Intimacy With God And One Another - Mike Pilavachi

I just want to look at this afternoon and we're gonna we're gonna wait on odd some of the things that I believe from Scripture but also I've seen it you know that that that we need to long to be as a church if we're to see God move and by the way I I so so agree with what Trey was saying and you know if the church doesn't get out the building we're in big trouble there's no point if we if it's all about us but what we have been discovering as a church here and we've been noticing is is is when God sets his people on fire it's it's we go out with his fire we go out to our workplaces we go out to our hospitals we go out to our neighbors we go out to our friends we go out with the fire and and and so we I think there's there's a longing in God's heart years and years and years ago when John Wimber first came to this country he came that first time with a prophetic word and he said the Lord has told me to say this to the leaders of the church and the Lord wants to say to you leaders of the church he says the Holy Spirit says I want my church back give me my church back it's my church you've taken my church from me give it back and I don't know but I even as I say I want to cry because I think the Lord is wanting to say it again he's wanting to say to us we we're his church and those of us in leadership this isn't a criticism of leaders I I know I know those of us in leadership we need a heck of a lot of encouragement more than more than the people in our churches think yeah and we need you know and so often we're the first to beat ourselves up in that but one of the things the Lord is wanting he's not a telling-off it's an encouragement to us it's he wants he wants to say don't do it yourself don't manipulate it don't don't don't trust me with my church ask me ask me for direction a little comment that I just saw again that were that John Wimber maybe years ago he said I'm not against planning I believe in planning but only after the Lord speaks I hope I'll really plan but only after the Lord speaks and I think I think there are a few things values if you like culture is another word I don't know what the difference is but partly there is a difference you know that I think when when when they become embodied in the local church we become more receptive to God's Word to his spirit to his power to who he is and the first one the first one that we always have to come back to and again and again and again and I'm old enough now that I've seen the cycle I so many times is we got to come back to a a desire for intimacy in relationship with him it's got to be about intimacy with him and and I and that involves worship but it's so much more than singing it's about it's about having a hunger and a thirst for his presence a hunger and a thirst for communion a thunked hunger and a thirst when we're on our own when we're in the car when we're in our bedroom wherever we are for Lord I I long for you I love you and Andy and I believe in in prayer times in quiet times in Bible study times it's a good discipline to have it's not a bad discipline to have but actually to learn the rhythm of of communion with him all the way through the day today you know if Smith Wigglesworth once said I never pray for more than 20 minutes but I never go more than 20 minutes without praying and I mean that was a typical Smith Wigglesworth slight exaggeration but know exactly what he means it's it's like brother Lawrence learnt to practice the presence of God you know just Lord what you think of that Lord bless that person Lord Lord did I say that right and what do you want to do right now is there anything you want to speak to me I love what Wayne said yesterday I loved it first thing every morning he'll get up what time did you say you will go out sight 5:30 now that's the bit that just isn't from the Lord that's that's I rebuke that in you and I cast that out 5:30 it's inhuman that's not you know you know I see see you see Wayne doesn't really get the nuances of Scripture and this is a lot of people don't I I have this conviction that is not yet shared by most major theologians and that is this morning's came in with the fall they cannot have been part of the original creation I think lunch times afternoons evenings yes but morning anyway that's just my empty write hasn't seen it yet and no one knows who else she might is but anyways he's supposed to be someone that you're supposed to be impressed that I mentioned the name but you know that that sense of communion and commune that's only water thanks a lot that sense of of intimacy with him longing for him longing for him I I became a Christian two months before my 16th birthday and you know what I I became a Christian not because I wanted to be do this and never occurred to me I didn't know it was possible not because I wanted the world to become Christians not because I wanted a particular was interested in church or anything like that I became a Christian because I was overwhelmed by the Lord Jesus Christ and his love and His grace and His mercy and the story of the gospel it grabbed me because I didn't need convincing that I was a sinner you know like some people you have to really work hard at convincing them well I didn't need any I knew it you know I knew it and then I found I heard the story from my background where where where where I heard that I that there was a father in heaven who loved me and who wouldn't change his mind who wouldn't blow hot and cold over me who wouldn't get get irrationally angry with me for reasons that I didn't understand who was faithful and I remember after I became a Christian I used to sit on the edge of my bed and it honestly it maybe it wasn't you know how you don't remember things I'm not saying it was but as far as I can honestly remember it for hours I used to just say father you love me you're my father you're my for you're my dad you're my father Jesus you died for me thank you you saved me Jesus you you did it for me father you you'll never let go of me you love me you love I don't believe it father you looked and he must have got bored out of you know it was like I was saying it the same thing I don't think he was born again and again and again and it was like I just I just I just longed for it better is one day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else and you know for King David for King David I mean he was he was a broken human being he was messed up he was really messed up you know there's people who have done things that you know have been exposed in the papers and on the internet and on TV you know man what they'd had done to David today you know an adulterer a murderer and everything but do you know what he had he had in his brokenness and in his weakness and in his failures he had a longing for intimacy with God as the psalmist says as the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you you know that picture isn't of you know we picture it a Bambi you know having a little sip from the lake it's not Bambi it's it's the Judean Desert is where that picture comes from as the deer in a dry desert is panting for water because it's dying of thirst in that way my soul longs after you and and and and how does that happen that happens when when when we ask him to give us that thirst and hunger and you know when we lose that we go for entertainment we go for entertainment when we lose that we have things to keep us entertained in church because a substitute for his presence and we have to constantly go back to Reformation I had no idea that Beth was going to sing coming back to the heart of worship but you know that I won't tell you the story of that might do it tomorrow no but but you know what we've got to keep coming back it's all about YOU Jesus it's all about you it's all about YOU Jesus it's all about you III I long for you I long for you do you know what what David says in Psalm 23 you know I will fear no evil I will fear no evil how do you fear evil for you are with me are you fearing evil are you fearing the future are you fearing what's what the situation when you get home are you fearing a relationship are you fearing your finances how do you fear no evil when you know that he is with you that's David's testimony intimacy see his face above anything above everything seek his face and and when and when you when when when you find that your heart is growing cold come to him in repentance you know you you you a neither hot nor cold you are lukewarm and so I'm gonna vomit you that's they you know and you know don't Lord Lord make me hot again make me hot again make me not lukewarm make me not you know what in for me every now and then I realize I've I've I've descended and I've come back to having a static being satisfied with a satisfactory working relationship with the Almighty in order to get the job of ministry done and he never called me to have a satisfactory working relationship with him in order to get the job done he called me to a passionate love with my savior with my king with my father with my god and that's what it is and it's out of that place it's out of that place of deep longing of deep longing of fellowship with him one of my favorite verses is is John 15 where we're sorry where where Jesus says I no longer call you servants for a servant does not know what his master is doing instead I have called you friends for everything I have received from My Father I have made known to you now yeah we could we should do a conference on that verse you know and make it again three-month conference just just put it in your pipe and smoke it for a week you know I I no longer call you servants for a servant does not know what his master is doing instead says Jesus I have called you friends for everything everything I have received from My Father I have made known to you that you're part of the family now and there's no family secrets from you Wow Wow I need to have a lie down on that one Wow so first of all intimacy intimacy in relationship with him secondly secondly if we are truly to be a church where God dwells where where God meet where people who when they come when they can they they sense his presence we need to be a community of love we need to be a family we need to be a family in his church and and and guys that takes work and that takes discipline and that takes this is where we're going and I hope I don't think of I'm I don't think this is from a critical spirit I hope it's not and if it is I want to repent and I'm not meaning this as a criticism of anywhere else but I just want to just I'm just going to be honest and this when this is my heart I just don't want to go to any more conferences for leaders where we get visiting speakers from huge churches who spend the first 10 15 minutes telling us how big their churches and how much it's grown over the last five years and what their income is and how many small groups they have and how many missionaries they have and how many things they support and after they've given us all that then they say so this is how this is how to have a church like mine here's the principles here's the things she know what I just I just can't do it anymore I just can't do it anymore you know and and and we got to move back because you know what the world is is looking for something that is authentically family we got up we we sometimes the way that the teachings been is it's like we're trying to run the church as a business and this that it's not meant to be a busy enough the model is family the model is family and and you know and I've heard people say you know go and go and find the best to be in your on your staff and buy the best buy the best usually their leaders are very very wealthy churches that say that and I'm thinking how can you say that a Leadership Conference in this country we're singing there is the Vicar of some bottle on the marsh and all he's got all he's got is a part-time administrator who is the church wardens wife and you're telling him to go and buy the best hey I'll punch you in the face you you cruel get you know don't you dare say that stuff don't you dare say that stuff you know what someone's got to raise the best for some of them to buy the best and you know what when in the in a family you do not hire and fire employees you raise up sons and daughters and we're called to raise up sons and daughters and you know what when your son or your daughter doesn't do the washing up to your satisfaction you do not give them your p45 and hire another son or daughter you love them you correct them you weep with them you put them on the naughty step and then you take them off the naughty step and then you read them the bedtime story and or totally absolutely utterly committed to them and that's how they grow up that's how they grow up we're meant to be a family where many God calls us and that and a lonely world you've seen the statistics you know about the loneliness that's an epidemic in our country and in the Western world they're looking for a family they're looking for a place where they belong and and our church has gotten I've got many faults I'm sure I'm sure but you know the one thing that we got right I don't know that we'll ever win competitions for although we're doing a lot better now you know with the most you know all sorts of things but I tell you this one competition I'd enter us in the most loving and that's not me I'm not here half the time that's that's that's you know that's that that's that's the team and you know what III know I keep saying here some of you bored to death that's you me too but I these this is on some areas this is the hardest time of my life I wasn't gonna say any of this but this is the hardest time of my life my house being rent rubbish I've become diabetic and my heart's not being good and it just just three weeks ago I was in Norway and and they called an ambulance for me and all of that stuff and and you know there's there's stuff that's not right and and my mum died last week and next week's her funeral and it just feels like a one-level it's like bizarre you know like being here in the midst of that and in the breaks talking to my brother and sister about about the funeral and all of that and yeah and and and Andy and Beth they're pregnant with their third child in' and a few weeks ago and we found out that he's um he's got a serious heart condition that's gonna mean when he's born after a month he's going to have to have open-heart surgery and and a whole load of other stuff and and and you know that it's serious and and you know he's going to have to have heart surgery as he grows up and and stuff like that and and the truth is they've wept they've wept bitter tears and those of us that love them we've went with them we've went with them it's like ouch rejoice with those who rejoice weep with those who weep and we're in it together we're in it together and you know what that's the strength and and what what happens is and some of you you've you've said when people come into our church do you know the first thing or so many of them say is gosh is love here there's love here there's such a sense of love here and there's a a guy in our church who really wanna go became a Christian who's of a Jewish background and about three months ago - three months ago it was that he brought his mum and that was a huge deal because you know like they were you know like how's this gonna be and she finally agreed to come and I was proud we were praying cuz we were nervous and she came up to me afterwards I went up beforehand just to say hi and she said she was crying and she said what is there here I feel so uplifted this is so amazing this is not what I expected and she came with him for the the midnight communion at Christmas and and we've had a number of others who have come here and who have sensed that and you know it's a healing thing we want to see more healing love each other and then and then the non-christians who come we'll find Jesus makes it by this shall everyone know you're my disciples if you love one another and so we create family we create family and and we do that by vice but you know we spent most of you have been next door do you know we how many years ago three years ago four years ago three years ago and we renovated next door and and built their bar and the cafe and everything it cost a fortune do you know what it's one of the best things we ever did and I it's like yeah I want to say build build a bar and a cafe and your church will grow this is your spiritual principle but you know you know that that's not that's not it it's not do you know why do you know why our church right now for the last is growing and people it's because we eat together all the time that's why I'm growing anyway but but it's the truth it's because because we did that for the sake of a family of fellowship of being together of having excuses to be family and and it makes all the difference so another one is family when people feel safe when people feel safe a a third one that's linked with it and again I is we got a we got to be a church that's full of compassion and mercy a church of mercy a church of compassion and mercy and the first thing about that is to acknowledge we're all broken we are all broken I remember it was was a year and a half two years ago when Andy had a bit of a breakdown a stress breakdown and he was off work for for a while and it was horrible and you know what I didn't tell him to do it if I was a little bit nervous but in the middle of it he got up in front of our chair and he said this is what's going on with me and you know i-i've always wanted to succeed because I've been afraid of failing because I've equated success with love and failure with rejection and it's been with me and so and just now having kids as well as everything else as well as we were trying to write everyday supernatural and you did most of the writing so and just and it was like I just can't do it all and and he had a breakdown and he described what it felt like and my heart was in my mouth because I was thank gosh is this do you know what it did for our church it was like everyone was like thank you because I can be honest because I struggle with those things and if you one of the leaders could stand up here and say that maybe I can belong here maybe I can but we have a little saying in our church we want to be a church where it's okay not to be okay and you know we have we have some massively broken people in our church I mean some basket cases I mean there are some walls you know and and I just mentioned the main one me it's me it's me and holder I want I want I want this church our church to be a church of compassion and mercy because I need a lot of the time compassion and mercy and we want to have highly don't get me wrong we want to have the highest standards of holiness the biblical standards we don't want to compromise on that we don't want to compromise with the culture the highest biblical standards of holiness but we also want to be amazingly unbelievably extravagantly merciful for the to those who don't who mess up on those high standards of holiness it's the kindness of God that leads us to repentance and and we want to be a place where where the broken feel you know their home know their love no they're not going to be rejected we want to be a place where where if you if you mess it up and get it wrong you still belong because that's what happens in a family and I'm not saying we get it right every time and my one probably my biggest regret you know my biggest regret looking back is not that I didn't accept that invitation or I did I did that talk not as good as I could or Donnell or whatever my biggest regret is that I wish I've been kinder on the journey I wish I've been a bit more merciful I wish I'd been a bit quicker to forgive I wished I've been a little less fixated on the goal and more wanting just to simply serve the people and honestly as I look back there are things there the regrets I live with because I've realized again what really matters and what matters and what doesn't matter the journey is as important as the destination the journey is as important as the destination and to be a people of mercy you know what we just got to help that in our churches we just got to be a people who don't pretend anymore who don't pretend who don't feel they have to pretend where they can be honesty you know and I don't mean indulgence in you know let's wallow I don't mean that I mean in an atmosphere of encouragement and love but total total acceptance to be committed to each other then and I think I'll stop with this before he goes on too long I think God is looking for churches to be our churches to be places of of unrestrained generosity unrestrained generosity and and when I say that the first thing we think about is money and and money is an area someone once said the last thing that gets converted is a person's wallet you know and and and and and money is an area it is a test it is a test but it's so much more than money I mean lately you know here we are Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9 beginning of verse 6 remember this whoever sow sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will also reap generously each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful Giver and you know that phrase cheerful I've been told that you could have accurately be translated hilarious for God loves a hilarious Giver and-and-and-and and that means that means financially but this isn't a talk about giving more money to church this is this is this is about to just try it once you know if you go to a restaurant or to Starbucks or you can't doesn't work at Starbucks but if you go to a restaurant something just without them knowing just every now and then just pay for a table near you and tell the waiter or waitress not to say it was you and disappear now you'll never know but it's great fun it's great fun and if you want to do that I often go to chiquitos restaurant in Watford and there's Nanaia Lebanese but they only take cash they don't take credit card and but do you know what she know what just just just to live generously before others just to be the first not the last you know I I got tired a long time ago of of going for meals with others and then you bring down you Christians going out for a meal together and and the bill comes and everyone give puts in what they do and and it never adds up to the total and then it's that embarrassment of let's go round again well how about how about just puttin in double so that that stops that stops and and and not just in that way but in so many other ways but let's be generous with our time let's be generous with with with with our homes let's be generous with our belongings let's be generous with well above all with our encouragement do you have any idea what a difference encouragement makes what a difference noticing makes what a difference affirming makes it's huge in a culture of bitterness in a culture of criticism in a culture of complaining to be a people it was like someone said I know if it was you or Trey it'd be a blessing instead of a blaming instead of yeah that it was very good whoever said Trey said it he said of blaming bless you know and just affirm and encourage and cheer on it makes such a difference and you know a reason we don't do that is because we don't believe the next bit and God is able to bless you abundantly I love this in verse 11 you will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion you would be enriched in every way you know what if I'm if I'm suddenly enriched if I suddenly have loads of money I'll know why cuz the Scriptures told me so that I'll be able to be generous on every occasion and I'll just tell you as I come into land with this I struggled with this for a long time in my life my my parent my dad wasn't very good with with money he his business went bankrupt and when I was growing up and and we didn't have we'd nearly lost the house and and and he didn't have a job for ages and and and all of that and and we well I was growing up between between the age of Bohr being born till 18 we went on one family holiday ever and it was to to Brighton not there's anything wrong with Brighton but it was like like for three days one summer and and you know how when you're six or seven or eight or nine or ten or 11 or 12 or 13 or 14 when you go back to school in September and everyone's telling you about their holiday in Majorca Majorca on the locker or or niece or wherever it is and then they say where did you go and you know what I used to make one up I used I used to say and and the the utter fear that I had that one of them would say I went there did you what did you think of and then I'd be caught out the utter sheer terror and you know because and my dad bless him bless him it was it his own brokenness but he always made promises that he never kept you know he just always did that he and it was like and after a disappointment after disappointment you know I stopped believing in the promises and guess what when I became a Christian I've had it really hard really hard to trust my father in heaven and his promises I found it really hard and I remember when I first started work after I left University my first paper kit I put it I opened a bank account and I put it in there and and I kept checking him all the time and I sight ride to save like crazy because it was like I've got to look after myself because no one else will I can't rely on anyone else I've got all cuffed and myself and you know how the Lord has he does he took me on this journey that has been amazing amazing and he challenged me said might trust me trust me do you know when Jesus talks in the Sermon on the Mount about about generosity you know and he says you know don't you know that the hairs on your head counted and and you know he closed the the birds in the air and the lilies of the field how much more will he look after you you know how trust him trust him that he'll if you trust him you'll live generously and so he had to take me on a journey over the years I'll just tell you a couple of stories that are crazy that are crazy I just tell about our story and I was about thirteen twelve thirteen years ago now we would get when Andy was one of my interns my and Allie was your international coordinator so we Allie and I used to travel around the world together with teams most of the time and and and we were we were gonna go to Australia and there was another guy called Dave who was an intern and a couple who were friends of ours from Melbourne called Marcus and Annie and we just decided hey why don't we go for a holiday for a week to the Great Barrier Reef and we could be holiday of a lifetime we can snorkel in that and and then when we looked at the prices when I looked at the prices I thought gosh you know it's a bit steep it's not it's not as it you know this is I'm not sure I can afford this in fact I can't really and then one by one they got in touch with me and they said you know I just can't afford to go and my initial reaction was relief you know actually I can't afford to go either so we'll forget it and then the Lord spoke to me and he said uh I'll sort it um just tell them it's paid for tell them that it's all okay and I was like no way no way am I doing that no way and you know and it was like that's not the Lord that's the enemy and it has me you know ain't he's trying to bankrupt me and and but there was a knee but it wouldn't go away it wouldn't go away and I had this battle I had this battle I can't remember how many days it was and I remember there was one there was one day I gave in I thought you know what I've read you know you know I've read the huts and tailors and the brother Andrews and you know all these people they it all came in and that and it's like I I'm gonna go for him and I phoned them one by one and I said hey the holidays on someone's paid for it and they were like who and I said they want to remain anonymous and they they they they they they don't want me to tell you it's them but it's paid for and they were all like this is amazing this is amazing and then when I put the phone down I thought oh no what have I just done what have I this is a nightmare what have I just done this is thousands this is thousands you know like just getting up there hey what am I gonna do I promise you I promise you the next day and I hadn't told anybody nobody nobody the next day an envelope came through my door it had no he just said Mike and it was a banker's check which means that it was a check issued by the bank where you don't know who the name is they got the bank so you wouldn't know for ten thousand pounds for ten thousand pounds I was like and you know what the holiday didn't cost anything like that much and it was like the Lord saying to me you see trust me trust me I'm faithful now that hasn't happened since so don't get any ideas you know but it was it was a lesson and for us as a church and I'll tell you for me as an individual do you know when we've trusted miracles have happened when it's not for us when it's not about us to be generous to be generous and and it's when we understand that he looks after us and you know what I was able to let go of the horrible burden of thinking that I was an orphan and you know what orphans do they have to look after themselves because there's no one to look after them and you know the best bit wasn't a check for ten thousand pounds the best bit was I'm really not an orphan I've got a dad who will who will look after me I've got a dad who loves me I've got a dad who's there for me all this and it resulted in worship and when we become a church as we become a church that lives generously with one another the Holy Spirit moves in wonderful ways and I do this this is very no I said this is the last thing just to tie in with what Trey was saying the last bit is never make it just about us it's about the world the Holy Spirit comes to the church on route to the world and he comes to the church to take us out into the world and as soon as we make it about us that's when we lose the plot that's when we lose in it's that's when we start having arguments about things that don't matter that's when we when we when it's about us but when it's about a broken and hurting world that changes everything and then the final final thing is you know what the vicious circle becomes a virtuous circle in our church you know the more we've seen that the Lord move among us the more we've seen him set people free the more it's it's actually brought more of a compassion and and hasn't isn't that what's been happening in these just two and a half days already the more we've seen and you know every time you know like God speaks to someone and it's so tender and it's so kind doesn't it make Wow you read that's who you are that's who you are this is my final thing this really is and we're landing you know no no it'll take two minutes less than don't time me you know Moses at the end of his towards the end of his life in Exodus 33 and he said something to the Lord that I found amazing he said Lord now show me your glory Gina when I first read that I thought Moses you greedy gear I mean you've seen it all you're cornering the market if anyone seen the glory of the Lord it's mo you know it's you know the burning bush that would that would do most of us for the whole of our lives the burning bush then the plagues of Egypt that was exciting then the parting of the Red Sea that would do for most of us then the Lord says to him hit a rock and he hits a rock and Sanpellegrino water comes out and we're not talking about drops they were all thirsty and their thirst was quenched do you know the estimates are that at that point there were 2 million of them in that desert that's that's not a drug that rock produced a lot of water and then and then manna from heaven God looked after them in the desert and then after seeing all that Moses says now show me your glory and my reactor what I wanted what I wanted to say to Moses for years is Moses what were you wanting I mean what more what whatever what else is there haven't you seen enough and you know how the Lord replies and this is where I land the Lord replies when Moses has seen it all he says now show me your glory the Lord says I will cause all my goodness to go before you and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion when Moses had seen all the power said show me your glory the Lord answered with three key words goodness mercy compassion that's the glory of God it's in his character and his power is there to reveal his character it's there to reveal his character every time truly when we see the Lord move in power we should be moved to worship because of his goodness his mercy and his compassion and His goodness his mercy and compassion are displayed when there is a prophetic word for someone and it brings life to them and we see it but you know what it they're just as much displayed when his church his family his people live in goodness mercy and compassion amen

Channel: Naturally Supernatural

Views: 11,130

Rating: 4.8591547 out of 5

Keywords: Naturally Supernatural, Mike Pilavachi, Soul Survivor, Intimacy

Id: O_ahVdHOOqI

Length: 45min 11sec (2711 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 21 2018