By Bill Loveless

A new phase of my spiritual journey began when the COVID virus shut down this country in March, 2020, (we will never forget that event, will we!). By the time that occurred, I had already made four out-of-state trips since January and had seven more trips planned through August. 

I had just returned from Memphis, TN when COVID stopped all my travel plans. I was very disappointed because I had some great trips planned to a number of churches. Little did I know that I was about to discover what I believe for me personally is the “pearl of great value” that Jesus talked about in Matthew 13:46. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic for me to discover it. 

Since I now had time on my hands, I began spending more time with the Lord. One morning when I was being still before the Lord, He sent this thought rolling across my mind that I knew was from the Him. He said, “Bill, when you get to heaven, I don’t want to hear these words, ‘Oh, so this is what intimacy is all about.’” 

Those words impacted me like a baseball bat across my face. What I didn’t realize at the time was how much of a divine wake-up call this was! The Lord was revealing to me that there was another part of my spiritual journey that I had yet to discover. 

One morning, I was reading a book that quoted Psalm 27:8 which says: 

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” Psalm 27:8 

Even though I had read this verse many times, this time I realized God was speaking to me personally. As I meditated on this verse, the Lord put these thoughts into my mind, “Bill, I want you to seek My face which means to seek Me for who I am, not for what I can do for you.” 

I must be honest with you. Before then I had never sought God for who He was. Don’t get me wrong. I would praise and thank Him for being God but it was always based on what He could do for me, for someone else or in some circumstance. I realized in that moment that God was calling me to know His heart. This revelation is what began my new journey to become a man after God’s own heart. 

While my journey is unique to me, I am convinced that God is constantly inviting each of us into a deeper personal relationship with Him. I pray that as I share my journey, it will encourage you to step onto the path of your own deeper journey with God. 

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This post is from Bill’s new book, After God’s Heart (pages 5,6) which is available in print, audio, or as a free PDF download at his ministry: www.christislifeministries.com/

by Dr. Lewis Gregory

THE WORD IS: “You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and for ever.  Amen.” 2 Peter 3:17-18

THE POINT IS: Warning signs are everywhere. We need to know what the danger is, where it is, and how to avoid it. The Apostle Peter wrote 2 letters to prepare Christians for living in troubled times. He concluded his second letter by summarizing the main points. Peter gave a caution and a cure. The caution, beware! The cure, keep on growing in the Lord! The caution: beware of deceitful workers, false prophets, and false teaching. Don’t follow the bad leadership of the wicked—those lawless people who live an unbridled life, contrary to the nature and character of God. Such people are more attuned to the word of earthly leaders than to the Word of God. Therefore, they adhere to the doctrines and traditions of men, often using Scripture as a proof text. But such practices are not in accordance with the character of God, much less in keeping with the whole counsel of the Word of God. This does not honor God nor benefit humanity, regardless of how morally upright or religiously precise it appears to be.  

THE APPLICATION IS: Thanks to God you’ve been duly warned, not only by the Apostle Peter, but also by the Apostle Paul, and even by the Lord Jesus Himself. The warning is clear: beware and keep on growing! It’s much like riding a bicycle. You must keep moving forward or you’ll fall down. The same thing is true in your Christian walk. Just as your physical muscles must be continually exercised by proper use, your spiritual senses must be exercised. Otherwise, you will become easily shaken, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (false teaching). 

The antidote to this kind of deception is spiritual perception. As you grow spiritually, your spiritual senses will be kept sharp and alert. Then you will be spiritually perceptive: able to discern between good and evil. Therefore, you must continue to grow spiritually by growing in the grace and knowledge of your Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual growth has two components: you must grow in the grace of the Lord and in the knowledge of the Lord. True spiritual growth is only possible by the grace of God, which means God must do the work! He will work in you and through you by enlightening you, enabling you, and empowering you in your daily life. But in order to grow in the Lord, you must also know the Lord. It is not enough to know about the Lord Jesus Christ, you must know Him—personally, intimately, and experientially in the practical details of everyday life. As you begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, then God will be glorified in your life!
 
THE PRAYER: “Oh Lord, there is so much false information and everyone has an opinion. I feel like I am being pulled in many directions. But You, Lord Jesus, are the Truth. Your warning is clear: beware of falsehood. Cause me to grow in grace and the knowledge of You, so that I can know the difference between truth and error. Then, I will be able to remain steadfast in the truth.”

Courtesy of https://www.sourceministries.net/