the tug

I’m gonna set aside time and spend it with God. Lots of time. I’m gonna get deep, intimate, personal with God and it’s gonna be great!!!” I’ve thought that a lot. I’ve done it too. But it never has lasted. Why? There’s been this tug. A tug to “not” do it. This tug suggests other things like spending time with people, with television, movies, internet, etc. This tug never seemed to work out much for my well being. This tug has kept me from some much needed growth many years ago. So I ask myself, “Am I in a place I could have been 8 years ago?” I won’t let myself go there because that will just produce regret. Rather it’s time for me to pay attention to a certain other “tug”.

“Hi there.” That’s what I heard this morning in church. “I like it when you’re with me.” Yes, that was God. He talks to me a lot. It’s amazing how I could spend so much time not listening to the creator of the universe and the lover of my soul. I said “Hi” back this morning and it got emotional. The first sentence in this blog came to mind again as my emotions stirred and my eyes watered. I have a beautiful connection with my Jesus, an amazing connection with my Father, a beautiful relationship with my Holy Spirit. I don’t say that smugly, I say that in regard to the foundation of my understanding with God. The humbling or perhaps embarrassing thing is how little time I actually spend alone with God. That’s the irony. The foundation of my relationship runs deep but HOW DEEP COULD IT ACTUALLY BE!? When he says “Hi There” I get glimpses. Glimpses into the glory of my life running side by side with Jesus taking the world by the horns and releasing His beautiful kingdom rich with love on unsuspecting people everywhere. Aaaahahahaa the Joy! The Rapture! The Bliss! And that’s just it. I felt that tug this morning. That tug to be with my beautiful God in the joys of His presence and His kindness.

The Scriptures say that His kindness leads us to repentance. So I repent! Oh I repent! Your tug has captured my heart and I’m all yours. You had me with “Hi There”. Repentance is something walked out and lived. It’s changing directions. So consider direction changed. It’s time to get significantly in touch with God in the secret place more than once in awhile…

Bill Johnson talks about creating and developing a personal history with God, it’s the responsibility of every believer and it cannot be imparted. “it’s easy for me to lay hands on somebody for impartation… but it’s impossible to impart to somebody my history with God” “history is primarily made in the secret place…when nobody is watching” “What can a child get from the mother? They can only get milk. If you’re going to get meat, you’ll have to hunt it on your own” “If you don’t seek Him in crisis, you’ll never seek Him in your success” “If you’ll make history with God, He’ll make history through you.”

Just as David’s defeat of the lion and the bear in the secret positioned him for his defeat of Goliath in the public arena, so our hidden victories in the secret place with God position us for our public victories when the world is watching and the devil is fighting.

For we are more than conquerors through Christ who gives us strength.

Nothing is impossible with God

It’s time to approach the throne of grace with confidence and that comes from knowing I am a son. I have the spirit of adoption. I am a co-heir with Christ. All that is His is for me as well. Thank you God!