Into The Cloud | Living In The Light

Today The LORD IS CALLING US INTO THE CLOUD He has been TEACHING us what it means to LIVE IN THE LIGHT BUT TO MEET HIM IN THE LIGHT, YOU have to come through the cloud. Coming through the cloud is the place where we learn the fear of God so that we might not sin against Him. GOD IS terrifying because of WHAT He is. But if you SEE HIM FOR WHO He is, and hear HIS CALL TO DRAW NEAR, you will venture through the cloud and into the light. POINT OF MESSAGE: People where assembled at the base of the mountain and the Lord was at the top, wanting so much for us to come. The people celebrated at the base of the mountain, but God was calling them to come speak with Him face to face. It was like they still responded to God as Israel did when only Moses went, the rest were terrified and said, “if the Lord speaks to us we will surely die.” The Lord was grieved that the people would not come up the mountain. They didn’t understand “whoever seeks to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for MY sake will find it and keep it for eternal life.” That He was there to bring them into His transfiguration, to be seen for who HE IS and give them the light of life. Matthew 16:25 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” When the Lord calls us to to the cloud of His glory, it IS terrifying, because He is HOLY and HE IS GOING TO CONFRONT OUR IDOLS Exodus 20:18-21 And all the people were watching and hearing the [j]thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19Then they said to Moses, “Speak [k]to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak [l]to us, or we will die!” 20However, Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may [m]remain with you, so that you will not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. The people were meant to LEARN THE FEAR OF GOD in this encounter, in being brought near to HIS HOLINESS, so that they would be delivered from idolatry by VIRTUE of the AWE and REVERENCE of GOD. But they kept their distance not just physically, but spiritually. But not MOSES Exodus 24: 15-18 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. MOSES went into the cloud, and the end result is that he came out with a face reflecting the light of God. THE PEOPLE kept their physical, emotional, and spiritual distance from GOD and IMMEDIATELY went back to Egypt in their hearts, and to worshipping a golden calf made by their own hands. God IS terrifying not because he DESIRES to be, but because He is SO SO HOLY and we are SO SO NOT God is doing EVERYTHING HE CAN to be as close as He can to the PEOPLE HE LOVES But what fellowship does LIGHT have with darkness? 1 Timothy 6:16 “HE alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.” But he doesn’t just DWELL in unapproachable light, HE IS LIGHT 1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” God is not the dark cloud of chaos and confusion, He is the LIGHT on the other side of it