Four lectures on the presence of God from The Cornerstone Lectures in Medford, Oregon, now on YouTube: God in Christ, in the Christian, in the church, and in the new creation.
On Reformation Day, Saturday, October 31, 2026, I had the joy of giving four lectures on the presence of God at The Cornerstone Lectures, hosted by Cornerstone Christian Church in Medford, Oregon. All four are now on YouTube. My thanks to the people of Cornerstone for their warm welcome and their hunger for God's Word.
Many Christians talk about God's presence the way we talk about the weather: "God really showed up tonight," or "I didn't sense Him at all." Scripture tells a better story. God's presence is not a feeling to chase, but a gift to receive: God Himself, given to us in Jesus Christ and made known by His Word and Spirit.
These lectures cover the last four chapters of my book, A Christian's Pocket Guide to the Presence of God (Christian Focus, 2026), where the whole storyline of Scripture reaches its goal: from Christ, to the Christian, to the church, to the new creation.
Watch the Lectures
Watch the full playlist on YouTube
1. The Presence of God in Christ
Everything Scripture traces about God's presence, from Eden to the tabernacle, the temple, and the exile, converges on Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us. From the Christmas star to the torn temple curtain, the presence that once filled a tent now has a human heartbeat. If you want to know where God is, look to Jesus. (John 1:14)
Watch Lecture 1 · Go deeper: How does the Bible trace God's presence from Eden to the new creation?
2. The Presence of God in the Christian
The God who drew near in Christ now draws near in every believer by His Holy Spirit. I trace three promises: the Spirit's new birth (Ezekiel 36; John 3), the Spirit given through prayer (Luke 11:13), and the Spirit's abiding presence as a Person, not a force (John 14–16). Then I walk through ten practical realities of His indwelling, from new life to sealing for the day of redemption.
Watch Lecture 2 · Go deeper: Why can't I feel God's presence?
3. The Presence of God in the Church
We treat church like a drive-thru; God calls it His dwelling. At Pentecost the Spirit made God's people a new creation, a new temple, and a new humanity (Acts 2), and that changes how we evangelize, pursue holiness, and worship. The church is not a service to consume, but a sanctuary to belong to. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Watch Lecture 3 · Go deeper: If God is everywhere, why go to church?
4. The Presence of God in the New Creation
Revelation 21–22 shows where the whole story is going: "the dwelling place of God is with man." No more sea, no more tears, no temple, because God and the Lamb are its temple. We're not looking forward to seeing a city of gold, but the face it reflects: "They will see his face." (Revelation 22:4)
Watch Lecture 4 · Go deeper: Will we see God's face?
Read the Book
Each lecture follows a chapter of A Christian's Pocket Guide to the Presence of God, a short, readable walk through the whole Bible from Eden to the New Jerusalem.
Paperback (Christian Focus) · Ebook (Christian Focus) · Amazon
More on the Presence of God
For what Scripture says about God's presence, why you can't always "feel" it, where God is when you're suffering, worship, the sacraments, and my podcast interviews on the book, see my Presence of God guide.
You can also hear the 12-sermon series I preached on this theme at Oceanside United Reformed Church.
Subscribe on YouTube for more teaching.
If your church would like to host a conference on the presence of God, get in touch with me.