Good day
In the previous messages I highlighted the importance of having a desire for deeper levels of intimacy with God and we looked at some passages in the Bible where it says to "draw near", "to seek", "abide" or "meditate" and how they all indicate the importance of having/maintaining a focused and intentional relationship with God. That we need to pursue this relationship and be committed to it by making time to be with God and take ownership for our part in this relationship. I then shared some self-reflecting questions and asked that we all take a moment to reflect and ask ourselves "What does the quality of my time with God look like, and am I happy with it?" ... I also mentioned some things we can do to help to cultivate that relationship and also some practical steps we can take to help bring focus/priority to some of those areas.
Now while we're trusting God to work in our lives in this area, we need to realise that we still have to contend with the pressure that comes from the demands of this life, the working environment, the society we find ourselves in and a whole host of other factors that may be negatively trying to influence us and is therefore, directly or indirectly, causing us to be distracted and pulling us further away from everything we've covered in the previous messages about developing intimacy with God ... However, while we cannot change the fact that we will be influenced, we can try and control who or what is trying to influence us.
In Mark 4:14-20 Jesus speaks about our hearts being like soil and how when the Word of God is sown, the type of soil determines whether there'll be a productive harvest or not. This is further confirmed in the following passages:
Luke 6:43-45
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Galatian 6:7-8
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Galatian 6:7-8
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
What we find here is that we cannot change the fact that our heart (soil) is constantly looking to produce. This isn't the problem, the problem is the seeds we allow to enter in and take root, that firstly, can affect the condition of our soil, and secondly (as a result), God's word struggles to bear fruit in that person's life. The responsibility rests with us to ensure that our heart (soil) is well kept/looked after so that the seed (the word of God) can produce everything God desires it to.
Therefore when it comes to influence we need to be aware that the same principle holds true and that there's many ways in which "seeds" can enter our "soil". Whether it be through the opinions of family, the friends we choose to spend time with, work colleagues, employers, school teachers/lecturers, newspaper articles, social media, movies and series, magazines, books, the culture at our working environment, the community we grow up in, etc. All of these various avenues can play a role in shaping our outlook and opinion on certain topics and may also have influenced our behaviour and decisions at one time or another. The end result is that regardless of which way it happens, influence happens whether we like it or not. We must however note that even though this is the case we are still ultimately accountable for the choices we make.
Now of course we will spend time with people whose beliefs may differ from ours, we will have opportunities to watch movies and series, read or watch the news, read articles, etc. To escape that would mean to leave this planet. Therefore in the context of influence, we cannot escape the wrong influences from coming our way but we do have a responsibility to safeguard ourselves against what we allow to enter our hearts/minds because as we read above in Galatians 6:7-8, we reap what we sow. It is our responsibility, in the midst of a world of contrary beliefs and agenda's, to sow the right seeds into our lives.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Now the good news is that even though we may not be able to change the fact that we will be influenced, we should try and control what we allow ourselves to be influenced by. The truth of the matter is that influence is a good thing ... provided it comes from the right sources.
Now of course we will spend time with people whose beliefs may differ from ours, we will have opportunities to watch movies and series, read or watch the news, read articles, etc. To escape that would mean to leave this planet. Therefore in the context of influence, we cannot escape the wrong influences from coming our way but we do have a responsibility to safeguard ourselves against what we allow to enter our hearts/minds because as we read above in Galatians 6:7-8, we reap what we sow. It is our responsibility, in the midst of a world of contrary beliefs and agenda's, to sow the right seeds into our lives.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Now the good news is that even though we may not be able to change the fact that we will be influenced, we should try and control what we allow ourselves to be influenced by. The truth of the matter is that influence is a good thing ... provided it comes from the right sources.
Therefore in the context of developing intimacy with God, am I prioritizing the aspects we covered in the previous messages like Bible reading, praise & worship, prayer, belonging to a local church? Am I allowing those things to be the major influence in my life and have them shape by outlook/perspective, opinion and decision making? ... it's important that we "take stock" of our lives and assess who or what we're allowing to be in the driver's seat of influencing our lives.
In addition to this, we also need to be aware, that again, while we're trusting God in this area of drawing closer to Him, that we have an enemy that's trying to achieve the opposite outcome by drawing us away from God. Please see below examples about the agenda of Satan:
That he is the commander of the powers in the unseen world and is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (Ephesians 2:1-2)
That he blinds the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:4)That the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
That he has traps and people are held captive by him to do whatever he wants. (2 Timothy 2:25-26)
That he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour and to sift us like wheat. (1 Peter 5:8-9, Luke 22:31) That our struggle/fight is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.(Ephesians 6:12) That there is no truth in him and is the father of lies. (John 8:44)That he has strategies/schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)
That he tempts us, twists the word of God and challenges our identity in Christ. (Matthew 4:1-11)
That he comes to take away the word that is sown and he may cause trouble, tribulation or persecution to do so. He may also use the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things to choke the word from bearing fruit in our lives. (Mark 4:13-20)
This is why the Bible encourages us in 1 Peter 5:8-9 to be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], to be vigilant (alert and watchful at all times) ... resisting him, steadfast (firm) in the faith. Notice that it's our responsibility to be disciplined and steadfast. We have a say in how all of this plays out.
When we consider everything we've just covered above, it's clear that developing intimacy with God is not an automatic process. That it's not just something we can hope will transpire one day or assume will just come to pass ... rather we come to realise that there's a battle waging on. A fight to achieve, maintain and grow in this - That it won't be automatic - That it's something we need to pursue - something we need to seek after - That we'll need to be consistent in prioritizing our relationship with God - That if we want to develop a deeper, more intimate, relationship with Him, then we'll need to be diligent in our pursuit of Him.
In addition to this, we also need to be aware, that again, while we're trusting God in this area of drawing closer to Him, that we have an enemy that's trying to achieve the opposite outcome by drawing us away from God. Please see below examples about the agenda of Satan:
That he is the commander of the powers in the unseen world and is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (Ephesians 2:1-2) That he blinds the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:4)That the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19) That he has traps and people are held captive by him to do whatever he wants. (2 Timothy 2:25-26) That he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour and to sift us like wheat. (1 Peter 5:8-9, Luke 22:31) That our struggle/fight is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.(Ephesians 6:12) That there is no truth in him and is the father of lies. (John 8:44)That he has strategies/schemes. (Ephesians 6:11) That he tempts us, twists the word of God and challenges our identity in Christ. (Matthew 4:1-11) That he comes to take away the word that is sown and he may cause trouble, tribulation or persecution to do so. He may also use the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things to choke the word from bearing fruit in our lives. (Mark 4:13-20)This is why the Bible encourages us in 1 Peter 5:8-9 to be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], to be vigilant (alert and watchful at all times) ... resisting him, steadfast (firm) in the faith. Notice that it's our responsibility to be disciplined and steadfast. We have a say in how all of this plays out.
When we consider everything we've just covered above, it's clear that developing intimacy with God is not an automatic process. That it's not just something we can hope will transpire one day or assume will just come to pass ... rather we come to realise that there's a battle waging on. A fight to achieve, maintain and grow in this - That it won't be automatic - That it's something we need to pursue - something we need to seek after - That we'll need to be consistent in prioritizing our relationship with God - That if we want to develop a deeper, more intimate, relationship with Him, then we'll need to be diligent in our pursuit of Him.
Please read the below extracts taken from the book, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. It helps to further explain why it's important for us to give attention to these things:
"When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in light of eternity, and that will influence how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance. Suddenly many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial and unworthy of your attention. When you live in light of eternity, your values change. You use your time and money more wisely. You place a higher premium on relationships and character instead of fame or wealth or achievements. Your priorities are reordered. Keeping up with trends, fashions, and popular values just doesn't matter as much anymore. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about "having it all" on earth. God is clear about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us."
https://unlessjesusbuilds.blogspot.com/search/label/Purpose%20Driven%20Life
https://unlessjesusbuilds.blogspot.com/search/label/Driven%20by%20Eternity
"When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in light of eternity, and that will influence how you handle every relationship, task, and circumstance. Suddenly many activities, goals, and even problems that seemed so important will appear trivial and unworthy of your attention. When you live in light of eternity, your values change. You use your time and money more wisely. You place a higher premium on relationships and character instead of fame or wealth or achievements. Your priorities are reordered. Keeping up with trends, fashions, and popular values just doesn't matter as much anymore. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about "having it all" on earth. God is clear about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us."
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world. The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.
"Repeatedly the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country. This is not your permanent home or destination. You're just passing through. You will spend far more time on the other side of death-in eternity-than you will here. Earth is the staging area, the preschool, the try out for your life in eternity. This life is preparation for the next. You were made to last forever. Measured against eternity, our time on earth is just a blink of an eye, but the consequences of it will last forever. The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next. We should be realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. Just as the nine months you spent in your mother's womb were not an end in themselves but preparation for life, so this life is preparation for the next...Death is not the end of you! Death is not your termination, but your transition into eternity."
I'd also encourage you to read the opening 7 chapters below and watch the series, Driven by Eternity by John Bevere:
Amen. Have a blessed day further