His Presence Is My Pursuit — Shane Idleman

His Presence Is My Pursuit

We can discuss. The title is His Presence is My Pursuit. His Presence is My Pursuit. I don't know if you have screens here like we do where I'm from so I might say things that aren't. Sometimes I say good evening when we have an evening service or good morning and and so just bear with me.

It's fun to preach in new environments and just want to thank the elders for trusting me to do this because we take the Word of God seriously and I know you do too and just allowing someone to speak to the congregation is not only a privilege it's an honor.

Surrender and the Pursuit of God's Presence

But this topic His Presence is My Pursuit and when he mentioned the introduction I all of this I'm gonna share right now is not in any of my notes I don't know if it's gonna help anybody but it was when I decided to fully surrender my life to the Lord that he filled me with his spirit and I began to pursue him like never before and so that's where the the books come from and the articles and the speaking it's not me I actually barely graduate high school.

Dyslexia, learning disability, a speech impediment came from the hard-working construction background but God has to break a man before he uses him and out of that poured the books and articles and the speaking and the messages I feel that God puts on my heart.

The reason why that is so significant is because you'd be amazed at what God does with humility. You plus God is the majority and you have to become a pursuer of his presence seeking the presence of God and we're actually coming up on the Halloween night we are having church every single night of the week where I'm at where I pastor and we're gonna stop when God tells us to stop.

We're that hungry to hear from God. Guys in these dire times our only hope is another spiritual awakening. That's our only hope and so when times are dark I actually get a little excited because God usually breathes his breath of revival and spiritual awakening on those who are hungry and thirsty and desperate for more of him.

So this topic his presence his presence is my pursuit and maybe I should clarify it because someone with a conservative background I have the MacArthur study Bible you know but but but the power of the Spirit has changed my life and so I'd want to rightly divide the word of truth but also be open to the fire of the Spirit because you can be straight as a gun barrel theologically and just as empty.

I believe you have all of the Holy Spirit at conversion but does he have all of you? That's the difference. That's the defining moment and that's why many people years later Dio Moody, Oswald Chambers, John Bunyan, John Wesley, me they received a mighty filling of the Holy Spirit years later after full surrender took place because if we're not fully surrendering we're quenching and grieving the Spirit of God.

Somebody by the name of John Owen he was a Puritan he was a theologian he would come and listen to John Bunyan who was what they would consider a tinker. What was a tinker? He would work on metal. Today construction worker.

Kind of the same thing and you have this this astute John Owen this incredible professor this Bible teacher PhD in divinity and and very knowledgeable actually the works of John Owens I have them you can read them this this my guys mind is amazing but I think it was Charles the second came to him the king and said why John Owen do you go and listen to this tinker?

And he said oh king I would give up all of my education if I could preach with the fire of God that that man has. That God would lay a hold of my heart like he has laid a hold of his heart. The passion and the fire of God I would give up everything to have that and those things set the tone for our nation getting the pulpits aflame again with the righteousness of Christ.

I'm gonna step on a lot of toes I'm just getting getting started here but in a nice way speaking the truth and love correct because I love God's people. I love pastors. I might be speaking a large pastors event next year and my heart is for God's people to pursue his presence and we know and people get a little confused on this topic.

God's Omnipresence and His Manifest Presence

We know that God is everywhere what theologians call omnipresence of God clearly he's at a rock concert in Hollywood. I mean the manifest presence of God that the who God is where he's at. There's not any place where David said where can I go to flee his presence.

If I descend into hell behold he is there if I make my bed in hell if I go to the uttermost parts of the the ends of the world he is there. But there is something incredible and life-changing when the presence of God wrecks you and fills you there.

I've been in services where I couldn't keep preaching because the tangible presence of God was real just even Sunday people started coming to the altar before I was even done with the message the power of God.

Folks we need that like never before we need the presence of God and we need to pursue that presence of God not in arrogance but in humility and brokenness. And it was Moses who said show me your glory.

I don't know about you but that doesn't scare me God show me your glory. Come down and visit your people again. Isaiah cried Oh God. Would you rend the heavens and rip them open and come down and visit your people again that the mountains might shake at your presence.

And if the Prophet cried it then I can cry it now. The presence of God. I love studying revivals seventeen sixteen hundred seventeen hundreds in Wales and Scotland. Duncan Campbell New Hebrews first Great Awakening Whitfield Edwards Wesley are that they my heart beats with them.

And every time God would bring a powerful move of his spirit it's because men and women were humble and broken and prayed up. And dare I say it they fasted. King's stomach didn't sit on the throne. They would seek the heart of God.

There was a desperation to hear from God. And then God would honor. He says at the cries of my children is that the cries of my children. They are hung. If my people not Hollywood not Washington. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and cry out and seek my face.

See there is there is a cure to what's going on. I was on a couple radio interviews this week and they said how can you live in California. Or they're amazed. I'm in California I guess. But I'm like hey God still loves all the states.

And I warned my friends as California go so goes the nation. So you better get on your face before God now. And God puts us in those dark areas to make the brightest light shine. Joshua I love Joshua.

He lingered in the presence of God in the tent. It was incredible. Isaiah. Many of you know the story of Isaiah when he when God called him he said it was in the year King Uzziah died. I saw the Lord high and lifted up and the train of his row filled the entire temple.

He said I can't even see I'm a man of un. I've unclean lips and I dwell among the people of unclean lips. But my eyes have seen the king. I've experienced the presence and power of God. And God says now I can use you see the reason sometimes church seems boring and dead is because we've quenched and grieved the Spirit of God.

Seeking God When His Presence Is Not Felt

Now let me just give you a caveat before I get into mark 14. Pursuing God's presence doesn't always mean filling his presence. Pursuing God's presence doesn't mean like you're always going to fill it and there's a big you know there's no debates out there.

I don't want to get into a lot of this. But for some reason they think when you experience God or emotionally engaged worship is bad. But God designed us with emotions. When I hold my little baby my firstborn that's here.

I'm like oh well that's great. What's next. There was there was emotions engaged when you get married. When you experience guys it's a God-given emotions. But as D Martin Lloyd Jones says you don't interpret scripture by your emotions.

But you interpret your emotions through scripture. They are the caboose not the train. And so you're not always going to fill the presence and power of God. I've got to pursue him and persevere. He is a rewarder of those who half-heartedly seek him.

Anyone catch that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. And that word there in the Greek is like a little water hitting a rock. That diligence over time begins to wear it down and God says I'm a rewarder of those who diligently seek him even when you don't feel like it.

I'm gonna get up and come to church I'm gonna worship you. I'm gonna I'm gonna turn off social junk tonight and get on my face before you and open your word Lord. I know you're gonna answer because you are.

You honor your word above anything else. So it's not about feelings it's about persevering. And so that's the backdrop that we find herself in Mark 14. His presence is my pursuit. It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Passover Lamb and Deliverance from Bondage

And I have to be careful. I found myself camping out here for about 15 minutes just on that one sentence. Because if you talk about the Passover and how significant it is you know 1 ,300 years later from the original Passover here's Jesus the final Passover lamb.

And it's just it's just mind-boggling when you look at it theologically but and I'll get to a little bit at the end. But this was a time the Passover when they would remember their deliverance from Egypt they they were in bondage bondage and they were delivered by God.

And the final nail in the coffin is when God said make sure you take the blood of the lamb and put it over the doorpost. And when the death angel goes by he will pass over your home. And then of course we see the application with Jesus.

Whoever puts the blood on it whoever puts the blood on it the Passover. That's that that the the final sacrifice a final Passover lamb that was shed for our sins. But there's interesting here and I'm careful of scripture because I don't like to just oh let me just pull something out of this that's not really revelant.

It's called eisegesis not exegesis. You're speaking something in a text. It's not there. I don't want to do that. But I don't want to miss this point either. When we're talking about his presence and pursuing God and they are remembering their deliverance from their bondage.

Let me tell you I know there's bondage deep in this room. There's bondage people listening strongholds addictions. The opiate crisis is out of control. The alcoholism sense of kovat all the addictions are strongholds.

Pursuing his presence can lead to victory. Who can break every chain. Who can defeat every stronghold. It might be a struggle it might be challenging but the more you begin to pursue God you're filled the Spirit of God.

And that begins to push out the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life. Pursuing God can break those strongholds break the strongholds of addiction and bondage. Intimacy with Christ can break that.

And of course we keep reading and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him. For they said not during the feast lest there be an uproar from the people. Now this is interesting.

Obviously they knew they couldn't take him during the feast. The people loved Jesus and they said we need to do this in the in the in the silent time of the day not when people are paying attention. And why were they so upset.

Why were they so upset. Well it's a good reminder for us as well. The truth offends. The truth offends. Remember that in our culture today everybody's worried. I don't want to offend. I don't want to offend.

I don't want to offend. Listen. Many years ago I decided I don't care who I fend as long as I don't offend God. We're so worried about not offending and upsetting. But we have we talked to consider that we might be offending God.

Now your attitude shouldn't offend correct. But the truth of God the absolute truth of God is offensive. And when Jesus said I am the way the life the truth nobody comes with father except through me.

He said so many things that were so true. And yet it offended the religious leaders it exposed their hypocrisy. And so on this topic of pursuing his presence. Remember this real intimacy is always. If you want to have a real intimate passionate relationship with God doesn't mean you're free of challenges.

Hello. Sometimes it brings more challenges. I know I got the enemy has got an AR -15 on my heart ready to take this guy out. I got it. I live like that. That's the life I have to live. Staying close to the Savior to keep the enemy at bay.

But to real intimacy the one true and living God. Your relationship has to be anchored in the truth. You have to come to realization that there is only one truth there is no plan B and that is where your your intimacy with God is anchored.

Because without the truth what do we have. Theory conjecture. A good idea many different opinions. And I don't know where you're at this morning or where we're maybe even listening to this where you're at.

But at some point you got to wrestle wrestle with the fact that God's Word is truth and I embrace it today doesn't mean you understand everything. I'm kind of glad I don't could you imagine if we understood everything why did God do this.

Why this why this. But just it's called faith. And we agree on the essentials. And it's so important this is so important. I don't know how many of you have ever heard the name Charles Templeton. Any hands.

Oh there's a few. Okay. Well they said he was going to be a better preacher than Billy Graham. Youth for youth for a mission. I believe it was. Or why wham or one of those. And he began to drift away into moral into actually liberalism begin to question God's Word.

And that influence began to make Billy question his faith. And he finally got to a point said Lord I can't keep doing this. I'm double-minded. I have no passion. I don't want to preach. And he put his Bible the citizens biography on it on a tree stump and said I believe this is the Word of God.

And that man was a changed man from that day forward. We hear of him because of that decision he made. And it's not too far about an hour up in those mountains that that decision was made. Believe over by Lake Arrowhead right wood area.

And we see the absolute necessity especially right now in our culture the absolute necessity of standing on the Word of God and God's Word alone. I better hurry. I'm gonna be here a while if I don't put on put on the fast-forward version here.

Brokenness, Cost, and Wasted Worship

And verse 3. And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper as he was reclining at a table a woman came with an alabaster. Alabaster flax of ointment of pure nard very costly. And she broke the flax and poured it over his head.

The Bible talked about it preparing his body for burial with his his crucifixion coming up in the burial and the resurrection coming up. But I was reminded on this point that intimacy has a cost. Intimacy has a cost a year's worth of salary.

There's a cost to follow Christ. You're not gonna look the same. You're not gonna be able to hang out with the boys all the time and and and not talk about Jesus. There's a cost. Things have got to go in order that God can be on the center stage.

God has got to be put on the front burner not the back burner. There's a cost to knowing God. And I gave a message a while back titled the blessing of brokenness. The blessing of brokenness. It's interesting.

The flax had to be broken in order for that oil to flow out. And I will submit to you that needs to happen in our nation today. Much more brokenness much more humility. AW Tozer said it's it's doubtful that God will use a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply until he has broken him.

Also why this is so important is the cost. This cost a great deal. The cost reveals our desperation. Correct. The is what I'm willing to pay or what I'm willing to do in this case reveals my desperation.

Could could you imagine if we got desperate again for God desperate for his presence. Oh let's have an all-night prayer meeting. Let's get here at 6 a .m. Sunday morning. Let's cry out to God. Let's fast for a day or two and become so desperate Lord.

I'm gonna turn off social media and begin to bury my face into your word. I'm desperate to hear from you. God says that's the type of sacrifice. I will not cast away he who has a broken and contrite heart.

And there were some there oh this has not changed. Verse 4 and 5. There were some there who said to themselves indignantly indignant sorry. I gave you a warning up front speech is not my my brain reads three sentences down already.

But there were some who said to themselves why was this ointment. I think God keeps me humble that way too. Why was this ointment wasted like that. For this ointment could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor.

And they scolded her. There is they scolded her. Let me tell you today if I just came here for no other reason I'll be safe to say this. There is no such thing as wasted worship. There is no such thing as wasted worship.

You're saying I'm praying for my son. I'm praying for my daughter. I'm praying for my marriage. I'm praying for this church. And it seems like God is not hearing all be careful. God is not on your timetable.

God says if you seek me you will find me. If you search for me for all of your heart waited waiting time is not wasted time. There's no such thing as wasted worship. But what really stood out to me is the fact that this offended people.

Did you know his presence offends people. One of the greatest lessons I've ever learned planning the church 12 years ago is that the main critics this is gonna blow your mind. The main crit are you ready for this one.

The main critics the main critics I'm gonna get him after this message to who don't like this concept of the deeper life or pressing in or God's presence are always Christians. This Sunday while I'm gone to third he's in.

He's here from England. We've had an atheist at our service for three weeks in a row. He said there's something just draws me here. These services are nice. There's something I'm hungry. There's something here atheist proud of it.

What is that. The Spirit of God drawing. But then if we're not careful the critics say you know what. That music is too emotional. They just sang that lyric for four minutes. Isn't that brainwashing. The angels cry holy holy holy is our God.

I'm sure more than just once folks see we've missed seeking the presence of God. Sometimes we'll go an hour and worship just seeking the presence of God. The altar full. Desperate people do desperate things.

Don't we. We're desperate. Listen. Unless God comes our nation the Titanic's been hit and our nation is in turmoil. Our state is in turmoil. And God says just if my people humble themselves and come in they get desperate.

That remove. That means removing the things that are pulling us away from God. And there's a there's a pursuit. There's a hunger for God more than the things of this world. Isn't it true. Pride prevents intimacy.

Pride, Humility, and Spiritual Formation

Pride prevents intimacy. Hope this helps someone. Because it's not my notes. Again a lot of stuff not my notes. So I usually have a skeleton. Let just God put things on my heart hoping it's him obviously praying.

But I want to share with you 2005 I came back to the Lord 1999 my testimonies online and just started to pour into God's Word. I couldn't stop reading. I went from. I can't read. I wasn't a good reader.

I didn't like reading. I like magazines with pictures to now devouring. You know systematic theology. Wayne Grudem Spurgeon the Puritans you name it. I was just reading and guess what came from that. Lots of humility.

No lots of arrogance. My mom said Shane your family doesn't want to be around you. And I was mad and I began to just weep. A week later what happened. Knowledge puffed up. Oh I can break down pneumatology eschatology soteriology my my inductive and deductive.

And my media approach to sermon preparation. Let me tell you about my hermeneutics and my homiletics. I was not a broken man and God begins to break you. About that time I stumbled upon my wife's journal come to find out.

She left it open on purpose and said I married. I married a controlling man who knows a lot but he's not loving. I was so mad. After a three-hour drive I got back and I repented. I apologized and God began to break me and break.

No he wasn't done. A couple years later I was in the prayer room and 18 year old girls crying. I said how can I help. You goes. I struggle with same-sex attraction. But the way you preach made me feel so bad.

I said I'm so sorry. And I begin to understand loving the person but fighting the agenda. And God began to break me. See it's where does the perfume come from. In a flower. It's got to be broken and crushed.

Where does the olive oil come in. Ask the olive how it feels the breaking and the crushing. And pride prevents intimacy. You see I had head knowledge. I could quote famous Puritans. I could break down all these things.

You have a really good memory. People don't like that so much theology but no brokenness. That's why I said straight as a gun barrel but just as empty. And I thank God I didn't pastor a church then cuz I would have heard a lot of people.

Pride prevents intimacy. Folks this is the big problem in America. I think it's November 5th on a Saturday we have a sister Sarah coming from the persecuted church in China. Six years in a Chinese prison.

To last time there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It's just amazing. So I'm praying for you should say Shane I'm praying for you. America is so arrogant so filled with pride. You see our blessing has become a curse.

And pride prevents intimacy. Folks you've have to humble yourself. Pride can't be corrected. Did you know that pride can't be corrected. Pride elevates itself instead of lowers itself. Pride boasts instead of breaks.

And that's why I told him I don't want. I don't want to know. You don't have to say what Shane. I don't was done because I actually haven't done anything. The Holy Spirit of God through a broken person says Lord whatever you want to do whatever you want to do I'll do it.

I don't want to know church attendance. I don't want to know. I just want God to fill me with the Spirit. And I want that fire to be contagious and hit the hit the pew. Pride is the greatest hindrance to a spiritual breakthrough.

And I see that in our nation so many people are angry. Right and rightly so but they're not broken. They're ticked off. But they're not humble. Big difference. Big difference. I'm gonna have to just hurry through this a little bit.

The Humbling of Religious Knowledge

But I want to tell you the story I told last Sunday. I had her for a long time. It's so important on this issue of pride. A man by the name of double WP Nicholson. Any Presbyterians in here. By the way it's all one body.

So Presbyterians he was a very well-known Presbyterian. I think a hundred years ago. And there was another man named daft Jimmy. And that word daft was not a good word. Just you know good old Jimmy. And so WP Nicholson was high up in the Presbyterian Church.

And oh they would bow to him. What a great teacher. He had it. He had the five points of Calvinism down. He could quote told depravity unconditional election limited atonement irresistible grace perseverance of the Saints.

And let me tell you exactly how this works. And such a great theologian. But he knew he was missing the power presence of God in his life. He knew it. And one day he's walking down the street and here comes daft Jimmy with the Salvation Army tambourines.

And the WP saw them. He said oh how can I get away from you. And they said WP Nick we know you. You're that great teacher. Would you come and pray with us. So he's always praying. He's got one eye open.

You ever done that. You know looking around is embarrassed. And he knew God was convicting him. God was convicting him. The prayer was over. It's okay. Made it through that daft Jimmy said here's a tambourine.

Would you walk with us down the street praising our Lord. And at that moment he had to make a decision. Do I humble myself and stop thinking smoke more highly of myself than I should. Or should I continue to live my pride.

He humbled himself and it's an incredible story. He was then called the thunder of the pulpit. God see God. God flows in and fills broken vessels. Humble vessels. They say Lord I need you. I meditate on this sermon so much this week Lord I need you.

I don't want to just go there and give my opinion. I want to hear from God. It's been said that God has to break a man and cleanse a man before he can fill a man the power. This isn't that what our pulpits need today.

Let me just do a quick little detour. The pulpits of America need to be aflame with righteousness again. Calling people to repentance. Calling people to desperation on God. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.

In due time he will exalt you. When we begin to exalt ourself we actually God abases us. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble pride elevates it elevates self. It doesn't lower. It's in God's kingdom to go high.

You got to go low. To go up you got to go down. And pride is is deadly. Many of us love to quote the famous scripture in 2nd Chronicles. If my people what stay prideful. I got you thinking now if my people humble themselves humble themselves get on their face before me and say God I humble myself.

I'm praying. I'm seeking you like never before that word seek in there in the Hebrew is actually bakash. It means to seek as if you lost your child. Now parallel that was seeking God. I've lost my child.

I brought my three-year-old. Where is it. You think I would keep speaking. You think I'd go the bathroom. You think I'd say hey let me get something. Then I'll come back. No. I would end the service right now when I would find that child.

And that's the same type of seeking off. You seek me with all of your heart with all of your strength I will be found by you. We need to get back to that kind of pursuing that kind of seeking that heart-wrenching pursuit of God.

Spiritual Awakening and the Calling of the Pulpit

Is that not true. Anybody heard the name Alex de Tocqueville. It's he's credited with saying this. They can't exactly find it. But he wanted to find out why America was so great in the 1800s. He's a Frenchman and he came to America and he said I searched her boundless prairies and her fertile fields.

And it was not there. I looked in her vast world commerce and it was not there he said it was not until I went to the churches of America and I realized that her pulpits were aflame with righteousness.

That's when I understood that America is great because she is good. If she ever ceases to be good she will cease to be great when God can captivate. See the pulpit. I believe God has called pastors to be this thermostat and thermometer for the nation.

Did you know that the pulpit used to give political sermons. You want to get controversial. They would speak about issues and candidates and things. And and the church used to be that voice of truth and say this is wrong.

Now we've become so politically correct that we want to make sure our message doesn't offend the world. But in the meantime it's offending God. Because when you get filled with the fire of God you can be mild meek whatever.

But you will be bold. Being filled with the Spirit is not weirdness. It's actually boldness. The number one fruit of someone being filled the Spirit is boldness. Jesus said go and wait until you receive power from on high.

And you will be my witness. And say you're gonna do weird things. You'll be witnesses. But Jesus said let leave her alone. He rebuked them. Thank God. Why do you trouble her. She's done a beautiful thing.

And I was reminded that God is our defense. No matter what you're going through God is your defense. And he said for you always have the poor with you and whenever you want you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.

And so what I glean from this is the urgency of intimacy. The urgency. Did you know the Bible throughout Scripture there's an urgency. It's never putting it off. You ever read. You know next week is the day of salvation.

Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to pursue God like never before. Hebrew says three times when you hear his heart. When you hear his conviction when you hear him drawing you hard and not your heart.

There's all pursue. There's a hunger for more of God it. There's an there's an urgency. And you know what maybe I should you know people comment off and like mention you get a little too excited and interrupt the volume a little bit.

But shouldn't you be excited when the power of God is moving and filling and repairing marriages and bringing the prodigal sons home. I get up 22 years now by 3 3 4 in the morning. That's my time with God this morning 3 30.

I just I have to. I have to hear from God. I have to put on worship and say God break me in order to fill me. Use me. The irony is when I came back to the Lord I was a motivational speaker. I would get surveys like how did you like our speaker rate from 1 to 10.

And my goal is not to upset anybody. And God just completely changed my plans on that one. He just wrecked it. Because often now when you're preaching if you don't like what I'm saying it's probably because you need to hear what I'm saying.

Obedience, Repentance, and the Cost of Following Christ

She has done what she could listen to this guy she has done what she could just do what you can. But Shane I don't have. I don't have a ministry like you. And but you know what this started actually at the LAX Hilton in 2008.

I'm in construction. I went and heard David Barton and a lot of people talk about things. And and I heard for the first time ever partial birth abortion. I went back and I cried myself to sleep and I said Lord if you give me a voice.

If you give me a voice I will be bold I will be loving. And he took that commitment and he began to use that to honor my prayer. He'll take the least. As a matter of fact he takes the least likely. I love me.

What. What seminary did you go to a school of hard knocks. Wait a minute. You didn't graduate from the upper echelons of a university with the PhD in divinity. I know I don't have a master's degree but I have a degree from the master.

Can we kiss now hold on hold on. Big disclaimer. The master degree is in here and the PhDs if you can do it do it. I'm not against it. I'm just saying we have to be careful how by how we measure success and what we are counting on.

That's incredible. This lady chose worship over work. Guys the more I seek him the more I find him. The more you find him the more you'll seek him. There's a hunger. Oftentimes you're not hungry for God.

That's why repentance is so important. You ever hear hear that word. If you just listen to radio or TV nowadays you don't hear that word very much. Repentance is a beautiful thing. It means changing the way I'm going and realigning with God's Word.

And that read that repentance can open the door a lot of times. It's pressing in pressing in pressing. And even when you don't feel like it we just Amazon Prime just you can put in my name and just put fasting movie.

Amazon Prime just picked up a 40-day documentary on fasting. We did. I went on a 40-day fast and I didn't like it. But the fruit that follows is amazing. I want to quit so many times say Lord sustain me.