FAITH. FACT. FEELING.
Lord, I don’t know where you are today, but I don’t sense your presence. You seemed to be everywhere yesterday, and the Holy Spirit seemed to be flowing freely. Today, I don’t feel anything at all. I just don’t sense your presence.
Dear child. I am here. You can’t base your relationship with me on human emotions. Your feelings will come and go. Your emotions will be up and down. Reflect on this diagram I showed you many years ago: Faith. Fact. Feeling. Your faith in my presence. You have to believe that I exist. You have to trust me that I am safe to approach, and converse with. Then facts. The fact that you are controlled by me as evidenced in a different set of behaviors that are fruits of my Holy Spirit manifesting in your life. (Note: Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, now called CRU, is well known for having championed this concept.)
Yes, Lord. I love that passage: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV. Lord, it is a fact that you have changed me. It is a fact that you change people who get close to you.
A GREAT FACT
Child, to the degree that you surrender to my Holy Spirit is the degree that you will be transformed into my image and likeness. You will become more like me every day, until you shall be in my presence in Heaven.
Lord Jesus, it seems like it is a daily surrender. I must put my faith in you, afresh and anew, every day. It seems I only have a daily reprieve from my flesh. I need to connect with you every day, first thing in the morning, before I start my day.
Child, I want you and all my children to tithe their time to me every day upon awakening. I want to be on your mind from the very first moment you awake.
What about physically working out? I exercise first, to wake up my body and mind. I feel I am more alert for this quiet time with you.
Dear child, I am full of grace and mercy. Some of my children sit with me at the end of every day, and I don’t hold that against them. The fact is that they are having a time of prayer and meditation. That is the main thing. Even when they don’t feel like it. Even when they don’t feel the connection with me. It is a spiritual discipline.
SPIRITUAL DISIPLINES
Lord Jesus, what are the spiritual disciplines you want us to have?
Child, you know them. Look at my servant’s book: Celebration of Discipline. Richard Foster explained them well.
Lord, here is what I found Foster documented: “The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, offer avenues of personal examination and change. The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service, help prepare us to make the world a better place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration, bring us nearer to one another and to God.”
Yes, my child. This is a great way to look at spiritual discipline.
Lord, help me do all of them, and not just over-index on quiet times. All of these are important. It seems like what you are saying is that you want us to have a holistic set of spiritual disciplines in our walk with you as Christ-followers.
Yes, my child. Re-reading this book would be good for you.
Lord, I just ordered it. But I am sure I have a copy in my library too. I just looked and could not find it.
I am glad you ordered it. Now, do what is says.
Yes, Lord. I will follow this as my guide. I did not expect this time with you to be so rich and get so much direction. Crossroads Bible Church is teaching a class right now in this very topic, and it funny how you have led me to study this too.
HAVE FAITH THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL LEAD
My child, have faith in my Holy Spirit. It is alive inside of you and all who follow me. Have faith that you will be led. Then, watch what happens. The results are the facts. They will sustain you in your walk with me, even when you don’t feel close to me. Your feelings will come and go, like seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Trust me in all seasons, in all kinds of weather. I am constant. I do not change. I am reliable. Dependable. Trust-worthy.
Yes, Lord Jesus. Psalm 25:3a: “No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame …” I do trust you. Thank you for this lesson today.
My son, go in peace, to love and serve me.
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Forever you name will be praised. Thank you for your Holy Spirit to lead and guide. Amen.
Your aspiring servant,
Daniel M.
28 April 2023
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