As a dad, I am constantly taking my children somewhere. We traverse traffic in a parking lot or across the street when running errands.
My children, especially my youngest one, have to grab my hand. This process helps them stay connected with me. It allows me to protect and guide them from potential accidents.
My two-year-old tends to release his small yet firm grip to run off and do his own thing. He’s in his infancy, unaware of the dangers that await him.
He has one idea about what’s happening: to be free to play in an open space. However, being physically more prominent and experienced with parking lots and streets, I know people drive dangerously.
My youngest son doesn’t know this. So it is my job to protect him from himself. He holds my hand to appropriately walk him through the danger so he can make it through.
Romans 8:14 tells us, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” In this illustration, this is how the Lord Jesus is with us. The Lord Jesus wants to hold our hands not for “fun prevention” but to truly protect and guide us through impending dangers that we cannot see with our physical eye.
We serve a God who is outside of time and space. The Word teaches that a day is 1000 years and 1000 years is a day to God (2 Peter 3:8). This scripture exemplifies God’s infinite sovereignty, having no constraints by the linearity of time and space. The Lord Jesus Christ sees our ending from the beginning better than we ever could.
We are not promised removal from life’s dangers, but He will be with us during those storms. People have a vast problem adhering to the doctrine of independence, thinking there is a benefit in our strength. When we voluntarily remove ourselves from the Lord’s direction, we opt out from rest.
Have you let go of the Lord Jesus’ hand today? Are you now in a condition of, “I GOT THIS!” rather than seeking the Lord‘s face and getting direction from him?
Seeking God’s face can be done in three ways:
1. Praying not only to be heard but to listen as well. There is no “one size fits all” answer. Every individual has to come to a knowledge and understanding of how God uniquely speaks to them.
2. Studying the Word. As cliche as this suggestion is, it’s scriptural— “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). From my experience, studying isn’t about simple reading. It’s deeper than that. Time in the Word (the Holy Bible) involves asking questions, visualizing what’s going on allowing the Lord to reveal things that you can mentally see, which will somehow translate into your daily life. Studying is also about connecting scripture to your every day, so not only are you a hearer but a doer (James 1:22). Once you again have an understanding, it needs to be reasoned with other people, which brings us to the last point.
3. Fellowshipping in a body (community) of believers. Guys, this is Uber-critical. Too often, we undermine the power and necessity of fellowshipping with other believers. This law is backed by scripture: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” Matthew 18:20 (KJV). A concert setting is an easy way to convey how powerful fellowshipping is. The energy of people gathered together to celebrate and enjoy the performance of their favorite musician is electrifying. Take that same energy and apply it to worship. It truly activates the Lord around and inside of us! Fellowshipping is not only about honoring but strengthening our knowledge of Christ. We must be challenged on our understanding for correction and closing knowledge gaps.
As a non-believer, I wanted to see if this whole Jesus thing was real. So I asked, “If you’re real, show me.”
I wrote seven “assignments” on a piece of paper. Like the damp and dry fleece test with Gideon (Judges 6:36-40), I ran one of my own for confirmation. In three days, God accomplished all the things on paper!
It has been ten years since I’ve done this, so I can’t remember what was on the paper. However, I remember getting my vehicle inspection stickers taken care of when I was ultimately broke.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about believing in His death, burial, and resurrection. It confidently knows He is alive today even if we cannot see him with our physical eye. Here are some questions to consider:
• Do you believe He is right over your shoulder, watching your every move?
• Do you have a “Hollywood fascination” of Him as some spook in the sky?
• Do you believe He is only a myth, a fairytale that exists from some person’s imagination?
• Do you only see him as a prophet, meaning he walked the earth, but He was never God in the flesh?
Without biblical application, faith and belief are limited to a wives’ tale out of the imagination of a folklore writer.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” Revelation 3:20 (KJV).
God is always with me, but as of 2010, I accepted his existence and reality into my life. The Spirit baptized me then, and The Lord Jesus changed my inward spirit.
The following scripture clearly explains what I experienced in gaining a new perspective on the reality I exist in:
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Acts 9:17-18 (KJV)
I went from “I LOVE THIS WORLD!” to “THIS WORLD AIN’T GOT THAT MUCH TIME!” It was a fantastic experience.
I am blessed right now to have His Holy Ghost inside of me, working to teach me things that no man can’t and change me in ways I never imagined. If you want that for yourself, follow the scripture: confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe God has raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved (Romans 10:9).
Accept that we live in sin and need repentance. That is all that I have for now. God bless you all.
