The spiritual environment in which we meet the Lord has lasting effects on how we see God. I don't think God randomly selects the spiritual house we are birthed in. For me, the Lord grabbed a hold of me in the midst of the modern day prayer movement at a conference called the Onething Conference, and extension of the International House of Prayer. I don't think it's mere coincodence either that the Lord has called me to prayer ministry the rest of my life.
I have heard enough accusation in my life about different ministries. Some churches are "too emotionally based;" some are, "too dry, passionless." I have heard plenty of other descriptions of things that people see wrong with specific ministries. Those guys over there are too Charismatic, they like dance and stuff. Or that church is all about the rules, they are too proper. I don't doubt that numerous times I have joined in on those conversations, and I pray the Lord helps me with that.
But about this whole thing, God has showed me that His movement is not confined to a specific look or method.
Every one comes to know Jesus in a unique environment. That environment could be in a bedroom all alone where God just hits you with His love or His holiness. It could be in the middle of reciting prayers at the local mass service. Or like for me it could be in the middle of 15,000 other young adults worshiping Jesus. Jesus is not confined to any specific environment or church model.
It seems natural to be enthusiastic about the environment in which you first met Jesus. Then years down the road, and for some their whole life, we find ourselves defending that environment instead the movement of God. I have observed over and over people reject the idea that God cannot move unless A, B and C are included in the spiritual environment. That is just ridiculous!
I have heard Charismatics get upset because this church over there does not have alter calls and they don't pray for healing. I have also heard Fundementalists be convinced God is not moving in a ministry that does not preach exegetically or expository (similarly styled to a Bible commentary). Many churches follow the newest model (or the oldest) because they saw it work somewhere else, then they find themselves confused as to how it didn't work out how they thought it would. God didn't move like He did down the street! The list goes on…
The truth of the matter is that God is not stuck to one model or spiritual environment. We don't have to have a healing service for God to heal or bring revival. Our preacher doesn't have to be an expository preacher for God's truth to move the people. And we don't have to have contemporary worship music or even hymns to worship God.
God does what He wants. It's as simple as that.
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. – Psalm 115:3
Here's some advice, don't look at the environment, look for God's movement. I am not talking about forcing ignorance on yourself. What I am suggesting is to look for ways God is already at work. Even if you think the preaching is so un-Biblical, the worship music is lousy, or whatever, train yourself to see where God is moving. Ask Him to reveal His work to you. Then begin to celebrate the little things you do see.
When we rejoice in the little that we have God gives us more. It's the principle of stewardship. Therefore, we affirm the movement of God that we do see so it can flourish. If we do not celebrate what God is doing in the first place, even if it seems small, how are we going to expect God to increase His movement?
God is the ultimate example. In us He, "calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom. 4:17) In creation He called us into life, and in our new birth He called our righteousness in us when there was none.
God is moving; lets see it, and celebrate it.
Amen.. Like someone we know who found God in Rehab, or someone else in a 12 step program, or me who answered an alter call at 12 years old in a Baptist church to the tune of “Just As I Am” that happens to stand just down the street from where you were so mightily struck by the Spirit, or Michael who suddenly realized his inherent sinfulness on a beautiful private beach in Brazil, but the best one is the guy who lived out in the middle of nowhere’s-ville watching a TV evangelist and then baptized himself in a cattle water tank because “no one else was around” and he was afraid the sinners prayer wouldn’t take if he didn’t get the thing done, slime and all! Lol! Love your posts! Mom
Yeah. Wow our family has had a diverse way of Jesus’ intervention. 🙂
In response to:
“God does what He wants. It’s as simple as that.”. It sounds as if you are saying that because God does what He wants, sin that happens on earth-rape, murder, and drug abuse-is in accordance with His will.”
I was not saying that in this post. I was making the point that God works in people’s lives for the good not dependent on the spiritual environment. Simply that, no implications about the problem of evil.
However, I do think God has sovereign control. Period. Over everything. And yes that is very offensive.
But one thing I do want to say is that there is a difference between desire and delight. God does not delight in everything that happens, but He has control over everything that happens. Everything that happens is what He desires to happen (much different than delight). One thing we can fail to realize in the emotion of the suffering in the world is that it is not even the victim that suffers the most, it’s God.
God suffers the most when the 12 year old girl is “broken in” by her pimp. He suffers more than the child soldier as well. At the same time His hand is not removed from any situation.
Of course I agree with your mom and I love your posts too. Yes, Jesus has worked in our family’s lives so many times and in so many ways. And continues to do so. We are blessed.
I like this article! I have been thinking this for some time now. However, I think you should expand more when you say, “God does what He wants. It’s as simple as that.”. It sounds as if you are saying that because God does what He wants, sin that happens on earth-rape, murder, and drug abuse-is in accordance with His will. If God does everthing He wants to do, everything He doesn’t do is also according to His will. For example, if a girl is kidnapped and the kidnappers have the intentions to sell her into sex slavery God clearly has the power to prevent that from happening. If God does what He wants all the time, then when girls are sold into slavery, God does what He wants by not responding and saving the girl. I believe the Psalmist in Psalm 115 is pointing out that His God has power while the idols mentioned have no power and thus abandon the people who worship them. I hope this makes sense and if I have mistaken what you meant by that quote I’d love to have that cleared up. I enjoy your blogs and have read most of them 🙂