Category: Relationship

Encountering Jesus — As a blind man from birth

People who have studied long and in depth the “things” of/about God can find themselves blindsided by the simplicity of one who has PERSONALLY encountered God. There really is no substitute for knowing God for YOURSELF. Ask the question: “Who is HE that I may believe into HIM?” Ask and God will come looking, searching, scanning for you — heuristics — and NOTHING can prevent or obstruct God from finding you, even if you are obstructed. God is never obstructed by anything, though from our limited mortal perspective we may think He is hindered or unable. He certainly can find you when it is His time to do so. This is the way you believe and trust in God. Believe and trust that He can do what you could never do. And then He will prove Himself to you. Over and over again, He will prove Himself to you. Will, at times when you are weak and unable, find you and cause you to encounter His Presence and hear Him. And, if your heart is tender for it, you will hear Him and be taught by Him.

They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding — heuristics — him, he said, “Do you believe into the Son of God?”

He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe into him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”

He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”

— John 9:34-39

Go to Jesus when He calls you!

When Jesus calls us to Himself, as those who have ears hear His voice, we must go, go, go!  Daily and forever go to, and return to, Him Who is Owner and Decider of all…Lord of all!

Spurgeon exhorts us below…

—

“And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.” – Mark 3:13.

HERE was sovereignty. Impatient spirits may fret and fume, because they are not called to the highest places in the ministry; but reader be it thine to rejoice that Jesus calleth whom He wills. If He shall leave me to be a doorkeeper in His house, I will cheerfully bless Him for His grace in permitting me to do anything in His service. The call of Christ’s servants comes from above. Jesus stands on the mountain, evermore above the world in holiness, earnestness, love and power. Those whom He calls must go up the mountain to Him, they must seek to rise to His level by living in constant communion with Him. They may not be able to mount to classic honours, or attain scholastic eminence, but they must like Moses go up into the mount of God and have familiar intercourse with the unseen God, or they will never be fitted to proclaim the gospel of peace. Jesus went apart to hold high fellowship with the Father, and we must enter into the same divine companionship if we would bless our fellowmen. No wonder that the apostles were clothed with power when they came down fresh from the mountain where Jesus was. This morning we must endeavour to ascend the mount of communion, that there we may be ordained to the lifework for which we are set apart. Let us not see the face of man to-day till we have seen Jesus. Time spent with Him is laid out at blessed interest. We too shall cast out devils and work wonders if we go down into the world girded with that divine energy which Christ alone can give. It is of no use going to the Lord’s battle till we are armed with heavenly weapons. We must see Jesus, this is essential. At the mercy-seat we will linger till He shall manifest Himself unto us as He doth not unto the world, and until we can truthfully say, “We were with Him in the Holy Mount.”

–Spurgeon

A genuine encounter with God — A. W. Tozer

“Whatever else it embraces, true Christian experience must always include a genuine encounter with God.  Without this, religion is but a shadow, a reflection of a reality, a cheap copy of an original once enjoyed by someone else of whom we have heard.  It cannot but be a major tragedy in the life of any man to live in a church from childhood to old age and know nothing more real than some synthetic god compounded of theology and logic, but having no eyes to see, no ears to hear, and no heart to love.”

“But the man who has been taught even slightly by the Spirit of Truth…his language will be, ‘I have heard Him and observed Him.  What have I to do any more with idols?’  For he cannot love a god who is no more than a deduction from a text.  He will crave to know God with a vital awareness that goes beyond words and to live in the intimacy of personal communion.”

— A. W. Tozer

OF and FOR and THROUGH

From 1 Corinthians…

“to us there is one God,
the Father,
of Whom are all things,
and we for Him;

and one Lord,
Jesus Christ,
through Whom are all things,
and we live through Him.”

–1 Corinthians 8:6

How wonderful that we are OF and FOR Abba Father God; having originated from Him and intended to go to Him. What everlasting love and unending belonging there is in this!

And God has provided His Way for all to come to Him…

How wonderful that we are THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ. What care and concern and redemption and restoration there is through Jesus!

Thank You Abba Father In Jesus’ Name…for YOU!!!

Living Embrace

Moses had a special life. He spoke to God face to face. He had no book or writing to consult to give him thoughts and ideas about God. Rather, he had God Himself; a living, interactive, real-time, moving, active and animated relationship with God. Moses knew God. Moses heard the Voice of God immediately as God spoke directly to him. Moses saw the glory of God with his own eyes. God drew near to Moses and Moses responded to the Person and Presence of God. And it was out of this ongoing embrace between God and Moses that Moses found himself writing. Moses wrote about his experiences with God. Experiences. Let us never forget that. If anyone has ears to hear and eyes to see and a heart that is tender and yearning to know God, let him/her remember that there were no written words at first. Rather there was, at first, a living, loving real relationship between two persons; between the Person of the Living God and the person of a living man. God loved Moses and made Himself known to Moses in many intimate manifestations.

What kind of relationship do you want to have with God? Will it start and end with words in a book? Or will it start and end with a living embrace? Will we seek to be known by God by feverishly reading more and more, trying to be justified by our own works (see Romans 9.30-33)? Or rather by faith in the works of God? Yes, we must read the Scripture, and reading is good, but reading alone is not enough or all there is. The relationship that God wants us to have with Him is not merely literary, but living. So yes, learn about God in the Scriptures, and be obedient to do the work of God found there (see John 6.29). But also ask God to manifest Himself to you and fill you with His Holy Spirit. Ask God to teach you how to hear His Voice, and keep in step with Him as He moves about and leads you. Draw near to Him and yearn for Him to draw near to you.

Oh Abba Father, please make Yourself known to us. Let us experience You. The longing and yearning in the depths of our hearts is only and always for You. We draw near to You by the Living Way You have made in Your beloved Son Jesus. We ask to know You in a real relationship. Please embrace us as we make our feeble attempt to embrace You. Take us up into Your arms. Let us hear Your Voice. Only say the word! Carry us close and never let us go. Spread out Your Lordship over us. Precious Lover, Father of Eternity, You Who have loved us with an everlasting Love: more than anything else in all the universe, thank You for You!

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe into Him Whom He has sent.” -John 6:29