FOLK WHO DONʼT RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS GODʼS HOUSE AND THIS IS GODʼS SANCTUARY. AND THIS IS GODʼS ALTAR, AND THEM IS GODʼS PEWS, DOORS, PARKING LOT. THIS IS GODʼS PULPIT. IF YOU DIDNʼT KNOW, AND I FAILED TO TELL YOU. YOU DONʼT WALK UP INTO THIS MOST HOLY PLACE.

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

NOT BECAUSE OF THE PASTOR OR SOME PREACHER, BUT BECAUSE OUR GOD SPEAKS FROM HERE, AND SERVES US UP HERE. HE OPENS THE DOOR OF SALVATION

HERE.

BAPTIZING NEW BELIEVERS, WELCOMING NEW

MEMBERS HERE. HE MARRIES AND BURIES US HERE AND SERVES US , IN REMEMBRANCE OF JESUSʼ BODY AND BLOOD CONSECRATED BREAD AND WINE. ITʼS FROM THIS HOLY PLACE. DONʼT EVER WALK UP HERE AND NOT BE WELCOMED OR ACKNOWLEDGED. DONʼT THINK THAT YOU CAN JUST COME UP HERE AND DISRESPECT GODʼS HOLINESS AND IRREVERENTLY IGNORE THE HOLINESS OF GODʼS HOUSE AND HIS CONSECRATED ALTAR AND ANOINTED PULPIT. IF I DIDNʼT TELL YOU, DONʼT YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN. IF YOU ARE WELCOMED INTO THE PULPIT, UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED, WAIT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE HOLINESS OF GOD.

THE BIBLE

SAYS, Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the HERE: FINALLY, LET ME SHOW YOU THE LAST THING HE DID.

JACOB MADE A VOW TO GOD. AFTER HE BECAME AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND HIS GLORY. AS HE REMEMBERED THE BLESSING HIS FATHER SPOKE OVER HIM, OF WHAT THE LORD PROMISED AND WOULD DO FOR HIM. AFTER GOD REVEALED TO HIM THAT HE WAS BLESSED AND WOULD BE BLESSED AND HIS FAMILY AND OTHERS WOULD BE BLESSED BECAUSE OF

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

HIM, JACOB MADE A VOW. IF YOU NOTE IT, IT WAS A CONDITIONAL VOW. AND IDENTIFIED 5 CONDITIONS WITH GOD. THERE IN V.20 (NLT) Then Jacob made this vow: “(1) If God will indeed be with me and (2) protect me on this journey, and if he will (3) provide me with food and (4) clothing, 21 and if (5) I return safely to my fatherʼs home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. 22 And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.” HE HE MADE A PROMISE TO GOD TO TITHE IN RESPONSE TO GODʼS GOODNESS.

ANYBODY KNOW YOUʼRE BLESSED. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO HAS AND IS BLESSED OF GOD. BLESSED WITH A GOD WHO IS STILL WITH YOU, A GOD THAT PROTECTS YOU EVERYDAY. A GOD THAT NOT ONLY GIVES YOU FOOD TO EAT BUT ALSO CLOTHES TO WEAR. ANYBODY HAVE A GOD THAT HELPS YOU GET FROM PLACE TO PLACE. UP AND DOWN THE HIGHWAYS AND BIWAYS. CAUSE IF YOUʼVE GOT A GOD LIKE THAT, THEN YOU NEED TO HEAR WHAT JACOB SAID, HE SAID, GOD IF YOU DO IT, IʼLL GIVE YOU ONE TENTH OF EVERYTHING YOU GIVE ME. IʼLL TITHE.

NOT OUT OF DUTY OR OBLIGATION. GOD DIDNʼT ASK JACOB FOR ANYTHING. BUT OUT OF LOVE AND APPRECIATION, THANKSGIVING AND REVERENCE. NO, HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT SIDE HIS BREAD WAS BUTTERED ON AND OFFERED TO GIVE UNTO GOD. NOT JUST ANYTHING, BUT A TENTH OF EVERYTHING GOD GAVE TO HIM.

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

WHO GAVE YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY?

ALONG WITH REALIZING IT, WILL

YOU RECOGNIZE IT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE AND WHAT EVER YOUʼRE GOING THRU, THE LORD IS IN THAT PLACE AND YOU BETTER KNOW IT.

YOU DONʼT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A DREAM OF A STAIRWAY OR LADDER TO HEAVEN WHERE THE ANGELS ASCEND AND DESCEND AND THE ALMIGHTY GOD

STANDS

AWAITING

OUR

RETURN.

NO,

YOU

CAN

FAITH

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LORD IS RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, BECAUSE OF JESUS. BECAUSE OF JESUS WE HAVE THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE (REAL) LIFE. BECAUSE OF JESUS, WE HAVE LIFE AND IT MORE ABUNDANTLY. SO KNOW THIS, THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE, IF YOU HAVE JESUS, GOD IS THERE WITH YOU.

AND WHEREVER JESUS IS, THEREʼS HEAVEN THERE!

Since Christ my soul from sin set free, This world has been a heaven to me; And 'mid earth's sorrows and its woe, 'Tis heaven my Jesus here to know. O hallelujah, O’ yes, 'tis heaven! Tis heaven to know, my sins forgiven!

SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE!

On land or sea, what matters where? Where Jesus is, tis heaven there! The earth was once a bitter place Till Jesus showed His smiling face; Now joy's begun within my soul, 'Twill last while endless ages roll. O hallelujah, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yes, 'tis heaven! Tis heaven to know, my sins forgiven! On land or sea, what matters where? Where Jesus is, tis heaven there! What matters where on earth we dwell? On mountain top, or in the dell, In cottage, or a mansion fair, Where Jesus is, tis heaven is there. O hallelujah, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yes, 'tis heaven! Tis heaven to know, my sins forgiven! On land or sea, what matters where? Where Jesus is, tis heaven there! Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/348#ixzz1wpI7Zmkk