Getting To Know God Better 37

Are you a dabbler? Do you dabble with God?

I have found (through life experience and investigation) that not many people have any real interest in getting to know God better than they already do. We can thank the Church for that. The formula for organized Church to stay in 'business' quite often does not include igniting the fire of inner-man desire to seek and find more and more about God.

I would say that the modern Church teaches the same thing over and over again expecting different results. There is a sort of domination over the parishioners  from the pastorate/priesthood/rabbinical priesthood. Servant leaders are hard to find, but they are the truly loyal and under their teaching/guidance you will learn new things and find new ways to learn new things.

It is not difficult to ascertain the degree of token understanding that the modern person has concerning Christ when you look at what means most to organized Churches go through to sustain themselves. I know you don't want to hear it, neither do I, but today, men, women and children are mostly just barely trying to hang on to some tenuous belief system by a tattered tether. Week after week they go through motions of religiosity without the inner-man driving them. They have become wanderers inside the Church, not even looking for answers anymore, satisfied to be told that they are doing the right thing; hanging on by a thread to a concept of God and not God Himself.

There is no satisfaction under this premise, no forward movement, no advancing the Kingdom of God, no progress, no unction, and little light, if any being shown. The will to stand up and be recognized as a person who loves God and a person who is willing to go as directed has been replaced by organized programs designed to keep everyone in  a straight line. It doesn't matter if the real work doesn't get done as long as everyone involved feels good about it and they keep in a straight line. Because of leadership impotency it is easier to neuter the flock than to feed them.

If that is your current experience, get out or get in and change it. You are a child of God and have within you all that is necessary to complete the tasks that you can clearly see are being overlooked or ignored altogether. Drive yourself deeper into the Word of God and quit riding in the backseat. If you don't believe you have it in you or that you just aren't competent enough to do this or that it is not because God didn't give you the necessary tools, it is that you have decided not to use those tools.

Yes we are part of the Church, but first you are a child of God designed as an individual with a direct line to God through the inner man. Man/Woman up.

Joh_16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 

Eph_3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

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Why would you want to know God better?

• Isn't it true that the closer you get to God the more God expects from you?
• Isn't it true that the as you become more spiritual in your life you have less worldly options?
• Isn't it true that the more Bible you know the more guilty you feel about being imperfect and sometimes disobedient?
• Isn't it true that if you go to Church many people puts on airs and most people are superficial, and you feel uncomfortable acting like something you are not?
• Isn't it true that the pressure put on you to do your duty and tithe and teach and do mission work and to be a part of this program and that program feels cumbersome?
• Isn't it true that if you acknowledge that you are a Christian you are demeaned and sometimes left out because many people today look down on Christians as being lemmings, ignorant, not too smart, etc?
• Isn't it true that Christianity is one of the lesser religions today and to really be with it, you need to dabble or try other religious philosophies, systems? 

First of all, Getting To Know God Better is not about religion. It is about personal spiritual relationship with the creator. Christianity, as in, Christ centered beliefs, is the impetus to getting to know God better because Christ/Jesus is the Son of God and very God. But if you are thinking that you have to be a Baptist to know God you are mistaken. Sometimes a person comes to a real awareness of the presence of God prior to coming to a religious relationship with God through an organized Church.  The inner man desire is so strong that a person might reach out to a Church to find out more or to find fellowship among like minded individuals, but they found God through the leading of the Holy Spirit/Inspiration.

Don't think for a minute that God, the Holy Spirit is not reaching out to every human, born and unborn. Don't think that God isn't as concerned as you about the salvation of souls. Also don't get the idea that without our help, God can't get the job done. Mission work and spreading the gospel is a voluntary effort on part of those who have found a love for Jesus. It was never a mandatory, duty bound, punish you if you don't act right or say the right things, kind of works. Telling others is a faith work, brought on by an inner unction to share with others what you have found out for yourself.

Structured Christian Churches are all a good thing, but not to be confused with the necessity of personal relationship with Jesus. I can tell you from much experience that many people know their pastor and friends much better than they know Jesus. It's not because God has not made a concerted effort to be a part of their life. It is that people have made a concerted effort to keep God out of part of their life. I call it selective spiritual experience; select the parts that you really like and deny the parts that don't meet your personal bents/whims/indiscretions.

Isn't it true that you have chosen to keep a distance from yourself and God? 

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Are you having difficulty talking with someone of another political bent? Hey, I thought politics was off limits for pastors? Really?

I want to talk about this a little because this issue greatly affects our effectiveness as Christians in a non-Christian society. I say Non-Christian and with regret. I don't mind so much if someone spouts off about their grossly irresponsible political position if they truly believe in what they are saying. But have you noticed that on the left, politicians and their lemmings are spouting off about issues that they have little or no understanding of and taking sides with those who believe in opposition to basic Christian principles.

Here's where I hear the yelling, "my political views have nothing to do with my religious affiliation."  Wow, you have a deep belief in God through Christ and your political ambitions/bents/beliefs/positions have nothing to do with your faith. What kind of faith is that? It certainly is not Christianity. Of course your personal faith is integrated into your political beliefs. Of course your decision are made from the internal leadings of the Holy Spirit in your life and may or may not be contrary to your political parties stand on certain issues.

Christians are saved from the necessity to follow after pitiful, unreliable, unsubstantiated and outright ridiculous Societal notions. Christians are empowered to stand firm in their core beliefs and defend them with integrity and understanding. Christians are empowered, not emaculated, able to discern the false from the truth with knowledge and understanding, separating fake science gimmicks from real scientific fact. Christians can overcome the ignorance of their political party. They can bring to the table sound doctrine, sound advise, sensible actions and make hard and reasonable decisions.

To the group of humanist, atheist, agnostics:

• You do not have the upper hand. You just say you do. 
• You do not possess superior scientific understanding. You just say you do. 
• You do not have a better handle on the needs for the masses. You just say you do. 
• You do not handle racial differences better than others. You just say you do.
• You do not have the best interest of all Americans at heart. You just say you do.
• You do not know more than everyone else. You just say you do. 
• You do not strive to empower everyone equally. Oh that's right you don't even want to do that, you are more than satisfied with exploiting ethnic diversity and racial tensions. Even more so you purposely encourage separitism while waving the flag of equality.
• You blame the sons for the father's sins. Oh that's right, there is no sin, so why do you want the sons paying for the father's insensitivities/ignorance.  Two faced at best.
• You think you are better than Christians because you don't fall prey to the ridiculous notion of God having something to do with our lives. But you are not better or smarter or more informed. You just think you are.

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Politics and personal faith. I hear it all the time that you shouldn't let your political bent be influenced by your personal faith or religious affiliation. Really? Only someone that does not have any personal faith could even entertain this kind of thinking. Of course your personal faith does and will have an impact on your political view/bent/decisions.

The socialists and the humanists, the agnostics and the faction-oriented religious sects make strong statements about how religion and politics should be kept separate, although in their case it doesn't have to be that way. What they mean is, if you believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, you shouldn't let that affect the way you do things or the decisions you make, but if you believe anything else it is OK to let it affect your decisions and influence the way you think.

The anti Christ movement is not subtle anymore. They now have cable, entire journalistic circles, networks and even nationalized platforms to spew their slow-working poison; 'to keep people with faith from having any say or influence on the political system.'

What is so ironic about this whole thing, at least in our country, is that Christians have been open to people of any faith being part of our political system. We have opened our mind and hearts to people of all faiths, even agnostics and atheists. Every person despite their religious proclivity has the right to vote and hold office. We trust that every individual understands the importance of civil law and that every person seeking office is desiring to seek public office to better their community and mankind as a whole. So you've got to wonder, why the battle against Christians having the same rights as non-Christians when it comes to politics.

If you are thinking that Christians have the same right to speak their mind as non-Christians you are mistaken. The stage has been set to trap all Christian minded political minds to agree to leave their religious beliefs at the door, when entering in the political arena. Of course we can rebel and do and say what we want anyway, but don't expect a fair assessment from the press. Immediately we are branded as; homophobic, racists, intolerant, deplorable, all with a smile and all under the guise as just reporting the news.

No, Christians have to either hide the fact concerning their faith or be ostracized as 'out of the mainstream,'  or bend and yield to the demands of the politically correct. Politically correct is the new mantra for the anti-religious, socialist.       

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"Psa_40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." 

Are you of the persuasion that God thinks thoughts of you and toward you? 

What a time we live in. God is not much on peoples mind. Don't mis-read what I am saying. There are plenty of people going to Church, plenty of religious ceremonies, plenty of programs for all kinds of things. There is even some spiritual talk among believers and unbelievers. Unbelievers act like they know as much as believers. So the unbelieving world not only co-mingles with the believing world, but they are bent on teaching the believing world how to believe correctly. 

All the religious dribble that I have heard doesn't add up to hardly a moment with God. There is all kinds of religious talk that leads to more religious talk, but the end result is more talk. A spiritually watered down society of misfits we are. Any time someone really hits on something truly amazing concerning God and man, they are kind of considered a little goofy. The unbelieving and the poorly trained Christian judging the man or woman of God with something to say. That's where we are right now. 

There is nothing wrong with being holy, living holy and operating under the direct leadership of the Holy Spirit as lead by the inner man. Mention holy living today and even the pastors cringe, because worldly living has become acceptable in the inner circles of organized religion. In order to keep the coffers filled many pastors will say anything, whether lead by the Spirit of God or not. I'm not calling out for new leaders. I am calling out for individuals that are willing to take God seriously and find the gems of truth under the rocks of mystery: Individuals that aren't satisfied with a mediator between them and God; someone that demands of themself to be honest with God and go to God to partake of God and offer themself to God without conditions. 


The bottom line: Stop looking for someone to follow that knows God better than you. You be the one. Get to know God better yourself.

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You may have thought, "if God is sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, why is it that so many people have a different understanding of how God operates among mankind or even who God is?" 

There is only one answer, free will.  You might not like it but God created us to have the power to reject or ignore God. You have been designed to co-create with God, communicate with God, hear from God and interact with God in the every processes of life. You choose. You can initiate interaction with God and you can deny God access to your inner man, that part of you that corresponds with God.

It is not complicated, nor is it cumbersome and it is immediately available. Here's the part that many people don't like. The creator designed you to operate in full self-power mode without access to or integration with or communication with God.  In every way you can be free from any influence of God. That's the idea behind free will. Free from or free to engage with. You choose.

Now you might be thinking that if left to our own devices we would all choose not to communicate with God, because if God does not initiate the conversation, communication, connection then it must not be very important. You are absolutely right. The problem with that theory is that God implanted in every human His image. This image is always there whether you initiate any desire to meet, see, understand or communicate with God. This image is in the inner man.

Your inner man was made in the image and likeness of God. . The mind will grow old and become dim, the body grows old and comes to an end, the soul continues on forever and the spirit continues on forever, but the spirit is activated, made alive by accepting the gift of God and that is done through the inner man. There is no spiritual connection to God without being activated by the inner man.  There is body, mind, soul and spirit. The inner man is the mind of the spirit and soul. Everything spiritual is initiated via the inner man. If you are a woman, the inner woman.

Eph 3:8  Unto me, (Paul the Apostle) who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 
Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 
Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 
Eph 3:12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 
Eph 3:13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 
Eph 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Eph 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 
Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

You have within you the power to co-create with God or to deny God. That's a lot of power. If you choose to co-create with God there is only one way; Talk to God from your inner man/woman. Transcend your own understanding and dig real deep inside yourself and talk to God. Tell God about your dilemma and listen carefully as God will speak to you with a still, small voice.

1Ki 19:11  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 

1Ki 19:12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 

It is the way it is. So many people leave so much on the table when it comes to God because they don't like the way God does things. Most rebellion to God's ways come from those who haven't even considered God's ways. But don't think that it will be because you didn't know how. It was embedded in your inner man, before you were born. Jer_1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; 

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How do you trust God when it really looks like there is just no heavenly intervention or participation in your current situation?

You don't. Oh, your surprised at that? Quit trying to be something you are not. If you are feeling like God is not on the scene, you need to be true to yourself and acknowledge that you aren't currently trusting God right now. If you are thinking that acting like you are trusting God, to keep up the facade, is working, you will be greatly disappointed.

It is in your everyday real-ness with God that true relationship ensues. God is above all the fray, the din, the facades, the acting. God recognizes when you are down, depressed, feeling lonely, feeling abandoned, crushed or disillusioned. God made you. Every great thing about you and every fault is known to God. You can't say or do anything to make God angry at you or to make God think you are wonderful in every way. You were created, not self enlivened.

What God wants from all of us is to be real. When you believe with all your heart you should shout it out and let everyone know.  And even though when you have no faith at all, you might not shout it out on the rooftops, you needn't fake it either.  You were designed with emotions. Those emotions, just as important as your skills were designed by God for the purpose of co-creating your life together. You and God, not only co-habitate, "God in you, the hope of glory," you co-create your life with God. Ignoring who you are or what you feel does not make you faithful and strong, it makes you foolish and pliable. The only hope is to be real with God. Get to know God better and be open with God about your current condition, about the depth of your faith or the lack thereof, about the inner man's leading, what's really inside the depth of your soul. You are wonderfully made As Is.

Quit trying to climb the ladder that leads to religious Nirvana. There is no ladder. God is right next to your side and lives within you. Everything you do is a lateral move. You were already created and you are sustained to co-create life with
God. God is not like any of the people you know. God understands you and loves you right now, as you are, in your liveliest spurts of faith as well as in your deepest despair. You can fake people, but you can't fake God, because God is in you. Seek higher ground, aspire to be great, reach for the sky, but understand clearly that God loves you right now, just as you are.