Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17)
My Monday morning small group writings started as a way to present a little biblical content to discuss something more meaningful, spiritual, and inspiring than today’s world news headlines. However, for me, it led to something much deeper and more valuable than I expected: The development of a more intimate, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
I still have much to learn and so much further to go, but I know that the time I’ve spent meditating on and listening for God’s directions and truths has helped me develop a closer personal relationship with Him. I truly believe I know Him much better today than I did yesterday. But what’s even more amazing to me about my growing relationship with God is the never-ending desire it creates within me to want to learn more.
I’m a logical guy, so it makes total sense to me for one to want to know his creator. However, what seems a tad obsessive to me at this point is my ever-burning desire to know Him more.
I know who He is; I’ve read The Bible, I’ve meditated and studied, and I’ve done it again and again and again. Why do I have this need to know more? Why do any of us have the need to continually learn more about God? Isn’t it enough to know what we know and simply believe?
Logic tells me love is not logical; it’s emotional, and trying to learn how someone can love you so much that they would sacrifice everything for you, right down to giving up their life, is tough to understand; it doesn’t make sense… it’s not logical. Is it? What did I ever do for Him that deserved that kind of sacrifice?
I don’t understand God’s love; how could I? How can I understand something so inconceivable, something I could never do?… Is this what drives me… Is this my need… to know the One who has that kind of love… the One who loves me that much… to understand what I may never comprehend?
I may never truly get it, but I think I will. I’ve come to know and feel closer to God during the simple act of writing these devotions week after week. Furthermore, I’m coming closer to God every day. And isn’t that what every day of our lives is truly about? Developing an intimate, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ?
I know it is… The Bible says it’s so. And the Bible God has given me even has Jesus’ directives in red, so I won’t miss a thing.
This past week, as I was reading God’s Bible, trying to come up with a plan for my weekly writing, I noticed a small book that my wife had set by my chair written by Andrew Wommack. Andrew is one of our favorite teachers, and we both feel that his lessons on God’s mercy, grace, healing, and undeniable truths are spot on. The small lesson book is called ‘Eternal Life.’ I didn’t realize until a few pages in that I had read this book many years ago, probably back when I still had hair.
Rereading it brought back many memories in my life while at the same time reminding me of God’s words in the Bible and the years I’ve spent in earnest search for His truths.
In rehashing some of Andrew’s written thoughts, the first thing that came to mind is how so many people have helped me along my way. There is no possible way that I could do this on my own!
We all need Jesus in our lives.His truths, and His strength. He is our rock, the cornerstone of all knowledge and truth. But to live in a world that engulfs us in an ideology that’s so contradictory to the truth, can sometimes make it difficult to stay focused.
To develop knowledge of who He truly is and to know Him intimately can be challenging in this environment. We need to focus hard on God and Heaven above. We need a sharp edge in this battle, and if you want to stay sharp, it’s wise to have some iron by your side to sharpen against.
Yes, it’s very beneficial to have the help of others; we need the church—God’s warriors.
I feel like I have a map in my head that leads directly to God. Sometimes, I struggle to find the proper route, and other times it’s as if the path has already been highlighted in yellow by somebody else.
Today, as I was reading Andrew’s book on eternal life, I came to the pages where many years ago he gave me directions to God as he highlighted them in yellow on the map in my brain:
Once after reading a verse or two, God showed me something I hadn’t seen before. It was scriptures that I read, but I began to see them differently. I wound up pushing the Bible back and just meditating on it. Then I remembered that I hadn’t finished reading my daily Bible readings. So, I shelved those thoughts and went back to reading. After reading a few more verses, I heard the Lord ask, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m reading The Bible.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “So you could speak to me.” Then He went silent. After a moment I got to thinking, The reason I’m reading the Bible is so God can speak to me. He started speaking, and I basically rejected His voice because He interrupted my Bible reading! If God speaks to you on the very first verse you’ve read, forget the rest! It’s all about communion with God. It’s not about you checking off that you did your daily Bible readings. (Andrew Wommack, ‘Eternal Life’)
When I first read Andrew’s lesson and elementary concept of what communion with God is all about, it spun me 180 degrees. A syllabus or reading plan can guide you, a friend or preacher can enlighten you, and a coach or mentor can motivate you, but at the end of the day, you need to find the wisdom to do what’s right. God has given us the tools that we need… The brain is in our head. The choice is ours, nobody else’s.
Andrew’s wise counsel enlightened me that building a relationship with God is as simple as following His voice. But being that he fed me this information, it also enlightened me to the fact that I can’t do it on my own. So what’s the right choice: Bible syllabus, plan, friend, preacher, coach, or mentor?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes. You’re going to build a lot with all of those tools, but you’ll never build a whole house until you rest long enough to listen for God’s voice.
The choice is ours; we can work, believe, and pray right up until the day that we walk through Heaven’s gates without ever truly resting and listening for the sound of His voice. Or…we can quiet ourselves of this world, rest in His love, and listen.
God sent Jesus to give us eternal life today in the here and now. However; to receive, you must choose to learn to know Him and listen for His voice.
Listen to what Jesus has to say about all of this: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. (John 17: 1-5)
Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ.”
You can’t let anything get in the way of knowing God and Jesus Christ. The choice is yours… If you don’t have the close personal relationship you think you should have with Christ, and you know Him a bit but also know there is so much you don’t… then I encourage you, “Don’t wait another minute; find a way!”
Andrews’ lesson did not say, “Don’t let the Bible get in your way”; it said, “Don’t let yourself get in the way.” God didn’t create a bunch of brainless followers to inherit the world. He created man in His image; He created us to be just like His son, Jesus Christ.
God created man in His own image; He created us to be exactly like His son, Jesus Christ. We are meant to be warriors, kingdom builders, and servant leaders.
A leader always starts with himself; that’s what God did: Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. (Genesis 1:26) God started with Jesus and Himself and created you; now you must do the same.
Draw strength from the Church—God’s people—and use all the tools that God has given you to come to know God and Jesus Christ. Then through that relationship, you will become one and the same with them. Eternal life is a choice that must be made—choose it now!
Thank you, everyone, for helping me make the right choice.
“I tell you the Truth”
Read The Bible
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