The Power of Proximity | Pastor Trev Evans

Come on, grab your Bibles as we get

ready to get into the word of God.

Whether it's a paper Bible,

electronic phone, cell phone, whatever

you have, a tablet. The crown event.

Yes. Big shout out for the crown event

yesterday.

Amen. Phenomenal time. Mothers and

mother figures with their daughters. It

was a great time yesterday. Big shout

out to the for all of those who worked

and those who came and served in that.

It was a phenomenal time. Amen. Amen.

>> Amen. Come on. Let's raise our Bible in

the air. Make our confession. Say, "This

is my Bible.

>> This is my

>> It is God's word.

>> It reveals to me.

>> It reveals to me

>> God's will.

>> Therefore,

>> therefore,

>> it's the final authority

>> the final

>> to which I submit

>> to settle all the issues all

>> of my life

>> of my life.

>> It's the standard

>> of my conduct

>> and the basis

>> of all my expectations."

>> Shout it out. I am. I am

>> what it says I am.

>> It says I am.

>> I possess

>> what it says I possess.

>> It says I

>> And I can do

>> I can do

>> absolutely everything.

>> Absolutely everything

>> it says I can do.

>> It says

>> I'm a believer.

>> Not a doubter.

>> I'm a doer.

>> Not just a hearer.

>> And my life

>> my everyday life

>> is the better

>> is the better.

>> After having heard

>> after

>> the word of faith the word of faith.

>> Faith comes by hearing.

and hearing by

>> the word of God.

>> Let's ride.

>> Come on. You may be seated in the

presence of the Lord.

Amen. Boy, I say it every week. I love

sound ministry.

>> I love everybody. God knows I thank God

for sound ministry. Amen. Come on. Let's

go with go with me to Mark chapter 3.

Mark 3 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 3.

Mark 3 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 3 and verse 13 and 14.

Mark 3 · chapter mention

Really, I just want to read 14. That's

all I want. It's 14.

Mark chapter 3 verse 14.

Mark 3:14

Oh, that ain't it. That's Mark chapter

Mark 4 · chapter mention

4. Hold on.

There we go. Mark chapter 3, verse 14.

Mark 3:14

It says, "Then he appointed 12 that they

might be with him."

That's all I need.

Then he appointed

12 that they might be with him. Today I

want to talk to us from the subject the

power of proximity.

The power of proximity.

You know, every day that the Lord sends,

we are bombarded with endless

notifications,

breaking news, and social media updates.

Just the other day, we woke up to hear

that our country is at war.

>> Our minds are constantly racing. Our

schedules are overflowing. And yet, with

all this noise, something feels missing.

We have more information at our

fingertips than ever before. But somehow

we're more restless,

more distracted,

and in some situations, even more

uncertain. We live in an era where we

are drowning in data, but starving for

direction.

>> And today, I just want to I just want to

talk to us today. I just want to talk to

us today. Lord, keep me calm.

As in 2026, we have instant access to

every theological how-to guide that's

ever been created.

We have become experts at gathering

information about God, hoping that it

will finally be the thing that changes

us.

But as Dr. Alicia Brit Scholey notes,

God isn't looking to update our mental

files. He is looking to reform our

souls.

Oh my God. If I could just sit there

that God is not looking to try to to

update your mental file. He's trying to

update your soul

thinking you and I often think that if

we can just download these seven steps

of productivity, then our lives will

stop glitching.

And and if we approach our if we

approach our walk with God the same way,

we are asking Jesus, catch this, for a

road map when God wants to give us

relationship.

>> Ah yeah, a a road map. I I don't know if

you remember, but a road map was more

like a step-by-step guide on what it is

you trying to get to, a place you're

trying to get get to next. How many of

you all remember a map quest?

H see when when you are using a road map

there's so much anxiety. See there's

some people in here all they know about

is the GPS. But I remember days of map

quest when you had to print out your

direction

>> and you had directions in one hand and

the steering wheel in another trying to

turn put your signal light on get you a

cup of water AND CHAIN THAT CD ALL at

the same time.

But now we are in the day of the GPS.

>> And can I tell you all of the steps that

we're trying to get and we're trying, we

need the steps.

>> We got to have the steps.

>> But I believe God IS CALLING US BACK

JUST a little bit because we put more

emphasis in the road map than we have

the relationship.

We've put more emphasis in the steps

than we have the savior.

>> And so what God is calling us back to,

see, because when you when you are when

you are heavily invested in the road

map, that's a life of anxiety.

>> See, if you've never had to have map

quests in your life, you don't know what

I'm talking about.

>> There was a level of anxiety that you

had because you're trying to do multiple

things at the same time and still arrive

to your destination. Whereas now with

the GPS, you and I have to fight and

keep our attention to stay close. And we

got to make sure the radio is not too

loud and the people in OUR CAR ARE NOT

TALKING TOO MUCH SO THAT WE CAN hear

>> the directions that will take us to

where we want to go.

>> This is this is where our shift begins

today. Before we can do anything for

God, we must first learn to simply be

with God.

Jesus did not call you to a task, a

title, or a to-do list.

>> He called you and I to be with him.

>> We have tasks. We have titles. We have

to-do list. But before we jump into

that,

he's called us to be with him.

>> Oh God, I feel God just trying. He done

cut my signal light on to just make a

left. In the day in which we live with

so many voices telling us what to

believe and how to believe, you and I

need proximity to the Savior like never

before.

>> Oh, we living in a day now where things

seem right.

>> Oh, talk, Holy Ghost. We're living in A

DAY NOW WHERE THINGS SEEM right

>> and YOU AND I MUST HAVE OUR EAR PRESSED

TO THE MOUTH AND TO THE HEART OF GOD.

>> We need proximity to him.

>> When we talk about proximity to his

presence, the power of proximity is the

transformative transformative impact of

being close to Jesus.

Catch this. Hear me good. You and I are

wanted in his presence ever before we

are needed for his platform.

>> You and I are wanted

in his presence.

Ever before we are needed for his

platform.

Can I tell you that God wants to be with

you?

>> No. No. No. that that that God wants to

be with you.

>> You you you did not find him.

>> He found you.

>> I notice how we used TO TESTIFY AND THEY

SOUND GOOD CUZ IT GOT US UP AND DANCING.

BUT THE REALITY WAS HE WASN'T LOST.

>> I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN. I GOT to calm

down. Far from the peace for sure.

>> Very deeply stained within. sinking

>> to rise. He found me.

>> He came and got me.

>> He came and pursued me.

>> While I was in sin, he died for me.

>> You and I have to stay close.

We got to stay close. How do we How do

we stay close? Number one, we have to

prioritize his presence. Come on, let's

ride. We got to prioritize his presence.

The scripture says in Mark 3:13, if you

Mark 3:13

allow me to back up to it, it says,

"Jesus went up on a mountain side and he

called him those he wanted

and they came to him."

He called those he wanted. I'm talking

to somebody right now. I don't know

whether it's in here or online, but

you're not sure if God still wants you.

Can I tell you unequivocally that God

still wants you?

>> Can I TELL YOU WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A

DOUBT AND WITHOUT A TREMBLE IN MY VOICE,

GOD STILL wants you. THAT YOU HAVE NOT

DONE SO MUCH, YOU NOT HAVE GONE SO FAR

THAT THE GRACE OF GOD DOES NOT STILL

WANT YOU.

>> HALLELUJAH.

>> HE CALLED THEM. AMEN.

>> He recruited them.

>> See, I just we just finished basketball

season at JH Rose. God, we just came up

a little short yesterday by one point.

>> My God.

And I'm always keenly aware of how fast

the season goes, especially for players.

And and what what is what is mo what I'm

most aware of is that for some players

seniors for some seniors when they

finish playing that night that's it

cuz nobody is recruiting them

>> catch this nobody oh god wants them.

Do you know what kind of feeling that is

where you feel like this is it?

>> Because not because you can't do it

anymore,

>> but because nobody wants

>> what you can do.

>> And as challenging as that is on the

basketball court,

>> it's 10 times worse in life.

that when you begin to think and the

enemy wants to make you think that God

doesn't want you.

>> He wants you to think that the last

failure you had that that is it.

>> That God no longer has need of you and

that the purpose and plan that he has

for your life has BEEN EXTINGUISHED. BUT

CAN I TELL you

>> that's why Jesus died?

>> That's why he shed his blood. That's why

he got up AGAIN BECAUSE HE WANTED US TO

KNOW THAT HE STILL WANTS US.

>> THAT OUR FAILURES WERE NOT FINAL.

>> Jesus wanted them.

>> He came to get them. And you and I with

that understanding, this is why we got

to prioritize his presence.

>> I'm not prioritizing his presence from a

duty perspective. I'm prioritizing his

presence because he did so much to get

me.

>> HE CAME DOWN so far to get me. HE

REACHED WAY DOWN AND PICKED ME UP.

>> THAT'S WHY I PRIORITIZE HIS PRESENCE.

>> When we talk about prioritizing his

presence, catch this. This means it's my

slide. This means to intentionally make

time and space in your life to be with

him

>> above all else. It is about valuing your

relationship with God. Catch this. More

than your task, more than your

achievements. And I know this one's

gonna sting. Even more than your

spiritual to-do list.

>> I know that just I know that just ve

somebody's spirit right there. I'm gonna

read it again.

>> When we talk about prioritizing God's

presence, it means to intentionally make

time and space in your life to be with

him.

Not to perform,

>> not not not not not necessarily to to

pray down heaven,

>> BUT BUT TO SIMPLY BE WITH HIM. SOMEBODY

SHOUT be with him.

>> Be with him.

>> Opportunity for us to create space to be

with him above all else. It is about

valuing our relationship with God more

than our task, more than our

achievements, and even more than our

spiritual to-do list.

>> We want to prioritize his presence.

Prioritize it above your plans.

>> Prioritize it, catch this, even above

your productivity.

>> See, because doing more is meaningless

if it's not rooted in him.

doing. Just simply doing more is

meaningless if it's not rooted in him. I

tell you ALL THE TIME THAT THE most the

scariest scripture to me is when they

get in front of God and he says, "DEPART

FROM ME FOR I NEVER KNEW YOU."

>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I'M DOING ALL THESE

THINGS. I'M RUNNING HERE AND THERE. NO,

BUT YOU NEVER SAT WITH ME.

>> YOU NEVER TAKEN TIME TO BE WITH ME.

YOU'VE GOTTEN SO CAUGHT UP IN THE WORK

OF THE LORD THAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE

LORD OF THE WORK.

>> You and I got to prioritize his

presence, over our productivity. We got

to prioritize his presence. CATCH THIS.

OVER OTHER PEOPLE.

>> Talk Holy Ghost. See, BECAUSE THERE'S

GOING TO COME A day

>> where you are going TO HAVE TO CHOOSE

God over them.

I'mma say it to this side. There's going

to come a day in all of our lives

>> where we will have to choose God

>> over the people who oppose God in our

lives.

>> I don't have no other way to shape it.

We got to prioritize God

over plans, over productivity, over

people, over pressure. See, because the

demands of life can wait when we choose

to rest in his presence.

We have to prioritize his presence even

over our own pride.

>> That's a challenging one.

Our own pride gets in the way

from his presence.

Thinking that you don't you don't need

to pray. Not like that.

Oh, I don't I don't I don't need to

gather in circles. Not like that. I'm

good. They that circle that's for that's

for them.

>> That that that that's for them. That

that that life that that's stuff for

them. They you know, everybody in there

strong.

>> I told you the other day that pride is

like carbon monoxide.

>> Lord, I believe it's carbon monoxide.

It's it's like carbon monoxide. You you

have a smoke detector in your house. And

can I tell you, you got to have a smoke

detector. Change your batteries.

>> You got to have one.

>> But But you got to have You got to have

one. You got to have a smoke detector.

Say it with me. You got to have

>> a smoke detector.

>> Smoke detector.

>> I'm not as scared now. I got it. And if

some of y'all right now, yours is

beeping. Go change that battery.

You can't go live on Zoom. Just

distracted everybody.

You be telling the person, "Mute." You

mute or change the battery.

I need a smoke detector. But but can I

say the smoke detector the most times I

can pick up the smoke.

I can detect the smoke

sometimes even before the detector goes

off. But that carbon monoxide

>> most times

is undetectable.

>> And you and I have need that detector

new curve. Well, you got to have IT IN

THE RIGHT place

>> so that it can pick up

when something has crept in.

>> Can I tell you that pride is the same

way? You and I need the detector of the

word of God. The detector OF

ACCOUNTABILITY, THE DETECTOR OF PEOPLE

AROUND US

>> TO HELP PICK UP ON THAT PRIDE BECAUSE IT

CAN SNEAK in

>> undetected.

>> God, I felt like a Baptist preacher. You

saw that shake right there. God is

anointing me.

>> Hallelujah.

He doing it.

But you and I have to prioritize his

presence.

>> Catch this. When you prioritize his

presence, everything else finds its

proper place.

>> IF I CAN PRIORITIZE GOD'S PRESENCE, then

some kind of way everything else

>> begins to find its place that God will

whisper to me, "No, don't do that. Do

this."

>> Yeah. BUT BEFORE YOU DO THAT, HANDLE

THIS RIGHT HERE AND THEN DO THAT. BUT

YOU ONLY GET THAT WHEN WE SPEND TIME

WITH HIM IN HIS PRESENCE.

When I prioritize his presence,

understand something. Before we can do

for God, we must first sit with God.

Pastor Shand, well, how how do I know

that I'm sitting with God? How do I know

when I am sitting with God? Like, what

does that look like?

What what what does that what does that

what does that look like?

See, because the disciples, they walked

with Jesus while traveling from village

to village. But we must do what pas what

Dr. Alicia and Dr. Barry talked to us

about and that is witness

withness.

Being with God

in whatever it is I'm doing, I want to

do it with God.

>> Before I go and do it for God, I want to

take time and be

>> with God.

>> Bump your name and say witness.

>> Witness. Now, if you spit, just just say

it straight. Don't you can't you can't

say it without spraying, though.

>> But you, you and I have to have you and

I have to have consecrated time

>> with God. What does consecrated mean?

That's a real churchy term. That that

that means time set apart

>> to be with God. You know, we Dr. Barry

and Dr. Alicia taught us that that that

that can be in many different forms.

>> You I learned I thought I grew up in in

the church of God in Christ and I

thought being with God was just on my

knees.

>> Father God, in the name of Jesus, Lord

God, we thank you, Lord God, for another

day. Lord, we ask you right now, God to

endure with power FROM ON HIGH. OH LORD,

>> MAN, THAT'S HOW WE COME UP. THAT STUFF

STILL HOLD ON. DON'T LAUGH. THAT STUFF

STILL WORK.

>> YOU GET IN ENOUGH TROUBLE.

>> OH, YOU WON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO GO DOWN

LIKE THAT

>> BEFORE WE START LAUGHING TOO HARD.

>> LIFE CAN HAND YOU SOMETHING.

>> Talk Holy Ghost.

But what we're saying is that's not the

only way

>> to be with him.

>> That I can I can be with with God.

>> Here I am, Lord.

>> And if you want to say anything to me,

>> I'm listening,

>> Lord. I'm not here to perform.

I'm just here to be with you.

>> Catch this. No Bible.

>> Not right now.

>> No prayer list.

>> Not right now. No oil.

>> Not right now.

>> Hallelujah. Just be with it.

And if you say something, fine. And if

you don't say something,

I need it either way.

>> God says to you, "You don't have to

perform for me."

>> And can I tell you something? You need

to tell God, "You don't have to perform

for me either." Amen.

>> I can just sit here.

>> You ain't got to make the thunder roll

or the lightning flash.

>> I just need to be with you.

>> It does something for my soul

>> to sit with him.

>> It recalibrates my heart when I sit with

him. It settles my mind when I sit with

him.

>> Hallelujah.

need to disconnect from the digital

world for a moment.

>> Unplug. We got to unplug ceremonies. We

go to the wedding, you tell them to turn

their phone off.

>> Why? Cuz you don't want to interrupt

what you done put all this money in.

>> Can we have time in our lives where we

unplug

>> so that we can just be with him?

and see. Oh God, God is thank you Jesus.

Some of us have a savior complex

>> and we can't turn the phone off cuz we

think we have to be there for everybody

on everything and every time they call.

Can I TELL YOU SOMETHING? YOU AIN'T

JESUS.

You are not Jesus.

>> If you cut your phone off for five

minutes, the world will keep turning.

>> I can't turn my phone on cuz they need

me. No, you need the Lord.

>> You need a minute.

And what for some of us, what it's going

to DO IS TO TEACH them that THEY NEED

THE LORD, TOO.

>> OH, I'M NOT JESUS. YOU NEED HIM.

>> WHAT IF THEY NEED PRAYER? They they need

to get saved. Talk to the Lord.

>> They can have a prayer life, too.

>> I'm preaching.

>> You and I have to prioritize his

presence.

God's first call on your life is not to

do something for him. It's to be with

him. Oh, number two. Number two, we

prioritize his presence. But also, what

we need to do is we have to embrace the

power of proximity.

We prioritize his presence, but you and

I must embrace the power of proximity.

Mark chapter 3:14 it says he appointed

12 that they might be with him and that

he might send them out to preach.

Sometimes we love we skip past the be

with him and jump on the doing and the

preaching

but he he called us to himself and we

have to embrace the power of that

proximity. You know the scripture talks

about that there will be a day where

people will have a form of godliness

>> but deny the power

>> thereof. What does that mean? That means

that that we will get so connected and

so familiarized with with church

>> and church lingo

>> and church culture

>> that we get we we won't even allow we

have the form of we look churchy

>> we sound churchy

but we are not allowing the power of God

to reshape us and to mold us. We need to

gather in these in these these types of

gatherings. The Bible says in Hebrews

Hebrews 10:25

10:25, "Forsake not the assembly of

yourselves together.

We need this." But can I tell you, we

need we got to take another step

that that yeah, our gathering is great,

but when we get in the presence of God

and God is showing us things about let

the power change you.

What is that scripture where it says uh

quench not

the Holy Spirit?

>> Now for many of us who grew up in

church, y'all already know where I'm

going, don't you? That we interpreted

that verse meaning when when the when

the praise is high.

>> We used to interpret it like when the

praise is high, you sit in your seat,

you feel like you want to dance, you

just you quenching it cuz you trying to

look like you got to pee. You like

I feel like Tim Shropshine right there.

And he's trying to hold it.

Hold what?

>> That's what we used to call quenching

the spirit.

>> But can I tell you?

>> That's not That's not That's not

quenching the spirit.

that when when when God when we talking

about quenching the spirit God when God

wants to change something,

rearrange something,

remove something,

add something. When you and I put up a

barricade,

we are quenching the spirit. We are

quenching, trying to put out, extinguish

what God is trying to do.

And when we have proximity to his

presence, we need to let the power do

its thing.

>> We need to trust God enough

>> to let the power do its thing. That

whatever it is you want to take out or

add to my life, God, here I am.

>> Nobody goes into surgery and is and

while surgery going on, sit up and tell

the surgeon what to do.

No, that's that's why they put your

THAT'S WHY THEY KNOCK YOU OUT with that

stuff cuz you will have too much to say.

>> And some of us need some spiritual

>> anesthetics.

Anesthesia.

>> Anesthetics. That's not a word.

>> It is a word.

>> Okay. God, thank you. Trying to stay off

the clips.

Some of us need that

>> because we we we we giving God too many

directions.

Woo. When God trying to tell us

>> who to leave alone,

>> we're trying we're trying to trying to

just adjust it just a little bit.

>> When he's not trying to get you to make

that change or that alteration FOR

TODAY, BUT HE'S HE'S 90 DAYS down the

road.

>> Let the proxim you got to embrace the

power of proximity.

>> We got to embrace the power of

proximity. We have to let the proximity

change us

and we we how we do it. We got to abide.

You got to stay stay close. Bump me

neighbor. Say stay close.

>> Stay close.

>> Oh God. You you you got to stay close

>> because you and I don't have what we

need on on our own

>> to be and to do who God has called us to

be and what he's called us to do.

>> You and I got to stay connected. The

Bible says in John 15:5, Jesus said, "I

John 15:5

am the vine.

>> You are the branches. I am the vine. You

are the branches. I am the vine. I am

the power source. You are the branches."

Don't get it twisted. GOD SAID, "I am

the vine.

>> You are the branches.

If you remain in me

>> and I in you, you will bear much fruit,

>> YOU CANNOT BEAR FRUIT APART FROM THE

VINE.

>> You know, I told Pastor Christ the other

day that uh I wanted to I I had a little

sermon, you know, I was writing sermons

back in college uh at ENT. Should have

been studying a little more, but I was

writing sermons.

I graduated IN DECEMBER. OH, THANK OH,

GOOD THOUGHT ABOUT IT. HEY,

NO, NO, don't do that. Hold on. Don't do

that. I'm going to bring a tambourine to

my graduation. Watch what I tell you.

I was writing a sermon and uh wrote this

little sermon entitled from this text,

batteries not included.

You remember that back IN THE DAY? SEE,

Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO BE on

last week with Generation Sunday. I was

I was an 80s baby

>> and there used to be commercials that

would come on. They would show you this

toy. They show you everything the toy

did.

Do this and do that. Transformers and

everything popping out and everything.

And then at the end it would tell you

batteries

>> not included.

And I was reading this text and God SAID

TO ME, TREV, YOU KNOW, I OPERATE THE

SAME way

>> that in my relationship with you,

>> batteries,

>> not included. Batteries was something

that would allow you to have a little

bit of power, but roam and go anywhere

you wanted to go.

>> You didn't have to STAY CONNECTED TO A

power source.

>> You could just when the batteries are

when you when YOU HAVE BATTERY, YOU JUST

GO ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO GO. I AIN'T GOT

TO ASK NOBODY NOTHING.

>> But when you got a cord, YOU GOT TO STAY

CERTAIN. OH, I WISH I knew somebody that

had a landline.

Your cell phone. NOW YOU JUST WALK

ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO GO. THERE WAS A DAY

>> WHEN YOU HAD A house phone

>> and if YOU DIDN'T HAVE ABOUT 15 FEET ON

THAT CORD,

>> you just had to talk low CUZ YOU AIN'T

HAD NOWHERE to go.

just had to talk low.

>> I thought Reaba had swept the line when

it was a 100 FOOT CORD AND I COULD TAKE

IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE.

I thought revival had swept the land.

You and I,

we have everything we need

>> to be lit.

Bulb work,

electricity work,

only one problem.

Not connected.

Some of us got a great bulb.

>> Power showed up. Word.

>> We just not connected.

>> Thank you, Holy Ghost. I was going to

use an extension cord,

but God said there's some of you

Yes, sir. There's some of you you got to

stay close.

You trying You trying to get God to give

you an extension cord.

>> You trying to get God to give you a

little leeway in that relationship, in

that situationship.

>> And right now you're NOT LIT. YOUR LIGHT

IS OUT. YOUR WITNESS is compromised.

It means I MAYBE I CAN'T GO AS FAR.

>> BUT I'MMA GO AS FAR AS I can

>> and shine with what I got.

If that's the only way I can stay on.

If this as FAR AS I CAN GO. SOME OF YOU

ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT TRYING TO

LEAVE. And if you need to leave, leave.

GO WHERE GOD CALLED YOU TO GO.

>> But if THIS IS WHERE GOD HAS CONNECTED

YOU TO,

>> THEN I WOULD RATHER I would rather have

these limitations and stay lit

>> THAN TO GO WHEREVER I WANT TO GO. AND MY

LIGHT IS OUT, GO WHERE I WANT TO GO AND

still

now.

Thank you, Holy Ghost.

>> Some of us

>> when we go on vacation,

>> we need an extension cord.

>> Cuz we think when we leave Greenville

that WE CAN LIVE ANY KIND OF WAY WE WANT

TO LIVE. BUT I NEED AN EXTENSION CORD ON

VACATION SO I CAN STEAL IT.

I'm not going out of town and get drunk.

I'm going to stay lit. Lord, talk, Holy

Ghost. I'M NOT GOING OUT OF TOWN AND

GIVE HIM A FREE CALL. I'M GOING TO STAY

LIT.

Let me get out in here.

>> Bump your neighbor. Say, "Stay close."

>> I got to prioritize his presence.

Then I got to embrace the power. I got

to stay connected. And then when I have

that proximity, I need to let that power

change me.

>> It's not enough to have a form of

godliness

and deny his power.

>> Pastor Shawn called it name dropping.

>> It's just when you just call it, you

just drop names about who you know and

what you know, but don't have no real

connection or relationship.

>> I don't want to name drop God.

using them on my resume when it fits me.

>> But then he ask me for something, I'm

too busy.

>> Got to prioritize his presence.

>> We have to embrace the power in

proximity. Let it change us. And then

you and I must understand that presence

precedes purpose.

Presence precedes purpose.

Scripture says he gave them to have

authority to drive out demons

to preach the word. He gave them all of

those things, but not before he called

them to be with him.

Presence will always preede purpose.

presence. And I know some of us we can

say we like, "Lord, what you want me to

do? Lord, what is your purpose for my

life?"

And we put so much emphasis on trying to

find the purpose. And what God wants us

to do is put the emphasis in just being

with him. Because when we be with him

and we put that emphasis in and I know

there are some of my my type eight

people who are listening to me and you

I'm not telling us to be lazy

>> because you say well I need to do well

are you just telling me that I don't

need to do anything in my relationship

with God. No what I'm telling us is that

we need to put our emphasis and our

priority focus and effort into the Lord

and not more so into our list.

put the effort in the time of being with

him in his presence and not so much time

just trying to find out my purpose.

>> Because if you and I will spend time in

his presence, then our purpose will flow

out of us.

If we would spend time,

this is what we're like.

We're pictures.

You know, I thought about the old

prayer.

Lord, we stand before you as empty

pictures before a full fountain. I wish

somebody with gray hair would say

something to me. That's old right there.

That's when the deacon used to get on

their knees and pray.

>> We like this. This is how we are. And

and we're we're trying to find our

purpose.

God, what you want me to do? Who who I

know I'm a picture. I'm I'm built to

pour, but God, what you want me to do?

What is my purpose? Like, what am I

supposed to be praying? Lord, what am I

supposed to be doing? Like feeding the

hungry? Like, what am I supposed to be

doing? Like, am I supposed to be

counseling people or helping? Like,

Lord, what I'm supposed to be doing?

And we spend so time, so much time.

Lord, what you want me to do? Lord, what

you want me to do

rather than getting in his presence

and sitting still

for a moment

and allowing God

to pour.

You know, before

there was a time when I was teaching my

kids, you know, how to do little things

and uh I would have him to hold a cup

and uh he would be standing there like

this. D I'm thirsty.

I'm just playing. He wasn't pigeon toe.

You saw I got a little pig toe, right?

Damn. Damn, I'm thirsty. Can you give me

something to drink?

Josh, hold you. I right here.

Give me something to drink. I want

something to drink. Dad, will you give

me something to drink, please? I'm

thirsty.

It's not that I didn't want to give him

anything to drink. It's just that he

didn't get still enough

>> for me to be able to pour.

It's in his presence

where we get filled.

>> Not to get up immediately and go. See,

because at this point, this is what

happens.

>> We get to this point and now we want to

get ordained.

>> We get to this point, now we want to

start a church. PREACH, HOLY GHOST.

This right here. This here it

>> and we a bishop in two weeks.

>> No.

>> Be still.

>> Let me pour.

Let me pour into you.

Don't leave yet.

I know you stopped doing some things

that you used to do, but don't leave

yet.

>> I know you know a few scriptures, but

don't leave yet.

>> I know you know how to pray and you done

seen some results, but don't leave yet.

>> You know how long I set up under this

ministry.

>> Now, I'm not bragging

>> cuz this is the Lord's doing

>> and it's marvelous in our eyes. But I

didn't get here yesterday.

It was time.

>> Lord, what you want me to do? Just be

here.

>> Lord, can I get up and go? They done

told me, Lord, that they give me a

church and a Cadillac.

>> Just be here.

What you want me to do?

What God says is if you just let me pour

into you

>> long enough,

>> you don't have to worry about wetting

the people around you.

>> If you can just stay faithful in my

presence,

what's on the inside of you will begin

to leak out of you and you ain't gone

nowhere. You It'll JUST COME OUT OF YOU.

purpose

will start coming out of you.

You don't even know. You don't even

realize

>> where the power came from to pray for

people like that. But you stayed in his

presence long enough

>> until it just started coming out of you.

>> We don't know when

>> we got ready to be to be ready for this

assignment.

>> Oh, we just stayed. All right.

>> And allow God to keep pouring into us

>> until IT STARTED COMING OUT of us.

>> His presence will do it.

>> His his presence will do this.

>> You don't have to run around and try to

make purpose.

>> Just stay in his presence long enough

>> and his purpose will begin to flow out

of us. What am I saying? God is calling

us in this third week as we head into

this fast

that yes, we are getting information,

but what God wants is formation.

He wants to form us

by us getting quiet in his presence and

just being with him.

>> See, and what what how this unnerves us

sometimes is because we're not

controlling our growth.

You don't control your growth.

>> News flash, you don't control your

growth. If you did, you'll be a lot

further than you are right now.

>> You and I just need to be still in his

presence.

>> And let God do the work. It's not that

we don't do. We do what he tells us to

do.

>> When he tells us to move and do this,

that's what I'm doing. But I'm not doing

stuff on my own. Amen.

>> Just doing what I want to do or moving

how it how I see it fit or what seems

right to me.

>> No, I'm in his presence

>> and let him pour into me

because if I stay there long enough, my

purpose, it'll leak out of me. Let's

pray.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank

you for your word.

We thank you, Lord, for this call,

Lord. You're not calling us to go.

You're calling us to come to you.

Thank you, Lord, that you recruited us.

You wanted us

while we were yet sinners. You died for

us. We thank you that we're prioritizing

your presence, not to get you to love

us. You already loved us,

but Lord, our prioritizing of your

presence is is our response to all that

you have done.

Father, we ask you now that you will

help us

to literally prioritize your presence.

Father, we're asking you right now if

you would help us to embrace the

proximity and the power that comes with

being close to you. And father, will you

help us embrace your way

and that is that presence precedes

purpose?

Help us not to be so caught up in doing

that we forget you.

Father, may we make time for you this

week. Even if it's just five minutes,

God, for the for the mother with three

and four and five kids, Lord, maybe it's

just time in the bathroom where she just

consecrates that time to be in your

presence and be with you. Maybe it's

that truck driver who has a a route to

take, Lord, and rather than listening to

the radio, Lord, they consecrate that

time with you,

Father. Whether it is a senior Lord who

has the majority of their time with had

their time available. Father, may they

craft out and cut out time to be with

you.

Father, whether it is a teenager

who's connected in the digital world,

Father, may they cut out time

to be with you.

Father, we value your presence.

Help us to practice it

so that we can be who you called us to

be in Jesus name.