July 4, 2025 • 43 mins
Have we been seeking God's blessings instead of God Himself? This profound question cuts to the heart of why many Christians struggle to impact those around them.
Tommy Tenney's "The God Chaser" challenges us to examine what truly draws people to faith. It's not our programs, strategies, or even our words - it's the unmistakable presence of God that lingers on us after genuine encounter. When we carry this "divine radiation zone," people sense something different without explanation.
The concept of presence evangelism represents a radical shift from traditional approaches. Rather than merely sharing information about God, what if we carried such an atmosphere of His presence that demons fled, healing happened, and conviction fell simply because we walked into a room? This isn't hyperbole - it's precisely what happened throughout scripture and church history when individuals prioritized intimate communion with God above everything else.
A sobering reality confronts American Christianity today. While convenience stores remain open 24/7 to meet physical needs, most churches operate only two hours weekly while claiming to offer the Bread of Life. Not one of the world's 50 largest churches is in America, despite our centuries of missionary endeavors. The issue isn't that people lack hunger for spiritual reality - it's that we've offered stale religious experience instead of fresh bread from heaven.
The pathway forward requires brokenness and genuine repentance. There are no shortcuts to revival. God's glory manifests when His people weep between the porch and the altar, crying out for mercy. Only then will strangers approach us in stores, restaurants, and public spaces, drawn irresistibly to the presence we carry.
Are you hungry simply for God's blessings, or for God Himself? This distinction makes all the difference. When we seek His face rather than His hand, we discover the true purpose of His presence - not just personal fulfillment, but transformation that ripples outward to a world desperate for authentic encounter.
What would your life look like if you pursued God with such intensity that no one could be near you without meeting Him?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Hello, this is your host, glenn Kivett, and welcome
to today's episode of theChristian Cafe, where the bread
is made fresh and deliveredright from the Word of God.
To keep up to date with what'scoming up, be sure to follow me
on Facebook, at the ChristianCafe, also on Twitter.
Feel free to email me with yourprayer request at
(01:00):
thechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom.
I would love to hear from you.
So drive me a seat, place yourorder and we will deliver it
fresh and hot, just for you.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Welcome everybody.
Welcome to the Christian Cafe.
Come right on in, have yourselfa seat and let's enjoy this
time we have together Just tosit down and talk about the Word
of God and talk about what hehas done for us and what he can
do and, most of all, what he isgoing to do Amen.
(01:56):
It's good to be back with you,back talking to you again about
this fabulous book that we'vebeen going through and I hope
that you have enjoyed it thusfar, been getting a lot of
reactions, a lot of downloads onit, and I'm just thankful that
god is reaching you in a placewhere you're at once.
(02:18):
He reveals something to us thenwe must walk into, and I hope
he's been opening up the doorsthrough this book and showing
you things that you may neverseen.
As I said earlier, I have readthis book several times.
I think this is my fourth timegoing through it and each time I
get something different out ofit, because it's just such an
(02:40):
enriching book and Pastor TommyTenney done a wonderful job
talking about his experiencegoing through this time of his
life, this season that he wentthrough.
It changed his life and I hopethat's what this book is doing
to you, but again, welcome tothe Christian Cafe.
It's been a while.
A lot of things have beentaking place.
(03:01):
A lot of things have takenplace, but God is good and he's
helped us through them all.
We're going through a season inour life where things just seem
to be an uproar, but God ismaking us stronger, he's helping
us through it.
My wife is getting ready tohave surgery in a few days on
her back, and that's anotherthing that we're asking God and
(03:25):
still believing God is going toperform a miraculous healing.
God, we still believe that hedoes what his word says and he
does.
And if she has to go throughthe surgery, that's all fine and
well too.
He's still going to heal herone way or the other.
But I'm still believing for Godto touch her without it.
You know, just because it's afew days left doesn't mean he
can't do it before the verymoment.
(03:45):
It's just who God is.
It's in his time and that'swhat I've accepted, and we're
just praying for her speedyrecovery.
So I ask that you help me prayfor her, call her out before God
in your prayer time that Godwill just be with her and just
give her strength.
(04:08):
Just so many things going on inthis world and things going
around, as we need God moretoday than we ever did, and I
trust that you are seeking himfor the path that he wants you
to take, not a path of what manwants you to do, but what God
wants to do in your life.
But I'm just thankful for whathe's doing.
It's been some pretty weather.
We've had some rain here inNorth Carolina.
Today is sun shining here onthe 4th of July.
(04:30):
Today is Independence Day, andI'm thankful for our soldiers
who gave their life so that Icould have independence, that I
could have freedom.
I served in the US Navy,independence, that I can have
freedom.
I served in the US Navy, and soI am honored to say that I
helped Father with our freedomin this country, and all those
(04:51):
that have served that listen tothe podcast.
I want to thank you for yourservice.
Thank you for the sacrificeyou've given for our country.
Well, we're going to get backinto the book today and before
we do, I just want to say thatif you have a prayer request or
a need or whatever you wouldlike for me to pray, please drop
(05:12):
me an email.
My email isthechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom
.
I check my email daily and if Ihave a prayer request, I pray
for them.
So if you have anything thatyou would like have a prayer
request, I pray for them.
So if you have anything thatyou would like me to pray about,
just let me know.
I'd be more than happy to helpyou pray.
And if you would like to have acopy of this book I trust that
(05:35):
you also email me Let me know.
I will send you a copy of thisbook free of charge.
It won't cost you a dime.
I know we've been going throughit.
You can go back and listen tothe podcast, but it's good to
have something in hand Once in awhile you can take notes on.
And speaking of that, I haveanother book that I would like
to talk about here shortlybefore we take a break and get
(05:55):
back into our book.
I have a pastor friend.
He pastors a church inSevierville, tennessee Excuse me
the Lift Church.
His name is Pastor Keith Nixand he just published a book and
went out and I have read it andit's a marvelous book and it's
(06:15):
called Losing Jesus in Church.
If you ever lost something, thenit's always at the last place
you left it.
I can guarantee you that, and Ithink sometimes we did as uh
jesus's parents did we went offand we forgot jesus, and that's
exactly what he talks about thatin his book and it's just a
marvelous book.
(06:35):
And, who knows, I might uh dothat as a, um, a podcast uh
later in the future, but, um, Idon't know.
But if like to have a copy ofthat book also I have several
copies left I'll be glad to sendyou one free of charge and you
can add it to your collection.
Let's take a break and we'llget back here shortly and begin
(06:55):
in our book, okay?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I could climb the highest peak, could dive the
deepest sea.
Highest peak, kodaina, deepestsea.
I can't fail, cause you'rewatching over me.
I could walk on.
(07:19):
Burning cold need a fight?
Freezing cold ever hurts me.
Burning cold need a finalfreezing cold ever hurts me.
Since the day you saved my soul,I am strong cause.
I know I've got you on my sideand my faith is a burning flame.
(07:43):
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
will fail.
In your name, I shall prevail.
You speak and I heed the call.
(08:06):
By your might, all my foes willfall.
I'm a soldier, a soldier foryour love.
Oh Holy Father, son, yourkingdom, I know, will come.
(08:30):
Oh, jesus, I sing your name inpraise.
Oh, I'm strong because I knowI've got you on my side and my
faith is a burning flame.
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
(08:56):
will fade.
I am strong cause.
I know I've got you on my sideand my faith is a burning flame.
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
will fail.
(09:16):
In your name, I shall prevail.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Alright, are you ready?
Free me Back in chapter 8, thepurpose of his presence, the
divine radiation zones, presence, evangelism.
I hope you will get somethingout of this.
This is a great chapter.
I'm telling you what it's goingto make you cringe, make you
think.
It's probably going to make yourepent a little bit too.
(10:01):
I know it did me Every time Iread it.
It does Because we're notperfect, right, we still have a
long way to go.
There's still some things wecan learn and grow closer to God
in, and that's what this booktends to do Get us to think
about what we can do to becloser to be a God chaser, and
that's what this book isentitled.
(10:22):
And I hope that you're seeingsome things as we go through
this book about what else we cando.
So let's get right on into it.
Okay, time and again, we ask oneanother why can't I win my
friends to the Lord?
Why is it that my familymembers just don't seem
(10:43):
interested in God?
The answer may shock you in itsbluntness, but the truth often
hurts.
The reason people who know youaren't interested in your God
may be because you don't haveenough of the presence of God in
your life.
I told you, you see, right offthe bat, it's going to make you
(11:05):
mad.
There is something about God'spresence that makes everything
else crumble in comparison.
Without it, you will be just aspale and lifeless as everybody
else around you, no matter whatyou do.
Without his presence you willbe just another somebody to
(11:28):
those around you.
I don't know about you, but Iam tired of just being another
somebody to the lost around me.
I have made a decision.
I made up my mind and set myheart to declare I am going to
pursue the presence of God in mylife.
I am going to get so close toGod that when I walk into
(11:53):
secular and public places,people will meet him.
They may not know that I'mthere, but they will definitely
know that he is there, but theywill definitely know that he is
there.
I want to be so saturated withGod's presence that when I take
a seat on a plane, everyone nearme will suddenly feel
(12:14):
uncomfortable if they're notright with God, even though I
haven't said a word.
I'm not wanting to condemn orto convict them.
I just want to carry thefragrance of my Father with me.
We understand program evangelism, where we knock on doors or
pass out tracts or some otherprogram of the church designed
(12:39):
to reach the lost.
John Wimber helped us tounderstand power evangelism,
where we mix anointing with theprogram.
In this form of evangelism wemight pray for someone to be
healed on the street instead ofjust witnessing or giving out
tracts.
(13:00):
But there is a littleunderstood, much underused form
of evangelism that I callpresent evangelism.
This is where people take note,saying they have been with
Jesus, see Acts 4.13.
This is when the residue of Godon a person creates a divine
(13:23):
radiation zone of the manifestpresence of God, so much so that
it affects those around you.
Shadow healing would fall intothis category.
Only it wasn't Peter's shadowthat healed anyone.
It was the shadow of who Peterwalked with that created a zone,
(13:44):
a healing zone or a demon-freezone.
The Hebrews believed that theanointing would extend as far as
your shadow reached.
I believe that the glory willextend as far as his shadow
reaches.
Cover the earth, lord.
The gospel of mark tells us thatimmediately after jesus
(14:07):
astounded his disciples byrebuking the sea and the wind
during a great storm, theylanded in the country of
getterans.
This is in mark 4, verses 35and 5, verses chapter 1, 5 and 1
.
Something happened that daythat I pray will happen in our
(14:28):
day.
When the sole of Jesus' foottouched the sandy shore of
Gadara, one half mile distance,a man possessed of 5,000 demons
suddenly was freed from theirchoking grasp for the first time
.
Demons suddenly was freed fromtheir choking grass for the
(14:51):
first time.
Why?
How do you know?
Well, mark tells us that whenthe demonized man saw Jesus, he
ran to worship him.
Up until that precise moment,the demons had told him where to
go and what to do.
At every other instance, he hadno control over his own actions
, even when the demons commandedhim to cut himself.
So what changed all that?
(15:14):
What happened?
In a moment that rested thatman's mind and physical
functions out of the control of5,000 controlling demon spirits.
I'll tell you what happenedFather stepped back in the house
.
(15:35):
That is what we need today.
We need to hear the footfall ofGod as the sole of his foot
touches earth just one time.
When that happens, we won'thave to worry about telling
little demons to run.
We won't even have to screamscriptures against their prince
or practice pulling down demonicstrongholds.
(15:56):
The purpose of his manifestpresence is to set the captive
free, to fulfill Luke 4, 18.
He wants to finish what he wasable, unable to start in
Nazareth, when he said this dayis this scripture fulfilled in
your ears, lord.
We want to see you.
We are tired of just talkingabout you like Sunday school
(16:18):
children.
When are you going to show up,lord?
I pray that Isaiah, chapter 6visitation, will come to
churches in the cities, becauseall it took is one footstep of
Almighty God in a city to breakthe chains of decades and
(16:40):
centuries of demonic dominion.
I pray that we can say with theprophet Isaiah I've seen the
Lord.
I'm praying for a corporatebreakthrough in the church, but
first I pray that God gives eachof us an individual
breakthrough in our lives.
Lord, we are not just coming toyou to get a blessing.
(17:04):
We seek the blesser.
We need a breakthrough.
I must warn you that sometimesyou will be broken to get a
breakthrough.
It's just the way it happens.
I encourage you to linger andsoak in the presence of the Lord
at every opportunity when youdraw near to him.
(17:26):
Don't hurry and don't rush.
Realize that this is, or shouldbe, at the top of our priority
list.
Let God do a deep work in yourheart and life.
This is the way God creates adeep board well in your life
(17:46):
that will become an artesianwell of power and glory in his
presence.
The purpose of his presence isto bring deliverance to the
captives and victory to thechildren.
Nothing stops a fight like daddycoming to town.
For centuries we have beenfighting spiritual battles with
(18:10):
Satan and the bad kids from hisneighborhood using bold words
and sometimes sticks and stones,but it is time for us to cry
out to our Father and watch ourneighborhood battles take a
totally new turn.
I tell you with every ounce offaith in my being that if the
(18:32):
Father of us all can step downand allow his manifest presence
to touch earth just once, ifeven one tiny tear from his eye
can fall in a city like LosAngeles, new York or Chicago,
north Carolina or wherever cityyou're in, then the flood of
(18:55):
glory it will spawn will bringrevival throughout the land as
demons flee and sinners fall totheir knees.
Jesus, help us.
Come.
Father, abba, father, daddy, weneed you.
The bottom line is this If youare really hungry to see Daddy
(19:16):
come on the scene, then you haveto understand that you must
stop seeking his benefits andquit asking for him to do this
or do that?
We have managed to turn what weerroneously call church into a
big bless me club when we signup for the blessings and that
(19:37):
blessing, I'm not so sure thatwe need to seek blessings
anymore.
That's what the israelites didin all of the centuries after
they ran from the face of god.
We need to seek brokenness andrepentance and say, by our
actions as well as our words,god, we want you, we don't care
(20:02):
if you do anything or not.
We are crawling up on the altar.
Let your fire of cleansing fallso we can finally see your face
.
Why would we go through all this?
There are at least two reasonsI can think of.
First of all, the experience ofseeing God's glory is
(20:24):
life-changing.
It is the most habit-formingexperience a human being can
have, and the only side effectis death to the flesh.
The second reason is this thetrue purpose of God's presence
manifesting in our lives isevangelism.
If we can carry a residue ofGod's glory back into our homes
(20:48):
and businesses, if we can carryeven a faint glow of his
lingering presence into lukewarmchurches, then we won't have to
beg people to come to the Lordin repentance.
They will run to the altar whenhis glory breaks their bondage
and they can't come any otherway.
No man comes to the Father anyother way except through
(21:10):
repentance and salvation throughJesus.
Every other so-called way tosalvation bears the mark of a
thief and a robber.
The Lord knows that we havetried to pave the way for people
to come to God through painless, cheap grace and costless
revival, but all we wound upwith was bargain basement
(21:34):
salvation that hardly lasted aweek.
Why?
Because all we gave people wasan emotional encounter with man,
when what they really neededwas a death encounter with the
glory and presence of Godhimself.
From here on, our prayer shouldbe this Father, we confess that
(21:59):
we want to see change in ourlives and in our church so we
can bring about change in ourcity.
Give us such a heart andpassion after you that we may
begin to see your glory flow outof us to convict and save the
lost.
Release your presence throughus, as you did through Charles
(22:21):
Finney when he walked throughfactories and saw workers drop
to their knees under your gloryand cried out for forgiveness,
although not one word had beenspoken or preached.
May the faintest shadow of yourpresence in our lives heal the
sick and restore the lame wemeet in the streets.
(22:41):
Let your presence so saturateus that unsaved guests can't
step into our homes or be aroundus with unrepentant hearts.
May your glory bring convictionin their lives that leads to
salvation.
Not because of our words we say, but because of your presence
(23:05):
and power in our hearts.
Honestly, I'm looking for thesame kind of revival that they
had in the new Hebrids whenofficials sent for Duncan
Campbell who was conductingnight revival services in that
region.
They told the evangelist wouldyou please come to the police
(23:28):
station?
There are a whole score ofpeople here and we don't know
what's wrong with them, but wethink you might.
Now this really happened as theman walked with the officials
through the village to thepolice station at 4 o'clock in
the morning he said it was likea plague had come on the village
(23:48):
.
People were weeping and prayingbehind every haystack and every
door.
Men were kneeling on the streetcorners and ladies and children
haystack and every door.
Men were kneeling on the streetcorners and ladies and children
in their nightgowns werehuddled around each other in
their open doorways, weeping andcrying.
When the evangelist finallyreached the police station, he
(24:09):
found scores of people weepingand crying out to the police
what is wrong.
They didn't even know enoughabout God to know it was him.
They just knew something waswrong and that they were guilty.
The only thing they knew to dowas to go to the police station
(24:30):
and confess that something waswrong.
What was wrong was that therewas sin in their hearts and the
conviction of God had come uponthem.
Suddenly, when these peoplebegan to flood the police
station with their confessionsof wrongdoing, the police didn't
have the answer.
(24:50):
The evangelist stood on thesteps of the police station
early that morning and preacheda simple gospel of repentance
and salvation through JesusChrist, and genuine revival came
to that place.
This is the kind of revivalthat I'm talking about, the kind
that will quickly overwhelm theresources and manpower of every
(25:15):
church.
Can you imagine people justflocking to the church or
someplace like a police station,just weeping and crying and
don't know why?
Can you imagine that happening?
Why can't it happen here inAmerica?
I think the biggest reason isAmerica is not hungry for God.
(25:36):
They're hungry for what?
The blessings of God, butthey're not hungry for God.
There is a difference.
Seeking God for blessings isnot the same as seeking God's
face.
We've got to seek his face.
If we want to see things likethis happen, if we walk into a
(25:58):
place and we want people to feelthe presence of God, know that
we've been with Jesus, andconviction just falls on them,
they get healed of some kind ofdisease or something just
because we walk by Just a shadowof his presence.
That are with us because theyknow we've been in touch with
him and see people healed andsaved and delivered.
(26:19):
But just that, not evenpreaching a word, that we need
to get hungry.
We need to get hungry.
We're going to take a break andwe'll come back.
Come right back.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh, oh, ooh, yeah, for my
good.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
For my good.
It's all working For my good,for my For my good, for my good,
for my good, for my good.
It's all working for my good.
Here at the Christian Cafe, webelieve in serving up a hot,
(27:08):
fresh word for our listeners.
We recently read a new booktitled Revival Makers Stop
Chasing a Move of God and Be Oneby Pastor Tony Suarez.
We would love to send you acopy of this book for free.
All you need to do is contactus through email at
thechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom, with your name and address,
(27:29):
and we will send it to you forfree.
Dot com with your name andaddress, and we will send it to
you for free.
Also, be sure and tune in toall the latest episodes of the
Christian Cafe wherever you getyour podcasts.
Again, email us at the theChristian C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Cafe
(27:52):
C-A-F-E-2-0-2-2 at gmailcom.
Thanks and have a great day.
Perfect thing, perfect thing.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Let's see what.
Let's see what they may bringfor my, for my good, for my good
.
I see it working, it's allworking.
Yes, it is for my good, for mygood.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
America is hungry, but the bread is stale, but the
bread is stale.
Frankly, we would be totallyunable to contain or manage such
a harvest of souls in ourpresent state, because we don't
have enough fresh bread of hispresence on our shelves for the
(28:47):
hungry masses.
It may bother some people thatI say that, but I have a problem
with our part-time gone fishingchurch mentality.
We touched on this earlier inchapter two no bread in the
house of bread, but it bearsrepeating until the situation
(29:07):
changes.
Why is it that on every cornerin America's cities we have
little convenience stores thatstay open 24 hours a day just to
meet the public's demand fortheir goods?
Meanwhile, most of Americanchurches supposedly satisfy the
(29:29):
nation's hunger for God, whileoperating only two hours a week
on Sunday morning.
Why is it the church stayingopen every night and day?
Aren't we supposed to beoffering the bread of life to
the hungry?
Something is terribly wrong,and I don't think it is
(29:52):
America's hunger for God.
They are hungry, all right, butthey aren't smart enough to
tell the difference between thestale bread of yesterday's
religious experience and thefresh bread of God's genuine
experience.
Once again, we must concludethat the reason the hungry are
(30:15):
knocking our doors in is becausethe house of bread is empty.
It is interesting to note thatnot one of the 50 largest
churches in the world is in theUnited States.
How can that be?
Haven't we sent missionariesaround the world for more than
(30:35):
200 years?
The hungry need fresh bread inabundance, not stale crumbs in
the carpet from last century'swedding rehearsal dinner.
I have a friend who pastors achurch of about 7,000 believers.
His church is arguably the bestcell-based model church in
(30:57):
America.
But he told me that he hadrecently attended a conference
overseas and what he discoveredthere brought tears to his eyes.
He told me, tommy, there'ssomething that just really
griped me at the conference.
He me gripped me at theconference.
He explained that theconference sponsored a workshop
(31:20):
for pastors who pastor churcheslarger than 100,000.
And then he said I couldn'tstand it.
I just had to open the door andstick my head into that meeting
to see if there was anybodythere.
The room had about 20 or 30people in it and it just gripped
(31:42):
me that I couldn't go in there.
Then, with tears in his eyes,he told me.
Then it dawned on me, tommy,nobody in that room was an
American.
Me, nobody in that room was anAmerican.
This man has been faithfullysuccessful.
(32:02):
By American standards.
He has managed to make asizable dent on his city of
about 400,000, but he wants todo more.
He isn't a head counter ornumber chaser who is interested
only in competing with otherpastors who brag about their
Sunday morning attendancefigures.
He is a God chaser and a soulwinner.
His tears weren't tears ofjealousy.
(32:25):
They weren't tears of sorrow.
If there has ever been a countryripe for revival, it is the
United States.
It is time for God's people toget desperately hungry after him
, because the fires of revivalmust first ignite the church
(32:45):
before its flames can spread tothe streets.
I am weary of trying toaccomplish God's works with the
hands of man.
What we need for nationwiderevival is one thing, and one
thing only we need to have Godshow up.
If you want your church, yourlocal let me start over If you
(33:08):
want your local high schoolclasses to turn into prayer
meetings, then you will need tosee God show up.
I'm not talking about atheoretical or historical
occurrence.
There have been times whenGod's glory has been flowing in
his churches so much that hispeople had to be careful in area
(33:32):
restaurants simply bowing theirheads to pray over their meal.
They look up to see waitressesand other customers all around
just weeping uncontrollably andsaying what is it with you
people?
My wife was standing in line topay for some purchases at a
(33:54):
store during God's visitation inHouston when a lady tapped her
on the shoulder.
She turned around to see who itwas to find a total stranger
weeping unashamedly.
This lady told my wife I don'tknow where you've been and I
don't know what you've got, butmy husband is a lawyer and I'm
(34:16):
in the middle of a divorce.
She began to blurt out herother problems and finally said
what I'm really saying is I needGod.
My wife looked around and saidyou mean right here.
You mean right here.
She said right here.
My wife just had to ask againwell, what about the people in
(34:38):
line?
Suddenly the lady turned to thewoman standing in the line
behind her and said ma'am, is itokay if I pray with this lady
right here?
But that lady was also cryingand she said yes, and pray with
me too.
There is no shortcut.
Supernatural things like thatwill happen to you too, but it
(35:01):
only comes one way.
It only comes when the priestand the ministers weep between
the porch and the altar and cryout to Jesus Christ Spare the
people.
There is no shortcut to revivalor the coming of his presence.
God's glory only comes whenrepentance and brokenness drive
(35:25):
you to your knees, because hispresence requires purity.
Only dead men see God's face.
We cannot expect others torepeat at that death if you and
I are not willing to continuallywalk in that level of
repentance.
The world is tired of hearingpompous churches preaching
(35:48):
popular sermons from behindtheir elevated pulpits.
What right do we have to telleverybody else to repent when
there are such glaring problemsin our own house?
Hypocrisy has never been instyle in God's church, but we've
made it the main attraction inour version of church.
What we need to do is comeclean and confess.
(36:11):
Yes, we have some problems.
Yes, I have some problems too,but I am repenting of my sin
right now.
Is there anybody here who wantsto join me while I repent?
I think we will all besurprised at the number of
people who will start crawlingout from the crevices of society
(36:32):
when they see the churchrepenting.
Once again, it all goes back toour most serious problem we
don't have the bread of hispresence.
Our churches are filled withcareer prodigals who love their
father's things more than theirfather.
We come to the family dinnertable not to ask for more of the
(36:53):
father, but to beg and persuadehim to give us all the things
in his house that he haspromised are rightfully ours.
We open the book and lick ourlips and say I want all the
gifts.
I want the best portion, thefull blessing.
I want the best portion, thefull blessing.
(37:14):
I want all that belongs to me.
Ironically, it was the father'sblessings that actually
financed the prodigal son's tripaway from the father's face,
and it was the son's newrevelation of his poverty of
heart that propelled him backinto his father's arms.
Sometimes we use the veryblessings that God gives us To
(37:36):
finance our journey away fromthe centrality of Christ.
It's very important that weturn back To ground zero, to the
ultimate eternal goal Ofabiding with the father In
intimate communion.
Lord, put a hunger in our heartsfor you and not just for your
(38:00):
things.
We appreciate your boundlessblessings, father, but we are
hungry for you, our blesser.
Come show us the real purposeof your presence.
Come, show us the real purposeof your presence, god.
Let us see you and not thethings you can do for us.
(38:20):
Let us get hungry for you, notfor the things you can do for us
, but, god, let us get hungryfor you.
God, let's put away ourpettiness, father.
Our attitudes are trying tomake things better without your
presence.
Father, let's put away ourprograms, put away the things
(38:46):
that we think that you like, god, father, let us do things that
you want done.
It's not about the programs,it's not about the things,
father, that's in the church,it's all about you and God.
If it doesn't glorify you, then, father, we need to leave it be
.
Father, let us get to a placewhere, when we walk into a
(39:08):
building or room, father, theydon't see us but, god, they feel
the presence of the AlmightyKing.
God, we repent, father, we askfor forgiveness, father, of
letting ourself be promoted overyou.
God, we repent of our sins,father, those things, father,
(39:29):
that keep us from walking inyour presence, that keep us, god
, not in the will of the Father,and God that people are
suffering because we have sin inour lives.
We are the hands and feet,father, of you, and if people
(39:52):
cannot experience you when wewalk into a room or when they
talk to us, father, we havefailed.
We have literally failed,father.
If we've not, father, let themfeel who you are or know who you
are.
God, help us to be a betterChristian Father, a better
servant, father, a betterfollower of your word.
Father, we're thankful for yourpeople.
We're thankful, god, for whatyou're doing for them.
(40:14):
And God, we just want you,father, to continue to move in
their lives.
Father, help them all.
Father, repent and turn theireyes towards you, off a man.
But, lord, look at you.
Father, we love you and praiseyou and give you glory and honor
in all things In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Guys, I hope you have enjoyedthis time.
(40:36):
I hope you have enjoyed theChristian Cafe and this chapter.
It was a great chapter.
Like I told you in thebeginning, it's probably going
to make you mad.
It's probably going to make yourepent.
I hope it makes you repent.
If it doesn't make you repent,there's a problem, because we
need to be hungry for god.
We if just face it.
(40:58):
If we're not hungry for god,what are we hungry for?
Do you want to see revival?
I do.
I want to see people's liveschange.
I want to see jesus Jesus.
Guys, next episode we'll talkabout dismantle your glory, the
burial of man's glory is thebirth of God's glory, man.
(41:22):
I can't wait.
That's going to be a powerfulchapter, guys, until next time.
Thank you for tuning in to theChristian Cafe, remember, drop
me a line atthechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom
.
I would love to hear from you.
Remember, the two books Italked about, god Chasers and
Losing Jesus in Church.
If you want a copy of them, letme know.
(41:45):
I'll be glad to send them toyou free of charge.
Visit my Facebook page and myYouTube page.
You'll find that everythingthat on the podcast is on
YouTube.
Coming very shortly, Once wefinish book, we'll be going to
probably some video podcasts andwe'll have some guests on it
and kind of change things up fora little while and I hope, hope
(42:09):
, it does good.
We've been getting a lot offeedback and and I think,
everybody's enjoying it.
So again, join me for the nextepisode and I want to pray
blessings upon you.
I hope you've been fed.
I hope you leave here full.
Today, everything you've gotwas fresh from the Word of God.
We love you Until next time, soso.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Join us next time right here on the Christian Cafe
and see what God is serving upfresh for you.
Hello, this is your host, glenn Kivett, and welcome
to today's episode of theChristian Cafe, where the bread
is made fresh and deliveredright from the Word of God.
To keep up to date with what'scoming up, be sure to follow me
on Facebook, at the ChristianCafe, also on Twitter.
Feel free to email me with yourprayer request at
(01:00):
thechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom.
I would love to hear from you.
So drive me a seat, place yourorder and we will deliver it
fresh and hot, just for you.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Welcome everybody.
Welcome to the Christian Cafe.
Come right on in, have yourselfa seat and let's enjoy this
time we have together Just tosit down and talk about the Word
of God and talk about what hehas done for us and what he can
do and, most of all, what he isgoing to do Amen.
(01:56):
It's good to be back with you,back talking to you again about
this fabulous book that we'vebeen going through and I hope
that you have enjoyed it thusfar, been getting a lot of
reactions, a lot of downloads onit, and I'm just thankful that
god is reaching you in a placewhere you're at once.
(02:18):
He reveals something to us thenwe must walk into, and I hope
he's been opening up the doorsthrough this book and showing
you things that you may neverseen.
As I said earlier, I have readthis book several times.
I think this is my fourth timegoing through it and each time I
get something different out ofit, because it's just such an
(02:40):
enriching book and Pastor TommyTenney done a wonderful job
talking about his experiencegoing through this time of his
life, this season that he wentthrough.
It changed his life and I hopethat's what this book is doing
to you, but again, welcome tothe Christian Cafe.
It's been a while.
A lot of things have beentaking place.
(03:01):
A lot of things have takenplace, but God is good and he's
helped us through them all.
We're going through a season inour life where things just seem
to be an uproar, but God ismaking us stronger, he's helping
us through it.
My wife is getting ready tohave surgery in a few days on
her back, and that's anotherthing that we're asking God and
(03:25):
still believing God is going toperform a miraculous healing.
God, we still believe that hedoes what his word says and he
does.
And if she has to go throughthe surgery, that's all fine and
well too.
He's still going to heal herone way or the other.
But I'm still believing for Godto touch her without it.
You know, just because it's afew days left doesn't mean he
can't do it before the verymoment.
(03:45):
It's just who God is.
It's in his time and that'swhat I've accepted, and we're
just praying for her speedyrecovery.
So I ask that you help me prayfor her, call her out before God
in your prayer time that Godwill just be with her and just
give her strength.
(04:08):
Just so many things going on inthis world and things going
around, as we need God moretoday than we ever did, and I
trust that you are seeking himfor the path that he wants you
to take, not a path of what manwants you to do, but what God
wants to do in your life.
But I'm just thankful for whathe's doing.
It's been some pretty weather.
We've had some rain here inNorth Carolina.
Today is sun shining here onthe 4th of July.
(04:30):
Today is Independence Day, andI'm thankful for our soldiers
who gave their life so that Icould have independence, that I
could have freedom.
I served in the US Navy,independence, that I can have
freedom.
I served in the US Navy, and soI am honored to say that I
helped Father with our freedomin this country, and all those
(04:51):
that have served that listen tothe podcast.
I want to thank you for yourservice.
Thank you for the sacrificeyou've given for our country.
Well, we're going to get backinto the book today and before
we do, I just want to say thatif you have a prayer request or
a need or whatever you wouldlike for me to pray, please drop
(05:12):
me an email.
My email isthechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom
.
I check my email daily and if Ihave a prayer request, I pray
for them.
So if you have anything thatyou would like have a prayer
request, I pray for them.
So if you have anything thatyou would like me to pray about,
just let me know.
I'd be more than happy to helpyou pray.
And if you would like to have acopy of this book I trust that
(05:35):
you also email me Let me know.
I will send you a copy of thisbook free of charge.
It won't cost you a dime.
I know we've been going throughit.
You can go back and listen tothe podcast, but it's good to
have something in hand Once in awhile you can take notes on.
And speaking of that, I haveanother book that I would like
to talk about here shortlybefore we take a break and get
(05:55):
back into our book.
I have a pastor friend.
He pastors a church inSevierville, tennessee Excuse me
the Lift Church.
His name is Pastor Keith Nixand he just published a book and
went out and I have read it andit's a marvelous book and it's
(06:15):
called Losing Jesus in Church.
If you ever lost something, thenit's always at the last place
you left it.
I can guarantee you that, and Ithink sometimes we did as uh
jesus's parents did we went offand we forgot jesus, and that's
exactly what he talks about thatin his book and it's just a
marvelous book.
(06:35):
And, who knows, I might uh dothat as a, um, a podcast uh
later in the future, but, um, Idon't know.
But if like to have a copy ofthat book also I have several
copies left I'll be glad to sendyou one free of charge and you
can add it to your collection.
Let's take a break and we'llget back here shortly and begin
(06:55):
in our book, okay?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
I could climb the highest peak, could dive the
deepest sea.
Highest peak, kodaina, deepestsea.
I can't fail, cause you'rewatching over me.
I could walk on.
(07:19):
Burning cold need a fight?
Freezing cold ever hurts me.
Burning cold need a finalfreezing cold ever hurts me.
Since the day you saved my soul,I am strong cause.
I know I've got you on my sideand my faith is a burning flame.
(07:43):
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
will fail.
In your name, I shall prevail.
You speak and I heed the call.
(08:06):
By your might, all my foes willfall.
I'm a soldier, a soldier foryour love.
Oh Holy Father, son, yourkingdom, I know, will come.
(08:30):
Oh, jesus, I sing your name inpraise.
Oh, I'm strong because I knowI've got you on my side and my
faith is a burning flame.
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
(08:56):
will fade.
I am strong cause.
I know I've got you on my sideand my faith is a burning flame.
And as long as I know I haveyou on my side, all my enemies
will fail.
(09:16):
In your name, I shall prevail.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Alright, are you ready?
Free me Back in chapter 8, thepurpose of his presence, the
divine radiation zones, presence, evangelism.
I hope you will get somethingout of this.
This is a great chapter.
I'm telling you what it's goingto make you cringe, make you
think.
It's probably going to make yourepent a little bit too.
(10:01):
I know it did me Every time Iread it.
It does Because we're notperfect, right, we still have a
long way to go.
There's still some things wecan learn and grow closer to God
in, and that's what this booktends to do Get us to think
about what we can do to becloser to be a God chaser, and
that's what this book isentitled.
(10:22):
And I hope that you're seeingsome things as we go through
this book about what else we cando.
So let's get right on into it.
Okay, time and again, we ask oneanother why can't I win my
friends to the Lord?
Why is it that my familymembers just don't seem
(10:43):
interested in God?
The answer may shock you in itsbluntness, but the truth often
hurts.
The reason people who know youaren't interested in your God
may be because you don't haveenough of the presence of God in
your life.
I told you, you see, right offthe bat, it's going to make you
(11:05):
mad.
There is something about God'spresence that makes everything
else crumble in comparison.
Without it, you will be just aspale and lifeless as everybody
else around you, no matter whatyou do.
Without his presence you willbe just another somebody to
(11:28):
those around you.
I don't know about you, but Iam tired of just being another
somebody to the lost around me.
I have made a decision.
I made up my mind and set myheart to declare I am going to
pursue the presence of God in mylife.
I am going to get so close toGod that when I walk into
(11:53):
secular and public places,people will meet him.
They may not know that I'mthere, but they will definitely
know that he is there, but theywill definitely know that he is
there.
I want to be so saturated withGod's presence that when I take
a seat on a plane, everyone nearme will suddenly feel
(12:14):
uncomfortable if they're notright with God, even though I
haven't said a word.
I'm not wanting to condemn orto convict them.
I just want to carry thefragrance of my Father with me.
We understand program evangelism, where we knock on doors or
pass out tracts or some otherprogram of the church designed
(12:39):
to reach the lost.
John Wimber helped us tounderstand power evangelism,
where we mix anointing with theprogram.
In this form of evangelism wemight pray for someone to be
healed on the street instead ofjust witnessing or giving out
tracts.
(13:00):
But there is a littleunderstood, much underused form
of evangelism that I callpresent evangelism.
This is where people take note,saying they have been with
Jesus, see Acts 4.13.
This is when the residue of Godon a person creates a divine
(13:23):
radiation zone of the manifestpresence of God, so much so that
it affects those around you.
Shadow healing would fall intothis category.
Only it wasn't Peter's shadowthat healed anyone.
It was the shadow of who Peterwalked with that created a zone,
(13:44):
a healing zone or a demon-freezone.
The Hebrews believed that theanointing would extend as far as
your shadow reached.
I believe that the glory willextend as far as his shadow
reaches.
Cover the earth, lord.
The gospel of mark tells us thatimmediately after jesus
(14:07):
astounded his disciples byrebuking the sea and the wind
during a great storm, theylanded in the country of
getterans.
This is in mark 4, verses 35and 5, verses chapter 1, 5 and 1
.
Something happened that daythat I pray will happen in our
(14:28):
day.
When the sole of Jesus' foottouched the sandy shore of
Gadara, one half mile distance,a man possessed of 5,000 demons
suddenly was freed from theirchoking grasp for the first time
.
Demons suddenly was freed fromtheir choking grass for the
(14:51):
first time.
Why?
How do you know?
Well, mark tells us that whenthe demonized man saw Jesus, he
ran to worship him.
Up until that precise moment,the demons had told him where to
go and what to do.
At every other instance, he hadno control over his own actions
, even when the demons commandedhim to cut himself.
So what changed all that?
(15:14):
What happened?
In a moment that rested thatman's mind and physical
functions out of the control of5,000 controlling demon spirits.
I'll tell you what happenedFather stepped back in the house
.
(15:35):
That is what we need today.
We need to hear the footfall ofGod as the sole of his foot
touches earth just one time.
When that happens, we won'thave to worry about telling
little demons to run.
We won't even have to screamscriptures against their prince
or practice pulling down demonicstrongholds.
(15:56):
The purpose of his manifestpresence is to set the captive
free, to fulfill Luke 4, 18.
He wants to finish what he wasable, unable to start in
Nazareth, when he said this dayis this scripture fulfilled in
your ears, lord.
We want to see you.
We are tired of just talkingabout you like Sunday school
(16:18):
children.
When are you going to show up,lord?
I pray that Isaiah, chapter 6visitation, will come to
churches in the cities, becauseall it took is one footstep of
Almighty God in a city to breakthe chains of decades and
(16:40):
centuries of demonic dominion.
I pray that we can say with theprophet Isaiah I've seen the
Lord.
I'm praying for a corporatebreakthrough in the church, but
first I pray that God gives eachof us an individual
breakthrough in our lives.
Lord, we are not just coming toyou to get a blessing.
(17:04):
We seek the blesser.
We need a breakthrough.
I must warn you that sometimesyou will be broken to get a
breakthrough.
It's just the way it happens.
I encourage you to linger andsoak in the presence of the Lord
at every opportunity when youdraw near to him.
(17:26):
Don't hurry and don't rush.
Realize that this is, or shouldbe, at the top of our priority
list.
Let God do a deep work in yourheart and life.
This is the way God creates adeep board well in your life
(17:46):
that will become an artesianwell of power and glory in his
presence.
The purpose of his presence isto bring deliverance to the
captives and victory to thechildren.
Nothing stops a fight like daddycoming to town.
For centuries we have beenfighting spiritual battles with
(18:10):
Satan and the bad kids from hisneighborhood using bold words
and sometimes sticks and stones,but it is time for us to cry
out to our Father and watch ourneighborhood battles take a
totally new turn.
I tell you with every ounce offaith in my being that if the
(18:32):
Father of us all can step downand allow his manifest presence
to touch earth just once, ifeven one tiny tear from his eye
can fall in a city like LosAngeles, new York or Chicago,
north Carolina or wherever cityyou're in, then the flood of
(18:55):
glory it will spawn will bringrevival throughout the land as
demons flee and sinners fall totheir knees.
Jesus, help us.
Come.
Father, abba, father, daddy, weneed you.
The bottom line is this If youare really hungry to see Daddy
(19:16):
come on the scene, then you haveto understand that you must
stop seeking his benefits andquit asking for him to do this
or do that?
We have managed to turn what weerroneously call church into a
big bless me club when we signup for the blessings and that
(19:37):
blessing, I'm not so sure thatwe need to seek blessings
anymore.
That's what the israelites didin all of the centuries after
they ran from the face of god.
We need to seek brokenness andrepentance and say, by our
actions as well as our words,god, we want you, we don't care
(20:02):
if you do anything or not.
We are crawling up on the altar.
Let your fire of cleansing fallso we can finally see your face
.
Why would we go through all this?
There are at least two reasonsI can think of.
First of all, the experience ofseeing God's glory is
(20:24):
life-changing.
It is the most habit-formingexperience a human being can
have, and the only side effectis death to the flesh.
The second reason is this thetrue purpose of God's presence
manifesting in our lives isevangelism.
If we can carry a residue ofGod's glory back into our homes
(20:48):
and businesses, if we can carryeven a faint glow of his
lingering presence into lukewarmchurches, then we won't have to
beg people to come to the Lordin repentance.
They will run to the altar whenhis glory breaks their bondage
and they can't come any otherway.
No man comes to the Father anyother way except through
(21:10):
repentance and salvation throughJesus.
Every other so-called way tosalvation bears the mark of a
thief and a robber.
The Lord knows that we havetried to pave the way for people
to come to God through painless, cheap grace and costless
revival, but all we wound upwith was bargain basement
(21:34):
salvation that hardly lasted aweek.
Why?
Because all we gave people wasan emotional encounter with man,
when what they really neededwas a death encounter with the
glory and presence of Godhimself.
From here on, our prayer shouldbe this Father, we confess that
(21:59):
we want to see change in ourlives and in our church so we
can bring about change in ourcity.
Give us such a heart andpassion after you that we may
begin to see your glory flow outof us to convict and save the
lost.
Release your presence throughus, as you did through Charles
(22:21):
Finney when he walked throughfactories and saw workers drop
to their knees under your gloryand cried out for forgiveness,
although not one word had beenspoken or preached.
May the faintest shadow of yourpresence in our lives heal the
sick and restore the lame wemeet in the streets.
(22:41):
Let your presence so saturateus that unsaved guests can't
step into our homes or be aroundus with unrepentant hearts.
May your glory bring convictionin their lives that leads to
salvation.
Not because of our words we say, but because of your presence
(23:05):
and power in our hearts.
Honestly, I'm looking for thesame kind of revival that they
had in the new Hebrids whenofficials sent for Duncan
Campbell who was conductingnight revival services in that
region.
They told the evangelist wouldyou please come to the police
(23:28):
station?
There are a whole score ofpeople here and we don't know
what's wrong with them, but wethink you might.
Now this really happened as theman walked with the officials
through the village to thepolice station at 4 o'clock in
the morning he said it was likea plague had come on the village
(23:48):
.
People were weeping and prayingbehind every haystack and every
door.
Men were kneeling on the streetcorners and ladies and children
haystack and every door.
Men were kneeling on the streetcorners and ladies and children
in their nightgowns werehuddled around each other in
their open doorways, weeping andcrying.
When the evangelist finallyreached the police station, he
(24:09):
found scores of people weepingand crying out to the police
what is wrong.
They didn't even know enoughabout God to know it was him.
They just knew something waswrong and that they were guilty.
The only thing they knew to dowas to go to the police station
(24:30):
and confess that something waswrong.
What was wrong was that therewas sin in their hearts and the
conviction of God had come uponthem.
Suddenly, when these peoplebegan to flood the police
station with their confessionsof wrongdoing, the police didn't
have the answer.
(24:50):
The evangelist stood on thesteps of the police station
early that morning and preacheda simple gospel of repentance
and salvation through JesusChrist, and genuine revival came
to that place.
This is the kind of revivalthat I'm talking about, the kind
that will quickly overwhelm theresources and manpower of every
(25:15):
church.
Can you imagine people justflocking to the church or
someplace like a police station,just weeping and crying and
don't know why?
Can you imagine that happening?
Why can't it happen here inAmerica?
I think the biggest reason isAmerica is not hungry for God.
(25:36):
They're hungry for what?
The blessings of God, butthey're not hungry for God.
There is a difference.
Seeking God for blessings isnot the same as seeking God's
face.
We've got to seek his face.
If we want to see things likethis happen, if we walk into a
(25:58):
place and we want people to feelthe presence of God, know that
we've been with Jesus, andconviction just falls on them,
they get healed of some kind ofdisease or something just
because we walk by Just a shadowof his presence.
That are with us because theyknow we've been in touch with
him and see people healed andsaved and delivered.
(26:19):
But just that, not evenpreaching a word, that we need
to get hungry.
We need to get hungry.
We're going to take a break andwe'll come back.
Come right back.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, ooh, oh, ooh, yeah, for my
good.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
For my good.
It's all working For my good,for my For my good, for my good,
for my good, for my good.
It's all working for my good.
Here at the Christian Cafe, webelieve in serving up a hot,
(27:08):
fresh word for our listeners.
We recently read a new booktitled Revival Makers Stop
Chasing a Move of God and Be Oneby Pastor Tony Suarez.
We would love to send you acopy of this book for free.
All you need to do is contactus through email at
thechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom, with your name and address,
(27:29):
and we will send it to you forfree.
Dot com with your name andaddress, and we will send it to
you for free.
Also, be sure and tune in toall the latest episodes of the
Christian Cafe wherever you getyour podcasts.
Again, email us at the theChristian C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N Cafe
(27:52):
C-A-F-E-2-0-2-2 at gmailcom.
Thanks and have a great day.
Perfect thing, perfect thing.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Let's see what.
Let's see what they may bringfor my, for my good, for my good
.
I see it working, it's allworking.
Yes, it is for my good, for mygood.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
America is hungry, but the bread is stale, but the
bread is stale.
Frankly, we would be totallyunable to contain or manage such
a harvest of souls in ourpresent state, because we don't
have enough fresh bread of hispresence on our shelves for the
(28:47):
hungry masses.
It may bother some people thatI say that, but I have a problem
with our part-time gone fishingchurch mentality.
We touched on this earlier inchapter two no bread in the
house of bread, but it bearsrepeating until the situation
(29:07):
changes.
Why is it that on every cornerin America's cities we have
little convenience stores thatstay open 24 hours a day just to
meet the public's demand fortheir goods?
Meanwhile, most of Americanchurches supposedly satisfy the
(29:29):
nation's hunger for God, whileoperating only two hours a week
on Sunday morning.
Why is it the church stayingopen every night and day?
Aren't we supposed to beoffering the bread of life to
the hungry?
Something is terribly wrong,and I don't think it is
(29:52):
America's hunger for God.
They are hungry, all right, butthey aren't smart enough to
tell the difference between thestale bread of yesterday's
religious experience and thefresh bread of God's genuine
experience.
Once again, we must concludethat the reason the hungry are
(30:15):
knocking our doors in is becausethe house of bread is empty.
It is interesting to note thatnot one of the 50 largest
churches in the world is in theUnited States.
How can that be?
Haven't we sent missionariesaround the world for more than
(30:35):
200 years?
The hungry need fresh bread inabundance, not stale crumbs in
the carpet from last century'swedding rehearsal dinner.
I have a friend who pastors achurch of about 7,000 believers.
His church is arguably the bestcell-based model church in
(30:57):
America.
But he told me that he hadrecently attended a conference
overseas and what he discoveredthere brought tears to his eyes.
He told me, tommy, there'ssomething that just really
griped me at the conference.
He me gripped me at theconference.
He explained that theconference sponsored a workshop
(31:20):
for pastors who pastor churcheslarger than 100,000.
And then he said I couldn'tstand it.
I just had to open the door andstick my head into that meeting
to see if there was anybodythere.
The room had about 20 or 30people in it and it just gripped
(31:42):
me that I couldn't go in there.
Then, with tears in his eyes,he told me.
Then it dawned on me, tommy,nobody in that room was an
American.
Me, nobody in that room was anAmerican.
This man has been faithfullysuccessful.
(32:02):
By American standards.
He has managed to make asizable dent on his city of
about 400,000, but he wants todo more.
He isn't a head counter ornumber chaser who is interested
only in competing with otherpastors who brag about their
Sunday morning attendancefigures.
He is a God chaser and a soulwinner.
His tears weren't tears ofjealousy.
(32:25):
They weren't tears of sorrow.
If there has ever been a countryripe for revival, it is the
United States.
It is time for God's people toget desperately hungry after him
, because the fires of revivalmust first ignite the church
(32:45):
before its flames can spread tothe streets.
I am weary of trying toaccomplish God's works with the
hands of man.
What we need for nationwiderevival is one thing, and one
thing only we need to have Godshow up.
If you want your church, yourlocal let me start over If you
(33:08):
want your local high schoolclasses to turn into prayer
meetings, then you will need tosee God show up.
I'm not talking about atheoretical or historical
occurrence.
There have been times whenGod's glory has been flowing in
his churches so much that hispeople had to be careful in area
(33:32):
restaurants simply bowing theirheads to pray over their meal.
They look up to see waitressesand other customers all around
just weeping uncontrollably andsaying what is it with you
people?
My wife was standing in line topay for some purchases at a
(33:54):
store during God's visitation inHouston when a lady tapped her
on the shoulder.
She turned around to see who itwas to find a total stranger
weeping unashamedly.
This lady told my wife I don'tknow where you've been and I
don't know what you've got, butmy husband is a lawyer and I'm
(34:16):
in the middle of a divorce.
She began to blurt out herother problems and finally said
what I'm really saying is I needGod.
My wife looked around and saidyou mean right here.
You mean right here.
She said right here.
My wife just had to ask againwell, what about the people in
(34:38):
line?
Suddenly the lady turned to thewoman standing in the line
behind her and said ma'am, is itokay if I pray with this lady
right here?
But that lady was also cryingand she said yes, and pray with
me too.
There is no shortcut.
Supernatural things like thatwill happen to you too, but it
(35:01):
only comes one way.
It only comes when the priestand the ministers weep between
the porch and the altar and cryout to Jesus Christ Spare the
people.
There is no shortcut to revivalor the coming of his presence.
God's glory only comes whenrepentance and brokenness drive
(35:25):
you to your knees, because hispresence requires purity.
Only dead men see God's face.
We cannot expect others torepeat at that death if you and
I are not willing to continuallywalk in that level of
repentance.
The world is tired of hearingpompous churches preaching
(35:48):
popular sermons from behindtheir elevated pulpits.
What right do we have to telleverybody else to repent when
there are such glaring problemsin our own house?
Hypocrisy has never been instyle in God's church, but we've
made it the main attraction inour version of church.
What we need to do is comeclean and confess.
(36:11):
Yes, we have some problems.
Yes, I have some problems too,but I am repenting of my sin
right now.
Is there anybody here who wantsto join me while I repent?
I think we will all besurprised at the number of
people who will start crawlingout from the crevices of society
(36:32):
when they see the churchrepenting.
Once again, it all goes back toour most serious problem we
don't have the bread of hispresence.
Our churches are filled withcareer prodigals who love their
father's things more than theirfather.
We come to the family dinnertable not to ask for more of the
(36:53):
father, but to beg and persuadehim to give us all the things
in his house that he haspromised are rightfully ours.
We open the book and lick ourlips and say I want all the
gifts.
I want the best portion, thefull blessing.
I want the best portion, thefull blessing.
(37:14):
I want all that belongs to me.
Ironically, it was the father'sblessings that actually
financed the prodigal son's tripaway from the father's face,
and it was the son's newrevelation of his poverty of
heart that propelled him backinto his father's arms.
Sometimes we use the veryblessings that God gives us To
(37:36):
finance our journey away fromthe centrality of Christ.
It's very important that weturn back To ground zero, to the
ultimate eternal goal Ofabiding with the father In
intimate communion.
Lord, put a hunger in our heartsfor you and not just for your
(38:00):
things.
We appreciate your boundlessblessings, father, but we are
hungry for you, our blesser.
Come show us the real purposeof your presence.
Come, show us the real purposeof your presence, god.
Let us see you and not thethings you can do for us.
(38:20):
Let us get hungry for you, notfor the things you can do for us
, but, god, let us get hungryfor you.
God, let's put away ourpettiness, father.
Our attitudes are trying tomake things better without your
presence.
Father, let's put away ourprograms, put away the things
(38:46):
that we think that you like, god, father, let us do things that
you want done.
It's not about the programs,it's not about the things,
father, that's in the church,it's all about you and God.
If it doesn't glorify you, then, father, we need to leave it be
.
Father, let us get to a placewhere, when we walk into a
(39:08):
building or room, father, theydon't see us but, god, they feel
the presence of the AlmightyKing.
God, we repent, father, we askfor forgiveness, father, of
letting ourself be promoted overyou.
God, we repent of our sins,father, those things, father,
(39:29):
that keep us from walking inyour presence, that keep us, god
, not in the will of the Father,and God that people are
suffering because we have sin inour lives.
We are the hands and feet,father, of you, and if people
(39:52):
cannot experience you when wewalk into a room or when they
talk to us, father, we havefailed.
We have literally failed,father.
If we've not, father, let themfeel who you are or know who you
are.
God, help us to be a betterChristian Father, a better
servant, father, a betterfollower of your word.
Father, we're thankful for yourpeople.
We're thankful, god, for whatyou're doing for them.
(40:14):
And God, we just want you,father, to continue to move in
their lives.
Father, help them all.
Father, repent and turn theireyes towards you, off a man.
But, lord, look at you.
Father, we love you and praiseyou and give you glory and honor
in all things In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Guys, I hope you have enjoyedthis time.
(40:36):
I hope you have enjoyed theChristian Cafe and this chapter.
It was a great chapter.
Like I told you in thebeginning, it's probably going
to make you mad.
It's probably going to make yourepent.
I hope it makes you repent.
If it doesn't make you repent,there's a problem, because we
need to be hungry for god.
We if just face it.
(40:58):
If we're not hungry for god,what are we hungry for?
Do you want to see revival?
I do.
I want to see people's liveschange.
I want to see jesus Jesus.
Guys, next episode we'll talkabout dismantle your glory, the
burial of man's glory is thebirth of God's glory, man.
(41:22):
I can't wait.
That's going to be a powerfulchapter, guys, until next time.
Thank you for tuning in to theChristian Cafe, remember, drop
me a line atthechristiancafe2022 at gmailcom
.
I would love to hear from you.
Remember, the two books Italked about, god Chasers and
Losing Jesus in Church.
If you want a copy of them, letme know.
(41:45):
I'll be glad to send them toyou free of charge.
Visit my Facebook page and myYouTube page.
You'll find that everythingthat on the podcast is on
YouTube.
Coming very shortly, Once wefinish book, we'll be going to
probably some video podcasts andwe'll have some guests on it
and kind of change things up fora little while and I hope, hope
(42:09):
, it does good.
We've been getting a lot offeedback and and I think,
everybody's enjoying it.
So again, join me for the nextepisode and I want to pray
blessings upon you.
I hope you've been fed.
I hope you leave here full.
Today, everything you've gotwas fresh from the Word of God.
We love you Until next time, soso.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Join us next time right here on the Christian Cafe
and see what God is serving upfresh for you.
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