I saw a funny saying a few years ago that came to mind this morning as I prayed and asked Holy Spirit what it was, He wanted me to write about this morning, as I rose to worship God through my writing and share with you. The saying goes like this:
“Do not walk in front of me, for I shall not follow; do not walk behind me, for I shall not lead – just go over there somewhere.”
When I had first read it, I laughed. But then I started to think that sometimes this is what we do with God, we put Him in the backseat of this car called Life, instead of in the front – the driver’s seat so that we can be led by His direction. If that resonates with you and you can relate, I have to ask, “how is that working out for you?” The times that I experienced putting Holy Spirit in the back of my life, I made a grand mess of it. In fact, I drove myself right straight down into a prodigal state (11 years ago), I allowed my voice to drown out that of Holy Spirit and made a terrible mess of my life going down a path, I had no business venturing. Thank God for His patience, His mercy, His forgiveness, His grace AND His amazing love, if not for that I would not be writing these words to you today.
Have you told God in the way you treat Him to just “go over there somewhere?” Maybe not verbally, but by your actions?
Do you mock or laugh at those who you know who have put God first in all they do? Made Him the center of their life?
How can you tell that you are in the just “put God over there” category and that you’ve done that if you are not sure what I’m talking about? Maybe one of these “Ifs” will show you where you have placed God in your life. And these are rhetorical, just for you to think about, and they are just a few nuggets to consider (perhaps Holy Spirit is bringing to your mind other ways that you have delegated Him to the back, these are just a few):
- If you have delegated one day of the week to meet with God, but that is all He gets with you – a couple of hours one morning?
- If you go to church because it is something that has always been done as “family tradition” and find it to be a Sunday chore you rush to get over with and then feel as though you did your penance for the week? And then get on to what you REALLY want to do?
- Do you roll your eyes when someone mentions the Bible or quotes a scripture?
- Do you mock or make fun of anyone who professes to love God?
- Do you believe that there are “many ways” to come to God instead through Jesus?
- Do you believe that the Bible is full of errors because it was man made? And don’t believe you can fully trust it?
- Are you hung up in works and think THAT will get you into Heaven? Or on laws and think THAT will get you to Heaven?
These are just a few indicators that you have by your thoughts and actions told God “To just go over there somewhere.” And in doing that you are grieving Holy Spirit. In fact, if any of those few that I have listed above identify you, you are in the “danger” zone and my hope and prayer is that Holy Spirit opens up your eyes to see, your ears to hear and your heart to receive what He is trying to say to you today before your “todays” and “tomorrows” are over and you find out in the most devastating way what you missed out on and what God had in store for you. Because in all honesty, God is trying to get your attention before your life is finished and He sadly says, as indicated in Matthew 7:21-23:
“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Simply calling Me “Lord” will not be enough. Only those who do the will of My Father who is in heaven will join Me in heaven. At the end of time, on that day of judgment, many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name? Did we not drive demons out of the possessed in Your name? Did we not perform miracles in Your name?” But I will say to them, “I never knew you. And now, you must get away from Me, you evildoers!”
Jesus said in Revelations 3:20:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
God did not create us to live independently of Him. In fact, we really can’t do it successfully; we may THINK that we are being successful with our lives, but the truth is if God is not Lord OVER your life, then you have put idols over God and God shares His glory with NO thing and No man, including if that man is you. And it greatly grieves God because He created you, He knows what is best for you and because He has created you with “free will” He has given you the choice as to whether or not in this life you will listen. The truth of the matter is that at the end of this life the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:10:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
God DESIRES to bless you! And in THIS life, not only in the Heavenly one to come. He is STANDING at the door of you, knocking! Don’t you think it is time for you to see ALL that He has for you??? Look at your life, really think about where you are right now – and be honest with yourself, how are you??? You may think that all is well, and all is fine, that you are doing quite well for yourself – and maybe in a “worldly” point of view you are. Maybe you have everything you think you need to make you happy. Maybe you have plans for your future. Maybe you have your health and loved ones surrounding you. If so, that’s great! Really! BUT I would say to you as it says in James 4:14:
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
And I would mention, Mark 8:36 that says:
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
If your tomorrows ended today, what would you have? Where would you be? When you stand before God and He asks you, “Did you accept the gift that I gave you? The gift of salvation that only comes through my Son, Jesus? The gift that He died on the cross for forgiveness of your sins so that you would have eternal life?”
What will you say to that? What if what I am writing is true? (It is). And yet you scoff and leave this post in a huff feeling that you wasted your time in reading it? (I hope you won’t feel that way). John 3:16 says:
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
God loves you SO much that He clothed Himself in the skin of humanity, came down from Heaven to help you to know Him personally through the life of Jesus. He loves you SO much that He took the penalty of our sins upon Himself and died on the cross with all of OUR sins upon Him. He rose from the dead, victorious over death to provide YOU with eternal life. But you have to accept that gift. You have to open it up and see what is inside. You have to believe and read God’s Word so that you can grow in that gift and enter into a personal relationship with Him. A personal relationship requires learning about the person you are in a relationship with, it requires going deeper, it requires trusting them, believing them and loving them. GOD LOVES YOU. (I’m pointing through my screen right at you). HE LOVES YOU. He knows better than you do what is best for you. He wants you to hand over the keys of your life to Him (because He gave His life for you, so don’t you think you should trust Him with yours?) and He wants to take you on an AMAZING journey down the BEST path you could EVER go – with Him. On this path you will find truth, you will find forgiveness, you will find knowledge, you will find wisdom, you will find oh so much love and MORE. You just need to determine to make Him, “front and center.” And I PROMISE YOU – allowing God to lead you will be the BEST experience you’ve ever encountered. It is a daily decision as we learn to die to ourselves and allow Him to live in us. And the funny thing is – although once you allow it, God leads your life – he shows YOU how to be a leader in Him. So, there will be times when He allows YOU to lead others to Him. Because our God is amazing. He is Oh so MUCH more wonderful than any words I can write. You just have to find out for yourself. Please pray for me:
“Father God, I thank you for these words. I ask that you forgive me, for putting you in the “back” of my life. For asking you to “just go over there.” Thank You for forgiving me. Thank You for standing continuously in front of me, knocking on the door to my life. Father, this day I choose to open the door to You. Come on in! I ask You to forgive me for my sins and wash me with the blood of Jesus. I want You to be Lord over my life and My Savior. Please take over and be front and center. I love You Lord, I need You. I welcome You. Thank You for hearing my prayer, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Okay! He’s got the keys! You’re in the passenger seat beside Him – you are about to go on the BEST journey one could go – with God leading the way. Let’s Roll!!!!
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