A Fresh Encounter With God

Praise the Lord Everyone!

I am remembering a message our Pastor, Brother Grant, preached “Love the Cross”. It was so awesome and moving…. One of the things he was saying was that he was going to go find his cross b/c he felt at times that he’d misplaced it. I thought about that and it just tore me up. The point isn’t whether he really misplaced it, if he was just being humble or if he said it for those he felt had misplaced theirs. The point is that for a minute I wondered to myself if I misplace mine from time to time….. I mean, I don’t view going to church or working for the Lord just as a “duty” or chore by any means – I love working for God.

But I’ve been so busy especially since the new baby came and I haven’t prayed the way I should…. or fasted the way I should have….. I have fallen behind in my Bible reading as well! So I’m feeling like I need to find where I laid my cross as well. I never want to be so busy (even if it’s working for God) that I neglect God Himself, you know? And I always want to be able to feel the Lord’s sweet convicting power – whether I have anything to really be convicted about or not… Lord help me! The devotional I wanted to share with you is about just that – a fresh encounter with God. Maybe you need one, maybe you don’t but it’s good stuff nonetheless! =)

Lord bless you,

Sister Kristin Howell – Apostolic Singles Network

A Fresh Encounter With God — Isaiah 6:1-9
*Courtesy of “In Touch Ministries”*

We live in busy times. Sadly, for many Christians, church is an item on their checklist, and they think attending a service fulfills their “spiritual duty.” As a result, God seems distant, so they feel unexcited about His work in their lives and lack compassion for the unsaved. Such believers find it easy to start thinking and acting in a worldly manner.

But God desires an intimate relationship with His children. As in Bible times, He still has personal encounters with His people– sometimes to comfort or encourage; other times to guide or convict of sin.
The prophet Isaiah wrote of such a meeting with the Lord (Isaiah 6:1-9). His reaction to the awesome holiness of God’s presence was a profound recognition of his own sin: “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . . ; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (v. 5).

As the prophet experienced, when God reveals His presence to us, we are likely to be overwhelmed with awe and a sense of our unworthiness. Then, as we humbly respond in repentance or obedience, we, too, will know that our sins have been forgiven (v.7).

We cannot manipulate or create one of these encounters, but we make them possible when we’re available to the Lord. Are you spending time with God, praying and reading His Word? Or has life become too busy and your spiritual walk too mechanical?

Ask God for a personal encounter with Him. Spend time praising the Lord, confessing sin, and surrendering all areas of your life to Him.