God Encounters

Religiously, many people believe that they''ve got to be rocked to their core to have an intereaction with God.  In the past I've heard testimonies which were unbelieveable in nature and came away with a skewed impression of how God works.  But now after years of Bible Study, I know that He moves in our everyday existence.  If we are not spiritually tuned in, we will miss God every time.  The best way to become spiritually tuned is to study the Bible.  I've heard all of the excuses of people claiming to walk with God, but they don't study their Bible.  That's like looking for a paycheck but you don't have a job. The Bible is God breathed and God inspired.  Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pet. 1:21).  For those who have been born again, we are those holy men today.  God cannot speak to us if there is no word in us.  Even more disconcerting is God can't do anything with us, if there is no word in us. 

Homelectics, hermeneutics and the exegesis of a text are man-made principles.  Jesus said I only say those things that please the Father (John 8:26-27).  If you follow closely the things that Jesus said, they were scriptures from the Old Testament.  Paul was called to be an an apostle to the Gentiles, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (Gal. 1:1).  Since salvation was to the Jews first, Paul went to the Jews first.  Paul and Barnabas changed directions because most of the Jews rejected them at every turn.   He told them that it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46).  Note the phrase "it was necessary that the word of God be preached."  The word of God is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). 

To have God encounters, we need to invest ourselves in the word.  Jesus said, the words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life (John 6:63). When God speaks a word, it becomes the power to do what He says.  We never know which word, scripture, or principle is going to shine the light of God on our understanding to give us a "spiritual aha moment."   These moments become quite addictive as we continue in the word.  The avenues of golden nuggats that God opens up become too numerous to mention when we desire more of the word.  No word, no communion, no relationship, and no fellowship with Jesus and the Father.    

Only the truth that you know will set you free!