To think about

[altya]

One of the biggest challenges is making a change from being intellectual to relational. So many of us know about God , but few of us experience God . I have heard it said that we know God's hands but not His face. In other words, we often ask Him to meet our needs and requests, but rarely seek intimacy with Him .

In the world everything is so fast-paced and entertaining. We grow bored easily and don't take the time to experience things that may not bring immediate results.

We are asking questions like: Are you ready for the Second Coming? Do you have a relationship with God ? More than anything we want genuineness. We want to be real. We want the freedom to doubt and to question. Obviously, this is a big risk, but it will make us stronger.

I hope that the leaders will risk "making fools of themselves" so that others can grow. I hope that our leaders will speak out when the Spirit leads . We need to see God working in them. It is through action that we begin to believe . I plead with leaders to be open to the leading of the Spirit and to expect changes and surprises . We must quit being so dependent on methods and technology and be more dependent on God .

 

[angelwind]

This just rings a bell with me today. And my reading in Joshua Chapter 1 fits...Joshua was exhorted to be strong and courageous more than once...that would be key to causing Israel to inherit the land.

 

[whatseekye]

Excellent thoughts. Thank you for sharing them. It will help my prayers for the leaders in my church. God bless you.

 

[johan777]

It went very well with the infant church in Acts because the leaders of the church had the right things and did the right things.


And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. (Acts 3:4-7)

….And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

…Then we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4)


It is been said that in our day most church leaders have silver and gold, but not the power of God, that so few of them are recognized as having been with Jesus and that they devote themselves to many things other than prayer and the ministry of God’s word. Let’s pray that this will once more be true of the leaders of our church in our day.


However, every Christian is a letter who is being read by others - You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it--not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives--and we publish it. (2 Cor.3:2,3 Message)

Look carefully then how you walk,

not as unwise but as wise,

making the best use of the time,

because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be foolish,

but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,

but be filled with the Spirit,

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,

giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

(Eph. 5:15 – 21)

 

[WeakButHopeful]

What the OP's comments bring to my mind is two things I read recently: #1 - that obsessions and compulsions are an over-concentration on the inner self and therefore recovery depends at least partially on turning outward, becoming involved with others, with God and with His unique purpose for which we were created. #2 - the idea that God exists in all times but we exist in only one instant at a time, therefore we can only experience God in what we call "the present"...I have begun to think (right or wrong, you be the judge) that the present is less intellectual and more relational than the past and future. We can analyze the past and speculate on the future, but if we spend too much time doing so we have wasted many presents.

And so, being more bold, in the moment, honest and direct with God and our fellow humans seems like it may hold both the escape from our past failings as well as the key to the future God wants for us.

 

[Ariella]

Amen, thanks very much for this post ... so many are impatient ... i'm impatient ...we have grown used to getting things right away rather than waiting so .... we miss out on experiences because we are too busy racing from one experience to actually finish experiencing and learning from the one before .... and yes, leaders need to encourage and be open as well ... we all do

 

[whatseekye]

What the OP's comments bring to my mind is two things I read recently: #1 - that obsessions and compulsions are an over-concentration on the inner self and therefore recovery depends at least partially on turning outward, becoming involved with others, with God and with His unique purpose for which we were created. #2 - the idea that God exists in all times but we exist in only one instant at a time, therefore we can only experience God in what we call "the present"...I have begun to think (right or wrong, you be the judge) that the present is less intellectual and more relational than the past and future. We can analyze the past and speculate on the future, but if we spend too much time doing so we have wasted many presents.

And so, being more bold, in the moment, honest and direct with God and our fellow humans seems like it may hold both the escape from our past failings as well as the key to the future God wants for us.

You have some very interesting ideas. I love your idea about the present being less intellectual than the past and future. The present is very relational. I love it. Your ideas about how we should focus on God and others rather than ourselves reminds me of the following verse:

The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
Jesus said to him, ""You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
--Matthew 22:34-40 NKJV

very interesting! thank you for sharing your thoughts on this

 

[heartnsoul]

Great post! Thanks for sharing. I have heard it said that if we keep looking back in the past or worry too much about the future, we miss out on the GIFT of the PRESENT! (pun intended!)