From Proximity to Intimacy: Experiencing God's Presence
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Prestonwood. Today, we explored the profound difference between proximity and intimacy in our relationships, particularly with God. Drawing from James 4, we delved into the concept of God's omnipresence versus His manifest presence. While God's omnipresence means He is everywhere at all times, His manifest presence is when He shows up in a tangible, undeniable way. This is the kind of presence that transforms lives and churches.
We discussed how easy it is to go through the motions of Christianity—attending church, reading the Bible, and praying—without truly experiencing God's presence. This is akin to being in proximity to God without having intimacy with Him. We were created for intimacy with God, to experience His power and presence in our lives. However, sin and distractions often create a gap between us and God, leading to a lack of His manifest presence.
James 4:8 calls us to "draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." This is a call to prayer, not just as a means to get things from God, but to experience more of Him. Prayer should be about pursuing God's manifest presence, not just presenting our requests. When we seek God earnestly, He promises to show up in our lives.
We also touched on the importance of honest confession and humble repentance. Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and hinders our intimacy with God. Therefore, we must come before God with genuine repentance, confessing our sins specifically and seeking His forgiveness. This posture of humility and brokenness attracts God's presence and power in our lives.
In my own journey, I experienced a season of darkness and depression, which led me to a deeper understanding of the need for God's manifest presence. Through honest confession and humble repentance, I found renewal and saw God move powerfully in my life and ministry. This is the invitation for all of us today: to draw near to God with honest hearts and humble spirits, and He will draw near to us.
### Key Takeaways
1. Proximity vs. Intimacy with God: It's possible to be close to God in proximity—attending church, reading the Bible, praying—without experiencing true intimacy with Him. Intimacy requires engaging deeply with God, beyond just going through the motions. This is essential for a fulfilling Christian life. [30:58]
2. Omnipresence vs. Manifest Presence: God's omnipresence means He is everywhere at all times, but His manifest presence is when He shows up in a tangible, undeniable way. This is the kind of presence that transforms lives and churches, and it's what we should seek earnestly. [33:32]
3. Prayer as Pursuit of God's Presence: Prayer should not be merely transactional, a means to get things from God. Instead, it should be about pursuing God's manifest presence. When we seek God earnestly in prayer, He promises to show up in our lives. [39:50]
4. Honest Confession and Humble Repentance: Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and hinders our intimacy with God. We must come before God with genuine repentance, confessing our sins specifically and seeking His forgiveness. This posture attracts God's presence and power. [57:12]
5. Experiencing God's Manifest Presence: To experience God's manifest presence, we must draw near to Him with honest hearts and humble spirits. This involves a continual posture of honest confession and humble repentance, which allows us to experience more of God's power and presence in our lives. [01:08:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:16] - Introduction and Personal Connection
[30:13] - Proximity vs. Intimacy in Relationships
[30:58] - Proximity Doesn't Equal Intimacy
[31:46] - Created for Intimacy with God
[32:32] - Omnipresence of God
[33:32] - Manifest Presence of God
[34:24] - Biblical Examples of Manifest Presence
[35:07] - Old Testament Examples
[35:55] - New Testament Examples
[36:46] - Personal Testimony of Desperation
[37:57] - Church Without God's Presence
[39:02] - James 4:8 - Draw Near to God
[39:50] - Prayer as Pursuit of God's Presence
[40:35] - Disconnect Between Church and Jesus
[41:25] - Christians Drifting Away
[42:25] - Transactional Prayer
[43:07] - Door Dash Praying
[44:18] - Moses' Desire for God's Presence
[44:59] - God's Promise Without His Presence
[45:37] - Desire for More of God
[46:15] - Jesus' Invitation for Rest
[46:57] - Andrew Murray on Prayer
[48:08] - God's Promise to Draw Near
[48:45] - Heart of the Gospel
[49:30] - Jesus' Sacrifice for Intimacy
[50:05] - Curtain Torn in the Temple
[50:56] - Experiencing Heaven on Earth
[51:47] - Personal Story of Darkness
[52:35] - Recognizing the Problem
[53:11] - Breaking Moment
[53:54] - Wrestling with God
[54:44] - Leading the Church to Pray
[55:33] - Encouragement to Seek God's Presence
[56:27] - Honest Confession
[57:12] - Dealing with Sin
[58:11] - Grieving the Holy Spirit
[59:26] - Impact of Sin on Intimacy
[01:00:11] - Journey Back Home
[01:01:14] - Honest and Specific Confession
[01:02:07] - Genuine Repentance
[01:03:35] - Humble Repentance
[01:04:07] - Brokenness Over Sin
[01:05:10] - God Attracted to Weakness
[01:06:29] - Exaltation of Christ
[01:07:30] - Distance to Spiritual Breakthrough
[01:08:15] - Posture of Christian Life
[01:09:52] - Invitation to Respond
[01:10:58] - Honest Confession and Humble Repentance
[01:11:38] - Call to Action
[01:12:16] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 4:8-10 (ESV) - "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does James 4:8-10 instruct believers to do in order to draw near to God?
2. According to the sermon, what is the difference between God's omnipresence and His manifest presence? ([33:32])
3. How did the pastor describe his personal experience with the manifest presence of God during his season of darkness? ([36:46])
4. What are the two main actions James 4:8-10 calls believers to take in their pursuit of God's presence? ([56:27])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to distinguish between proximity to God and intimacy with God, as discussed in the sermon? ([30:58])
2. How does the concept of God's manifest presence change the way we approach prayer, according to the sermon? ([39:50])
3. What role does honest confession and humble repentance play in experiencing God's manifest presence? ([57:12])
4. How does the pastor's personal testimony illustrate the impact of seeking God's manifest presence on one's life and ministry? ([36:46])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own prayer life. Do you find that your prayers are more transactional or relational? How can you shift your focus to seeking God's presence rather than just His blessings? ([42:25])
2. The pastor mentioned that sin grieves the Holy Spirit and hinders our intimacy with God. Are there specific sins or distractions in your life that you need to confess and repent of to draw nearer to God? ([57:12])
3. How can you incorporate the practice of honest confession and humble repentance into your daily routine to maintain a close relationship with God? ([56:27])
4. The sermon emphasized the importance of seeking God's manifest presence in our lives and churches. What steps can you take to prioritize this pursuit in your personal life and within your church community? ([55:33])
5. The pastor shared his experience of leading his church to pray and seek God's presence. How can you encourage and participate in similar prayer initiatives within your church or small group? ([54:44])
6. Think about a time when you felt distant from God. What actions did you take, or could you take, to draw near to Him and experience His presence more fully? ([39:02])
7. How can you support others in your small group or church who may be struggling to experience God's presence in their lives? What practical steps can you take to walk alongside them in their journey? ([36:46])
Devotional
Day 1: Proximity vs. Intimacy with God
Description: It's possible to be close to God in proximity—attending church, reading the Bible, praying—without experiencing true intimacy with Him. Intimacy requires engaging deeply with God, beyond just going through the motions. This is essential for a fulfilling Christian life. Many believers find themselves in a routine of religious activities, yet they feel a void because they haven't truly connected with God on a deeper level. This distinction between proximity and intimacy is crucial for a vibrant spiritual life. [30:58]
James 4:8 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
Reflection: Think about your current spiritual practices. Are you merely going through the motions, or are you genuinely seeking intimacy with God? What steps can you take today to move from proximity to intimacy in your relationship with Him?
Day 2: Omnipresence vs. Manifest Presence
Description: God's omnipresence means He is everywhere at all times, but His manifest presence is when He shows up in a tangible, undeniable way. This is the kind of presence that transforms lives and churches, and it's what we should seek earnestly. While God's omnipresence is a comforting truth, His manifest presence brings a deeper, life-changing experience. This is the presence that Moses sought on Mount Sinai and that filled the temple in the days of Solomon. It is the presence that brings revival and renewal. [33:32]
Exodus 33:14 (ESV): "And he said, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'"
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's manifest presence in your life. What were the circumstances, and how did it impact you? How can you seek more of His manifest presence in your daily walk?
Day 3: Prayer as Pursuit of God's Presence
Description: Prayer should not be merely transactional, a means to get things from God. Instead, it should be about pursuing God's manifest presence. When we seek God earnestly in prayer, He promises to show up in our lives. This shift in perspective transforms prayer from a list of requests to a heartfelt pursuit of God's heart. It aligns our desires with His and opens the door for deeper communion with Him. [39:50]
Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Reflection: Consider your current prayer life. Is it more transactional or relational? What changes can you make to ensure your prayers are focused on seeking God's presence rather than just presenting requests?
Day 4: Honest Confession and Humble Repentance
Description: Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and hinders our intimacy with God. We must come before God with genuine repentance, confessing our sins specifically and seeking His forgiveness. This posture attracts God's presence and power. Honest confession and humble repentance are not just about admitting wrongs but about a heartfelt turning back to God. This process cleanses our hearts and restores our fellowship with Him. [57:12]
1 John 1:9 (ESV): "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on any unconfessed sin in your life. What specific steps can you take today to come before God with honest confession and humble repentance?
Day 5: Experiencing God's Manifest Presence
Description: To experience God's manifest presence, we must draw near to Him with honest hearts and humble spirits. This involves a continual posture of honest confession and humble repentance, which allows us to experience more of God's power and presence in our lives. This ongoing process keeps our hearts tender and open to God's work in us, leading to a deeper, more transformative relationship with Him. [01:08:15]
Psalm 51:17 (ESV): "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a continual posture of honest confession and humble repentance in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to draw nearer to God and experience more of His manifest presence?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Proximity doesn't necessarily equal intimacy. That you can be around someone and even share moments with them, but not necessarily be engaging and encountering, experiencing, the relationship like it's supposed to be. And that's not just true in marriage. That's true in our relationship with God." [30:58] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God's presence. We were created for intimacy with him. We were created to experience him and to enjoy fellowship, to experience his power and his presence in our life. But far too often we go through the motions of Christianity without experiencing the very reason we were created and redeemed." [31:46] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Prayer is not primarily about us getting stuff from God. It's about us experiencing God. It's about us encountering him and pursuing him, experiencing him in a very real way." [42:25] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Rest for the soul is not found in Jesus giving us the things that we need. It's experiencing him. That's why the invitation is, hey, if you're weary and you're burdened and you're beat down and you don't know what to do in the future, come to me. Why? Because when you have me, you have absolutely everything." [46:57] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God promises to give us his manifest presence when we pursue him. Isn't that a great promise? That not only does he say, listen, draw near to me. Listen to what he says next. And I might draw near to you. Draw near to me. And I could, it's a strong possibility, draw near to you. Somebody better correct the preacher this morning. Is that what your Bible says? Draw near to me and I, what's the word? I will draw near. I draw near to you. That's a promise." [48:45] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "We were a church that was busy with the activity of God without the presence of God. That I was a pastor that was operating out of my own natural gifting and out of my own experience and creativity. But the anointing of God was not on my life at that particular season of life." [37:57] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Prayer is ultimately about pursuing the manifest presence of God. That prayer is fundamentally and primarily. About pursuing the manifest presence of God. Look what he says in verse eight again. He says, draw near to God. This is a command. In fact, this is a command for immediate and decisive action. He's calling them to something. Draw near to God. This is a call to prayer. This is a call to get on their face and begin to seek the face of God." [39:50] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we sin, it causes sorrow and pain in the heart of the Holy spirit. He is a person who is wounded by our sin. Our sin causes him emotional distress. Sin is not a small thing. And what it does is that it grieves that the interrupts the activity of the Holy spirit in our life." [59:26] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Nothing, nothing draws the Holy Spirit more than when Christ is exalted and we are humbled. The exaltation of Christ and the humiliation of man, it is a magnet for the presence of God. Pride and self-exaltation repels the presence of God. We cannot walk in pride and experience. His manifest presence simultaneously." [01:06:29] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I believe the distance between most Christians and spiritual breakthrough in their life is a distance of 18 inches. It's the distance between our knees and the floor. Humble repentance looks like this. It is coming before the Lord. Saying, God, whatever you want to do, whatever you want to do in me, I'm in. Like, I'm going to humble myself before you. I want you to deal with the sin from the inside. I'm tired of right. I want more of you." [01:07:30] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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