It’s not enough to say that we have a relationship with God. It’s not enough to say we believe in a higher power.
We can’t say I’ll follow God, if…
We can’t put God in a box.
1So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.
2It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. 3And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel. “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
1 Samuel 7:1-4
The ark of the covenant was captured. It was not with God’s people for many years. One failure after another
We set parameters around what we let God do in our lives. This is what the Israelites were doing as well. They wanted God to help them but to live on their own terms. The would worship God, but they still had their pagan gods that they prayed to as well. They paid lip service to being a follower of God. They still wondered why it wasn’t working. When you’re not all in and still worshipping other gods, the Father knows it and he’s a jealous God!
Because of their unwillingness to trust only in God, they still weren’t free nor were they abundant.
Today, many churches are abundant. All of the best equipment, talented musicians and singers. Why are we not more faithful? Do we see His presence? We make excuses, but all the trappings of religion without a relationship with God, leaves us empty inside —wondering what’s wrong.
There will be no true conclusion on based on false facts.
You can’t have the blessings of God if you don’t build a relationship with him.
SAMUEL’S CHALLENGE:
- RETURN TO GOD
- WORSHIP GOD ONLY
- COMMIT TO GOD ONLY
- SERVE ONLY GOD
Baal and Ashtoreths were pagan idols that they followed. Human actions provide a critical element in worshipping our God. Putting yourself into works and acts that follow God’s character will bring success. Grace is a critical element of Christianity.
Pagan gods can be bribed and they’ll look the other way. When we don’t give enough, we can think the gods are mad at me. This is our culture today.
They were only adding God to their worship.
God is everything. We can’t follow other things as well.
If we aren’t committed, we can think God is only an accessory, not a necessity.
If you’re not returning to God with all your heart (inward repentance), are you really returning to God? We need to realize we’re not right all the time. We need to let God make us what he wants us to be.
Who takes the place of God in your life? A right relationship with God starts with your repentance inwardly. Get rid of the idols that have taken up residence in your heart. You may not even realize you’ve let someone or something else creep into that place reserved for him.
If we worship anything other than God we are settling for second best. It’s not about self-gratification, that kills a relationship with God.
Return.
Commit.
God’s grace is greater than our sins. You have to accept your grace! We all have wounds, but we don’t have to let them direct our lives. Let God take them.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive was in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. — Psalm 139:23-24
Recall the presence – see where God has been with you in the past. Go back and remember what it was like to have that relationship with him. If you’ve never had it, ask him to help you commit to talking to him every day.
Reserve the seat of worship in your heart for only God. Don’t let you be the one on that seat.
May the focus be on God. Celebrate confession. Seek the grace of a forgiving God!
Let it be all out commitment and hunger for God.
It’s a revolution! Be brave. Clean house of the things that don’t belong in your heart and put God back on the throne!
I love a sermon that makes me take stock of where my heart is. It’s easy to get wrapped up in what we want, but the plan we want to follow is God’s!
I’ve been working on plans for our upcoming ladies retreat and it’s important that I remember to come back to God to make sure my plans are matching up with his. Last year I asked him what he wanted it to be and it was nothing like any of the retreats I’d been to. So, I just had to trust him, because I had no clue. Some of the things that were in the schedule were completely out of my comfort zone, but I added them thinking they were extra things we weren’t going to have time for. Little did I know that those would be the most impactful things we did. Let him lead. You won’t be sorry!
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 