Hungry for God's Presence: A Transformative Pursuit
Summary
Tonight, the invitation is simple but profound: to hunger for the presence of God above all else. Reflecting on Moses’ encounter with God in Exodus 33, the heart’s cry is not to move forward in life—whether in decisions, relationships, or challenges—without God’s presence leading the way. Moses’ plea, “Show me your ways, that I may know you,” is a model for us. It’s a call to lay down our own plans, ambitions, and self-reliance, and instead seek to be deeply acquainted with God, to know His heart, and to walk in His ways.
There is a difference between carrying the weight of the world and carrying the weighty presence—the glory—of God. When God’s presence rests on a life, it changes everything: our countenance, our decisions, and even the atmosphere around us. The glory of God is not just a feeling or a moment; it’s a transformative reality that marks us, sets us apart, and empowers us to walk into even the darkest places with hope and authority.
Personal stories remind us that we cannot afford to do life on our own. In moments of deep loss, pain, or uncertainty, it is the presence of God that sustains, guides, and brings peace. The world may tell us to be self-sufficient, but the truth is, we are designed to walk in step with God, to depend on Him, and to carry His presence wherever we go.
The challenge is to examine what we are truly seeking. Are we chasing after what God can do for us—His hand—or are we seeking His face, His presence, His glory? True hunger for God moves us to action. It compels us to seek Him daily, to press in for more, and to respond with faith and obedience. There is always more of God to experience, more depth to discover, and more glory to carry. The invitation is open: How hungry are you for His presence?
Key Takeaways
- True spiritual hunger is not passive; it compels us to seek God’s presence above all else. Moses’ refusal to move without God’s presence is a model for us to prioritize intimacy with God over our own plans or ambitions. This hunger leads to a deeper knowledge of God and a life marked by His glory. [06:54]
- Carrying the presence of God is a weighty, transformative reality. It changes how we walk, how we see ourselves, and how we impact the world around us. When we are filled with God’s glory, we leave a mark wherever we go, and even the darkest places can become sites of hope and redemption. [12:26]
- Self-reliance is a subtle but dangerous lie. The enemy wants us to believe we can do life on our own, but God designed us to walk in dependence on Him. Our own ways lead to confusion and destruction, but God’s ways lead to life, purpose, and peace. [18:38]
- God’s presence is not just for mountaintop moments but for every season—especially the valleys. In times of loss, pain, or uncertainty, it is the presence of God that brings comfort, direction, and transformation. Even in the most broken situations, carrying God’s presence can bring salvation and peace to others. [21:17]
- The pursuit of God’s presence requires honest self-examination: Are we seeking God’s hand or His face? True hunger for God is not satisfied with blessings alone but longs for deeper relationship and revelation. This hunger moves us to action, to worship, and to a life that continually seeks more of Him. [27:05]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:54] - Honoring Leaders and Friends
[02:52] - Expectation for God’s Presence
[04:07] - Prayer for Fresh Oil
[06:54] - Moses’ Cry: Show Me Your Ways
[08:56] - The Necessity of God’s Presence
[09:53] - Show Me Your Glory
[12:26] - The Weight of God’s Glory
[15:20] - Personal Encounter with God’s Presence
[16:26] - God’s Presence Calls Us Deeper
[17:39] - The Manifestation of God’s Presence
[18:38] - The Lie of Self-Reliance
[20:19] - God’s Will Over Our Own
[21:17] - Carrying God’s Presence into Brokenness
[27:05] - Chasing God’s Face, Not Just His Hand
[28:08] - Responding to Hunger for God
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Hungering for God's Presence"
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### Bible Reading
Exodus 33:12-19 (ESV)
> 12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
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### Observation Questions
1. What was Moses’ main request to God in Exodus 33:13, and how did God respond?
2. According to the sermon, what does Moses’ statement “If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us from here” reveal about his priorities? [[08:56]]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between carrying the “weight of the world” and carrying the “weighty presence” or glory of God? [[12:26]]
4. What personal story did the speaker share to illustrate the importance of not going into difficult situations without God’s presence? [[21:17]]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Moses refuse to move forward without God’s presence, and what does this teach about the importance of intimacy with God over personal plans or ambitions? [[06:54]]
2. The sermon says that self-reliance is a “subtle but dangerous lie.” In what ways can self-reliance keep someone from experiencing God’s presence? [[18:38]]
3. How does carrying God’s presence change the way a person interacts with the world, according to the sermon? [[12:26]]
4. The speaker asks, “Are you chasing God’s hand or His face?” What is the difference, and why does it matter for someone’s spiritual life? [[27:05]]
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### Application Questions
1. Moses was willing to stop everything if God’s presence wasn’t with him. Is there an area in your life where you’ve been moving forward without really seeking God’s presence? What would it look like to pause and invite Him in? [[08:56]]
2. The sermon challenges us to lay down our own plans and ambitions. Is there a specific plan or ambition you’re holding onto that you need to surrender to God? What’s holding you back from doing so? [[06:54]]
3. The speaker shared a story about visiting his dying father and not wanting to go without God’s presence. Is there a difficult relationship or situation in your life where you need to intentionally carry God’s presence? What practical step could you take this week? [[21:17]]
4. The sermon says that true hunger for God is not passive—it moves us to action. What is one specific way you can seek God’s presence more intentionally this week (for example, setting aside time for prayer, worship, or reading Scripture)? [[28:08]]
5. The difference between seeking God’s hand (what He can do for us) and His face (who He is) was highlighted. In your prayers, do you find yourself asking more for blessings or for deeper relationship? How can you shift your focus? [[27:05]]
6. The world tells us to be self-sufficient, but God calls us to depend on Him. What is one area where you struggle with self-reliance? How can you practice dependence on God in that area this week? [[18:38]]
7. The sermon says that God’s presence is for every season, not just the mountaintop moments. How can you remind yourself to seek and carry God’s presence in the ordinary or difficult days, not just the special ones? [[21:17]]
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Close in prayer, asking God to increase your hunger for His presence and to help you walk in step with Him this week.
Devotional
Day 1: The Necessity of God’s Presence in Our Lives
Moses refused to move forward without God’s presence, recognizing that nothing else could distinguish or sustain him and the people apart from the nearness of God. When we truly desire God’s presence above all else, we realize that our own plans, thoughts, and emotions are insufficient to guide us through life’s challenges and opportunities. God’s presence is not just a comfort but a necessity, the very thing that sets us apart and gives us rest, hope, and a future. Like Moses, we are invited to make God’s presence our highest priority, seeking Him before every decision and in every circumstance, knowing that without Him, we cannot truly thrive. [08:56]
Exodus 33:12-19 (ESV)
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been moving forward without intentionally seeking God’s presence? How can you invite Him into that area today?
Day 2: Hunger for God Leads to Deeper Encounter
A genuine hunger for God’s presence causes us to move, to act, and to pursue Him beyond routine or comfort. This hunger is not passive; it stirs us to open our Bibles, to pray, to worship, and to seek God’s face with desperation and expectation. When we are truly hungry for God, we are willing to do whatever it takes to go deeper, to experience more of His glory, and to be transformed by His nearness. This kind of hunger is what God responds to, and it is the catalyst for supernatural encounters and lasting change in our lives. [28:08]
Matthew 5:6 (ESV)
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to express your hunger for God—whether it’s setting aside time for prayer, worship, or reading Scripture—and how will you follow through?
Day 3: God’s Presence Transforms Us and Our Circumstances
Carrying the presence of God changes not only our own lives but also the atmosphere around us, even in the darkest and most challenging situations. When we walk into difficult places—whether it’s a broken family, a hospital room, or a place of pain—God’s presence in us brings hope, peace, and the possibility of transformation. We are called to be carriers of His glory, bringing light into darkness and allowing God to work through us to touch others, just as Moses’ encounter with God’s glory marked him and distinguished the people of Israel. [15:20]
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ESV)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Reflection: Who is one person or what is one situation you can intentionally bring God’s presence into this week, and how will you prepare your heart to do so?
Day 4: Surrendering Our Ways for God’s Ways
True spiritual maturity is marked by a willingness to lay down our own plans, thoughts, and desires in exchange for God’s ways and will. Our own understanding is limited and often leads us astray, but God’s ways are higher, wiser, and always for our good. Surrender is not weakness; it is the pathway to experiencing God’s best for our lives, as we trust Him to lead us, even when it means letting go of control or comfort. [20:19]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Reflection: What is one plan, desire, or area of control you need to surrender to God today, and what would it look like to trust Him fully in that area?
Day 5: Pursuing God’s Face, Not Just His Hand
There is a difference between seeking what God can do for us and seeking God Himself. The invitation is to pursue God’s face—His presence, His character, His glory—rather than just His blessings or answers to prayer. When we chase after God Himself, we find fulfillment, intimacy, and purpose that cannot be found in anything else. This pursuit is what sets us apart as people who know God, not just people who know about God. [27:05]
Psalm 27:4 (ESV)
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
Reflection: In your prayers and worship today, how can you shift your focus from asking God for things to simply seeking His presence and enjoying who He is?
Quotes
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