seeking God personally

One of the benefits of attending a Pentecostal church is that we encourage people to seek God personally.

There is a place for corporate worship.

There is most certainly a place for coming and listening to the word of God brought forth under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

There is a place for bible studies.

There is a place for reading Christian books.

There is a place for listening to pod casts of sermons.

However, at its core, the foundation of all of this is time spent personally, alone with God.  Seeking his face.  Asking God to each us.

There is a story that we will look at this coming Sunday in John 7.  The context is that that Jesus is teaching during the feast of the tabernacles.

John writes (in John 7:15), "The Jews (the Pharisees and teachers of the law), were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

In other words, "how can you speak like that?"  "You didn't even go to the University of Jerusalem."  "You haven't been taught by one of us."

Jesus answered (in verse 16), "My teaching is not my own.  It comes from him who sent me."

While we all need to be accountable to spiritual leaders in authority over us when it comes to the Scriptures, we all must seek to study God's word for ourselves - and listen to His will for our lives.

Part of the solution is a hunger and thirsting for God Himself without intermediaries.  We need to pray, "God, I'm tired of everybody else hearing from You!  Where is the lock on my prayer closet?  I'm going to lock myself away until I hear from you, Lord, for myself!"

God desires that kind of closeness with you.  That kind of spiritual intimacy. 

Here is what I know:  God is tired of having long distance relationships with you and me.

He wants to invade our homes and our churches and our neighborhoods with His Holy Spirit.

Are you thirsty for God?

Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

Just a thought for a Tuesday.