I have now been on the road for 3.5 months and man has it been an incredible trip. I have been able to experience so much of this country I mean really experience it. When you are on a vacation with a timeline it’s hard to really experience what you are seeing. Yes you can be in the moment yes you can enjoy it but you know you have a limited time so you can’t always soak in it. God has allowed me to soak in his creation. To hike and take my time doing it, to camp, meet and chat with others from the area, Watch the wildlife, get the feel of the region (Are the people happy or sad, rushed or casual, spiritual or not, what do they embrace belief wise? Why? What is important to them? It has been a great time. I thank God for giving it to me. I have traveled in the West, Midwest, South and Southwest. While I took off on this journey so I could get alone with God and hear from him about certain aspects of my life and future to experience him and get to know him better I think God had a different purpose in sending me. Yes I am getting some of the answers I was looking for but I’m getting them through God revealing his purpose of the trip. I gotta be honest I haven’t even said it yet but as I’m typing my eyes are beginning to fill with this strange moist discharge and I have a lump growing in my throat at the thought of what I’m about to say. I thoroughly believe that God has sent me on this trip for no other reason than to show me how much he truly LOVES ME! He knows me and knows how touched I would be through this experience. (Side note: I would not be saying this if an initial step of faith/trust in him had not been made) Never mind I misspoke slightly. I said “no other reason then to let me know he loves me.” He wanted to show me how much he loves all of us as well and how he is calling to us. You see I’ve noticed that in the area’s of this country that I personally have found the most beautiful the people living in those area’s aren’t as interested in God. Of course this is a general statement. there are Christ Followers everywhere. But you can’t argue that certain area’s of the country are more open to him than others. I have come to believe that in our search for God, fulfillment, contentment we are drawn to the area’s of creation that God expresses himself in a special way. You see he so loves us that he puts his stamp on creation and we are naturally drawn to him through that creation. Once we are able to embrace the beauty of his creation we are just a step away from recognizing the creator (Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse) Unfortunately what seems to happen is we as people are drawn to his creation (Because it speaks of him) but we refuse to listen to him when he says “SEE how much I love you” We have bought a lie that says “No God could love me THAT much. I’m not worthy of it.” But the truth is HE DOES LOVE US THAT MUCH! He loves us so much that even when we do not embrace him he still gives us that gift to enjoy. But when we do embrace him he gives us so much more. He says “Larry I love you so much I want to give you a trip that will change your life. One on one time just you and I because I know that is what will speak to your soul and give you life abundantly” He loves you so much that he knows exactly what will spur you onto greatness. Not necessarily greatness in the worlds eyes but greatness all the same. He knows what will speak to your soul. He knows what will make you excited to wake up in the morning. He knows how you were created and what will make you operate the most efficiently. He wants to give you life, abundant life (John 10:10 The thief does not come except to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. Also read John 6: 53, 63 and 1 John 5:12) The thief kills and destroys by saying “You are not worthy of love, How could the creator of this world possibly love you” But God gave us Christ so we could recognize the lie. He so loved us that he died for us. He came to give us life and to give it abundantly.
Now if you are reading this odds are you’re are saying “I know this you’re preaching to the choir” But I need to push a little further and ask “DO YOU REALLY?” Ok, you’ve said a prayer and you know the verses. You have the head knowledge. But have you let the realization that God loves you soak deep down into your inner being? Does that love effect who you are? Let me put it another way. Most of us know what it’s like to be in love. We have experienced it to some degree. We missed them when they were gone. We have that tinge of excitement when going to see them after being separated for a time. We can’t imagine life without them. We are disappointed when we can’t see them. We are sad when we find they don’t quite trust us in a certain area. THIS IS HOW GOD FEELS ABOUT US!!! When you know someone feels this way about you don’t you listen to them a little closer? You trust them because you know they don’t want to hurt you. If they say “Trust me do this” You do! When it comes to God and he says “Trust me do this” How much do you hesitate? I’m going to step out on a limb here and say. “The more we hesitate the less we believe he loves us” It’s the only thing that makes sense. We know he is God. We know he is creator of the universe. We know he is in perfect control. So if we hesitate the only reason that makes sense in my mind is we don’t trust him and the only reason we wouldn’t trust him is because we don’t realize how much HE LOVES US. Take a minute to sit back and ask yourself “Do I truly realize just how much God loves me?” I don’t think any of us can ever fully embrace and understand those depths but we can understand more. After you’ve asked that turn to God and ask him to reveal to you just how much he loves you. He’ll do it I don’t know how. He speaks with each of us according to how he made us but he will. Ask again tomorrow and the next day and the next. Why not make it a part of our daily prayers “God reveal your love to me today”
Now, I don’t want to just assume that if you are reading this you already know Christ and have embraced and accepted the love he is offering to you. If you don’t know him but you want too simply go to him right now and ask him to come into your life. Just let God know that you now realize how much he loves you and that you accept his gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Then ask him to reveal his love to you in a greater level. After you are done with that find someone that embraces life in Christ tell them what you did and ask them to help guide you through this thing called Christianity. If you don’t have anyone to go too ask me (Tell me either way I want to hear about it) I would be excited and honored to help point you toward a great relationship with our Creator, Savior, and Holy Spirit. GOD!!!
That was my two cents worth for the week. Next it’s lesson #2 from God to me. “GRACE” It’s just a word but the action behind it could quite possibly be the most powerful force in this universe.
As always Gang lets go out this week and live life “Upside Down!”
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