Have You Had A Close Encounter?
Christmas is over, but it is still time to celebrate Christ! I know when you are hurting it is hard to celebrate, especially if you have experienced new abuse or trauma from holiday gatherings, but I want to encourage you to change your inner focus.
The wise man came after Jesus' birth seeking the new King w
ho was prophesied by Micah (in the Book of Micah 5:2) "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." The wise men saw His star in the East and followed it to come to worship Him as King!
Who are you following? Who do you worship? 2009 is about to begin. Who is making the decisions for your life? What are your plans for this new year?
Worship involves surrender and sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
When you have a 'close encounter' with Jesus, your life is going to be forever different. (Note: It will be different, but hurting memories will not be immediately erased). Every living person has faith in someone/something, and also worships the object of her faith.
Who are you going to bow to this new year?
There are two conditions for salvation: 1) repentance and 2) faith. You can be a believer in Jesus and not be His follower. Have you turned from your sin and self (in repentance) toward Jesus (by faith)? When you truly meet Jesus, you will be changed! Everybody wants to go to "heaven" (to be saved), to have a life of happiness, love and peace. Not everyone wants to have a Lord or King telling her what she needs to do in her life. Are you calling the shots or is God?
A tree was created to be a tall, woody plant. God made trees with roots, leaves, fruit and seeds. He didn't give trees an aability to roam around the forest. Imagine how frustrated a tree would be if it tried to walk its entire life. A tree can only bring God glory by being what it was created by God to be - a tree.
We exist because God created us! Evolution is simply very bad science! Life is all about relationships, our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. We were created for this purpose, for a 'close encounter' with God and other people! If you don't have a relationship with God, you will live a frustrated life. Only God can help you learn to live in right relationships to Him and other people. We all need need His help!
God is always working and moving to bring people of all Nations to Him! You can be religious and not have or know God. It is easy to slip into comfortable religions of the World. A 'close encounter" with God is different from finding religion. Each time you come into the presence of Jesus you will leave changed.
Maybe you had a 'defining moment' at a church camp where you walk up and tossed a stick into a fire, or you walked down a church aisle to shake a ministers hand and share your tearful heart. You could be baptized, a lifelong church member, a spiritual thinker, or even someone who gives time and money to a "god"; but know this truth, if you didn't leave your experience completely (180 degree changed), you didn't have a real close encounter with the One true God.
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God".
The Christian walk is one of faith. You follow what you know, what God has revealed to you about Him. When you follow, you respond in obedience, rightly, to what God calls you to do. You trust in the truth God has given you. Your walk of faith has consistency and determination.
God never once promises that your life will be easy, full of happiness, good times and lots of money. He does promise that He will provide for you completely, that He will give you enough of His grace to endure anything he allows you to experience, and so many other wonderful riches too numerous to list.
When you live through dark times, walk through the valley of death, have faith and be willing to share your burdens! God is with you, and He will bring people into your life to help you carry your burden to Him. Don't doubt in darkness what Jesus revealed to you in His light. Delight in the things you know to be true, and also in the fact that you will NEVER understand everything that happens in life.
Rest in knowing that God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will lead you, and direct your path. The path you took to come to God is not the one you will leave on. God will have you return a different way, just like He divinely warned the wise men in a dream to depart from visiting Jesus for their own country on another way. Be still, seek, and follow the way God is leading you today.
The wise man came after Jesus' birth seeking the new King w
ho was prophesied by Micah (in the Book of Micah 5:2) "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." The wise men saw His star in the East and followed it to come to worship Him as King!Who are you following? Who do you worship? 2009 is about to begin. Who is making the decisions for your life? What are your plans for this new year?
Worship involves surrender and sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
When you have a 'close encounter' with Jesus, your life is going to be forever different. (Note: It will be different, but hurting memories will not be immediately erased). Every living person has faith in someone/something, and also worships the object of her faith.
Who are you going to bow to this new year?
There are two conditions for salvation: 1) repentance and 2) faith. You can be a believer in Jesus and not be His follower. Have you turned from your sin and self (in repentance) toward Jesus (by faith)? When you truly meet Jesus, you will be changed! Everybody wants to go to "heaven" (to be saved), to have a life of happiness, love and peace. Not everyone wants to have a Lord or King telling her what she needs to do in her life. Are you calling the shots or is God?
A tree was created to be a tall, woody plant. God made trees with roots, leaves, fruit and seeds. He didn't give trees an aability to roam around the forest. Imagine how frustrated a tree would be if it tried to walk its entire life. A tree can only bring God glory by being what it was created by God to be - a tree.We exist because God created us! Evolution is simply very bad science! Life is all about relationships, our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. We were created for this purpose, for a 'close encounter' with God and other people! If you don't have a relationship with God, you will live a frustrated life. Only God can help you learn to live in right relationships to Him and other people. We all need need His help!
God is always working and moving to bring people of all Nations to Him! You can be religious and not have or know God. It is easy to slip into comfortable religions of the World. A 'close encounter" with God is different from finding religion. Each time you come into the presence of Jesus you will leave changed.
Maybe you had a 'defining moment' at a church camp where you walk up and tossed a stick into a fire, or you walked down a church aisle to shake a ministers hand and share your tearful heart. You could be baptized, a lifelong church member, a spiritual thinker, or even someone who gives time and money to a "god"; but know this truth, if you didn't leave your experience completely (180 degree changed), you didn't have a real close encounter with the One true God.
Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God".
The Christian walk is one of faith. You follow what you know, what God has revealed to you about Him. When you follow, you respond in obedience, rightly, to what God calls you to do. You trust in the truth God has given you. Your walk of faith has consistency and determination.
God never once promises that your life will be easy, full of happiness, good times and lots of money. He does promise that He will provide for you completely, that He will give you enough of His grace to endure anything he allows you to experience, and so many other wonderful riches too numerous to list.
When you live through dark times, walk through the valley of death, have faith and be willing to share your burdens! God is with you, and He will bring people into your life to help you carry your burden to Him. Don't doubt in darkness what Jesus revealed to you in His light. Delight in the things you know to be true, and also in the fact that you will NEVER understand everything that happens in life.
Rest in knowing that God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will lead you, and direct your path. The path you took to come to God is not the one you will leave on. God will have you return a different way, just like He divinely warned the wise men in a dream to depart from visiting Jesus for their own country on another way. Be still, seek, and follow the way God is leading you today.
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