Experiences with God...

Walk with me…

Of ten I tell of my own experiences but today I thought I start with one that was told to me by a Christian brother in Texas. He was sharing about how for a difficult period of time in his life he would wake up early to pray, study his Bible, and seek the Lord. This went on for many months and during that time the Lord took him through some situations that he had no clue as to how to solve, but the Lord was faithful and brought him safely through them all, and he knew it was the hand of God that carried him through. After the course of time, he stopped his morning fellowships and went back to a typical lifestyle we see so much of in the church today. A prayer here and there, some fellowship, church service, a praise now and then, but no more devoted daily time with the Lord. Again after some time had gone by he began his devoted times in the morning. The day he began again, he heard God say to him 3 simple words. In all the time he has told the story no one has ever guessed the heart of God in this matter, and even I want to keep you in suspense to try to figure out what was said for it reveals the Divine Heart of God in a way we have completely missed in our churches and fellowships today.

The thoughts of a quiet time with the Lord each morning may bring you to say. Great that’s all I need is another “thing to do” to be devoted to God. You are already busy enough and how could you possibly fit another 20 minutes to an hour or so to daily seek the Lord before all else in this crazy world. We have wives, husbands, children, jobs, friends, hobbies, church, bible studies, conferences, exercise, school, and the list goes on. But yet we know we are not satisfied in all of these things to do. Could there be something missing? Have we completely missed the heart of God in these matters? Many of us have an aching in our hearts that says something in terribly wrong. It may just be a hunch that something is not quite right but we can never put our finger on it. I’m going to church, reading my Bible, praying, and yet I still haven’t discovered this “abundant life” that the Lord has promised us. “I came to give them life and to have it to the full” (John 10:10). We give lip service to the “personal relationship with Jesus” yet we know we have tasted little of the storerooms of heavenly blessing that he wants to pour out on us. We get a little here and a little there but never these “rivers of living water flowing out of our hearts” (John 7:38) He talking rivers, or from some translations streams, but never spurts now and then.

We have become more like the children of Israel that Isaiah prophesied about:

For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule ; a little here, a little there.
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen.
So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there-- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. – Isaiah 28:10-13 (NIV)

Notice the Lord’s message, a resting place and a place of repose. Not being the literary scholar I had to get out my American Heritage dictionary to understand repose – 1. The act of resting or the state of being at rest. 2. Freedom from worry, peace of mind. 3. Calmness, tranquility

This sounds a little like the words of Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." – Matthew 11:28-30

So what is the end of those whom the word of the Lord has become burdensome with do and do, rule on rule, a little here, a little there. They will fall backward, be injured, snared, and taken into captivity. Not the promise from God I’m looking for.

So if your thinking that a suggestion for a daily quiet time with the Lord is more of a burden then you may have some soul searching to do and I cannot help you with a mere letter, it may be time to stop what you are doing and find the Jesus that the Bible talks about rather than what you have perceived Him to be. But may I suggest that the Lord really wants to be First in your life, above all else, a treasure that value is immeasurable. Not just an afterthought after a busy day, or a quick prayer before hopping in the car to go to work. Could it be the daily laying down of our burdens and filling ourselves first with Him will allow the daily troubles to be easier, lighter, and allow us to able to rest in Him.

I have little authority to speak on these matters for now it’s been 8 days since I started this new pilgrimage. For me one of my closest times of communion with the Lord is going outside, often in the woods, or hiking, just walking and talking with the Creator of the Universe. So that is what I have been doing. I think this is different for everyone and each must find the way to be filled in His presence each day. For we cannot give was has not be given to us. Recently I met with two men in search of deliverance from some demonic strongholds in my life that kept resurfacing and keeping me from hearing from the Lord. After much talk eventually they laid hands on me and prayed for me. I was given a prophetic message from one of the men and a book “God Calling” from the other after all had been said and done. I have so longed to hear God speak to me, regularly, for I am really not sure what I am doing, or where I am going at this time in my life. There was more to the prophetic message but the end of it was:

Walk with Me. Know Me. Delight in Me.
And I will speak to you.
Your destiny will unfold before your eyes and it will be good and one that befits a man.

I pondered this for several days for I figured if I knew how to walk with Him, Know Him, and Delight in Him then He would speak. But truth is I did not know how to do that. I also tried to read the book that was given to me. I would read and quickly forget what was written with no effect. So after the 3rd day I decided the only way I know how to Walk with Him is through my times in the woods or the walks and hikes I’d take now and then communing with Him. But it was never a daily occurrence just when I had some free time. I thought maybe a daily walk, before all else, would unlock this door. The very 1st day after coming back from my walk, I picked up the book “God Calling” that was given me, and behold it was treasure before my very eyes. What was once worthless and invaluable had become priceless. Sometimes I walk long, sometimes short, sometimes left, sometimes right, but the daily communion is starting to light a path that I had not seen. Some days, just small talk, other days deep revelation, today I was brought to my knees in tears with the morning star shining just before the dawn. I never know what is next but I’m starting to believe there is much more to a daily morning devotion then I could have ever imagined. Just maybe Jesus was on to something when he retreated to lonely places (Luke 5:16) and mountainsides (Matthew 14:23, Luke 6:12) to pray...

So now let us return to my earlier story about my friend who started a quiet time with the Lord each morning, then stopped, only to return again. Had you guessed the three words the Lord spoke to him when he returned? Maybe “I love you”? No, that would be too easy. Go even deeper, what would you say to a friend or loved one you hadn’t seen or spoken to in a while? Three simple words that reveal a secret part of the Divine Heart of God that we so often overlook. The Three words are...





…I missed you.