Welcome to
Pressing in to His Presence.
00:00:01.06\00:00:02.82
Please, join us today to learn
00:00:02.85\00:00:04.91
how you can develop a
passion for God's presence.
00:00:04.94\00:00:08.69
Welcome to
Pressing in to His Presence.
00:00:29.60\00:00:32.12
Today, we are going to lay
the ground work for this series
00:00:32.15\00:00:36.77
which is based on a book
that I was very privileged
00:00:36.80\00:00:40.63
to write also titled
Pressing in to His Presence.
00:00:40.66\00:00:45.08
Today, were going to be
starting with chapter one
00:00:45.11\00:00:48.37
and this series is a
series dedicated to prayer.
00:00:48.40\00:00:53.16
But we will start
with my personal testimony
00:00:53.19\00:00:56.22
as to how I developed a
passion for God's presence.
00:00:56.25\00:01:02.18
You know, for
most of my adult life.
00:01:02.21\00:01:04.41
I lived in out of
the way rural areas
00:01:04.44\00:01:06.96
and this is required driving
00:01:06.99\00:01:09.07
long desolate
stretches of highway
00:01:09.10\00:01:12.54
to reach cities of any
significant population.
00:01:12.57\00:01:15.42
Still any inconvenience
of time consuming travel
00:01:15.45\00:01:19.27
has been offset by treasure
times of talking with God
00:01:19.30\00:01:23.80
in one of my favorite
prayer classes, my car.
00:01:23.83\00:01:28.01
In Matthew 6:6 Jesus
said enter into that closet
00:01:28.04\00:01:32.43
and when you have shut the
door and prayer to your father.
00:01:32.46\00:01:36.72
Perhaps He wasn't thinking
of driving 70 miles an hour
00:01:36.75\00:01:40.00
down the highway while
praying and I'm sure that
00:01:40.03\00:01:43.11
He would recommend
total absorption in prayer
00:01:43.14\00:01:46.20
if you're
surrounded by heavy traffic.
00:01:46.23\00:01:49.22
But my only traffic
concerns were avoiding
00:01:49.25\00:01:51.83
the occasional tumble weed
or an absent minded jackrabbit
00:01:51.86\00:01:55.88
that happen to
amble across the path
00:01:55.91\00:01:58.54
of my prayer closet on wheels.
00:01:58.57\00:02:01.63
I will never
forget an evening in 1996
00:02:01.66\00:02:05.27
when I headed west from
our farm in Coleman, Texas
00:02:05.30\00:02:08.03
to visit my
sister in New Mexico.
00:02:08.06\00:02:10.48
Slinging my suitcase
into the back of the car
00:02:10.51\00:02:13.36
I pop down in the driver
seat and pull the door close
00:02:13.39\00:02:16.98
shutting the world
and all distractions
00:02:17.01\00:02:20.46
and in eager anticipation
00:02:20.49\00:02:22.14
of the seven hour trip before me
00:02:22.17\00:02:24.19
I prayed and
headed down the road.
00:02:24.22\00:02:27.16
No radio or CD's for me.
00:02:27.19\00:02:30.06
With precious
little time to myself
00:02:30.09\00:02:32.36
driving miles of near
empty desolate highways
00:02:32.39\00:02:37.01
was something to be treasured.
00:02:37.04\00:02:39.23
I enjoyed the
undisturbed silence
00:02:39.26\00:02:42.51
which served as an
incubator for my inner thoughts.
00:02:42.54\00:02:46.37
The roads at night
were lighted by a full moon
00:02:46.40\00:02:48.47
and only an occasional
set of oncoming headlights
00:02:48.50\00:02:51.71
interrupted the
serenity of the landscape.
00:02:51.74\00:02:54.00
Ahead was another travel
adventure of hundreds of miles
00:02:54.03\00:02:57.82
over the most
desolate highways imaginable
00:02:57.85\00:03:00.84
with only my
favorite companion, the Lord.
00:03:00.87\00:03:04.64
Little did I know what
God had in store for me.
00:03:04.67\00:03:07.85
Now, I'm about to
share a story with you
00:03:07.88\00:03:10.87
that is more
than a little unusual
00:03:10.90\00:03:13.03
and opening my heart
like this is risky business.
00:03:13.06\00:03:16.59
I chance being misunderstood
and even labeled strange.
00:03:16.62\00:03:21.96
Let me
emphasize something first.
00:03:21.99\00:03:24.56
It was a one time
occurrence in my life
00:03:24.59\00:03:27.75
and this
particular experience is not
00:03:27.78\00:03:30.84
what the teaching of
this series on prayer is about
00:03:30.87\00:03:34.02
it is however related
in an exotic kind of way.
00:03:34.05\00:03:37.68
So I'll risk tell you but
first let me ask you a question.
00:03:37.71\00:03:44.89
Have you ever
prayed for over six hours
00:03:44.92\00:03:47.70
without
distraction or interruption?
00:03:47.73\00:03:50.65
It has been my privilege
00:03:50.68\00:03:52.19
only once on that
moon lit night in 1996.
00:03:52.22\00:03:56.64
It was an extraordinary event
00:03:56.67\00:03:58.99
that began with me
praying Psalms 27:7-9.
00:03:59.02\00:04:05.44
"Hear, O Lord, when
I cry with my voice!
00:04:05.47\00:04:08.37
Have mercy also
upon me, and answer me.
00:04:08.40\00:04:12.34
When you said 'Seek My
face,' my heart said to You,
00:04:12.37\00:04:16.28
'Your face, Lord, I will seek.'
00:04:16.31\00:04:19.07
Do not hide your
face far from me,
00:04:19.10\00:04:21.85
do not turn your
servant away in anger,
00:04:21.88\00:04:24.78
You have been my help, do
not leave me nor forsake me,
00:04:24.81\00:04:29.44
O God of my salvation."
00:04:29.47\00:04:33.01
I wasn't merely
quoting scripture,
00:04:33.04\00:04:36.40
rather this was a
sincere heart cry for weeks
00:04:36.43\00:04:40.78
I had had constant distractions
00:04:40.81\00:04:43.99
and they had eclipsed my
time of worship with the Lord.
00:04:44.02\00:04:47.80
A deep sense of lost now
overshadowed and overwhelmed me
00:04:47.83\00:04:53.52
and I mourned the
lack of intimate fellowship
00:04:53.55\00:04:56.62
with the lover of my soul.
00:04:56.65\00:04:59.55
As I began thanking God
for His countless blessings
00:04:59.58\00:05:03.94
praise for His goodness
and mercy weld in my heart
00:05:03.97\00:05:07.97
and flowed from my lips.
00:05:08.00\00:05:10.01
I pleaded for forgiveness
confessing the many ways
00:05:10.04\00:05:13.28
in which I had
failed Him and soon
00:05:13.31\00:05:15.80
I was praying scripture promises
00:05:15.83\00:05:18.17
returning God's word
to Him with thanksgiving
00:05:18.20\00:05:22.23
and I was absolutely persuade
it that He had the power
00:05:22.26\00:05:26.68
to perform what He had promised.
00:05:26.71\00:05:28.81
It was as if I
was inhaling relief
00:05:28.84\00:05:33.63
and exhaling every negative
feeling that numbed my joy.
00:05:33.66\00:05:38.61
That night I strived to
worship earnestly in truth
00:05:38.64\00:05:43.09
and in spirit
longing to draw near to him,
00:05:43.12\00:05:46.52
to press into his presence.
00:05:46.55\00:05:49.24
He was definitely
drawing near to me
00:05:49.27\00:05:52.18
just as He promised in James 4:8
00:05:52.21\00:05:54.42
which says "Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you."
00:05:54.45\00:06:01.12
Those frequently traveled roads
were so absolutely familiar
00:06:01.15\00:06:07.66
that this journey required
no concentration on directions
00:06:07.69\00:06:11.32
and that freed me to
become completely immersed
00:06:11.35\00:06:15.86
in worship of
my Lord and Savior.
00:06:15.89\00:06:18.36
Six hours of seeking His
face were swiftly absorbed
00:06:18.39\00:06:23.42
into the sponge
like trough of this bliss
00:06:23.45\00:06:26.55
and then a familiar
landmark appeared announcing
00:06:26.58\00:06:29.33
that I only had 45 minutes
remaining to my destination
00:06:29.36\00:06:32.76
and I cried out oh, Lord,
00:06:32.79\00:06:34.94
I'm not ready to
stop worshiping You.
00:06:34.97\00:06:38.47
I've never before sensed
Your presence as which I like.
00:06:38.50\00:06:42.99
It's true Father,
as Psalms 16:11 says,
00:06:43.02\00:06:46.26
"In Your presence
is fullness of joy
00:06:46.29\00:06:49.28
and at Your right hand
are pleasures forevermore."
00:06:49.31\00:06:52.73
And I said oh, Lord,
00:06:52.76\00:06:54.06
I love you with
all of my heart, soul
00:06:54.09\00:06:57.34
and mind caused me to love
you with all of my strength
00:06:57.37\00:07:01.08
and I prayed David's
words of prayer in Psalms 42:1
00:07:01.11\00:07:07.38
which says "As the deer
pants for the water brooks,
00:07:07.41\00:07:12.51
so my soul
pants for you, O God."
00:07:12.54\00:07:18.07
What happened
next is indescribable.
00:07:18.10\00:07:21.82
It was in Acts 2 upper
room type of experience.
00:07:21.85\00:07:27.18
Not with the mighty
rushing winds or tons of fire
00:07:27.21\00:07:31.39
but certainly with an
outpouring of His spirit.
00:07:31.42\00:07:34.69
Suddenly, unexpectedly
00:07:34.72\00:07:37.26
joy cascaded over
me in wave after wave
00:07:37.29\00:07:42.49
and words are
insufficient to describe it.
00:07:42.52\00:07:45.28
I sensed that God
was communicating with me
00:07:45.31\00:07:48.55
but not in any language it
was deep calling into deep,
00:07:48.58\00:07:53.38
His heart calling into my heart,
00:07:53.41\00:07:55.97
His spirit calling to my spirit.
00:07:56.00\00:07:58.93
He flooded with His love.
00:07:58.96\00:08:01.94
It reminded me of Psalms 42:7-8
00:08:01.97\00:08:05.14
where David wrote
"Deep calls unto deep
00:08:05.17\00:08:08.37
at the noise of Your waterfalls,
00:08:08.40\00:08:10.47
all Your waves and
billows have gone over me.
00:08:10.50\00:08:13.95
The Lord will command
00:08:13.98\00:08:15.35
His
loving-kindness in the daytime,
00:08:15.38\00:08:17.52
and in the night His
song shall be with me,
00:08:17.55\00:08:20.30
a prayer to the God of my life."
00:08:20.33\00:08:24.62
You know, if there is one thing
00:08:24.65\00:08:27.17
that Bible commentators agree on
00:08:27.20\00:08:29.34
it is that King
David was pouring
00:08:29.37\00:08:31.83
emotions of devastation
as he penned Psalm 42.
00:08:31.86\00:08:35.99
Cut off from
worshiping in the sanctuary
00:08:36.02\00:08:39.11
David was distressed
with holy zeal for God.
00:08:39.14\00:08:43.36
He so thirsted for living
water from the living Lord.
00:08:43.39\00:08:47.90
Most commentators
believe that David refers
00:08:47.93\00:08:50.61
to the overwhelming
afflictions of his soul
00:08:50.64\00:08:53.41
as being God's waves and
billows cascading over him.
00:08:53.44\00:08:57.17
Now, I'm not a theologian
00:08:57.20\00:08:59.11
and I don't presume to
correct Bible commentators.
00:08:59.14\00:09:03.17
Still after my experience
of pressing into His presence
00:09:03.20\00:09:06.45
that night I can't
help but look at Psalm 42
00:09:06.48\00:09:10.28
through a different lens.
00:09:10.31\00:09:12.63
David had first written
these words in Psalm 42:5.
00:09:12.66\00:09:18.07
"Why are you in
despair, O my soul?
00:09:18.10\00:09:21.26
And why are you
become disturbed within me?
00:09:21.29\00:09:24.99
Hope in God, for I
shall again praise Him
00:09:25.02\00:09:28.90
for the help of His presence."
00:09:28.93\00:09:32.35
Is it possible that
in the midst the angst
00:09:32.38\00:09:35.74
that David expressed that
he pressed into God's presence
00:09:35.77\00:09:41.17
and experienced the
same unique visitation I had?
00:09:41.20\00:09:44.84
Is that why he was able to rise
00:09:44.87\00:09:47.19
so rapidly from
the debts of disband
00:09:47.22\00:09:49.80
and seek to the heights
of faith and confidence.
00:09:49.83\00:09:53.26
You know, in Revelation
14:2 the apostle John wrote,
00:09:53.29\00:09:56.58
"I heard a voice from heaven,
like the voice of many waters."
00:09:56.61\00:10:01.84
When David referred to
the noise of God's waterfall
00:10:01.87\00:10:06.41
was he describing God's
presence pouring out over him
00:10:06.44\00:10:10.90
in powerful
wordless communication,
00:10:10.93\00:10:13.99
deep calling into deep
like the roar of the waterfalls
00:10:14.02\00:10:18.90
the voice of many waters.
00:10:18.93\00:10:21.82
Could that explain why
he also penned in Psalm 42:8
00:10:21.85\00:10:27.27
"The Lord will command
00:10:27.30\00:10:28.71
His
loving-kindness in the daytime,
00:10:28.74\00:10:31.55
and in the night His
song shall be with me
00:10:31.58\00:10:34.48
a prayer to the God of my life."
00:10:34.51\00:10:37.29
And why he concluded
with these words in verse 11,
00:10:37.32\00:10:41.50
"Why are you
cast down, O my soul?
00:10:41.53\00:10:44.51
And why are you
disquieted within me?
00:10:44.54\00:10:47.42
Hope in God for I
shall yet praise Him,
00:10:47.45\00:10:50.72
the help of my countenance."
00:10:50.75\00:10:54.13
You know, I don't
mean to take poetic license
00:10:54.16\00:10:58.39
or to try to
rewrite Bible commentary.
00:10:58.42\00:11:01.71
This is simply
something that causes to wonder
00:11:01.74\00:11:04.91
and since it's
not a doctrinal matter
00:11:04.94\00:11:07.05
I trusted its okay
to share my musings
00:11:07.08\00:11:09.83
about David's experience
and relation to my own.
00:11:09.86\00:11:13.55
Sadly, my encounter
00:11:13.58\00:11:15.16
was a one time
occurrence in my life.
00:11:15.19\00:11:17.88
Never since have I
communed with God for six hours
00:11:17.91\00:11:21.19
in such earnest
uninterrupted prayer.
00:11:21.22\00:11:24.22
Oh, yes, I've attended
all night prayer vigils
00:11:24.25\00:11:27.46
where we prayed
around the clock,
00:11:27.49\00:11:29.86
still these were
times of seeking God's hand
00:11:29.89\00:11:33.02
to move in
specific answers to prayers.
00:11:33.05\00:11:36.29
Not an uninterrupted season,
a sincerity seeking His faith.
00:11:36.32\00:11:40.93
I tried myself
sometimes for being
00:11:40.96\00:11:43.64
spiritually lazy and apathetic.
00:11:43.67\00:11:46.78
Why haven't I tried
00:11:46.81\00:11:48.57
to repeat the unique
events of that evening?
00:11:48.60\00:11:51.60
Well, first I'm afraid
it wouldn't happen again
00:11:51.63\00:11:54.02
if I were to
seek "the experience."
00:11:54.05\00:11:58.17
Besides if we go to
God with the expectation
00:11:58.20\00:12:02.42
of some type of
phenomenal experience
00:12:02.45\00:12:05.48
we are seeking Him
for the wrong reason
00:12:05.51\00:12:09.01
and we become in
danger of receiving
00:12:09.04\00:12:12.27
a psychologically educed result.
00:12:12.30\00:12:15.44
So I will
settle for this perhaps
00:12:15.47\00:12:18.05
once in a lifetime event.
00:12:18.08\00:12:21.86
You may doubt
what I have just shared
00:12:21.89\00:12:24.82
attributing the event to
emotionalism, that's okay.
00:12:24.85\00:12:29.08
I confess that hearing
such a story from someone else
00:12:29.11\00:12:32.58
would really leave me skeptical.
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.36
My defense is simply that
00:12:35.39\00:12:36.84
I'm not an
overly emotional person
00:12:36.87\00:12:40.18
and I not a sensationalist.
00:12:40.21\00:12:43.03
This story was not shared tout
00:12:43.06\00:12:45.37
the tail of some
mountain top experience
00:12:45.40\00:12:48.77
but merely to illustrate
the power of heart felt prayer.
00:12:48.80\00:12:54.28
You see, prayer is
like a multifaceted diamond
00:12:54.31\00:12:59.69
and the benefits of
prayer are like multifaceted.
00:12:59.72\00:13:04.20
Our practice of prayer
needs a little polishing
00:13:04.23\00:13:08.32
to realize its brilliance.
00:13:08.35\00:13:10.69
We too often regard
the purpose of prayer
00:13:10.72\00:13:13.98
as the matter of simply
laying our request before God
00:13:14.01\00:13:17.98
oh, but they are so much more.
00:13:18.01\00:13:20.69
The underlying purpose of prayer
00:13:20.72\00:13:23.59
is to know God on
a more intimate level
00:13:23.62\00:13:27.30
by communicating with
Him on a more intimate level.
00:13:27.33\00:13:32.21
So, how do we develop a
passion for God's presence?
00:13:32.24\00:13:36.72
Let's look at Jeremiah 29
00:13:36.75\00:13:39.72
and we are going to
begin with verse 11.
00:13:39.75\00:13:42.72
Here God says "'For I
know the plans I have for you,'
00:13:42.75\00:13:47.02
declares the Lord,
00:13:47.05\00:13:48.61
'plans to prosper
you and not to harm you,
00:13:48.64\00:13:51.29
plans to give you
hope and a future.
00:13:51.32\00:13:54.96
Then'" notice first He
says I've got these plan for you
00:13:54.99\00:13:59.25
"'then you will call on
me and come and pray to me,
00:13:59.28\00:14:02.97
and I will listen to you.
00:14:03.00\00:14:04.72
You will seek me and find me
00:14:04.75\00:14:07.45
when you seek me
with all your heart.
00:14:07.48\00:14:10.29
I will be found by
you,' declares the Lord,
00:14:10.32\00:14:13.14
'and will bring you
back from captivity.'"
00:14:13.17\00:14:18.65
Did you notice that I
added emphases to the word then?
00:14:18.68\00:14:24.13
"Then you will call on
me and come and pray to me."
00:14:24.16\00:14:27.68
The question is when?
00:14:27.71\00:14:29.48
When do we call upon God
00:14:29.51\00:14:31.37
seeking Him with
all of our heart?
00:14:31.40\00:14:34.22
When we recognize
00:14:34.25\00:14:36.11
that He has a
good plan for our lives
00:14:36.14\00:14:39.06
then we become motivated
00:14:39.09\00:14:41.10
to seek Him with
all of our heart.
00:14:41.13\00:14:44.43
God does have a
plan for our lives
00:14:44.46\00:14:47.49
and it is better than
the one we are living.
00:14:47.52\00:14:50.34
We find it in His holy word
and when we discover His plan,
00:14:50.37\00:14:55.54
acknowledge His sovereignty
and power and understand that
00:14:55.57\00:15:00.01
He performs on behalf
of our eternal benefit.
00:15:00.04\00:15:04.52
Our hearts well up
with eager expectation.
00:15:04.55\00:15:08.06
We develop an incredible desire
00:15:08.09\00:15:10.84
to spend time in
the council of His will,
00:15:10.87\00:15:14.55
the Bible and we
exhort increased effort
00:15:14.58\00:15:18.33
to whole hearted communication
with the lover of our souls.
00:15:18.36\00:15:23.15
In other words, we develop
a passion for His presence.
00:15:23.18\00:15:28.31
A greater understanding
of God's plan for our lives
00:15:28.34\00:15:32.18
naturally progresses to
a passion for His presence.
00:15:32.21\00:15:36.22
The closer we draw to Him
the more we become like Christ
00:15:36.25\00:15:41.76
and the more Christ
like we become the more
00:15:41.79\00:15:44.48
we develop an increased
sensitivity to His moment
00:15:44.51\00:15:48.73
by moment presence with us.
00:15:48.76\00:15:51.08
He is always with
us. He never leaves us.
00:15:51.11\00:15:53.71
He never forsakes us.
00:15:53.74\00:15:55.84
And if we are not
experiencing His presence
00:15:55.87\00:15:58.91
it is due to our indifference.
00:15:58.94\00:16:02.30
Spiritual indifference is
a dangerous heart condition.
00:16:02.33\00:16:08.10
You know, King David had
a passion for God's presence
00:16:08.13\00:16:12.51
and that passion
caused to seek God earnestly
00:16:12.54\00:16:16.73
and in return God saw David.
00:16:16.76\00:16:19.35
He saw him to be king
00:16:19.38\00:16:21.34
calling him a man
after his own heart.
00:16:21.37\00:16:24.71
In his prayer journal
which is what I call the Psalms,
00:16:24.74\00:16:28.11
this is David's prayer journal.
00:16:28.14\00:16:30.42
He is refereeing to
himself in these words
00:16:30.45\00:16:33.17
found in Psalms
21:6 and he says,
00:16:33.20\00:16:37.70
"For you have made him,
David most blessed forever.
00:16:37.73\00:16:43.19
You have made him exceedingly
glad with Your presence."
00:16:43.22\00:16:47.64
You know, we can
look to the Old Testament
00:16:47.67\00:16:49.28
and realize that
David spiritual love
00:16:49.31\00:16:51.88
had its ebbs and flows.
00:16:51.91\00:16:54.16
Still his desire for
God's presence always returned
00:16:54.19\00:16:58.37
as consuming waves of passion.
00:16:58.40\00:17:01.49
In the wilderness of Judah
00:17:01.52\00:17:03.33
David wrote these words
recorded in Psalm 63:1-4.
00:17:03.36\00:17:09.48
"O God, You are my
God, earnestly I seek You,
00:17:09.51\00:17:14.55
my soul thirsts for
You, my body longs for you,
00:17:14.58\00:17:18.71
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
00:17:18.74\00:17:22.52
I have seen You in the sanctuary
00:17:22.55\00:17:24.96
and beheld Your power and glory.
00:17:24.99\00:17:27.92
Because Your love
is better than life,
00:17:27.95\00:17:31.20
my lips will glorify You.
00:17:31.23\00:17:33.68
I will praise You
as long as I live,
00:17:33.71\00:17:36.78
and in Your name I
will lift up my hands."
00:17:36.81\00:17:42.17
Do you desire to be like David,
00:17:42.20\00:17:45.86
to be God's loving
child seeking Him earnestly
00:17:45.89\00:17:50.76
a person after his own heart?
00:17:50.79\00:17:53.56
To experience the reward God has
00:17:53.59\00:17:56.07
for those who
earnestly seek Him?
00:17:56.10\00:17:58.93
Oh, I do.
00:17:58.96\00:18:00.59
Unfortunately as with
David's occasional omission
00:18:00.62\00:18:04.65
I look back over my life
00:18:04.68\00:18:06.65
and recognize
the occasional times,
00:18:06.68\00:18:09.11
I should say the many
times that I have experienced
00:18:09.14\00:18:12.18
the loss of my
passion for His presence
00:18:12.21\00:18:15.33
and I wonder
how could it happen.
00:18:15.36\00:18:18.84
Have you ever lost the rhythm
of your relationship with God?
00:18:18.87\00:18:22.44
Have you ever just awakened
one morning and wondered
00:18:22.47\00:18:25.36
what happened to your zeal
for prayer and Bible study?
00:18:25.39\00:18:29.10
The cares of this world
can be like crashing waves
00:18:29.13\00:18:32.90
that was the best of
our intentions out to see.
00:18:32.93\00:18:36.41
I can't fully
explain these cyclic rises
00:18:36.44\00:18:39.74
and falls in my
spinning earth life.
00:18:39.77\00:18:42.86
Why do I occasionally no,
00:18:42.89\00:18:45.19
even a number of
times turn my face from Him.
00:18:45.22\00:18:48.96
Oh, I believe that I'm
still headed in His direction
00:18:48.99\00:18:52.61
and that I remain His child.
00:18:52.64\00:18:54.79
But it hurts me to
disappoint my loving Father
00:18:54.82\00:18:58.21
but praise God these
reversals are short lived.
00:18:58.24\00:19:02.12
My passion for God's
presence always returns again
00:19:02.15\00:19:06.12
like a surging tidal
wave washing over me.
00:19:06.15\00:19:10.60
Let's fast
forward it to three years.
00:19:10.63\00:19:13.46
We're going to fast
forward to September 1999.
00:19:13.49\00:19:17.06
Then for the previous 18 months
00:19:17.09\00:19:19.17
I had traveled the United States
00:19:19.20\00:19:20.76
working 12 hour days,
six to seven days a week
00:19:20.79\00:19:25.00
with a start up
company in Houston, Texas.
00:19:25.03\00:19:27.59
And my demanding travel
schedule made it impossible
00:19:27.62\00:19:30.93
to attend my
Sunday keeping church.
00:19:30.96\00:19:33.11
And I've reasoned well,
00:19:33.14\00:19:34.20
this is a special
career opportunity
00:19:34.23\00:19:37.23
and I promised God it wouldn't--
00:19:37.26\00:19:39.29
it would only be
for a limited time
00:19:39.32\00:19:41.24
that I percept the
assembling of the saints.
00:19:41.27\00:19:44.40
I had also abandoned
the practice of speaking
00:19:44.43\00:19:48.64
and praying God's
promises back to Him.
00:19:48.67\00:19:52.40
But I beautifully
read a chapter of the Bible
00:19:52.43\00:19:56.80
each night hoping
that that would suffice.
00:19:56.83\00:20:00.85
Lots of scripture
was hidden in my heart
00:20:00.88\00:20:03.65
but I felt
secure still unwittingly
00:20:03.68\00:20:08.30
I had unplugged
from my power source.
00:20:08.33\00:20:11.14
I was operating spiritual
battery power as my standby
00:20:11.17\00:20:16.63
and I failed to notice
how badly I needed a recharge.
00:20:16.66\00:20:20.93
Over those 18 months
00:20:20.96\00:20:22.41
my prayer life had
gradually diminished
00:20:22.44\00:20:25.20
to several minutes here
and there during the day
00:20:25.23\00:20:28.64
and the obligatory
prayer that kneels in bedtime,
00:20:28.67\00:20:32.33
you know what I
mean, those little prayers
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.70
that are often just
have for our conscious.
00:20:34.73\00:20:38.26
The scripture that I had hidden
in my heart was playing out
00:20:38.29\00:20:41.90
and God's
promises no longer sparked
00:20:41.93\00:20:44.10
my thoughts without effort.
00:20:44.13\00:20:46.31
I have been unplugged too long
00:20:46.34\00:20:49.06
and my spiritual current
was rapidly just charging.
00:20:49.09\00:20:53.41
I lamented my lost
intimacy with the Lord
00:20:53.44\00:20:57.08
and I'm embarrassed to admit it
00:20:57.11\00:20:58.78
but my prayers
became increasingly winy
00:20:58.81\00:21:02.59
as I begged God to change me
00:21:02.62\00:21:06.81
and to do something
in me while all the while
00:21:06.84\00:21:12.27
I made no sincere effort
to change my own behavior.
00:21:12.30\00:21:16.38
You know, Jesus
said in Matthew 6:33,
00:21:16.41\00:21:20.00
"Seek first the kingdom
of God in his righteousness,
00:21:20.03\00:21:24.17
and all these things
shall be added to you."
00:21:24.20\00:21:29.25
That I was
following His counsel.
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.80
Once again faulty reasoning
00:21:31.83\00:21:34.67
had caused to assign
higher priority to my job
00:21:34.70\00:21:38.37
than to seeking
God's kingdom first.
00:21:38.40\00:21:41.20
I thought I had a good excuse.
00:21:41.23\00:21:43.31
My husband JD had
joined me 12 months earlier
00:21:43.34\00:21:46.56
in becoming employed by
the same start up company
00:21:46.59\00:21:49.73
that demanded such
personal sacrifice.
00:21:49.76\00:21:52.69
And like a NASA shuttle
their success had skyrocketed
00:21:52.72\00:21:58.04
then the unthinkable happened,
they filed for bankruptcy
00:21:58.07\00:22:02.13
owing us a good deal of
money on our expense accounts
00:22:02.16\00:22:05.41
that we knew we
could never collect.
00:22:05.44\00:22:08.63
JD took temporary employment
in the panhandle of Texas
00:22:08.66\00:22:12.38
while I
scrambled to take advantage
00:22:12.41\00:22:14.02
of a business
opportunity of our own.
00:22:14.05\00:22:16.62
And to meet the mid January
00:22:16.65\00:22:18.23
launch deadline
of our new company
00:22:18.26\00:22:20.77
here I was again working
12 to 14 hours a day from home
00:22:20.80\00:22:24.91
developing business building
seminars for clients of CPAs.
00:22:24.94\00:22:29.37
So giving God empty promises
my days were consumed with work
00:22:29.40\00:22:34.58
and my nights
with pouty prayers.
00:22:34.61\00:22:37.60
I had lost my sense
of peace when I forfeited
00:22:37.63\00:22:42.20
the favor of
intimate fellowship with Him.
00:22:42.23\00:22:45.18
I knew my
spiritual apathy grieved God.
00:22:45.21\00:22:49.16
Then I remembered
00:22:49.19\00:22:50.27
how Moses had pled
for the Lord's presence
00:22:50.30\00:22:53.28
when he had prayed
for God to grant to him
00:22:53.31\00:22:57.31
and the airing
children of Israel
00:22:57.34\00:23:00.21
the return of His
presence to accompany them
00:23:00.24\00:23:03.39
as they made their
way to the promise land.
00:23:03.42\00:23:06.03
And our God of infinite
love replied in Exodus 33:14,
00:23:06.06\00:23:12.19
"My presence will go with
you, and I will give you rest."
00:23:12.22\00:23:19.06
That's what I needed.
00:23:19.09\00:23:20.98
I needed His
presence and His rest.
00:23:21.01\00:23:25.11
Walking outside
into the crisp night air
00:23:25.14\00:23:28.07
I gazed at His celestial glory.
00:23:28.10\00:23:31.36
The spectacle of
His thy host blurred
00:23:31.39\00:23:34.42
as hot stinging
tears bring my eyes
00:23:34.45\00:23:37.51
and I prayed, oh, Father,
00:23:37.54\00:23:39.88
please forgive me
forsaking my first love.
00:23:39.91\00:23:44.67
That was all I've said
00:23:44.70\00:23:46.16
but it was not all
that the Lord heard.
00:23:46.19\00:23:48.95
When troubled eyes
are turned toward heaven
00:23:48.98\00:23:52.18
the tender trickle of tears
00:23:52.21\00:23:54.23
is heard by our
loving Father as prayers.
00:23:54.26\00:23:57.70
Psalms 9:12 tell us
00:23:57.73\00:23:59.95
"He does not forget
the cry of the humble."
00:23:59.98\00:24:05.98
Misplaced priorities
and negligence of prayer
00:24:06.01\00:24:10.84
testified to a life
00:24:10.87\00:24:13.22
that was not fully
surrendered to the Lord.
00:24:13.25\00:24:16.51
I was humbled, it
was time for a change
00:24:16.54\00:24:20.75
and change was in the wind.
00:24:20.78\00:24:23.64
My passion for
His presence surged.
00:24:23.67\00:24:28.48
We're out of time
today but I hope that
00:24:28.51\00:24:32.73
you will join us next
time for the rest of the story
00:24:32.76\00:24:37.04
to see how the Lord moved
00:24:37.07\00:24:39.86
to eradicate my
spiritual apathy.
00:24:39.89\00:24:43.16
You know, I have to tell you
00:24:43.19\00:24:45.91
its a bit embarrassing
to be talking about myself
00:24:45.94\00:24:50.26
but without
sharing this with you--
00:24:50.29\00:24:53.93
I'm not doing it to--
well, it's embarrassing.
00:24:53.96\00:24:58.25
I'm not doing it for my benefit.
00:24:58.28\00:25:00.40
I'm sharing this with you
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.56
so that you can
see how God works.
00:25:02.59\00:25:06.52
I know that at least this
is how He worked in my life
00:25:06.55\00:25:10.17
and He did such an amazing
job, He changed my life totally.
00:25:10.20\00:25:15.43
When He taught me how
to press into His presence
00:25:15.46\00:25:19.31
its something that
I just cannot tell you
00:25:19.34\00:25:24.80
how much today's
church the Laodicean Church
00:25:24.83\00:25:29.45
needs to change
their prayer life.
00:25:29.48\00:25:33.31
If we have a vital prayer
life we will be on fire for God
00:25:33.34\00:25:40.31
and we will be following
00:25:40.34\00:25:41.76
in the
footsteps of Jesus Christ.
00:25:41.79\00:25:44.79
It is something
else to know that really
00:25:44.82\00:25:48.81
we are all in the same--
00:25:48.84\00:25:50.36
we're all in the same condition.
00:25:50.39\00:25:52.68
We all need more of
God. We need to know Him.
00:25:52.71\00:25:57.70
Jesus said in John 17:3,
00:25:57.73\00:26:00.32
this is eternal life to
know the one and only God
00:26:00.35\00:26:05.72
and the one whom
He sent Jesus Christ.
00:26:05.75\00:26:08.81
Let me say a
prayer for you right now
00:26:08.84\00:26:10.90
and please, join us next time.
00:26:10.93\00:26:14.07
Father, we come
in the name of Jesus
00:26:14.10\00:26:17.56
and oh, Lord, how we praise
you Father, for who You are.
00:26:17.59\00:26:23.31
We praise You
Father, for Your love.
00:26:23.34\00:26:26.55
We praise You for the
gifts of Your Son Jesus Christ
00:26:26.58\00:26:31.02
and we praise You
Father, for the gifts
00:26:31.05\00:26:33.15
of Your Holy
Spirit and Your word.
00:26:33.18\00:26:35.48
And Father, I pray
in the name of Jesus
00:26:35.51\00:26:38.59
that You will
forgive us for not being--
00:26:38.62\00:26:45.25
Lord, more humble.
00:26:45.28\00:26:46.70
For not
recognizing that Your plan
00:26:46.73\00:26:48.92
is to be totally
depended upon You.
00:26:48.95\00:26:51.79
We come now in the
name of Jesus asking that
00:26:51.82\00:26:54.02
You would change
our prayer life, Father.
00:26:54.05\00:26:56.29
Change us, O God.
00:26:56.32\00:26:58.66
And we thank
You in advance Lord,
00:26:58.69\00:27:01.26
for the answer to
the prayer of faith.
00:27:01.29\00:27:03.54
In Jesus name, amen.
00:27:03.57\00:27:06.57
Well, next time
we'll be talking about
00:27:06.60\00:27:10.00
how God eradicated this
terrible problem in my life
00:27:10.03\00:27:16.13
and I think
you're going to enjoy it.
00:27:16.16\00:27:18.03
You know, this is
an exciting teaching
00:27:18.06\00:27:20.22
I was-- I always thank God that
00:27:20.25\00:27:23.74
when He teaches me something
I want to ask Him first
00:27:23.77\00:27:28.32
show me how You got me
from point A to point B
00:27:28.35\00:27:32.10
so that I can find my way back.
00:27:32.13\00:27:35.61
I like to share what
God has shared with me
00:27:35.64\00:27:38.70
but I also want to record
it so that we can have a way,
00:27:38.73\00:27:44.78
markers if you will
for me to find my way back.
00:27:44.81\00:27:48.98
Spiritual apathy is really
a dangerous heart condition
00:27:49.01\00:27:54.20
but it is one that if we
turn to God He will eradicated
00:27:54.23\00:27:58.63
and that's what we will
be talking about next time.
00:27:58.66\00:28:01.79
Our prayer for you today
00:28:01.82\00:28:03.43
is that the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:28:03.46\00:28:05.67
the love of the
Father and the fellowship
00:28:05.70\00:28:07.49
of the Holy Spirit
is with you always.
00:28:07.52\00:28:10.22