Dear KKIM Family,
Let us make every week, Holy week!
From Chuck Swindoll’s book on Paul…………
In his book “Celebration of Discipline”, Richard Foster writes, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for DEEP people.”
Sharon and I were talking about this on our date night, Saturday night, (Yes! I got that from the Weekend To Remember Marriage Conference!, we do it every weekend! Even thou Lars says it sounds corny!) We all need to experience the deeper life in God and our marriages,and not be so fast about everything!
Chuck writes…….
The deeper life is a subject greatly admired but rarely experienced. In fact, it is seldom discussed, even though all of us would consider it of highest importance. We sing of virtues, but we don’t embrace them. We long for it’s quenching water, but rarely dip into it’s well. We love the benefits it affords, but our frenzied lifestyles crowd out their significance. Unless we’re compelled by the Lord Himself to accept the ingredients of the hidden life, either through a lengthy period of illness or some other cataclysmic event, depth of character remains a distant dream.
The mere fact that you listen to KKIM and read the Cup my friends shows that you desire to go deeper in your relationship with Christ.
Chuck continues…….
A major obstacle that prevents us from getting into a deeper relationship with Christ is our lifestyle. We’re simply to busy.
I’m not talking about a sabbatical every six or seven years. I’m not talking about disengaging from normal activities for months at a time. That’s not only impractical, it’s impossible for folks who have to earn a living. What I have in mind is brief periods of time when we deliberately slow down and meet, alone, with our God.
Dewey says……
Sharon and I did that this weekend, just by ourselves…for hours! It was AWESOME. I have to tell you though, that’s why I go to bed early at night to get up way early to spend time with the Lord and also pray about how to go about my day. I know many of you already do this…..but try to even spend more time with the Lord……….there is nothing as important as that! We need to be able to HEAR the Holy Spirit move in our lives.
Chuck says……….
A survey of the Scriptures reveals that those God used greatly were often prepared for those exploits during periods of solitude, quietness, and obscurity.
I am convinced that those sustained periods of preparation fueled the future effectiveness of each choice servant. They learned the value of growing deep, of spurning the shallow life so they could minister out of the overflow of the inner life. That is precisely why superficiality is the curse of our age. Our shallow lives offer no promise for living impact.
Dewey says………..
What do you focus on each day?
What do you spend most of your time thinking about?
Do you pray constantly?
Do you listen for the Lord?
How do you make a decision?
Do you FEEL the Lord working in your life?
Does the Lord MOVE you?
Has your well about run dry?
Or has it already ran dry?
Chuck says…………
We continue to run on empty until finally our lives fracture deep within. At that point we begin to sputter, clog and chunk, and finally grind to a complete stop. That’s when the truth comes out: Ministries fold, marriages crumble, children wander from the Lord unattended, and our character weakens to the point of blowout. Those painful experiences demonstrate that the dangers are real. We’re not nearly as resourceful as we think.
Dewey says………..
My prayer is that all of us will slow down………..and have God at the top of our mind! We are just coming off of Resurrection Sunday, Sharon and I pray that we celebrate it everyday…….not just once a year! That our relationship with God is an every second of the day relationship! Look to God……….Spend time with HIM!
When is the last time you and God really had a talk?
Live the deeper life……….Our world would be so much better………if we all would continue to grow in our daily walk with Jesus Christ. Sharon and I have many challenges in our life just like all of you. When we grow in our relationship with God, we find the true meaning of life………GOD.
As Paul wrote in Galatians……..
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ.
Let us pray…………..
Dear Father,
We pray that we put to the side our will………….and let your will be done in on our lives. We turn our lives completely over to You. In the name of Jesus, AMEN!
In the Love of Christ, Dewey Sharon and family
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