I want to take a moment to point out something to Christians.  There are times in your life that you, Christian, deny God’s existence.

Most of us think that only atheists or false Christians who buckle at the risk of persecution or mega-church pastors who go on national television and answer the question of “Is Jesus Christ the only way to heaven?” with “I don’t know” are the ones who deny God.  In reality, denying God’s existence is much more ubiquitous than you think, and you probably do it.

Let’s take a look at you this last month.  Let’s say you are being tempted with a particular sin.  Your friends are gone, your family is out, your spouse is out, and you are alone.  It’s a struggle.  It’s the time you are most likely to give in- when you are alone.

There.  Did you do it?  Did you deny God?  Did you agree, “Yes, the most difficult times are when I am alone.”  Or did you say, “Wait wait WAIT! I am a Christian.  I am never alone.”

What we do is a reflection of what we believe.  What we believe we believe does nothing to prove what we believe.  How we act shows what we believe.  If I believe that a new elevator in a new building will take me to the 30th floor but I refuse to get on because nobody has tried it yet and I am afraid, then I prove that I don’t really believe in the elevator.

As Christians, there are some things we believe.  (Many more than this list has). We believe that God created the universe.  God is aware of  all things.  We believe that He loves us and is aware of what we do, and wants us to turn from evil and turn to him.  We believe he plays a vital role in our lives.

So understand this:  If we believe these things then we take it to mean that He is always with us.

Always with us.

Not figuratively.

Not poetically.

Literally.  God With Us.

So what does that mean?  It means if we truly believe He is with us, then we are never alone.  If we believe that the most perfect and pure being in existence is with us, but act differently because we are not with other human beings, then we are proving that we don’t believe God is who He says He is.  We deny Him.  We call Him a liar.

I’ve done this before.  Knowing myself I will do this again.  I hate that fact.  I struggle over it- I feel like Paul when he says,   “¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
(Romans 7:14-20, New King James Version)

God does not judge us by how we act around others.  He judges us on what we do and think.  Consider Jesus’ teaching about adultery and murder.  It isn’t just about our actions, but also our thoughts.  We cannot put on a show for others, look nice at church, say just the right words of encouragement and then go home and turn the porn, or turn to food for our comforter, or drunkenness, or ignore Him until next Sunday, or do whatever our pet sin is and think we are getting one past God.  People like those are called hypocrites, and Christ has strong words about them.  I say these things not to be mean or condescending, because I used to be exactly this type of hypocrite.  I want everyone to turn to trust Christ and experience the fullness of what he offers.

As Christians, we are not perfect.  Once we have salvation we will continue in sin, but once God has revealed that sin to us it is no longer fun- it becomes revealed to us as an abomination to the righteous God.  A pastor gave an analogy.  If God turns a pig who loves to eat garbage into a man, the man will realize he is living on garbage.  The man will vomit it from his mouth and run from it.  He will turn and feast on good food.  If he happens along and sees his old friends eating the trash, he will try to pursuade them to leave.  If he ever thinks that the trash maybe wasn’t so bad after all he may take a taste of it and realize how putrid it truly is and again flee from it.  Not to wallow.  Because he is no longer what he once was.

God reveals sins differently to each person.  Some are cast off as soon as they are revealed, some take great struggling on our part.  But we will be changed.

Now what are we to do with the realization that we are never alone?

Ask God to continue to reveal it to you.  Ask Him to show you the extent of what it means to never be separated from Him.  In times of temptation turn from it and turn to Him.  Seek to find your comfort in Him alone. He is an infinite source of joy.  The things of the world are fleeting and insufficient.  As we turn to them we find they fall short of our desires.  If we have found the ultimate pleasure in this world it will eventually disappoint.  We must seek something more- a better car, bigger house, a bigger office, a higher paying job, a job managing more people, more (or more perverse) sex or pornography, more food, more more more of anything.

God is infinite.  His mind is infinite.  His joy is infinite.  In Him we have the ultimate pleasure though singing praises to Him, learning about Him, serving Him, giving back to Him, fellowshiping with Him.  “So whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the Glory of God.”  (1 Cor 10:31) That means he is still the source of our joy whether we are experiencing it through prayer, reading our bible, spending time with our families,  enjoying a sunset, among many other activities.  Any God honoring activity activity can be used this way.  Just be careful to enjoy the gift giver and not the gift.

And as a warning, do not try to walk the Christian walk alone without other Christians looking out for you.  Going the road without other Christians is not a part of God’s plan.  He sent the disciples out together.  Paul always had a companion as he went out.  This message is not intended to suggest that you can not have fellowship with other Christians.  You must.  Look at Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and Galatians 6:1 for more about helping one another.

As John Piper stated that if God, being the most perfect thing in existence turned our attention to anything except himself, it would be proof that He hated us.  You are never alone, and your source of nourishment, peace, patience, joy, and comfort is only a prayer away.