Category: Seeking

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…

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“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

God Encounter – by A.W. Tozer

It is fear of falling into the hands of God that makes us so eager to get things reduced to a formula. We feel that if we can learn the “secret” of salvation or the “steps” into the blessed life, we can control our future and (though we would not admit it) control God Himself to a large degree. This saves face and preserves our self-confidence, but it also mutes the voice of power in the gospel and weakens the operations of God in the soul. Only the despairing heart can know the inward witness.

In the final analysis, no one can lead another to God. All he can do is to lead the inquirer to the door of the kingdom and urge him onward. Between God and the returning soul there is a zone of obscurity through which he cannot see. It is the light that no man can approach unto and past which no one can go on his feet or by means of reason or theological knowledge. There faith must make its leap of pure trust into the arms of God crying with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15), or with Newton, “O Lord, I trust in Thee completely, and if I go to hell I’ll go down standing on Thy Word.”

It is this utter desperation that brings the witness, and yet I cannot tell anyone how to reach such a state. All I can do is to urge everyone to repent and believe on Jesus Christ. If the repentance is genuine and the faith real, all human confidence will come crashing down and the humbled soul will be forced to make its leap of faith alone.

The reader that cannot find his way from here is in all probability still impenitent. And let him beware of seeking cheap comfort from a text jockey who will cry, “‘Peace, peace,’. . . when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). He had better by far take his Bible and retire to the secret place to seek God alone. If there’s hope for him, he’ll find it there. But he’ll find it nowhere else.