Coming Into the Presence of God

0:20 In Jesus' name, amen. Here are the thoughts that came to my mind as you guys were praying for me. I thought about food.

0:42 And how, yeah, there's certain restaurants where I just, like I could taste it right now. I hate peanut butter. Sorry. I'm just not, I mean, you know what's weird? The time I like peanut butter, I'm grossed to you, is like on a hot dog.

1:04 I don't know. I fry up a hot dog till it's black and put peanut butter on it. And that's how I like it. Okay. I don't know. So I don't think that's a word from the Lord. But here's what I was saying about food was here was the thought that I had. It's like. even when I don't eat at those two, there's these two really cheap Chinese restaurants in San Francisco that I just love and I go to. And I'm not going to tell you about them because I don't want them to get crowded. And it's hard to find cheap and really good food. And I'm all about cheap.

1:46 But that's not the only time I eat, okay, is when I go to those restaurants. I just, I eat all the time. I love to eat. That's my hunger, you know? And sure, there's times when I want to go to one of these places, but it doesn't mean I don't eat except when I go to those places. And I feel like sometimes we can come to a place like this, and it's like a nice restaurant. And here I am serving up some dishes for you from the Word of God. But if this is all you get, you know, Like, and this is the only way you'll eat the word of God. There's a problem. Okay, you're going to starve. It's going to be a mess. And you got to fall in love with just food in general, because food is good for you. And I want you to be devoted to the apostles' teaching, to the word of God itself, you know? And sometimes we can be devoted to a person or a style.

2:44 And I think that with the worship. I mean, I have loved the worship here, the singing I'm talking about. And the words of these songs, I'm like, man, Andy, you're brilliant. You know, just, no, but the words of these songs, I'm going, I just love singing these songs. I love singing with this band, this leader, you know. And the thing is, though, is what happens when we get home? what happens when we're actually on the mission field do we just stop eating okay it's not perfect it's not everything that you want exactly but you're just going to be starving like it should be your natural reaction to desire the word of god every day to just hunger for it to thirst for it and and it doesn't make sense when people go and worship wasn't that good today or how was worship i mean what makes worship awesome is not the band what makes worship awesome is the object of our worship right and that's why you've got to evaluate worship by, man, what's it like when I'm by myself?

4:03 How is worship when I am by myself? Man, those are some of my best worship times, is no one else is around, and I'm just singing to God by myself. because I'm thinking about who he is. I mean, when Jesus was offering up those prayers with cries, with reverence, that was an awesome worship service. He was thinking about God. He had so much reverence for him, and God listened to him. Okay, so that was the thought that came to my mind as you guys were praying for me, was, what's your worship like? What's your prayer life like? What's your time alone with God like? Because, look, there's no secret to what I do and what my life's been about.

4:57 Man, I remember being in high school, and my youth pastor, I'm so grateful for him. He taught us all to get alone with the word of God every day. taz like 15 16 years old and i'm about to turn 50 no secret no random weird thing in my life that people don't have access to i was just taught at an early age read the word for yourself every day and i remember it was weird because it's like i heard it i understood it but it seemed like a lot of my friends didn't i remember being at summer camp i remember sneaking out of the cabin like at 6 a.m. Why? Because I wanted to be with him. Like there's just some thought of the chance of I can actually be with him. I can talk to him.

5:51 And it was weird because it seemed like other people heard the same thing, but it didn't seem like a big deal to them. This is a big deal. That people don't want to come into the presence of God. and they're happy to hear from a speaker, happy to meet a famous musician. They're happy for this, this, this. And he's just saying, you're just missing it.

6:16 Because why don't people want to go up the mountain themselves? You think about that story of Moses going up to that mountaintop, you know, and he's telling all the people, don't you dare step on this mountain because you'll die. I don't want any animals, any of your animals wandering on the mountain. I'm about to go up in the presence of God. And it talks about the description in Exodus where he's walking up the mountain. Everyone's freaking out because they're seeing lightning and thunder and fire on top of this mountain. And they're seeing a human being walk up this mountain. And everyone's backing away like, man. And every time Moses would speak to God, it says God would answer him in thunder. wait can you imagine sitting at the foot of that that that that mountain and watching a human being walk into the presence of god it's like what i was to see they understood back then you don't go into the presence of god you don't just you don't walk in there you don't touch the sun you don't stand in front of atomic bombs you don't do that and now we're gonna watch is this really going to happen? Is a human being literally going to come into the presence of God? You've got to be kidding me. This is impossible. This hasn't happened since Adam and Eve in the garden, but everything's changed now. And we can't just walk up there. And there goes Moses and everybody's just probably holding their breath going, you've got to be kidding me. Look, he's going up there.

7:49 Look, he's speaking to him. And that one is responding in thunder. And so my friend is calling me on the phone. My mentor is just going, how come that doesn't excite people? How has it become so common that we go, I don't know if I have time. I don't have time to read the word of God. I don't like reading.

8:21 I don't like reading, but I like God a lot. And so I'll read. I don't like suffering, but I love Jesus. I don't like humility, but I love Jesus. So I don't like getting up early, but I love Jesus. Like this isn't like, there's no excuses. is when you desire and you love, you make time for these things.

8:49 You got to understand, like when Moses in Exodus 33, it says in verse seven, Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, and all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door and watch Moses until he went into the tent. And when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend. man that was like this do you get it like like if that's the tent of meeting right there and and he he goes i'm gonna go meet with god everyone goes there goes francis he's heading over to the tent and you would just look at a distance and you would see something come down from heaven and everything you're like a human being is in the presence of god he's living through and he's communicating.

10:08 Like that was a rush. That was like this massive event. He's going to be with God right now. And the thing you've got to understand, man, it was like that Holy of Holies, right? It's like that high priest once a year, if he did everything right, he could enter into that Holy of Holies and just hope he does not die. It's like, man, if you're going in there, you're just going to make sure everything's right. Did we follow every single command? are we sure we sacrifice the right animal we put the blood in the right place because i'm the only one going in there okay and this could be the end of my life but i'm about to approach god oh my gosh need to take a step into that tent into his presence and there were people who died going in there the wrong way because you're entering into the presence of god but nowadays we're too tired and we don't like reading and i just my i have add so i can't pray for very long so you know what let me just go do other things let me watch a podcast or something else and i'm saying you guys this can't be if if we are the ones that god's going to use to change the world then we need to be lovers of jesus okay this is the most important thing that's why i wanted to end with it is if there's nothing else you hear, I am begging you get alone with God every day. Get a tent, get whatever. I mean, I, I, yeah, I, I, I ended up building this little room in my garage. You know, I don't even know how to build. So it was like, man, every day is like, this thing could collapse. But you know, with seven kids and a tiny house and always having people live with us, it's like, I just couldn't get any quiet. And I have to have this. I have to have this. I ended up building a little shed in my backyard just going, hey, no one's allowed in there. Kids, no, no, no. This is sacred. Whatever it is. I remember reading stories of, I think it was Wesley, his wife, who they used to have like tons of kids. And she just knew whenever mom had

12:16 her apron over her head at the kitchen table, you don't bug her. That's her sanctuary. That's all she had is my apron is over my head. Don't you come near me. It's me and God. It's like anyone who's changed the world, it's because they know God. You know, I, another pastor from India once said to him, he goes, he goes, Francis, I've been studying movements of God. I've been studying different movements of God. He goes, you know how movement starts? with every movement, the founder really knows Jesus deeply. he goes, you know when a movement dies, when the followers only know the founder and the followers don't know Jesus deeply.

13:12 we can very easily be like, man, we're a part of Lauren Cunningham's movement. We're a part of YWAM. That's how you kill a movement. is when you connect yourself with an organization or another person rather than Jesus himself. And you're not in that tent of meeting every day. Look, this is not about just being of movement. This is about being a Christian. This is about being... Do you understand what this book is about? Guys, the phrase the Lord gave me a little while ago that came to my mind. I don't want to say it's absolutely the Lord. but it's just that Jesus wants to be your addiction, not your addition.

14:03 Okay, there's a big difference. We live in a time where everyone wants to add Jesus to their life. I want a little religion. I want a little morality. I want to know that I'm going to heaven. I want a salvation. I want this. I want that. But that's different. Addition is different from an addiction. I work with a lot of addicts. addicts don't make any sense right i'm going man do you understand you're going to lose your family over this drug but they go i know and i love my kids and i love my wife but i've gotta have this drug i go you're giving up your kids their future and everything else because you want another drink man there's guys that are starving i'm like look physically you can't make it your about to die let's get you checked in he goes no just one more one more it's this addiction see and as i read scripture and i'm working with addicts i look at scripture and go man these words are the words of addicts it's david saying man i'm in a dry and weary land where there is no water and I want you.

15:17 That's all I want. Like I'm about to dehydrate and die and yet my heart's desire is not water, it's you. There's just one thing I ask. One thing. Psalm 20, this is one thing I ask. It's like I just want to dwell. I just want to be in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. I just want to dwell in your temple and I want to stare at your glory. That's all I want. I just keep praying. My prayer life over and over and over again. God, this is all I want. I just want to be in your presence every single day. It's you. It's you. I'm just so thirsty. If I had a transcript of your prayers for the last month, what would I see as the one thing that you keep asking for? Think about it. Think about your prayer life.

16:10 well what i see is the way is it him see don't you understand that this book cover to cover is about people that were infatuated with him i mean it starts off with what adam and eve and god in the garden. Okay, perfect, right? I mean, can you imagine Adam? I mean, think about this. Just, I try to put myself in Adam's shoes. I never thought about that, but imagine, suddenly you exist, right? That is the weirdest thing to me. Like a grown man suddenly appears. and then there's this being in front of you, and he says, I just made you.

17:12 what do you do you just go so i don't have time for you i don't like to read like like what do you i mean do you just you ever just stop and marvel like no that's not your reaction you're like what am I where did I just from the dirt of the ground you made me and you breathed your breath into me and I'm living now and it's only because of you oh my gosh and all power is in your hands so you can make other people like me and you can turn me right back into dirt you're all that matters Thank you.

18:06 and for him to make Eve saying it's not good for a man to be alone look I'm going to make a man and a woman and I'm going to create you I'm going to give you commands and I've created this paradise for you to live in and you can walk with me You guys, are you jealous right now? what would it be like to be the only man or only woman on the planet in a perfect paradise with the creator? Nothing can get to you, and you can hold hands with him. You can touch him. You can walk with him. is there any fear in you at that moment? Any insecurity?

18:59 Man, I hope that when I describe that, everything in you is like, I wish that was me. I am so jealous for that. Because if there is no jealousy in you right now, then heaven is going to be really boring to you. The new earth is just going to be like, this is the thrill. Don't you understand the book of Revelation is all about everything changing and God says, there's not going to be this chasm between you and me anymore. I'm actually going to dwell among you. I'm going to wipe every tear from your eyes, and I'm there with you again. See? somehow we've missed this in the church. Like this whole book is about knowing him.

19:55 And that's why the people were marveling at Moses. Like, you're going to go there? Because, no, after Adam and Eve sinned, man, don't you understand? That's what messed everything up. And there's a separation with man and God, but God was still pursuing man. And he goes after Abram, and it was just this shock, and that's why everyone like worshipped Abraham back then. It's like, man, he was a friend of God. God pursued him. And you read all through the story of those patriarchs and, you know, stories like Joseph. And it says wherever Joseph was, God was with him. So whatever he did prospered. There was this connection where God would reveal himself to these people. And that's why Moses in Exodus 33, you know, he's saying, God, look, if you don't go with me, I don't want to go. If you don't go with us, I don't want to go. And he's saying, wait, you can have the promised land. Look, look, I, he says there, look, I'll send you, I'll send you into this great land. I'll even send an angel ahead of you to, to get everything out of the way. And Moses, no deal, no deal. I don't care how beautiful that land is. It's you that I want. And if you don't go with me, I'm not going. Do you get that? It's this relationship.

21:17 And it's like, God, I would rather be wherever. I'll go outside the gates and suffer with you, but I got to have you because I'm addicted to you. You're what I want. And that's why Moses would be like, man, it's not about these people. It's not about a land. It's about you, God, and your presence. I need you to go with me. That's why David says, look, the Lord's my shepherd.

21:44 That's why I'm not a needy guy. I don't want, like, he goes, he's my shepherd. The picture we're supposed to paint of the world is we're the sheep and Jesus is our shepherd. we're supposed to be these people that go that's all i need i don't even need other sheep around it's my shepherd and he says you know what you you set a table before me in front of my enemies you're like pouring a drink for me and my cup is overflowing why because i'm with you you're my shepherd and is that the way you feel every morning where you come up go up that mountaintop when you're in the presence of God and going, you're my shepherd. This is unreal. I'm a member of your body. This is a profound mystery. Gosh, I feel like my cup is overflowing. Like I, I'm just like spilling over. That's why I got to give it to someone else. That's the idea.

22:46 I see so many people, even in marriages, like they're, they're just starving and choking each other to death. Why? Because they're not overflowing with the love of God. And that's why we fight and we quarrel. We're trying to fill something that Jesus says, look, I'll fill it. I'll be your shepherd. And if Jesus is your shepherd, then it's like, okay, now take me to the valley of the shadow of death. I'm not going to be afraid you're my shepherd. Whatever suffering I go through is only because you ordained it, but you're my shepherd. Jesus Christ is my shepherd. Think about this. I mean, if you, if this was literal, literal, literal, and I'm a sheep, and the Son of God is literally the shepherd right there, I don't know about you, but I kind of want to go to the valley of the shadow of death just to watch him protect me. You know? I mean, like sometimes I'll speak at an event and they'll actually have bodyguards for me, which is really weird to me.

23:50 But you'll see these two guys like with me and, you know, like the conference will just give me guys, you know, here they give me Andy. But he probably has another hidden talent I don't know about. But just to be honest, I mean, it's just, it's rare, but a couple of times a year, I'll be at some place to go, okay, this guy's your bodyguard. I'm like, bodyguard. But there's just these massive guys. And honestly, I sometimes want someone to try to attack me because I'm like, dang, I want to see what you would do. It's that same idea. He's saying, look, the Lord is my shepherd. So even when I'm walking through the valley of the shadow of death as that sheep, It's like, I'm not worried. His rod, his staff, they comfort me. I'm good. I just look at him right there and go, this is great. The Lord's my shepherd. Man, that type of intimacy. See, this has been my frustration. I hear so many people talking about people and organizations and sermons. And I don't hear people just saying, I was with Jesus this morning.

25:04 I was alone in his word and I was just reading and it was like he was speaking directly to me and I didn't even want to leave I couldn't leave that place it's like Moses in that tent of meeting going man what do you do after that how do you walk down the mountain it's like oh my gosh I was just in the presence of God and now I'm going to go talk to people 했 be appalled oh heavens at this be shocked be utterly desolate declares the lord for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed out cisterns for themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water here's what god says okay picture these words he's in heaven going are you guys watching this are you guys as appalled in evidence like look at i don't understand it completely but he's saying be appalled oh heavens like we're all the angelic beings he's going man look at these people what are they doing he's saying we should be appalled at this oh heavens then look at these two evils that these people down there on the earth are doing number one they've forsaken me they don't want to come up the mountain to meet with me they don't even desire me that the spring of living water but the other evil is they're digging their own cisterns that hold no water it's like they're trying to find fulfillment and all these other things

27:09 see that's at the root of the sin it's not just pursuing the sin itself it's saying no you you actually forsook jesus you're going you're not enough you're my shepherd but i still want so many other things because you're not good enough you're not enough for me and so i'm going to try to find fulfillment and all these other things and God's just going are you seeing this these guys they don't really want to be with me man I'm like the spring of living water man their cups would be overflowing if they just understood what it meant to be a member of the body of Christ and how I could be their shepherd and David how he could be in a dry and weary land and he would just long for me like an addict I just have to have more Jesus more Jesus more Jesus he goes but Look at these people.

28:03 They're trying to find fulfillment in these other things. maybe even the adventure of a mission trip. but it's like, no, it's him. It's like loving him. I remember when I first became a Christian, little lady that told me, you know, this is not a religion. It's a relationship, right? We're all taught that, but then it seemed like our church experiences sometimes made it everything but that, right? And it was about a list of do's or don'ts, or maybe it was about pursuing gifts, or maybe it was about study. These are all necessary things. Maybe it was about service rather than being about loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

28:59 Not just loving theology and the idea that there's a being up there, but actually loving that person himself, okay? where you're going, God, I can't imagine what it was like for Adam and Eve. There they could see you, and I want you to return because I want to see you because you're what I'm after. You fulfill me. You're eternal. You. I'm in a love relationship with Jesus. I'm obsessed with him, the person of God. it's so personal that's why he says he wants your spirit romans 8 to cry out daddy abba oh man is that what happens when you're alone is everything you just cry out daddy oh dad it's you and me again in this tent i gotta tell you about yesterday you already know about yesterday but just I just want to be in this tent with you.

30:03 I'm so tired of being here and not being able to see you. I want you to return. it's like Paul says in Philippians, he goes, everything else is crap compared to the surpassing value of knowing, of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. This is so big. It's gotta be about you knowing him, not you going to a conference, not you hearing a speaker. It's you knowing him. Nothing is better than going up that mountaintop and being with him. yourself. That's when real worship happens. That's when great worship can happen. And from there comes all the overflow. Otherwise, this is going to die. You go, no, we can't die. We've got thousands of people. We've got all these campers. No, it'll die.

30:55 if the followers don't know Jesus and don't long for him and desire him. That's why John, in 1 John, he says, you know, that which we had touched, we saw with our eyes, we heard him with our ears. Man, our hands literally touched him. And he says, he goes, you know what would make my joy complete? Because we have fellowship with God. Like, if you read that beginning of 1 John 1, It's just like, man, we touched him. You're kind of kidding. Jesus was on the earth. I touched him. I heard him with my own human ears. I saw him with these eyes. And now I have fellowship with him. Are you kidding me? I have fellowship with God. Like we are friends. I'm a friend of God. I have fellowship. And he goes, the only thing, the only thing that would make my joy complete is if you also had fellowship with us.

31:53 that's the motivation you get it like we first and foremost are lovers of jesus addicted to his presence and why we do what we do is because this would make our joy complete is if i could see other people being that excited to get in the presence of god it's like i'm coming off the mountain i go you got to get up there you got to go up there you know andy go up there go up there and he comes down and goes you weren't kidding you weren't kidding i was just alone with him and we just keep passing it on and then we go to the nations and go man i was just with him i was with him this morning i was in the presence of god but if we are not those types of people who know how to be with him and love him and adore him then what kind of disciples are we making we have to reproduce lovers of jesus that was the greatest command so that all of us are longing for the return of christ when he comes back and wipes every tear from our eyes.

32:54 You know, the Bible says, that he would entrust people with greater things if they're faithful with the lesser things. And I know we're a part of this because we want to change the world. But I'm saying, have you been faithful with what you've been given first? I mean, I know you're the type that I could say, you guys, this is insane, but I've got a 747 waiting, okay? And there's actually this group of people that speak English on this island that no one's ever heard of. And they've never heard of Jesus and we might get killed.

33:43 But I say, we just go for it. And I feel like there's so many people here that go, are you serious? Let's just go. I've got nothing to lose. I want to lose my life. You would just jump and go, let's just try it. There's a language group that's never heard of Jesus. And we have one window and we might get killed for it. But what else am I going to spend my life on? Right? You guys, I just see it in your eyes. You're like, are you serious? No, this is an analogy, you know, but I see it in your eyes.

34:13 Because that's what we're here for. We want to see that. But he says, you know what? those who are faithful in the smaller things? Are you excited to get up early tomorrow morning and come into the presence of God? If you're not, why would he entrust you with something like that? You know? It's the person who's humble, contrite, who trembles at his word. You can't tremble at his word unless you read his word. You know? Because that's the one I'm going to look to. that I'll probably send him off on some crazy, insane mission. I know I've said a lot of stuff. I'm just about done here. And I know I've said a lot of things that probably you thought, you weren't thinking I would say. You're probably thinking, oh, why am I going to give us a charge to go to the nations?

35:06 Don't waste your life. Yeah, let's go. Everything else. But meanwhile, he's talking about humility. He's talking about character. He's talking about confessing sin. He's talking about really knowing that you're forgiven. You know, it's about wanting to know Christ and this and that. And why is that? And I'll close with this. because 2 Peter 1 says this, he says, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Here's what I want to get at. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge and knowledge with self-control and self-control with steadfastness and steadfastness with godliness and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love.

36:25 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. See, he says, look, God's given you everything. He goes, because of that, he says, you better make every effort toward this type of character. can you have faith that God can do all these things well add to your faith some virtue here how about you get the sin out of your life and add to that some self control that when the temptation there's you and he goes all of these things you add and you add and you add it's all about your character and he says because if these qualities are in you and increasing that's your guarantee that you won't waste your life that you will not live an ineffective life.

37:22 You're here because you don't want to waste your life. But if all you do is pursue mission, you're going to fail. You have to pursue God and the character that he wants. Okay? And that's why God says, look, if you're a humble person, I'm going to use you. Because in fact, my eyes are roaming through the earth looking for that person. So if you're increasing in these qualities, that's the guarantee that you're not going to live an ineffective life. look i've seen it so many times i'm sure lauren has seen it even more times and some of the staff here i have met gifted gifted people who did not work on their character and they lived an ineffective life i have never met a person of character whom god didn't use a person who knows him deeply, humbles himself and knows Jesus. You know, I was telling you about the, the thing I was at with in India where all those leaders were there. And I was asking my mentor after that whole thing of them coming forward and, and they're, you know, the ones that have been in prison, everything else. And I just, I go, Hey, how in the world do you structure this?

38:46 because you say you can name you you have it all listed at three million people and who's being discipled but i go how do you structure this and he looked at me he goes you are so american he goes first thing you want to know is structure strategy he goes here's what i will tell you he goes you know those leaders you were with those men are the most humble men I know and those men know Jesus so deeply because that's it he goes how did this happen this happened this happened he goes I don't know but I know what I did I chose the most humble people I could find that really knew Jesus and we just kept multiplying that and that's how this happened it was a move of God they know him and they're humble people see that's where this has got to start and that's why I shared what I shared I believe the Lord led me down this path because if we don't have that character you're going to be ineffective okay this is a time for building you so that you can be effective out in the world.

40:15 That's why we've got to repent. We've got to start seeking him. And so this is my last time with you. And it's a bummer, you know, for me too. You know, who knows? Who knows where the Lord leads? But that's a good thing. You know? Because that's what I don't want people to get addicted to. You know? It's like I've just come off a mountaintop and all I'm doing is telling you, go up there. And that's our job. That's my job. I tell you, oh man, it was insane. I talked to him. I even got a son-in-law out of it. Like it just, this is ridiculous. My life is ridiculous because I know him. And so all I'm telling you is don't get addicted to me or anyone else on this platform. We've just come off the mountaintop and told you, this has to be your first addiction.