Spiritual Growth

My Guarantee

One thing I can guarantee is that everyone reading this will have a different intensity of relationship with God. No two are alike. I can also say that chances are even with spouses, children, family and friends… while you are the same person, no two of any of YOUR relationships are exactly the same. However there are commonalities that you find in every relationship. So no matter your walk, I think this will be insightful because we are all growing.

I struggled a bit in writing this because there are so many ways to look at intimacy with God. I certainly didn’t want to tell you read, fast, and pray. Though it’s TOTALLY TRUE AND VITAL. If it were that easy, many people wouldn’t be walking around trying to figure out how to crave or get much out of doing those disciplines. Then it hit me. All relationships have uniqueness yet some common threads. If we look at where we are in our pursuit, we can build on it and grow from there. We’re all growing so…  my excitement piqued and I sat down to write this to you from the heart.

I see people struggle in their pursuit of closeness to God. The beautiful truth is, He’s closer than your very breath and completely in love with you. He accepts you and meets you where you are and draws you in deeper but only as much as you want Him to. The disciplines I mentioned get you there, but it’s a by product of a deeper truth… it stems from something more than you can just turn on and “DO”. Relationships don’t just start in what you DO. That’s a small part, because people do things for us all the time seen and unseen but yet there’s no relationship. The stock person at the grocery store that placed your merchandise on the shelf did that so it would be there for you… basically. But you rarely ever see them nor do you usually desire or think about meeting them. The person at the cash register serves you by taking care of your transactions. Allowing you to be released from the store for things that are vital to your existence. You see them and hopefully there is a mutual kindness. But once you’re gone, neither of you usually know or remember the other one’s name. Nor will you think of them. Sure they aren’t God… but you get what I’m saying, right? This was us before we really met Him. (You may want to reread this paragraph again with that revelation).

No…something more… something deliberate in your mind and heart has to happen for a relationship to form with anyone. God included. I’m no relationship guru or expert… well sometimes I attempt to be … but here’s what the Holy Spirit wants you to know.

God REALLY IS head over heals IN LOVE with you… yes… you! It’s not a cliche. Not empty words. It’s truth. Some of us know that but sometimes we forget how true it is. Let me give you a few passion filled reminders. Don’t read this like it’s just print on a page… or a screen. Read it like you’re reading about someone who’s TRULY in love. And make sure you see yourself in it. Not mankind… see yourself.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

So our pursuit is always to know more about Him. That pursuit will go beyond our lifetime and could never be quenched… even in eternity. Beautiful… and powerful.

Clearing the air

Here are some questions you can ask yourself. You could be new to this or a well seasoned and well known for your walk. You can even be doing a lot for the Kingdom and begin to slip in intimacy, needing to find your way back.  We who believe are all His and He’s more brilliant, more wise, more full of love than any of us could begin to understand. So our  spiritual levels IN THIS CASE don’t mean a thing. We’ll never BE Him in that sense, but stay with me…

Really ask yourself this week… and ask or explore for the answers:

– Where are we God… in our relationship?

– Where would you like to see me progress in my closeness to you? (Really think on and visualize what the next level of your relationship would look like)

– I know I can never do enough, but what do I need to be doing in this season?

– Am I distracted from the core of what I’m really supposed to do right now?

Yes I know I said “doing” doesn’t necessarily bring relationship. But sometimes we need to UNDO things that are keeping us from getting closer to Him

Ok… I’ll proceed…

– Am I ignoring negative feelings that I have toward others and not processing it through You? Or even negative feelings about myself or situations in my life? Or even negative feelings about You, God?

– Who and what do I need to forgive? What should I repent for?

– What do you want to remove from my mind or my heart?

– What are some of my ways that hinder me from experiencing You and what You have for me more fully?

– Do I have passion and conviction for the things of God?

– Are there people in my life that, though You love them, they aren’t good for me and I need to move on from them?

After you’ve done a bit of self discovery this week, next we will will pick up Part 2 that explains:

How to begin defining your relationship with God, the real skinny on Rev 3:15-16 and more…

Stay with me, surprisingly this applies to all of us. I always say I’m full of random facts. But they usually pop up as information someone needs in the strangest of ways. I felt strongly to share this story.

Many of you are familiar with VeggieTales right? The two founders, Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki (voices of Bob and Larry) lost power of the brand after the Jonah movie. They grew too fast after the movie and it began to fall apart. Phil wanted to build a brand that rivaled Disneyworld. Nothing wrong with ambition, drive, and vision in and of itself. But they found themselves having to sell the company to another larger company to keep the brand afloat. They kept some creative control for a while and they still are the voices behind VeggieTales.

After things went a different direction, Phil Vischer heard from God. Hev felt the Lord said to him, “I didn’t tell you to do all that you were doing. I just told you to tell stories. Be like a jellyfish and flow with the current.” God told Phil to FOLLOW His current and to MOVE on the current. We see this story illustrated beautifully in Galaxy Buck: Mission to Sector 9. Yeah… it’s for kids but it truly blessed me, and I still had a few laughs.

So, he created JellyTelly (watching it with the kids now). With JellyTelly he tells stories, he explains complex Biblical concepts to children… however I learned so much myself. He walks them through the Bible. It’s more powerful than any VeggieTales I’ve seen and rich in new creative content. He also pulled other great Christian shows that may not have made it and were cancelled. Ever heard of Pahappahooey Island? You… I mean your kids need to see it. Great show. So he’s created not just his own shows… but his own channel, available online and on all streaming devices.  His channel has wildly grown in popularity. In my opinion, it is definitely greater than what he first created. By just… flowing with the Spirit.

Acts 17:28(NKJV) For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

There is a correlation between sonship and being lead by the Spirit of God!

Here’s something about Jellyfish and you:

1. Jellyfish rest and flow on the current to get around – We should be guided by the Spirit of God and rest in Him.
2. Jellyfish do move but it’s to propel the water around them – As we rest in the spirit, our movements are to help us build the kingdom WITH God’s leading, not independently of Him.
3. They have no brain but they have other mechanisms that together sort of act as a brain. This way they can “detect” the current and either swim toward or against it. God gives us discernment that does many things, but it also causes us to detect changes in current so we can keep up with his changes in direction. But we do have a mind and can actually choose what current to follow. Choose His current, the leading of the Holy  Spirit.

So for you and I, we work to build the kingdom in the natural… but in the spirit we rest when it comes to direction. We detect or discern the flow of God. And we propel through the water, or the Spirit as we rest and trust the flow in the direction God is taking us!

My friend posted something on Facebook that struck a chord in me a few weeks ago. She said our flesh hates God. Hate is a strong word I thought, and I know the Word of God. Scripturally she is right… in allllll my thinking I didn’t think of it this way. And I will explain. It is why we gravitate toward things that get our minds off Him. I remember early in my walk sometimes feeling like I needed a break. I was tired… I didn’t want to backslide, but I was tired of church no matter how good it was and tired of praying or reading (yet I stayed in church). But when I stopped reading or praying, the light in my life dimmed. And I fell anyway! I finally realized there is no good place outside of Him and that my attitude was… carnal.

Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity (hostility, hatred and ill will) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. [8] So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Did you see that? 

Because the carnal mind is enmity (hostility, hatred and ill will) against God.
Hard, but true. Some of us may even want to justify how this isn’t true. But it is the Word of God… I am only the delivery agent. I had to learn this too!

We have to know how GOD sees our attitudes. Complaining, arguments, lies (ALL of them), greed, lust, complacency, depression, anxiety, perversion, cheating, indifference, rebellion, doubt, unbelief, selfishness, stealing, gossiping, hateful sarcasm, passive aggressive behaviors, hypocrisy, self-righteousness, entitlement. These are the parts of us that hate Him because they are outside of Him. They are hostile toward Him. We write comedies and dramas around these subjects and we are entertained by them. We live them out in our lives and say… “God knows my heart”. We brush off our behavior as “being human” and we forget to repent.  

YET HE LOVES US SO INTENSELY. He gave His Son’s life in exchange for what was…  hateful children… who sometimes will fall back to their old ways when they were against God.  The key is not LIVING according to our flesh and acknowledging to ourselves that at times we do act in flesh anyway, though we hopefully try not to.

The choice is ours. He knows these parts of us are still in “process” of dying.  He doesn’t condemn us.  But He also doesn’t want us to be comfortable and make excuses for it either.  He desires that we strive to work on what is within us that may be “at odds” with Him.  This walk isn’t just about “doing” the right things. It is a total transformation of our heart, minds and LOYALTIES. He is our Creator, but He is also our greatest Love.  We should strive in our hearts and actions to be in agreement with this beautiful God we have pledged our lives to.  And not to be in agreement with “the Other” man… be it our flesh or the enemy.  But loyal to God…. because He deserves every part of us.  When we come to Him, He covers the ugly parts and helps us to overcome.  We don’t always do THAT for those WE love the most.

Prayer, the Word, faith and church are not “tools” we use… they are vehicles to an invisible King that passionately loves us. An invitation to the presence of The Best! We should feel valued, treasured and honored that we “get” to read and pray… why? Because reading is not just to gain Biblical information. Over the years I developed such an affection for God’s Word. I would blow kisses to God, being so endeared by it. The life that He poured into me, the love and joy I saw through His promise gave me hope. My faith increased, my eyes illuminated from darkness. I prayed but realized I was in conversation now. I would cast my cares on Him because I realized HE DOES CARE FOR ME! 1 Peter 5:7.

Resist everything in you that hates God and the things of God. Get stirred up into a place of joy for Him.  Submit yourself to Him.  And know that the battle against flesh never ends. There is always a place in us… as long as we are in our flesh… that hates God. But allow God to guide you out of that place daily through His Word and Presence. Ask Him for joy in Him. We need Him daily! To step into relationship with Him is to step out of a carnal and hateful mindset.

So, we know that people aren’t perfect in the sense that they are not without faults and shortcomings. Many people secretly don’t like themselves because they don’t know how else to be. And let’s face it, people hurt people and can live in a constant state of offense. All of which is a… Weary existence.

But my heart is so overwhelmed by the beauty in people. I don’t even think they can see it in themselves. The kingship, the royalty, the importance and magnificence in people. How significant we are but we discount ourselves and those around us. That’s one thing that hurts to see… And to feel when it’s done to me. To discount the anointing in someone…

Last year I briefly taught a small group this subject on a Wednesday night.  We genuinely FEEL love for our brothers and sisters in Christ but the way we think of them is carnal. The powerful words in our mouths that we utter against them become Discount Tags! Marking something too valuable for a price tag, but assigning them a value (where we think they should be) and marking them down when they fail.  Doubting the blood bought power within them!

We can’t be so familiar with people… Those that we’ve seen in their less than regal state… That we can’t see Christ the hope of glory in them. It’s not easy… To do… But we become PERFECT when we do.

The perfect I’m referring to is the Greek word found in the New Testament Teleios. It means complete (particularly due to growth in mental or moral character). In other words, maturity. We have to love each other with agape love (a more familiar Greek word) which means love feast and it originates in God! This love also seeks to bring about someone’s good, not sparing rebuke. This love sees who someone CAN be and then speaks that, they pray for THAT. When one falls, this love encourages toward righteousness (hence the part about not sparing rebuke). This love DOES reserve healthy boundaries when violated. You don’t have to remain in someone’s company to love them with the heart of God. Pardon my blanket statements. Perhaps we can explore healthy boundaries at another time.

My husband and I are intercessors.  Our prayers would be FUTILE and WORTHLESS, a complete WASTE of time if we did not believe God for the REDEMPTION and DELIVERANCE….  of God’s people.  None of us are God, we don’t know the outcome of a life. But God never gave us the authority (though He may reveal it to us)  to decide for ourselves IF someone could or would ever turn their lives around or change for the better. We don’t get to determine if that will EVER happen or not.  This is why we have no right to condemn others.  Judge their works and fruit as it is applicable…YES, but condemn them… NO.

We are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; [5] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; [6] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

So the question is my friend… Who are you discounting? Are you diminishing yourself?  Who have you lost hope for? Who can you no longer bear? How are you praying for others….  And are you praying for others?