Experiencing Bethel: Right Here, Right Now!

Have you ever been at a church service where everyone else seemed lost in worship (some crying, some slain in the Spirit) and you just couldn't seem to feel the presence of God in any dramatic way? You closed your eyes. You concentrated. You went on your knees. You tried everything but nothing seemed to work.

Well, here are some things that I have learned from my personal experience about the presence of God. And since I'm no expert, I've used Jacob's experience in Genesis 28 to give you a better understanding of what I'm talking about.

1. I cannot control the way God chooses to reveal Himself to me.

Everyone likes to feel God's presence in a tangible way. There was this one time that I experienced some very tangible signs of the presence of God. I smelled the aroma of God - something sweeter than I've ever smelt before, I heard a choir of hundreds of thousands of angels and I saw a beautiful vision all during a single time of worship. It was an awesome experience but that doesn't mean that all those things are necessary to determine the presence of God.

It's not my fasting and prayer, how loudly I worship or how much a cry before God that will invoke His presence. God does not reveal Himself when and in ways we think are appropriate because His ways are much much higher than ours!

God appeared to Jacob in a dream when he was least expecting it. For Pete's sake, he was on the run!

2. I can never associate God's presence with one specific emotion or place.

Experiencing God's presence doesn't mean I have to be weeping uncontrollably or be overjoyed. It also doesn't depend on whether I am in the confines of my bedroom, at a church worship service or on the street.

Jacob was escaping from his brother Esau after stealing his birthright. He was on his way to his mother's hometown when he stopped at a certain place - "no where in particular" - for the night. He was asleep with his head resting on an uncomfortable stone when he felt the presence of God!

3. I don't have to strive to feel God's presence.

When Jesus came to earth, He was Immanuel (God with us). God is with me right now as I write this post. I don't have to be reading my Bible, praying behind closed doors or listening to my favorite worship CD (although that would be great) to feel God's presence.

God's promise to Jacob was,"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

God longs to be with His people. I believe that's what the ladder was all about. It was God coming to down to Jacob, not the other way around.

4. God's presence may be all around me and I may just not know it.

Sometimes I can get so engrossed in my daily activities during the week that by the weekend I can't wait to go to church on Sunday and just rest in God's presence. Granted, Sunday mornings are a great time to spend with God but that doesn't mean I can't do it during the week, even while I'm busy working. Just because I can't find too much alone time during the week doesn't mean God can't be part of my busy schedule.

Jacob wasn't seeking God when God showed up and that's why when he awoke, he said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." We tend to miss the presence of God when we are not expecting it.

5. God can reveal His presence to me in people I don't even like.

One of the most common ways in which God reveals Himself is through people. It's only when I start practising the presence of God daily that I will be able to notice this.

We may not like everyone in our own church, let alone everyone we ever meet. But we have to be willing to see God's presence even in people we don't like. After all, human beings are the primary carriers of the presence of God.

After God revealed Himself to Jacob at an ordinary place and an unexpected time, Jacob learned how to recognise God's presence even in the ordinary and unexpected. That's why when he meets Esau, he was able to see God's presence in his brother (his enemy for twenty years or so). He says to his brother, "For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably."

Our Bethel can be anywhere, any time. Let's not limit God or try to fit our experiences with Him into a box because if we do, we just might miss Him!

The Law of the Oatmeal Brush

This is an extract from the book God Is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg:

Sin always has the consequence of damaging our ability to perceive God in the present moment. Consider, for example, the Law of the Oatmeal Brush.

For some years I have been trying to make each day an adventure in practicing God's presence. I try to direct my thoughts toward Him first thing when I wake up in the morning. On one particular morning I was getting ready to leave for work. I'd had oatmeal for breakfast, and after I finished washing my dishes, the white scrub brush in our sink was covered with oatmeal.

My wife asked me, " Are you done with this brush? If you are, it's be helpful to just whack it on the sink, get the oatmeal stuff out."

I was feeling defensive. I had actually been kind of proud of myself for washing the dishes in the first place. I didn't want someone telling me to clean the oatmeal brush.

So what I said was, "No, I'm not done with it." The reality is that the dishes were done. What was I pretending I was going to do with it? Brush the oatmeal junk into my hair? It wasn't just a lie - it was an unbelievably stupid lie. Even I couldn't pretend to believe it for a second.

But as long as I tried to maintain it, a strange dynamic was at work in my spirit. I had to muster up enough anger and hurt and pride to justify my deceit. I had to cut myself off from humility and truth. I had to say the prayer, "Don't look at me, God."

And as soon as I confessed the ridiculous truth to my wife, I could quit hiding.

The Law of the Oatmeal Brush is that every choice to sin - no matter how small - diminishes my capacity to experience God. Now, every morning when I see the Oatmeal Brush, it has become a kind of icon for me. It reminds me of how quickly I can go into hiding.

My Heart's Song

Caught in the half-light, I'm caught alone
Waking up to the sunrise and the radio
Feels like I'm tied up, what's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day I go free

I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
All I've forgotten help me to find
All that You've promised let it be in my life

- Chris Tomlin

The next level of HOLINESS 'with God'!

For years while I was growing up, I had this image of God as strict, immovable and swift to punish me for my sins. Almost like He was waiting with a stick in His hand, expecting me to mess up any minute. I guess that came from the fact that I knew He was so exceedingly holy and that He said, "Be holy, because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44) and I was all too aware of the fact that I could never match up to that holiness of God!

Then during my teens, God had a makeover (in my mind, that is :p). He became a God who was forgiving, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, which I might add, is definitely true! But my juvenile mind inadvertently thought that this gave me the right to do as I please because Jesus' blood would wash me clean and restore me. What a sorry state to be in!

Yes, we can never match up to God's holiness but that doesn't mean we give up on "pursuing" it. It might seem like God gave us an impossible command - Be holy, because I am holy - but He doesn't expect us to do this on our own. It's His grace and strength that will enable us to live lives that are holy unto Him.

I believe that God is calling us to the next level of holiness 'with Him'. When we try and achieve this holiness on our own, our holiness is worth nothing. God wants us to rely on His Holy Spirit for this.

We'll never be perfect. Being holy is a ongoing process of chastening and pruning and is often not very pleasant. But remember, God chastens us for our profit, that we may be partakers in His holiness (Hebrews 12: 10).

So the next time, you find it difficult to give up something, or do something that God is asking you to, know that unless God disciplines us, we have no part in His holiness!

Are you a people pleaser?

I have to confess that for the longest time, I was a people pleaser. I've had times when I did things because I thought they were right in the sight of others. I've also been in situations where I have been so afraid to say 'no' to people even to the extent of overworking myself. It's only been a year or so now where I've been consciously working on doing things because I genuinely want to do them and not out of compulsion. That's why when I came across this article written by Joyce Meyer, it made me smile becaue I could identify with some of the things she talks about. So I thought I'd share it with you

Are You A PEOPLE PLEASER?
by Joyce Meyer

Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). - Colossians 3:23,24

One of the most freeing things that I have learned in my years of walking with the Lord is how to break free from being a people pleaser. Now, I am not talking about living a healthy, unselfish life where we make the needs of others a priority. I am talking about a pressure to perform—an unhealthy drive to be accepted and approved by others. It is a desire so strong that it influences and controls the majority of our decisions.There are some individuals who have spent a good part of their lives trying to please other people, and as a result, they are unhappy, bitter, resentful and depressed. How other people think and feel about them has become so important that it is like an addiction affecting every part of who they are. The real tragedy is they don’t know what is causing the problem.How can you and I know if we are a people pleaser? There are some key signs that we want to take a look at. If you and I are not supposed to live to please people, who are we supposed to live to please?

ARE YOU HONEST WITH OTHERS?
One of the greatest signs of being a people pleaser is not being completely truthful with others about who we are. We say we like things we really don’t like. We go places and say we are enjoying it, when in reality, it is the last place on earth we want to be. And we nod our heads in agreement to things we don’t feel right about in our hearts. Instead of telling people the truth about our desires, feelings and thoughts, we develop a pattern of telling others what we think they want to hear in order to remain accepted. There are also times when people are dishonest about their true thoughts and feelings because they are trying to keep the other person “fixed” or happy. Whatever the reason, untruthfulness in relationships only leads to some kind of heartache. Dave and I have four children and eight grandchildren, and in our family, we have an agreement to be open and honest with each other without getting angry. For instance, if my daughter Laura calls my daughter Sandra and asks, “Can you watch my kids tonight?” Sandra is free to be honest and say, “You know, Laura, I’ve had a really tiring day at home with the twins, and I’m just not up to watching them tonight.” Although Laura may be disappointed, she is not going to get upset with Sandra or act aggravated or cold toward her. Instead, she would probably respond, “That’s okay. I understand how you feel. With four kids, I have had my share of tiring days too.” By not acting in anger, Laura lifts the pressure off Sandra, and the relationship between them remains peaceful. Now, our family is not perfect, and we do have our trying moments. But for the most part we strive to follow what the Word says. Ephesians 4:15 says, God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love… (The Message). Verse 25 goes on to say we are to …put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth” because we belong to each other (NLT). And in Colossians 3:9, we are told, Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices. I think it is pretty clear: God wants us to be truthful with each other at all times in a kind and considerate way.

DO YOU DO THINGS OUT OF DUTY OR DESIRE?
Another big indicator that we are people pleasers is that we do things out of a sense of duty instead of desire. In other words, we do something for someone because we feel obligated, or it is expected of us—we are afraid if we don’t do it, others will get mad at us or think badly of us. But doing things because we feel forced to do them or are fearful of being rejected is doing things for the wrong reason.Let me give you an example: During the holidays most of us spend time with our families. Years ago when our children were small, we had a tendency to run from house to house to house, trying to visit all of our family members on the same day. This was especially true on Christmas. To a great degree, we felt like it was a requirement we had to fulfill, and if we did not, somebody would get their feelings hurt. What happened as a result is that we really did not enjoy the holiday season.Thankfully, Dave and I have made some adjustments over the years and changed our expectations. Our children are all grown and have families of their own, and to try and get everybody together in one place on the same day is difficult. It does happen sometimes, but if someone has other plans or is unable to make it, that is okay. I know some people who agree to alternate their holiday visits between their families. One year they choose to spend Thanksgiving with the wife’s side of the family and Christmas with the husband’s side. The next year, they do just the opposite. Other people visit one side of the family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and then a week later spend New Year’s Day with the other side of the family. The point is, their visits are based out of desire instead of duty. Now, please understand that we do not have to want to do everything we need to do. There are some things that we are required to do, and if we don’t do them, problems develop. I may not want to or feel like cleaning my house, but if I never clean it, things will become disorganized, out of order, and very stressful. You and I may not want to do the laundry, but if we never do it, we will eventually run out of clothes to wear. So there is a balance in this area that God will help us find. We just need to remove the pressure and expectations from others so that they do not feel obligated to do something for us. In the same way, we need to get out from under the pressure and expectations of others to do something for them.

ARE YOU CONSTANTLY SACRIFICING YOUR OWN LEGITIMATE NEEDS?
The third major sign of being a people pleaser is always being quick to set aside our own genuine needs to meet the needs and wants of others. Each of us has legitimate needs to be loved, accepted and approved. We also have needs for things like attention, affection and rest. Constantly denying our genuine needs and doing things for everybody else will usually result in becoming bitter and resentful because we feel all used up.I know a wonderful woman who loves the Lord and will do things for everybody else except herself. She takes care of the needs of her husband, her children and her church family, but she will not take care of her own. She maintains the attitude, “No, I don’t need anything. I can do without.” But she ends up with a bad attitude. This is not healthy and is often the reason why many Christians experience burnout. Yes, the Bible does say we are to live a life of self-denial and even put the needs of others before our own. However, if we are always denying our own needs and always putting the needs of others before our own, we are out of balance. Being out of balance opens the door for the enemy to wreak havoc in our lives (see 1 Peter 5:8). Before I began a serious relationship with God, my attitude and way of thinking was, If I don’t take care of myself, nobody else will. Then when I became a committed Christian, my thinking changed to, I will sacrifice everything—including my own legitimate needs for rest, fun and friends—all for the sake of the call. But after I pushed myself beyond my personal limits and got physically sick on at least three occasions, I realized I could no longer neglect my legitimate needs. Since then, God has helped me find and maintain a balance between caring for the needs of others and not neglecting my own. And He will do the same for you.

HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME BEING A PEOPLE PLEASER?
There is only one remedy I know of to avoid being a people pleaser and that is learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all we do. That is one of the most exciting things about being a Christian. As believers, the Holy Spirit lives inside us. He desires to lead us in everything we do, from how we handle our finances, to the type of job we have, to the house we live in, to what we do or don’t do for others. He does not want to just be involved with the spiritual side of our lives; He wants to be involved with the natural side of our lives too.I love what Romans 7:6 says: But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. What Paul is saying is, when we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we experience newness of life—peace, joy and contentment—that cannot be experienced when we live under the “shoulds,” the “oughts,” the obligations and the expectations of being a people pleaser. What is the leading of the Holy Spirit? For the most part, it is having an inner peace about doing something. Colossians 3:15 says, And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…]. In other words, if we have peace in our spirits about doing something or not doing something, we can know the Lord is in the decision. If we do not have peace in our spirits about doing something or not doing something, then it is a good indicator that God is not leading that decision.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE THING…
Motives… Why are we doing (or not doing) something? Are we being motivated by fear, personal gain or a sense of obligation? Are we being motivated by a desire to be in control, accepted or seen? These are all the wrong reasons for doing something. Our motive for doing anything should always be because God has prompted us and we want to please Him. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit means we are motivated by the fruit of the Holy Spirit, such as love, kindness and goodness. What the Spirit leads us to do or not do, He will give us a peace about. Remember, whatever you and I do, if we will do it as unto the Lord, our lives and the lives of others will be blessed. If you help a family member, do it as unto the Lord. If you visit with relatives, do it as unto the Lord. If you work in the nursery at church, do it as unto the Lord. If you are getting dressed, washing the dishes, driving to work, cutting the grass, or going to the grocery store, do it as unto the Lord. In other words, with everything you do, do it with the motive of pleasing God. The result will be a new measure of joy and enthusiasm in your life—even in the everyday, ordinary things. I encourage you to shake off the way people think or feel about you and just begin to do what you feel God wants you to do. If you need strength in this area, and I think we all do, pray and ask the Lord for His grace to follow after His voice instead of the pressures and demands of others. That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things…(Colossians 1:10).

More Afflictions = More Growth!

Are you having a tough time at work, at home or may be even in your ministry? You are probably wondering why these troubles have hit you so bad. You are probably asking God a whole lot of questions right now or may be pleading with Him to rescue you. If that's your situation today, here's a word of encouragement.

Exodus 1: 12 says, But the more they (the Egyptians) afflicted them (the Israelites), the more they multiplied and grew.

Just remember the afflictions you are going through (especially if they are getting worse day by day) are a sign that you are soon going to enter your "promised land".

Look at these afflictions differently now and allow them to let you grow stronger, more mature and above all more dependent on God!

Be a miracle ingredient!

John 6 tells us that Jesus had gone to the mountainside, probably to get some quiet time with his disciples, when He saw a great multitude coming toward Him. Ideally, Jesus should have sent the crowd away but here He was, intending to feed five thousand hungry people.

Funnily enough, he asks Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Philip must have surely thought his master was crazy because instead of answering Jesus' question, he replies with "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." Philip was focusing on the impossibility of what Jesus was proposing to do.

Now Andrew, who was also present, knew what Philip said was true. Yet, he comes to Jesus and says, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish..." He knew how stupid it seemed to bring a little boy's lunch to feed five thousand people. That's probably why he added, "But what are they among so many?"

The amazing thing was that Jesus used the five loaves and two fish that Andrew brought to perform the miracle.

The Bible says in vs 6 (before Andrew could bring the little boy's lunch to Him) that Jesus already knew what He would do. Jesus knew He was going to perform a miracle to feed the multitude. He didn't need the little boy's lunch for that. Yet, He used it, making Andrew's faith a part of the miracle.

I believe even today Jesus will do the miracles He has intended to do. It's up to us whether we want to be a part of them or not. Are we holding on to the little we have because we think it is not enough for the "big miracle"? God wants us to step out in faith, present the little we have to Him and trust that He will multiply it?

There's another thing we could learn from Andrew and that is not to focus on the problem but rather on the problem solver, Jesus!