A CHURCH SHOULD BE:

A CHURCH SHOULD BE:
A people who hunger for God, experience the presence of God, and stand in awe of His holiness as He changes believers into conformity with Christ.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6
 
HUNGER:
Hunger for God.
Do you have a hunger for the things of God?
Good food produces a good smell, a good smell can make you hungry. Ahhh the smell of good cooking. It’s like when you drive past a good restaurant and can smell the food all the way out in the street. It can make you want to eat. Hunger for God can be like this too, if you surround yourself with garbage you will have a hard time getting hungry for the things of God. You don’t get an appetite by smelling trash.
Q: Is there trash in your life that needs to be cleaned up?

PRESENCE:
Hunger brings Presence.
The presence of the Lord is like no other experience in life.
What happens when the presence of God comes on people?
The children of Israel were afraid.

God is here:
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

God is there:
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
 
God is everywhere:
Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
But…
Sin hinders everything now, especially man’s experience of God’s presence.
 
HOLINESS:
Presence brings Holiness.
Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Q: What happened to Holiness?
Q: What is Holiness?
Greek Holiness= English Words used in KJV:
holiness 5 times
sanctification 5 times
from <G37> (hagiazo); properly purification, i.e. (the state) purity; concrete (by Hebrew) a purifier :- holiness, sanctification.

Holiness brings Change.
CHANGE brings CONFOMITY:
If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. - Jesus

God does not change, so we must.
What has changed since we believed?
We must be born again.
Are we still the same?
Are we acting like Jesus?

John 14:17 The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and He will be in you.

How is your relationship with God?
Do you know in your knower that you are going to heaven?
How can you know?
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
​Romans 10:9-10