THINGS GOD TAUGHT ME

ON VACATION

 

Ah, the lazy crazy days of summer.   After our long and harsh winters, us Canadians have special appreciation for summer vacations when we can get outside and enjoy the fresh air.    Mostly, for me anyway, those vacations are about relaxing and breaking the routine of a busy work schedule.   I don't go on a vacation to write a book or a new sermon series.   I just go for fun.

That doesn't mean however that there is nothing serious going on or that my mind stops working.   In fact, when I slow down for vacation with not much on my agenda,  my life is quieted and the relaxed pace actually allows me to listen more carefully to the voice of God and He is able to speak into my life.    Here's a couple of things He taught me on my recent vacation.

 

I Haven't Been As Dependent On The Holy Spirit As I Ought To Be

The Holy Spirit is not someone I call on for a little bit of power when I need it.   

It is the Spirit who leads me into all truth and to obey everything Jesus commanded.

I am to walk in/with the Spirit not He with me. 

You don’t need the Holy Spirit if you are merely seeking to live a semi-moral life and attend church regularly.  You only need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help if you truly want to follow the Way of Jesus Christ.

Even in our daily living we can look more like the prophets of Baal 1 as we live our lives, running about in a frenzy, trying to fix our problems, not stopping long enough to call on the power of God Almighty.   Living by the Spirit implies a habitual, continual, and active interaction with the Holy Spirit.

If you can do it yourself, it's not the Holy Spirit.    Frankly, I can't do it.   I don't want to live only in the power of the flesh.   I want to live supernaturally.   I am useless without Him. Without Him I can do nothing.   I cannot preach, I cannot live righteously, I cannot function without Him. I'm tired of trying.

Douglas Copeland, author of several best selling books put it this way:

" My secret is that I need God - that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love."

My heart longs to be daily, moment by moment filled with His Spirit. How about you?    Are you tired of the Christian rat race?    Tired of trying?    Dissatisfied with only what the flesh can do?     Right now, wherever you are, humbly bow in His presence and cast yourself upon Him and ask Him to fill you afresh with His Spirit. Settle for nothing less than supernatural living.

 

I Need To Unplug More From The World In Order To Be More Intimate With God

 

We live in a day of incredible access to information.   I love information.  I love computers and technology.   Yet,  unlimited internet and social media can zap your time.   It also means, that unless you are ready to set boundaries,  that you are always on duty.  People can always contact you.   It's not that I'm against people.  I love people.  I'm an insatiable people person.   Yet if I'm not careful,  all this information and access can eat up a lot of time and leave little time for actually building intimacy with God.   This has actually been a long standing problem, long before the invention of the internet or social media.   It seems the world always cries for our time and leaves little if any of it available for cultivating intimacy with God.  

 

If we are not careful we can reduce the Christian life to simple adherence to a moral code and the learning of Christian truth.   In fact,  the Christian life is about enjoying God and being in deep relationship with Him.    Technology can help us with information about God and there are some great Bible programs for our IPads and IPhones and Blackberries,  they can help us in our Bible reading and research,  but it takes unplugged time alone with God to really build the relationship.

 

On my vacation God taught me that I need to unplug more in order to be more intimate with Him.    There is nothing sweeter, nothing more rewarding,  nothing more exhilarating than to know God and to know Him intimately.   Don't miss it because you're so tied up in texting, Face Book and e-mail.

 

 

(We'll finish up "Things God Taught Me" with the next post) 


1   1 Kings 18:20-29