Wholehearted Pursuit of God's Presence Amidst Life's Busyness
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the importance of pursuing the presence of God amidst the busyness of life. It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind, but the most crucial endeavor is to seek God wholeheartedly. We are either moving forward in our spiritual journey or falling backward; there is no neutral ground. The story of Stephen, who stood firm in his faith even when faced with death, serves as a powerful reminder of the resistance we might face when proclaiming the truth of Jesus. Stephen's boldness challenges us to examine our own lives and see where we might be resisting the Holy Spirit's guidance.
The Holy Spirit is our guide into all truth, and any resistance to this truth is a resistance to His leading. We must be open to the Spirit's direction, which often leads us into unknown territories. This requires us to let go of past traditions and successes that might hinder our growth. The pursuit of God's presence should be our primary focus, not the pursuit of worldly success or the comfort of past achievements.
We are reminded that pursuing God requires effort, much like pursuing a good education or career. It's not enough to simply receive salvation; we must actively seek God's plan and purpose for our lives. This pursuit involves a continuous hunger and thirst for righteousness, as promised in Matthew 5:6. We must be willing to reroute when life doesn't go as planned, trusting that God is leading us into a future filled with His promises.
Key Takeaways:
1. Pursuing God's Presence: The most important pursuit in life is seeking God's presence. We are either moving forward or falling backward in our spiritual journey. There is no neutral ground. Like Stephen, we must stand firm in our faith, even when faced with resistance. [50:10]
2. Resistance to the Holy Spirit: Any resistance to the truth of God's Word is a resistance to the Holy Spirit. We must be open to His guidance, which often leads us into unknown territories. Letting go of past traditions and successes is crucial for spiritual growth. [55:16]
3. Effort in Pursuit: Pursuing God's plan requires effort, much like pursuing education or career. Salvation is a gift, but apprehending God's purpose for our lives involves active pursuit. We must continuously hunger and thirst for righteousness. [01:15:46]
4. Rerouting in Life: Life's plans often get disrupted, but we must be willing to reroute and trust God's guidance. The Holy Spirit leads us into a future filled with God's promises, and we must be open to His direction. [01:21:50]
5. Continuous Pursuit: Our desire for God's presence should increase as we progress in our spiritual journey. If we find ourselves in a spiritual funk, it's likely because we've stopped pursuing God. We must cry out for spiritual nourishment and remain in pursuit. [01:19:09]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[35:51] - Announcements
[50:10] - Pursuing God's Presence
[53:12] - Decision Points in Life
[55:16] - Resistance to the Holy Spirit
[01:01:08] - Evaluating Our Pursuits
[01:06:34] - Success Without Joy
[01:09:38] - Reaping a Harvest
[01:15:46] - Effort in Pursuit
[01:19:09] - Continuous Pursuit
[01:21:50] - Rerouting in Life
[01:22:46] - Reversing the Effects
[01:24:38] - Fellowship with God
[01:26:14] - Closing Prayer
[01:28:06] - Final Announcements
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Acts 7:51 - "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you."
2. Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
3. John 16:13 - "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Stephen accuse the religious leaders of in Acts 7:51, and why was this significant? [50:10]
2. According to the sermon, what are the two possible directions in our spiritual journey? [49:33]
3. How does the Holy Spirit guide us according to John 16:13, and what is the significance of this guidance? [55:16]
4. What does Matthew 5:6 promise to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? How does this relate to the sermon’s message on pursuing God? [01:15:46]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Stephen's boldness in Acts 7:51 challenge modern believers in their faith journey? [50:10]
2. What might be some reasons people resist the Holy Spirit's guidance, as discussed in the sermon? [55:16]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that past traditions and successes can hinder spiritual growth? [01:01:08]
4. How does the concept of rerouting in life, as mentioned in the sermon, apply to the pursuit of God's presence? [01:21:50]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current spiritual journey. Are you moving forward or falling backward? What steps can you take to ensure you are progressing? [49:33]
2. Identify an area in your life where you might be resisting the Holy Spirit. What practical steps can you take to be more open to His guidance? [55:16]
3. Consider a past success or tradition that you hold onto. How might this be affecting your spiritual growth, and what can you do to let go and pursue God’s presence more fully? [01:01:08]
4. Think of a time when your life plans were disrupted. How did you handle it, and how can you improve your ability to reroute and trust God’s guidance in the future? [01:21:50]
5. What specific actions can you take this week to increase your hunger and thirst for righteousness, as promised in Matthew 5:6? [01:15:46]
6. How can you incorporate the pursuit of God’s presence into your daily routine, ensuring it becomes a continuous effort rather than a sporadic one? [01:19:09]
7. Reflect on a decision point in your life. How did you respond, and what did you learn about trusting God’s direction during uncertain times? [53:12]
Devotional
Day 1: The Relentless Pursuit of God's Presence
In the midst of life's busyness, the most vital pursuit is seeking God's presence. This journey is not passive; it requires active engagement and intentionality. Like Stephen, who stood firm in his faith even when faced with death, we are reminded that our spiritual journey is dynamic. We are either moving forward or falling backward; there is no neutral ground. Stephen's boldness challenges us to examine our own lives and see where we might be resisting the Holy Spirit's guidance. As we pursue God's presence, we must be prepared to face resistance, but also be encouraged by the promise of His unwavering presence. [50:10]
"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!" (1 Chronicles 16:11, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally seek God's presence in your daily routine this week?
Day 2: Embracing the Holy Spirit's Guidance
Resistance to the truth of God's Word is a resistance to the Holy Spirit. We must be open to His guidance, which often leads us into unknown territories. This openness requires us to let go of past traditions and successes that might hinder our growth. The Holy Spirit is our guide into all truth, and any resistance to this truth is a resistance to His leading. Embracing the Holy Spirit's guidance means being willing to step into the unknown, trusting that He is leading us towards spiritual growth and deeper understanding. [55:16]
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:13, ESV)
Reflection: What past traditions or successes might you need to let go of to fully embrace the Holy Spirit's guidance today?
Day 3: The Effort of Spiritual Pursuit
Pursuing God's plan requires effort, much like pursuing education or a career. Salvation is a gift, but apprehending God's purpose for our lives involves active pursuit. This pursuit involves a continuous hunger and thirst for righteousness, as promised in Matthew 5:6. We must be willing to invest time and energy into our spiritual growth, recognizing that it is a lifelong journey. Just as we strive for success in other areas of life, we must strive for spiritual maturity and understanding, knowing that it requires dedication and perseverance. [01:15:46]
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to actively pursue God's purpose for your life?
Day 4: Trusting God's Rerouting
Life's plans often get disrupted, but we must be willing to reroute and trust God's guidance. The Holy Spirit leads us into a future filled with God's promises, and we must be open to His direction. When life doesn't go as planned, it can be challenging to trust that God is still in control. However, rerouting is often a part of His divine plan, leading us to places we never imagined. Trusting God's rerouting means surrendering our own plans and embracing the journey He has set before us, confident in His promises and faithfulness. [01:21:50]
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)
Reflection: How can you practice trusting God when your plans are disrupted this week?
Day 5: Continuous Pursuit of Spiritual Nourishment
Our desire for God's presence should increase as we progress in our spiritual journey. If we find ourselves in a spiritual funk, it's likely because we've stopped pursuing God. We must cry out for spiritual nourishment and remain in pursuit. This continuous pursuit is essential for maintaining a vibrant and growing relationship with God. It requires us to be intentional about seeking Him daily, recognizing that our spiritual health depends on our willingness to pursue Him with all our hearts. [01:19:09]
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1-2, ESV)
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to reignite your passion for pursuing God's presence this week?
Quotes
Resisting is resisting no matter what. Any truth and the word of God that we're resisting for whatever reason is resisting the Holy Spirit. Any truth in the word of God that we're resisting is resisting the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is the leader and the guider of truth. He's leading you and guiding you into truth. [00:55:16]
How many know that God can't lead us into our past? God can't lead us into our past. He can only lead us into our future. And the way that he leads us into our future is by the Holy Spirit speaking to us and us not resisting that because he wants to show you things to come. [01:00:14] (19 seconds)
If what you've been doing for the last 20 years aren't yielding the results and don't match up to what the Bible says is available to you, it's time to reevaluate what you've been pursuing. Because your pursuit may be off. Are you following after and being led by the Holy Spirit? Because he leads into truth. [01:01:08] (21 seconds)
If our pursuit is family tradition over truth, guess what it's going to yield? It's going to yield the good and the bad and the ugly of the iniquity that's in your family. You know, iniquity is a bad word because it's basically passed on sins. But at the same time, there can be good things, there can be bad things, and there can just be so-so things. [01:03:53] (25 seconds)
If our pursuit is the world's idea of success, we're going to get success without joy. So we have to evaluate what we're pursuing in life. So if we're pursuing family tradition over God's presence, then we're going to get what's just been continuing on. If we're pursuing our past and past successes, then we're just going to always have what we've always had. [01:06:34] (31 seconds)
If you ever reach a place where you feel like you've gotten enough of God's word and experienced it all, you're deceived. And it's time to start crying out for that spiritual milk. Again, you ever get to that place. And again, I referenced the apostle Paul. If the apostle Paul is sitting there and he's writing writer. [01:19:09] (17 seconds)
If we ever find ourself in a spiritual funk, it's probably because we've stopped the pursuit. It's probably because we've stopped the pursuit. Something has caused us to stop either. The last time we were pursuing, God pursued you to a place where you felt like you couldn't go or you couldn't do. And you pulled back and you resisted. [01:19:09] (23 seconds)
As Christians, we need to get good about rerouting because in life, plans are going to blow up. We have to get good at rerouting. We have to get good at being in communication with the Holy Spirit and with the Word of God so that we know where to reroute. Amen? [01:21:50] (18 seconds)
You can begin to immediately reverse the effects of being stuck, immediately reverse the effects of not pursuing by simply just starting to pursue. Pursue the plan of God. Pursue the purpose of God. And you do that by getting into the word of God and then in prayer, listening for the leadership of the Holy Spirit. [01:23:38] (25 seconds)
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