What moves God is our reaction to Him evidenced by our faith. For Christians to be affective in fulfilling their calling, a vertical relationship must be established. Many Believers attempt to impress God with their horizontal outreach, which many times are void of faith. Christians are not the only ones who feed the poor or find a need and meet it. There are many non-Christians who are touching the lives of people with just as great an efficiency as the Church itself. What brings the Church into a Godly perspective is when we establish a relationship with God. When we walk with God we establish a personal and living "inner life" with the Creator of all existence. Noah walked with God (Gen. 6: 9) and Enoch walked with God. (Gen. 5: 22, 24) Amos stated, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3: 1) To fully understand God's directives, there must be a connection with Him. How can we expect spiritual satisfaction without a living and growing relationship with God? It is not knowing about God, rather it is knowing God. It is not about "our Father which art in Heaven," rather it is about our Father which abides within us. (John 14: 23) It is not the "bless this food" and the "now I lay me down to sleep," it is rather an ongoing sharing with the One who cares so much for us.
How do we get into that relationship with God that will transcend all our human desires and interests? So many times we wait for God to take the initiative in establishing a relationship with us. What we don't realize is that God is waiting for us to initiate an "open door policy" in which He can enter our lives and have a living relationship with us. Without learning His desire, we substitute works for relationship. We become so involved in horizontal ministry that the vertical relationship is taken for granted. God is not impressed with our works; rather He is moved by our faith. (Heb. 11: 6) Works without a faithful relationship is nothing more than secular humanism. Filling the stomach and clothing the body, while neglecting the spirit and soul of the needy, is to evidence a strained relationship with God. The Christian needs to come into harmony with God through Jesus Christ. When that interaction becomes prioritized, the power of God will be released through the Believing individual to a horizontal ministry that will affect the body, soul, and spirit of others.
God is not impressed with our "weakly" attendance on Sunday. What pleases Him is to see the strength of our daily commitment. Communication is essential to the success of marriages. When couples don't communicate their relationship is strained. Lacking verbal expressions, each travels their own road in pursuit of self gratification. Very seldom is there an evidence of contentment. It is the same way in the Christian walk. Without interaction with God a lack of spiritual contentment develops. Works become the road of Spiritual fulfillment. Many of these efforts are self initiated and result in substitutionary commitment. In other words "works" become our faith.
When the two men on the road to Emmaus encountered Jesus they were at first unaware of who He was. But as they journeyed and heard Him expound the Word, something began to happen within them. When Jesus left them later that evening, they realized who He was and said to each other, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scripture?" (Luke 24: 32) As we develop that relationship with Him, our hearts will "burn within us" as He opens to us the understanding, not only of His Word, but of the things of the Kingdom.
Corrie ten Boom - The Roots of the Jerusalem Prayer Team Unspectacularly Supernatural Walking After Emptiness
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