Someone recently asked me, "How do you really get to know God better?" This question has haunted me ever since.
We know there are stages of 'knowing' someone. You recognize some people when you see them: there are others with whom you socialize or work with occasionally and know a little better. Then there are those with whom you are fairly friendly on a regular basis; others with whom you are "good friends." And in each category there are probably still more levels, or stages, of 'knowing.' Some of you have a very good friend, a spouse, or someone with whom you are very close __ unconditionally. How did you get to that point? I don't want to editorialize, spiritualize, or 'psychologize' (I know that is not a word, but bear with me). But let's take a common sense approach to look at the question -- "How DO you get to know God better>" Let's begin by looking at human relationships. If someone is repulsive to you, you are not likely to desire to know them. But if someone is attractive or appealing to you, then what is the first thing that comes to your mind. Isn't it "I'd like to get to know him (or her)." So, how do you start? You ask! The question, "Could we meet?' Sometimes you might be a little more subtle and gradually work up to the question, but the truth is, you must ASK! Then you communicate. Communication is conversing two ways. No one likes to talk very long to someone who dominates the conversation and never lets anyone else talk. Them. why do we think that God is an exception? After all, HE wants to talk with You, too. If the only time your child spoke to you was to ask for money or the car keys, etc, it is not likely that the relationship will flourish. You want your child, (friend, spouse etc.) to listen to your opinion occasionally o to just simply sit with the family and participate in the conversation, or just enjoy being together where it is not necessary to even talk. HE does too. Now, make time for Him. I remember when Bill and I were dating, getting to know each other, how often we would let each other things go in order to spend time together. It often required a sacrifice to spend time with him. Sleep was sometimes deprived because our allotted time three to four hours would turn into five or six hours. But we were enjoying each other's company so much that we did not want to separate. Mother would start about eleven o'clock and from her bedroom just on the other side of the window say, "Dorothy, don't you think it is time to come in?" And we wouldn't stop --every few minutes she would remind me that "my" time was important. How long has it been since you spent an extra hour or two just enjoying the company of the lord and perhaps depriving yourself of a little time or pleasure. have you decided to spend some time with the Lord and after a very few minutes the distractions started. 'It's getting late and you have to get up early,' or 'i'm so sleepy I can't keep my eyes open so I had better go to bed,' or even, 'If I don't hurry I'll miss the news (or my favorite show." Really getting to know someone requires spending a quantity of quality time together. Another thing that I think is important is to find a trysting (your special meeting place) place. Bill's and our favorite place was the front porch swing at my parent's home. We would just migrate to that spot. Even when we had been spending time with the family, we would afterward just go sit and talk for hours. Sometimes we would just sit and enjoy each other's company without saying much. There was just something about that spot that was special. Space does not permit a long dissertation, but think about another vital aspect of getting to know someone -- that's submission. The ideal relationship is when each person puts the other person ahead of their own desires. And finally, never allow a relationship to deteriorate to the point that time spent together is not pleasurable nor to the point of only spending time together when you want something There are other aspects, of course, but think on these things.
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One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. the relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about on half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancée's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. o , does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. So very often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!! "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, an he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:23 If you watch television at all I am sure you have heard a commercial that ends something like "protect your future from the problems of the world by buying gold from _____."
Sadly, there are m any people who are counting on their "gold" to secure their future -- so their stockpile is of utmost importance to them and has become 'god' to them. I hope you are not one of these people who do not understand Ezekiel 7:19, "…their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels, because it (their silver and gold) is the stumbling block of their iniquity." And James 5:3, "your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you…You have heaped treasure together for the last days." (Strong's Concordance gives as another definition for the word translated as rust to be 'venom.' -- Think about that.) God declares in Haggai 2:8 "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts." And the thing about it is that Children of God -- those who come to God through Jesus Christ are God's heirs, so ultimately the silver and gold goes to God's heirs. But, we must realize that this world is not our home -- we are sojourners and exiles (1 Peter 2:11) -- on this earth, and our objective is to build a home in our real home, not in a foreign land. God has provided a foundation upon which we are to build for the future -- 1Cor.3:10-17 "…I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. …Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ..If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. I wonder what Paul would think of the 'building' that is being built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ today? Christians sitting in pews every Sunday will hear an appeal for some God-cause and will feel a tug in their heart to contribute, or maybe God will just speak into their hearts, but within seconds they have silenced the whispering of the Holy Spirit by saying, "this is my 'nest egg' or 'rainy day fund' or another synonym for "this is to secure my future." We are called upon to do our share in the building of God's church -- rising through the ages to be a residence of God through the Spirit. But we also must not neglect the building of our own character on the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ. Whatever we do or say is another stone or brick. It is for us to choose which pile of building material we take it from; whether from the wood, hay, or stubble, or from the gold, silver, or precious stones. We are laborers together with God. God is laying stones of gold, silver, or precious stones. Let us not pile hay and stubble on the building and weaken or delay the process. Instead, let us build with gold and silver and precious stones by following the example of Christ -- Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Roman 8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Galatians 5:25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Let us protect our future by understanding Jesus' words in Luke 12:34: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Can we not say conversely, 'where your heart is there your treasure will be also.' Let us protect our future by laying up eternal treasure -- not temporal gold. “We are putting Mother Nature on notice.” This is a statement made by a meteorologist on the weather channel this morning while talking about progress on “climate control.” Sadly, more people will believe this statement than will believe: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” 1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV). We all know that God may use men (people) and angels to work for Him. Those who do so are to be in constant communication with Him – both in person and with His written Word – so that when they speak they are following 1Peter 4:11 – “if anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
I think we can safely say that satan and his ministers (yes, the same definition applies to satan’s emissaries as to God’s) follow the same type of procedures manual as God and His ministers; they just have a different message. Satan’s main goal in these last days, I believe, is to be “seeker friendly.” In other words, to preac his doctrines in a manner that will appeal to his listeners. So, if a person tends to be “religious” guess what kind of message he is going to hear? satan is going to preach his atheistic, e.g., message to someone to whom he thinks it will appeal. Listen to the effects of one of satan’s primary messages: 2 Peter 3:3-4 – “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” In other words, ‘why can’t I do what I want to do, whenI want to do it? I’ve heard all my life that Jesus is coming back but I don’t believe it because everything is just like it always has been.’ But hear the voice of God in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come – for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Avoid such men as these.” God is giving us ample and clear warning of the fulfillment of His promise that He is coming back for us. If there were not another verse of warning in the Bible these five should be adequate to get the message across. Think of twenty people that you know well,and then tell me how many do NOT fit into at least one of these categories. As much as it hurts to articulate, many – if not most --church members still maintain some of these attitudes. In Luke 1:20, God is talking about Israel: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” Have you listened to the news lately? Is not Jerusalem completely surrounded by enemies? Can He be much more succinct than this? Are you listening? How about the weather? Have you noticed some changes lately? Joel 2:30-31: “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” NASA has made predictions that this will happen in 2014 and 2015. And earthquakes ! According to the US Geological Survey there were 2,342 earthquakes in the US during 2000. During 2010 there were 8,496! Luke 21:11: “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” Space does not permit discussing all that Jesus told us would happen prior to His return, but you know many of them, with probably one of the most important – deception. Matt 24:4 “…take heed that no man deceive you.” Then, He warns us about betrayal and hatred, false prophets, the abundance of lawlessness, wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilences, decreasing love, and many more. To those who are not expecting Christ to come back for His own (Rev. 3:3 “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”) this can sound somewhat depressing; but there is comfort: 1 Thess.4: 16-18: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” HE THAT HATH AN EAR – LET HIM HEAR! |
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Pastor BillArchives
May 2017
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