Gideon Posted June 27, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 14 Topic Count: 79 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,177 Content Per Day: 0.30 Reputation: 826 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/04/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) One night fourteen years ago, I was at my lowest. Decades of trying to please God, trying to live as a true follower of Jesus, decades of ever-rising hopefulness of overcoming my besetting sins being eroded into eventual defeat again and again had left me weary of life itself. That night, so many years ago now, I had come to the end of my rope. In my attempts to walk in victory over my fleshly nature, I had prayed, I had fasted, I had fed on the Word of God. I had served. But inside, I was still empty. I had a name that I lived, but I was encompassed only with loneliness, failure and defeat. Peace, joy, rest for my soul? They eluded me to no end. Purpose for my life? That too was missing. I was simply out of things to try, out of hope that my life could be different. And so, that night, I cried out to God. I no longer wanted answers to the millions of questions rolling around inside my head. And these words came out of my lips, uttered from a completely broken and very desperate heart. "All I know is I need more of you." My dear friends, the shakings are beginning. They will get worse. Even those whose lives appear as models of Christian endeavor will be shaken to the core. It is imperative we must know that these shakings are being allowed by our God for our good. Our minds recoil. 'Good?? What good can come from fear, from illness, from death, from insecurity, from loneliness?' It makes no sense to us. Yet. But you see, we as modern day believers have somehow come to be satisfied with simply knowing about Jesus. We read His Word. We find doctrines that give structure to our understandings of the Bible. We attend churches where others believe as we believe. We post on Christian Forums about that which has become so important to us in our lives. We pray, and have devotional times. We often find ways of expressing our faith in service to others. But, how many there are who are running at or near on empty. Could you be one? We are told about the promises of God, we hear talk about the joy of the Lord being our strength, we read about walking in true victory, and yet, the shakings now beginning to occur seem to be pulling us further down, not lifting us up. What gives? What is our God trying to do with us, for us, in us, through us? He is simply trying to get us to say those magic words..... all I know is I need more of you. We are told that Jesus is an ever present help in time of need. We have read that He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. And He is. But for many of us, yes, even most of us, what started our so long ago when we were first saved as an intense love affair with our savior, a devotion to our Lord, has instead become an exercise in religious devotions. Devotion or devotions. Which is it for you? We are told that our God is a jealous God. He is. He wants us for Himself. He longs to be our all in all. Yet, over time, our lives have so often become going-through-the motions of being good Christians, but the intimacy has been lost. Look. Knowing correct doctrine is important. Yet doctrine cannot wrap its arms around you in comfort when fear comes in. Church fellowship with others is important as well. But others cannot be THE source of joy to you. Jesus alone can. As we enter this new phase of shakings, as the world seems to spin further and further out of control, as the very earth under our feet ceases to offer us any stability, it is critical we understand what Jesus is doing. He is drawing us back to Him. A one-on-one child-to-Father relationship. You see, Jesus IS our life. His promises are real and as we believe Him to do so, He WILL keep us from falling..... IF we cry out to Him with broken, hungry hearts. He said "Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you." This is what He is even now beginning to accomplish, and He will not stop until all who are called by His name are walking fully in the joy of their salvation. Things may look outwardly like they are spinning out of control, but let us all rejoice who love our savior, for He is even now unfolding the final chapter written about His church, and "without spot or wrinkle" will be the harbor of safety into which He is guiding every single heart hungry for more of Him. blessings, Gideon Edited June 27, 2020 by Gideon 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter and Deborah Posted June 28, 2020 Group: Mars Hill Followers: 14 Topic Count: 2,267 Topics Per Day: 0.50 Content Count: 4,392 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 5,031 Days Won: 3 Joined: 01/13/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/11/1947 Share Posted June 28, 2020 23 hours ago, Gideon said: One night fourteen years ago, I was at my lowest. Decades of trying to please God, trying to live as a true follower of Jesus, decades of ever-rising hopefulness of overcoming my besetting sins being eroded into eventual defeat again and again had left me weary of life itself. That night, so many years ago now, I had come to the end of my rope. In my attempts to walk in victory over my fleshly nature, I had prayed, I had fasted, I had fed on the Word of God. I had served. But inside, I was still empty. I had a name that I lived, but I was encompassed only with loneliness, failure and defeat. Peace, joy, rest for my soul? They eluded me to no end. Purpose for my life? That too was missing. I was simply out of things to try, out of hope that my life could be different. And so, that night, I cried out to God. I no longer wanted answers to the millions of questions rolling around inside my head. And these words came out of my lips, uttered from a completely broken and very desperate heart. "All I know is I need more of you." My dear friends, the shakings are beginning. They will get worse. Even those whose lives appear as models of Christian endeavor will be shaken to the core. It is imperative we must know that these shakings are being allowed by our God for our good. Our minds recoil. 'Good?? What good can come from fear, from illness, from death, from insecurity, from loneliness?' It makes no sense to us. Yet. But you see, we as modern day believers have somehow come to be satisfied with simply knowing about Jesus. We read His Word. We find doctrines that give structure to our understandings of the Bible. We attend churches where others believe as we believe. We post on Christian Forums about that which has become so important to us in our lives. We pray, and have devotional times. We often find ways of expressing our faith in service to others. But, how many there are who are running at or near on empty. Could you be one? We are told about the promises of God, we hear talk about the joy of the Lord being our strength, we read about walking in true victory, and yet, the shakings now beginning to occur seem to be pulling us further down, not lifting us up. What gives? What is our God trying to do with us, for us, in us, through us? He is simply trying to get us to say those magic words..... all I know is I need more of you. We are told that Jesus is an ever present help in time of need. We have read that He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. And He is. But for many of us, yes, even most of us, what started our so long ago when we were first saved as an intense love affair with our savior, a devotion to our Lord, has instead become an exercise in religious devotions. Devotion or devotions. Which is it for you? We are told that our God is a jealous God. He is. He wants us for Himself. He longs to be our all in all. Yet, over time, our lives have so often become going-through-the motions of being good Christians, but the intimacy has been lost. Look. Knowing correct doctrine is important. Yet doctrine cannot wrap its arms around you in comfort when fear comes in. Church fellowship with others is important as well. But others cannot be THE source of joy to you. Jesus alone can. As we enter this new phase of shakings, as the world seems to spin further and further out of control, as the very earth under our feet ceases to offer us any stability, it is critical we understand what Jesus is doing. He is drawing us back to Him. A one-on-one child-to-Father relationship. You see, Jesus IS our life. His promises are real and as we believe Him to do so, He WILL keep us from falling..... IF we cry out to Him with broken, hungry hearts. He said "Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you." This is what He is even now beginning to accomplish, and He will not stop until all who are called by His name are walking fully in the joy of their salvation. Things may look outwardly like they are spinning out of control, but let us all rejoice who love our savior, for He is even now unfolding the final chapter written about His church, and "without spot or wrinkle" will be the harbor of safety into which He is guiding every single heart hungry for more of Him. blessings, Gideon Amen, He is soo worthy all of the time, needing more of Him all the time. Love, Walter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prycejosh1987 Posted July 9, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,176 Content Per Day: 0.84 Reputation: 126 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/07/2020 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/29/1987 Share Posted July 9, 2020 As with any relationship in life the companionship between man and god should be intimate. i am not talking about sex, but about conversation, trust and helping each other. I believe that a person can help god, but being used by him to help fulfil his desire, which is saving of the souls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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