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I confess, my mind and heart have been captivated by the necessity of making authentic disciples of Jesus. Like most definitive Biblical words, the word discipleship has been seriously abused in the church. In scripture, the Greek word translated ‘disciple’ can be used two ways in the Bible. First, it is used in John 6:66 in a wider generic way that refers to a pupil or learner. However, that word is rarely used in scripture to mean that. Today, the word ‘Christian’ meaning ‘little Christ’ (another great term), has suffered the same abuse. Nowadays, it too has come to refer to anyone who mentally ascribes to bare bones Christianity. Both words today might be used interchangeably, in that today neither a ‘disciple’ nor ‘Christian’ genuinely seek to be like Jesus.

In John 6:66-69, generic type ‘disciples’ left Jesus, but His 12 ‘disciples’ did not. According to surveys, 63% call themselves ‘Christians’ or ‘disciples’. But surveys also show, only 4% seriously seek to be Christ’s apprentice or become like Jesus. To them, becoming an apprentice is only an option, not what Jesus really expects from every believer.

Recently, a blog entitled ‘Salvation by Discipleship Alone,’ written by Bill Hull. caught my attention. It at once threw a yellow, if not red, flag for me. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) But as I pondered more on that, I understood that the truth of the statement would depend on how one interprets discipleship. If a person wants to become a disciple to earn or please God, that statement would certainly be heresy. However, if sincere discipleship or apprenticeship is a fruit of grace, it would not be done to earn life with God, rather, it would be as normal as breathing is to life. If discipleship or apprenticeship, which means going all in to be like Him, is a natural fruit of loving God, it would not be the antithesis of grace, but rather its daughter. If apprenticeship to Jesus would be aroused in these last days, Hallelujah! This would be in answer to my many prayers. How might you respond if you were presented with an opportunity to engage with that kind of discipleship?

I prefer the term apprenticeship because it is focused on one’s free will and love for God rather than an obligation to a dysfunctional desire to impress Him or man. In that sense, I believe Bill Hull has a strong point. It would be like saying if someone has quit breathing for an extended time, that person is dead. By the same token, if someone stops seeking to be more like Jesus, there is a serious spiritual problem. In the verse after Paul wrote that our salvation is not of works, he writes, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) These ‘works’ referenced here must be viewed as foreordained and empowered by God—certainly not an effort to earn God’s grace.

Paul’s words are very penetrating. “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT2) I do not believe he was asking us to be ‘navel gazers’ but I believe he is asking us to reexamine our attitude and motivation for attending church or otherwise practicing all our religious activities. For me, I don’t want to just maintain my belief in Christ until He returns to take us home or I die. I am serious about stretching myself to become more like Jesus. I want to be able to look back in six months or a year and clearly see how my relationship with Jesus has altered my perspective on life and changed me. I so desire to take on more of His awe-inspiring character, values, and ways. How about you?

When facing the possibility of death, what thoughts might go through your mind? Would you be thinking, well, my first choice would be to live here on earth forever? But if I can’t do that, considering my only two other choices, I guess I’ll choose Heaven? An unknown dying process and our God-given survival instinct, even if it is Heaven, might very well cause us to pause. But what might it tell us is our first love? Do you really think it would please God to see He must play second fiddle to any alternative, in contrast to being with Him? After all, Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Provocative thought, isn’t it? What worldly thing could possibly be more alluring than eternal life with Christ?

When considering death, Paul’s thoughts were, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So, I really don’t know which is better.  I’m torn between two desires: I long to be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.” Philippians 1:21-24 (NLT2)

 

I find it very interesting that God lets us, each of us and all of us, have our way. That sounds like heresy, but it certainly is true. Although God’s way is better, on earth, his authority is available, not forced. Surrender or submission requires more than lip service. It requires a transfer of power from us to God. Unfortunately, it is not a single, one-time decision. It is more like a tug-of-war that goes back and forth each day. It is reduced down to our responses to daily, appealing desires–temptations. To that, Jesus said, “… the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Mark 13:13b (ESV)

Let’s face it. This world has an abundance of attractive things to offer. Each person is attracted to different things for different reasons. For some, it is an adrenaline rush when shopping for clothes, shoes, a tool, a hobby-related toy, power/authority, popularity, a stock investment, car or business. It could be just being with a good friend or may even be a change in dopamine and serotonin levels sexual activities produce. Professionals often become co-dependent on seeing their patients or parishioners. Whatever the case, without realizing it, we can become addicted to a lot of things this world offers.

Keep in mind, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He showed Jesus the nations and all their glory. The devil said, “I will give it all to you if you only kneel down and worship me.” (Mt. 4:8-9) This might be like offering Hitler, Alexander the Great, or even President Trump, Putin or whoever, to be a world ruler. Jesus saw all of it, then said, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matthew 4:10 (ESV) He says to each of us, “you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NLT2) It raises the question, what might the word “all” mean if it doesn’t mean all? He said, “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.  If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39 (NLT2)

What has the devil been tempting you with of late? The Spirit will empower you to overcome. However, he offers it, then waits for your complete surrender to him.

An old idiom reads, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. That means an interpretation of beauty, etc., will vary according to the perspective of the viewer. If my image of God is an authoritarian, I would probably think His 10 Commandments were arbitrary orders that He would punish those who disobeyed.

However, if my image of God is a benevolent authority who only wants to protect us from pain, I would more likely think His 10 commandments were 10 absolutes, like the law of gravity, that, while in stone, yet were primarily to help us avoid the natural consequences of violating them.

I’ve recently been fascinated when comparing how those in our culture approach a situation where they feel insecure and need to control someone, be it an employee, a patron looking for a car to purchase, a politician seeking try to get a vote, or even a spouse wanting to get their spouse to do something a certain way or have a certain attitude. Common human control methods are a form of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse, shrewdness, or various other forms of manipulation. At home, the habit may be to yell, strike, or throw a tantrum, placing a restraint upon a person to get the family member to do what they want done. I’m sure you get the idea.

Compare such approaches with Jesus, who had the same heart for people His Father had. Fundamentally, Jesus never used pressure or any harsh intimidating techniques common to mankind. Instead, He presented the truth of a better way and helped them see how following His option was more beneficial to them in the long run. He always showed deep respect for others’ ability to choose for him/herself. He let them deal with the outcomes of their bad decisions. I think of the young, rich young man who asked what He needed to do to receive eternal life. Jesus talked briefly with him, then saying if that is what you want, “go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21, NKJV) If you noticed, Jesus never did one thing to attempt to coerce him into changing his mind. Nor did He chase after him to explain Himself or convince the young man to follow Him. If you examine Jesus’ methods, He used the same approaches His Father uses on us. He states His case and lets us decide. He confronted Saul, who became Paul, but He did nothing to force him to become His disciple. When Saul/Paul encountered the awe of God’s presence, on his own accord, he elected to follow Jesus’ instructions. Is that how you have approached your children, spouse, neighbor, or whoever? Have you respected the other person enough to ‘put the facts on the table’ and let him/her to make their decision—and honor it even if he/she made a bad choice?

To be transparent, while I have known God is a benevolent authority, I don’t remember thinking His 10 Commandments were anything other than coming from a case-hardened authority figure. If we violated them, He would see that we would be disciplined. It finally dawned me that violating one of the 10 Commandments would not bring His wrath and discipline. Instead, like gravity, He knows if you violate it, He will sadly watch you pay the natural consequences. Consequences serve as a discipline for wrong choices in business, sports, family, or whatever area of life. Remember, even the humanity of God’s Son, Jesus, learned to obey by experiencing the natural consequences. (Hebrew 5:8) How might your learned manipulative skill be used instead of God’s ways with you and me? Could there be a better way for you to approach a hard issue? This perspective has been a challenge for me to process and implement.

When you hear or read the word “gospel,” what comes to your mind? For me, it was just another way of referencing ‘Jesus saves’. That would be true—well, sort of true, anyway. Would that make the gospel of the kingdom of God and Jesus synonymous? When the word ‘Jesus’ is used, does it also mean kingdom? Or could it mean more, something broader than Jesus? The word “gospel” means good news and the only thing.

Luke 4:43 records a strange statement from Jesus during a fervent healing ministry when the disciples found Him in prayer. They told Jesus that people were waiting for Him, but He told them, “I must preach the good news [“gospel”] of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke 4:43, (ESV). Was Jesus’ assignment or purpose to tell them about Himself being crucified and rising again for them? When Jesus sent the twelve out to minister in various towns, He told them, “… proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 10:7 (ESV) If He intended them to preach “Jesus saves”, He would have told them that. He intended for them to preach about the Kingdom of God, not a gospel about Jesus. So, what is the kingdom?

The kingdom of God comprises a condition where there is an authority figure, a ruling king. This king was Jesus (God), where there is “righteousness, peace and joy” and whatever He wants done is done. Any situation where God is King and His will is done is ‘good news’ compared to the culture found on this earth where independence prevails. It’s true, Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the door to God’s kingdom, but that kingdom’s vastness goes beyond both Jesus and the Father. Without doubt, our trinitarian God is the only one who can make that life possible, but one would be very hard pressed to say Jesus, the Spirit or Father, was the kingdom. The kingdom is a benevolent, governmental condition, His spirit domain.

With this in mind, how can we approach a conversation about the kingdom and Jesus? Is the single, defining factor our complete surrender, not merely acceptance, to His daily rule over our lives rather than a prayer for forgiveness?

It can be likened to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  He spoke in glowing terms to the crowd of marginalized people of that time, of “Blessed” life in the kingdom. What He doesn’t say is this ‘Blessed’ life comes through authentic surrender to the King of the Kingdom. He left that up to the crowd to desire that life enough to seek it. That is why Jesus later said in Matthew’s version of that sermon, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NLT2)

I have been intrigued with how Jesus reflected His Father’s approach to working with humanity. He put out on the table the way to experience a righteousness that would exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 5:20). Then, rather than manipulating them, He allowed them to take the initiative and diligently seek it. Jesus described that ‘seeking’ when He said, “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]. Matthew 11:12 (AMP) This begs the question, how violent have I been about seeking His kingdom to come in my daily life?

Most who receive my blogs know my wife graduated into her eternal reward February 28, 2024. To be transparent, this last year was the darkest, but also the brightest, time of my life. Let me explain. Through decades of ministry, I served many who had lost their spouse. Common grief was as real to me as it is to everyone. But it was not as debilitating because I had expected it. What I was blindsided by was my sense of lostness. I was frantically missing my long balancing bar tightrope walkers use. Lost in which direction I needed to head next, lost when making decisions, lost in my purpose for living, and lost in carrying on life. PLEASE try to understand, I am sharing this to be fully transparent, not to solicit sympathy. I am very pleased to report I have passed through that dark time and am now regaining my stability and purpose.

I wrote that to write this. Jesus told His disciples, “What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!” Matthew 10:27 (NLT2). The context is different, but I sensed this also applies to my case. “The term “darkness” meant in secret or privacy. I believe in my darkness the Holy Spirit granted me fresh insights into who God is, His ways, and who I am. One insight I want to share is this. God only allows things to happen to His children to bless them, not hurt them, although at times it doesn’t feel that way. His word also states, “You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.” Psalm 71:20 (NLT2) The word that captured my attention at this time in my life is “allowed”. That word speaks of His love for His children. Suffering can be a blessing if you humbly allow it to be so.

Is God good all the time? Absolutely! However, again, it doesn’t always feel that way. Do I believe in healing? Absolutely!! I prayed for the sick to be healed and witnessed a miracle before my eyes. How could I not believe in healing? However, healing is not the only tool in His toolbox to shape us into His likeness. Job is a classic example of this. Hezekiah would be an example of what happens when we throw a fit and insist that He do what we want at that point in time. Just so you know, God granted his request to live 15 extra years. But in those 15 years, he gave birth to a son who became one of the most ungodly kings of Judah. He also showed the Babylonian emissaries all his stored-up wealth. That led to the Babylonians coming back and not only killing thousands but also selecting the best of the best gifted leaders of Judah and marching them back to Babylon. Daniel and the three Hebrew children were among them.

The Holy Spirit has taught me a new level of faith in Him. I now have faith that is in who He is, not just in what He can do. Connie and I learned to trust in His Sovereignty, wisdom and love to do what is best for all. (Romans 8:28) Jesus’ crucifixion is a stunning example of this. He had asked of His Father, “may this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Matthew 26:39). If the Father had granted that request, you and I wouldn’t have salvation today. Wasn’t that a far better plan? It’s not that we shouldn’t seek healing. Connie and I asked Him for that. But we trusted in His sovereignty, His character, wisdom, and love and Connie is now worshiping with the angels. Plus, He has walked with me through this and taught me so, so much.

If you can allow yourself to learn from my testimony, you will experience much more peace in your daily life. Not only will your anxiety be far less, He will also be able to teach you far more about Himself and yourself. When you kick the ends out of the box where you have placed God, you will find He is far greater and more trustworthy than you and I can imagine.

When do you want to know what is expected of you? For the most part, we want to know what is expected of us whenever we are making a major decision in life. When you are considering a new job or asked to perform a specific task, one of the first questions you want to ask is what will be expected of me. When I was considering getting married about 60 years ago, I asked plenty of questions to find out what Connie, my fiancé then, and our parents, would expect of me. When I took out a loan to buy a car, or later a house, or made an investment; I wanted to know what was expected of me. I believe most of us would ask such questions at those times.

Many Christians, new and long-term believers, want to know what the church they attend expects of them if they become a member. A tougher time is, if we don’t ask it, we think it; what does God expect of me? When I recently pondered that question for myself, now that I’m retired, an Old Testament metaphor in Psalm came to mind. Psalm, Proverbs, Revelation, and others were also written in the Poetry genre. While there is a variety of genre of poetry, most first think of poetry as words that rhyme. Perhaps the most generic identifier of such poetry is how words shape word pictures that shape a higher impression on the reader. In other words, a word in poetry can mean something slightly different in the Psalm than it would normally mean.

The Psalm that came to my mind was, “The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them. In the sight of their fathers, he performed wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.” Psalm 78:9-12, (ESV). Ephriam was the leading tribe of Israel. The point of these verses was referencing how these men, though most skilled and best equipped for battle, shirked their responsibility when the time came for them to stand tall and lead the way. In other words, it is telling us, the measure of capacity is the measure of duty. More simply put, God expects from you whatever He has equipped you to do. Jesus clarified what is expected of us when He said, “But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Luke 12:48 (ESV). While wrong is still wrong and will need to be dealt with, the discipline will be in proportion to the person’s capacity, or the knowledge given to them.

What God then expects of you depends upon what He has given you, be it knowledge, health, skill, talent, leadership, or wealth. What makes this a bit more challenging is when God has asked you to do something you are not equipped to do. He called me to supervise all our tribe’s pastors and churches in our state, and neither Connie nor I believed we were equipped to do that. What we forgot to include in the equation of expectations was, He equips who He calls. Since He called me and I wasn’t equipped in the natural to do it, He was essentially expecting Connie and me to depend on His power to do what we could not do alone.

The question then is for each of us to ask ourselves is, am I giving my best to do all 1) He has called me to do, and 2) He has otherwise equipped me to do either by natural abilities, health, training, or blessing He has given you along the way, such as leadership positions, wealth, or knowledge? When we stand before Him (2 Tim. 4:1), what are you going to say if you are not doing what He has called or equipped you to do?

Obviously, I have never physically given birth to a baby, but I feel like I’m giving birth to a concept. Sounds strange? Try to bear with me as I attempt to articulate on paper what is going through my mind and heart.

The infamous Bible character David wrote a significant part of the book of Psalm. He certainly loved God. I have been intrigued by how he saw God. God of the Bible is clear that we are not to make an idol or image of anything in heaven or on the earth or in the sea. (Exodus 20:4) God was angry when the Hebrews convinced Aaron to make a golden calf idol. We can’t blame the people for wanting something physical to represent the invisible God since it was before God had given His 10 commandments. Some church groups still use icons to remind them of Him. That is because we still find it hard to imagine what God might look like. When we pray, do we, consciously or not, direct our prayer to either a ‘God’ somewhere up there, or a humanized image of Jesus?

David described God with a variety of words pictures. In Psalm 18, he describes God as his strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, and shield. Today, most of us take comfort in one or more of those word pictures. How many of us have ever seen a fortress, except one we created when having snowball fights? They aren’t even seen in too many movies today. So, what word picture might we use when we pray? By humanizing figures like Jesus, we may mistakenly attribute human capabilities to God in our prayers of thanks. But that limits our imaginative capacity of God to what a human might do, even though we know God isn’t a human. So, what word picture might we use today that would express the awesomeness of God, which might allow greater confidence or substance to our prayers?

The Bible recounts God’s physical guidance of the Hebrews, using fire at night, a cloud by day, and both at Mt. Sinai in Exodus. So, would it be consistent with word pictures the Bible does use for us to see our God as a huge energy field and AI on super steroids? One large energy field we use almost every day is our magnetic north. A GPS or compass shows north in all parts of our world. This would make the magnetic north a very powerful, invisible energy field—something more awesome than we can comprehend. If we put that energy force field on steroids, as science fiction has created, that force field could pull spaceships to wherever it wanted. If we put that science fiction energy field on super mega steroids and give it a heart that expresses indescribable love, a mind that contains all knowledge and wisdom, and a power than can create suns, stars, or whatever out of nothing, could that represent our awe-inspiring invisible God?

I have been intrigued with how an awe-inspiring experience with God can literally change a person’s desires from being evil to being righteous. No human, machine or drug has that capability. It certainly changed Saul, a misguided abuser of Christians, into a Paul who became a dynamic leader and writer for the kingdom of God. If you consider Ezekiel 36:25-27, you find an encounter with God described that totally changes a person’s trajectory for the rest of their life. That leads me to suspect that we have somehow exchanged the need for awe encounters for religious rhetoric or, ritual or a simple acceptance of (versus submission to) God’s forgiveness. Where has that taken us?

Could it be that envisioning God as a sovereign energy force field might inspire a greater relatable awe in our prayers, belief system and therefore choices in life? What is your word picture of God?

Jesus said, “Honor your father and mother” Matthew 15:4a (NLT2). Paul wrote, “Honor your father and mother.” Ephesians 6:2a (NLT2). Why would Jesus and Paul say that knowing full well parents are human and will break God’s laws, some more flagrantly than others? It’s awful that some parents really hurt their kids through their choices and behavior. A heartbreaking number of children also had to grow up with “absentee” parents.

I’m grateful for a happy upbringing with wonderful parents. My dad and I, however, didn’t always see eye to eye. While in college, my dad would chide me about how ‘college changed me’. Because he enjoyed preaching, he’d always preach at me when I visited home from college. That got old fast. I soon questioned him, which angered him. Years of repeated patterns culminated in him ‘disowning’ me. My peace offering in the form of a letter was rejected by him. His father was a poor role model, and to add to his misfortune, his mother died when he was young. His response was to develop unhealthy behavioral patterns. He cut off contact with mom’s family because they disagreed with him. His tiffs with my mom’s family could sometimes take years to resolve, preventing her from seeing them again.

As it was in the past, it would take a couple of years to overcome his anger. Despite appearances, he profoundly loved God. He just hadn’t overcome his past pain. How could I then best honor and respect for my parents, especially my father?

Let’s face it, there’s no such thing as a perfect parent. God, the flawless parent, watched as two of His creations made a wrong choice despite the perfection He provided for them. A child’s reaction to their parents depends on their own interpretation of their actions. Even if parents perfectly obey God’s laws, their children might still feel unloved or deprived. No matter how right their parents were, kids still get to decide how they feel about their parents’ choices. That also means they may carry low-grade bitterness throughout their lives.

Honoring my parents does not mean I honor their shortcomings. Honoring my parents has more to do with honoring the role they served in shaping me. When making a meal, various ingredients go into the preparation—some of which would be very distasteful on their own. In that light, my dad’s dysfunction taught me how to respond to those who disagreed with me, among other things. What I am today results from what our master-craftsman, God, taught me through how I was parented.  To dishonor my parents would actually be telling God He made a bad choice in placing me with the parents He did.

We can blame our parents for the problems we have in our life, but is that the truth? Blame has never solved a problem and never will. Keep in mind, children raised in the worst of home conditions have turned out to be very effective godly people, and vice versa.

All of life includes exposure to good and bad situations which continue to shape us. It really makes little difference if life throws rejection or acceptance, our chosen response determines our future. The same is true in how we were parented. “We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) Can you honor your parents for the role they served in shaping you to be you?

To be very candid, I have had a melancholic temperament as long as I remember. Which, in essence means, this temperament is not carved out by things I’ve experienced in life. It simply means that I am what God created me to be. Therefore, I will respond to certain things in certain ways and have consistent behaviors and preferences towards things I encounter in life. Personality tests I’ve taken showed my traits include being thoughtful, sensitive, and reserved, but also include traits like being perfectionist, idealist and analytical. My wife repeatedly tried to correct me when I would say ‘I hope for the best and expect the worst’. Thanks to God and Him using her to help me, I have moved on from that.

I mention this to illustrate how our culture defines ‘joy’. Despite my strong belief in God’s regeneration, I mistakenly based my understanding of salvation’s joy on cultural norms instead of God’s definition. In doing so, I had to tell myself I had joy, but a different joy than other people seemed to have.

About 15 years ago, I was praying in my home office when I sensed God challenging me to probe deeper into the joy I did have. In doing so, I made a mental list of what I could honestly say brought me joy in this life. Since I was younger then, I genuinely enjoyed snow skiing. I experienced such exhilaration in the incredible beauty of God’s creation of snow-covered mountains all around me, the solitude of gliding down a blue slope hearing only my skis slipping over the snow. That wasn’t joyful, as in smiling or laughing. It was deeper than that. Yes, when comparing, I thought of being with close friends, eating a good meal, family time, and so forth, bringing great joy, but they were not the same type of joy skiing did. A couple of years ago, I attempted skiing again, but my age related poor balance made the experience more stressful than enjoyable.

I then laid alongside of those joy-filled experiences, the joy I felt when I was in God’s presence. There was absolutely no comparison. Being in His presence far excelled anything I have experienced in this life. To this day, I continue to thrive on being in His presence, especially since Connie is with Him now. Several times while I was worshipping Him, in my mind’s eye I saw Connie with hands raised worshipping our same Lord and King. It brings tears to my eyes as I write this. It is like a sacred moment for me because I have a fresh sense of closeness to her.

So how do you define joy? Is it dependent upon external circumstances or happenings? If so, I would caution you. True joy is something that wells up from within you. That is how you can have authentic joy and confidence when your emotions are crushed because it feels like all the ‘wheels have fallen off your tricycle’.

David contrasts the two types of joy when he wrote, “Many people say, ‘Who will show us better times?’ (External) Let your face smile on us, LORD. You have given me greater joy (internal) than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.  In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.” Psalm 4:6-8 (NLT2) The joy our world defines and therefore chases is fleeting, while the joy God gives is much more stable and enduring. It is more like a good sense of well-being. Are you anywhere close to wrestling with what godly joy is? Just know this, “[God] satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV) God waits to satisfy and fill you if you don’t have that joy.

Can you remember a teacher, parent or spouse telling you to meet at a certain place after the event so he/she could pick you up? …but when the event was over, you had become so entranced with the event you forgot and went to where you suspected your leader might be. What was the mood when that driver finally drove up? Was it a fun moment or not? Most likely that person was angry, and you were defensive. Regretful words were spoken, and the car became silent.

I’ve done something similar to God. He gave me a word of knowledge about a board member. When the board members showed up for a meeting, I told the person what I sensed the Spirit had told me. It hit a nerve, and he became angry. The Spirit whispered; I didn’t tell you to tell him. I told you that so you would pray for him and could talk to him when I prompted you. OOPS!!

Jesus had specifically told His disciples He would meet them in Galilee after He had risen from the dead. (Mark 14:28, Mathew 26:32) The morning He arose, an angel specifically at the tomb told the ladies to tell the disciples that Jesus was going to meet them in Galilee. (Mark 16:7; Matthew 28:7) Jesus Himself later also told the ladies the same thing. Matthew 28:10 So where did the disciples go after the resurrection? John 20:19 tells us that evening they were afraid and behind locked doors in Jerusalem!

What did Jesus say to them? He didn’t chide them or even bring the issue up! Knowing the trauma their humanity had just endured, He repeatedly said, “Peace be with you.” What might that reveal to you about God? What kind of God would respond like that? God is patient, long-suffering, gentle, self-controlled, and more. The fact is, that is precisely what you and I will be like the more intimate we get with our Lord. Paul says those are sample fruit or signs of you and me growing closer to Him. Isn’t that an incentive to sacrifice time to be more with Him, to study His Word? Paul explained, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT2). Who wouldn’t want to have that happen to them?

What obstacle keeps us from spending more time with Him? Most would say it is time. We are busy people. The reality, we find time to do what we want to do. If we are the people pleaser type, we will do things someone wants us to do even if it takes us away from investing time gazing at the Lord and allowing that to change us little by little into His “glorious image”. If we want to score points to build our image or whatever, we will do crazy things, things we don’t want to do, to expose ourselves to a certain person who we hope will be impressed with what we may do. I suspect you get my point because there are a lot of examples of how we tell ourselves we are too busy to spend valued time with our Creator.

Please know, I am talking to myself when I say these things. If it applies to you as well, that is between you and God. The fact is, we don’t have to spend hours praying, fasting, or do religious rituals. It is amazing what 15 minutes a day in solitude focused on God can do to you. It will probably increase your desire for more of His presence. It even helps me to get with other like-minded people and discuss Bible passages, principles or concepts. What could you do to carve out time to be in solitude with Him? Would it be worth it to experience that change?