More!

I remember when I was 19 I began thinking about church and the whole “religious” setting that I was being raised in. I found a relationship with Christ primarily through the loving guidance of my parents. We would faithfully attend church 2 times on a Sunday, sunday school, and weekly programs which were great. I began pondering the power of God’s Word and miracles as well as the “presence” of God that is talked of in the Word. With regard to Sunday services I continued to have one recurring question - “is this all that there is”. Is this all that Christian faith is about. Everything about my Christian faith centered on being at a specific building.

My question put me on a path of discovery – “there must be more" to this Christian faith and I set out to find "it". As a bachelor I remember spending hours late at night searching for the “something” more. I was developing as a worship leader and seeking for more of God. I was looking for Him as if searching for treasure. This made me appear a little weird – my heart was not after the things of most people my age. I wanted more of God.

I remember the church that I was a part of sending me to a worship leading conference for a week in Dallas, Texas. I remember the first night as if it were yesterday instead of over twenty years ago. 2000+ worshippers from all over the world all came together seeking the same “thing” – God! It was electric - People hungry for more of Him. There is a literal powerful experience when God manifests His presense – when He “shows up”. Though we do not seek God for the feelings and emotion that occur When in a worship setting, there is a literal "weightiness" that comes with His presence.

The conference was at a hotel you could wake up any time of the night and go to the conference hall and find people worshipping – seeking after Him. (This is something that happened in the Temple in Jerusalem by the way - 24/7) You cannot explain the experience. It is beyond us – but the presence of God is as real as (even more so) what you and I see with our eyes.

Some questions to ponder. Why are people that are actually seeking for more of God looked at as the "weird ones" or the "odd balls" often by those that seem to have relationship with Christ. Have we already been satisfied with the American dream and therefore not desperate for God? This alone may be a reason missionaries from other lands witness the power and presense of God daily - they are desperate for Him.

Why are we so satisfied with a mediocre relationship with Him in our American churches as if we have experienced all of Him? He is infinite in all that He is and in all that He is willing to give His children. Why do we seem to think that the Almighty God who gave His Son for us so that we could have relationship with Him still wants to keep us at a distance? He desires for us to passionately seek after Him as if searching for fine treasure.

I am back at the place of desperation for more of God. I am not satisfied with worship purchased off the shelf. It is as if we think that if we do it with all the right instruments and vocals and have a good “show” that means we are in the presence of God.

I am desperate for depth in worship. Worship is more than a song. Worship is also making a sacrificial but right choice according to God’s Word. Worship is also someone going through difficulty yet offering a life of praise to the glory of God. Worship is life. And yes worship is vocal singing heartfelt words of love and affection to the Almighty.

I am desperate for His presence and know that He is there waiting for his church to come seeking after Him. You too may be in a place where the Spirit of God is causing this thought “there must be more!” within you. He is only drawing us deeper because there truly is infinitely more. He desires for His true followers to seek after Him.

Digging for treasure,
Mike

Slivers

I was sitting in my van at my kids school one afternoon a couple days ago waiting to pick them up when I began picking at an irritating little bump on my thumb. I had forgotten about it but today I remembered that about three months earlier a sliver of wood got lodged in there. Back then, after a bunch of digging, I never was able to pull it out - I could not see it - but I knew that it was there. I could feel it. Well, now it was infected and on this afternoon I squeezed the spot and out popped the sliver.

I began thinking about how amazing our bodies are. They know when something foreign is contaminating it and they will eventually figure out a way to oust it. The sliver is a great example. I wanted it out but could not find it. My body took over and found a way.

Our spiritual growth is much the same way. When we make a decision to follow Christ, our spirit becomes alive. Often we ignore issues in our lives that should have some attention. If you have been born again you have been "infected" in a healthy way by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within us to, among other things, prompt us towards holiness and godliness - not so that we can attain salvation (already given through Christ) but to become MORE LIKE our hero Jesus Christ. He knows when something foreign is contaminating our lives. Like my sliver in the hand the Holy Spirit will cause irritation until finally there is attention given to the affliction.

Sometimes the only way we will grow from issues of our past is for the Holy Spirit too bring them to rememberance and then allow His word to help us transform into more of His image. He causes a healthy life giving "infection" in the area of the spiritual "sliver".

What is there in your life that the Holy Spirit has been nagging at you to change? The purpose of the change is a deeper more fulfilling relationship with the Father. He knows where the "sliver" is and He knows just how to oust it. It is up to us to trust and allow the Father to BE the Lord of our lives.

"Do not conform anylonger to the things of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:3

Mike

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