Musings

Musings

With Cecelia Campbell-Livingston

Drawing closer to God

 

“Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” – James 4:8.

 

How do you get close to God?

I have thought about that until my head spins! Whenever I talk to other believers they quote this verse to me, “draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.” But that doesn’t exactly help you, does it?

            You really are back to where you started when you first asked the question. How do I accomplish this task…what do I have to do to draw nigh to God?

            I’ve always looked at other believers who seem so caught up when they are worshipping and I wonder what’s wrong with me. How come I can’t block out the surroundings and get caught up in true worship?

            If you are in this predicament that I found myself, then you are just one of the many who are seeking a closer relationship with God. I started to develop a system for myself, you could try it, or you could come up with a method of your own. Whatever you do, work on drawing closer to God.

I started getting up really early in the mornings and reading the Daily Bread and several verses of scripture. At first it was a royal battle between sleep and concentration – but determination won out in the end.

            Of course, some of the scriptures didn’t jump out at me. I felt as if I was just doing ‘duty’, but I kept at it, and now I can hardly put my bible down. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I’m actually enjoying my time in devotion…I’m even getting upset if someone interrupts me during this precious time!

            Of course, your devotional time is not just about reading, you have to do some praying and spend time in meditation.

            Don’t be intimidated by prayer, after all, it’s all about talking to your Father. What works for me is that I always pretend He is right there in front of me and I talk to Him and tell Him whatever is bugging me, or ask Him to help family and friends. Contrary to what some people think, God is not talking to you from a distance, He can be as near as you want Him to be.

            Another regular habit of mine is to keep a journal. Sometimes I will write what I’m going through, or what’s on my mind or the requests I have. It sure does something for my faith when months later I scan my journal and realize how many prayers have been answered!

            In every decision you have to make, try breathing a word of prayer, asking Him to guide you in your choices. Instead of allowing your mind to be clouded with worrisome thoughts, why not try keeping your minds on Him.

            Getting closer to God is a gradual build up of devotion, quiet times, keeping the fellowship in church and constantly seeking Him out.

            Now, when I sing songs of praises in church, I really don’t have the time to watch what others are doing because I am too caught up in worshipping this precious Lord of mine!

Don’t mess up while waiting

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall walk and not faint...

You all get the drift, there is a great virtue in waiting on the Lord...but how come many of us do not like to practice what we have read so often in the bible.

I can't tell the number of songs that have been penned to show the blessings that can be derived from playing the waiting game.

I don't mind waiting on the Lord ... but let's be realistic. We are all lying our tails off. We hate waiting! The waiting space is where we all get messed up as the long drawn out silence in between hearing from our master proves too much of a temptation to resist 'helping out the Lord'.

Then comes the messy decisions we shouldn't have made and God in His great love and compassion still has to bail us out.

Like little children moving about restlessly, we too find it hard to 'be still and know that I am God' so our jittery movements and erratic thoughts sometimes take us down paths we should not have trod.

Waiting is not an easy thing to do. Silence is uncomfortable especially when you need urgent answers. Lack of action is a recipe for panicked behaviour ... but they are all a part of God's supreme plan to get you to take time out and align to his great will for your lives.

So you want to accomplish a great deal? Your dreams are big and you can't wait to walk into your destiny? What makes you think God doesn't have the same desires for you? He probably has greater plans to catapult you into where He wants you to go...places you never even thought about or envisioned in your limited dreams.

So wait and while you do so take your eyes off those who are going really fast - chalking up one success after another while you are still stuck.

In a moment, in a matter of days your situation will experience a complete turnaround leaving you reeling from the sheer surprise of it.

God has no limits, He can do great things. Relax, watch and see how your story will be completely rewritten.

God is in control...wait a bit...don't panic, stop worrying ... embrace all that's coming...God has opened the door to prosperity and success...open your arms and receive. Deal s are being tied up, a change is coming. Your wait will soon over....Amen

Drawing closer to God

“Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” – James 4:8.

How do you get close to God?

I have thought about that until my head spins! Whenever I talk to other believers they quote this verse to me, “draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.” But that doesn’t exactly help you, does it?

            You really are back to where you started when you first asked the question. How do I accomplish this task…what do I have to do to draw nigh to God?

            I’ve always looked at other believers who seem so caught up when they are worshipping and I wonder what’s wrong with me. How come I can’t block out the surroundings and get caught up in true worship?

            If you are in this predicament that I found myself, then you are just one of the many who are seeking a closer relationship with God. I started to develop a system for myself, you could try it, or you could come up with a method of your own. Whatever you do, work on drawing closer to God.

I started getting up really early in the mornings and reading the Daily Bread and several verses of scripture. At first it was a royal battle between sleep and concentration – but determination won out in the end.

            Of course, some of the scriptures didn’t jump out at me. I felt as if I was just doing ‘duty’, but I kept at it, and now I can hardly put my bible down. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I’m actually enjoying my time in devotion…I’m even getting upset if someone interrupts me during this precious time!

            Of course, your devotional time is not just about reading, you have to do some praying and spend time in meditation.

            Don’t be intimidated by prayer, after all, it’s all about talking to your Father. What works for me is that I always pretend He is right there in front of me and I talk to Him and tell Him whatever is bugging me, or ask Him to help family and friends. Contrary to what some people think, God is not talking to you from a distance, He can be as near as you want Him to be.

            Another regular habit of mine is to keep a journal. Sometimes I will write what I’m going through, or what’s on my mind or the requests I have. It sure does something for my faith when months later I scan my journal and realize how many prayers have been answered!

            In every decision you have to make, try breathing a word of prayer, asking Him to guide you in your choices. Instead of allowing your mind to be clouded with worrisome thoughts, why not try keeping your minds on Him.

            Getting closer to God is a gradual build up of devotion, quiet times, keeping the fellowship in church and constantly seeking Him out.

            Now, when I sing songs of praises in church, I really don’t have the time to watch what others are doing because I am too caught up in worshipping this precious Lord of mine!

Turn your mess into a message

No one wants to go through rough times. If given the choice, they would like every day to run like a well-oiled machine. For Christians especially, their lives will at times seem like an emotional roller coaster. One day things are great and the next it seems as if all hell has broken loose in your lives.

         Believe it or not, there is a bright side to every trial you are going through. Yes, I know, some of you are rolling your eyes and wondering if I have knocked my head. ‘Bright side?’ How can there be a bright side to this mess?

         Just think of the many inspiring stories you have read about other Christians who have gone through the fire. Their testimonies have given you the courage to hold on. Imagine what you would be robbing your friends and all who are within reach, of your powerful testimony on how you overcome.

         No mess for the present time is ever nice…but on the positive side, how can you testify about God’s grace and compassion if you have never found yourself in a jam where you needed to be rescued?

         How can you testify about God’s miraculous healing powers if you have never been sick? How can you tell others how God can heal a broken spirit, if you have never been depressed?

         The list could go on and on about God’s grace and goodness and we wouldn’t have the space to talk about it. But rest assured, no matter what you are facing, you can make it a beautiful testimony.

         I don’t know what you are facing right now. But I do know what it is to be in a situation that is so overwhelming that I often wonder if God has turned His back on my cries. Sometimes it feels as if my prayers are going nowhere, the pain seems overwhelming and I wonder if my time in the wilderness is ever going to end. But guess what – the sun does shine again!

         You could be going crazy right now trying to figure out how you are going to pay your overdue bills, you may be facing an illness which the doctors can offer you no hope for, or you could be at the end of your rope trying to figure out what your next move will be in order to survive. My friend, it doesn’t matter the situation, the solution is still the same – Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

         Just as He rescued Daniel from the Lion’s den; saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the fiery furnace, and raised Lazarus from the dead, He can do the same for you.

         Read Hebrews 11 and see the many victorious stories of saints who through faith in God managed to accomplish great victories.

         Get back into the battle and face your situation head on and when you have come through remember to strengthen your brethren with your testimony…then get ready to fight again!

Time

Time. That’s the greatest deception there is. Some people make the assumption that there will be time for them to make things right. Each time there is an altar call they ignore that pull, the conviction that it’s time for them to submit to the Lord…but thinking about the pleasures of the world that they are not yet ready to give up, they quench the spirit and refuse the invitation.

The reality is that tomorrow is promised to no one and neither what will happen from one moment to the next. Life can change in an instant which is why it is hard to comprehend why many would live their lives at the expense of their souls.

Young people take it for granted they have the most opportunities to play around before “settling down” to a Christian life. With their booze-filled lifestyle and carefree living they are more at risk – just think of the many careless car accidents, senseless killing … did they get a last minute chance like the thief on the cross?

Why leave yourselves that slim chance … seek the Lord while He can be found, draw nigh to Him while he is near.

Don’t allow time to deceive you … make it right while there is still time.

Where have all the workers gone?

There is a song that I really love to sing and it goes something like this, “My house is full, but my field is empty, who will go and work for me today? It seems my children all want to stay around my table, but no one wants to work in my field.

The sad reality is that a lot of Christians are contented to put on their Sunday best and go to church.

After service they think they have done their ‘Christianly duties’ as they go about the business of life during the week, set to repeat the process on Sunday again.

Where are the field workers? There are so many lost and dying souls out there set on a path to destruction.

It could be your friend who finds nothing wrong with sleeping around and conning men out of their hard earned money. Did you ever take the time to rebuke and let them know there’s a better way? What about the friend who is on drugs and think nothing is wrong with it, did you ever talk to him about Jesus and how He can give him the strength to overcome?

Going into the field doesn’t mean faraway places, it’s those you come in contact with on a daily basis. How many of your co-workers did you take the time to talk to about Jesus?

It’s not enough to get excited about going to church, or some other events where there is a one hundred percent chance you will be interacting with people of like faith. How about going places where the majority will be unsaved. Jesus came down to our level so the least we can do is get down to their level to give them the gospel of salvation.