Experience vs Comfort
Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Yesterday at church we started the Experiencing God study by Henry & Richard Blackaby. This is a study close to my heart, and to be honest, I am very passionate about. I know that you cannot participate in this study for 13 weeks and your understanding and relationship with God remain the same. This study bends towards the understanding of joining God where he already is at work around you, not pleading for him to come join you at your work. This study opens up the scriptures, and develops the habits of spending daily time in the scriptures in a powerful way. “You will never be satisfied merely to know about God. Knowing God comes through experience as he reveals himself to you.”
Can you imagine being a disciple of Christ in the passage above? Can you imagine how it was to be chosen by God to be an apostle of God? Can you imagine…….the list is endless of their experiences being in the presence of Christ, chosen by God, for those few years. Peter, oh the outspoken Peter; you can almost picture yelling, was clear in his answer; and Christ built his church on the rock He called Peter. 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Jesus knew that God was opening the mind, heart, body, and soul to the truths found in Christ. Jesus rejoiced at what had been revealed to Peter by God.
If you are living your life in the comfort of Christianity, but have no evidence of your faith, how will you answer for your life on Judgment Day? What will you say when God asks you what you did with the knowledge of the sacrifice of His Son? Are you complacent; are you comfortable; are you feeling good about going to church every Sunday? Wouldn’t that be called comfortable? One of the scariest verses in the Bible is what Christ says in the book of Revelation that he will do with comfortable Christians. Revelation 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. That passage should stir your heart and soul into a daily pursuit of God in his Word and prayer. That is all it will take for the Word of God to stir you into being obedient to what the Holy Spirit reveals to you. You will either be obedient, and begin to experience God, or disobedient, and feel his wrath on that Day. The choice is easy when you realize it.
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