He's intentional, never failing.
God is intentional with us, so why can't we be intentional with him?
To be intentional means to be done with intention or on purpose. It means that you are purposely doing something. Our relationship with Christ should be intentional. We should be purposely and actively working to expand our relationship with Christ. We purposely pursue or relationships and or friendships, but what about with Christ? It seems like we become "intentional" about him when it's convenient to us. We love to acknowledge him when things are going great and we love to cry out when we need a breakthrough. But what about the season of obedience where God is asking you to do something that feels uncomfortable? Where's the intent then?
Our relationship with God is not about blessings. We don't praise God so that blessings come down, we praise him because he's God. He's GOD, he deserves our praise in any season. How intentional are you with Christ when things aren't going so good in your life? Are you still willing to praise him even when you don't understand him and your circumstances? One of my favorite quotes is "even if he doesn't" Which came from the book of Daniel chapter 3.
King Nebuchadnezzar was trying to get Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to bow down and worship his King. As they were about to get thrown into the furnace, they said that the God the they serve is able to deliver them... but even if he doesn't, they were not going to worship their god. Their faith in God was so strong that they knew that even if God didn't save them and allowed them to go through this trial, that he was still their God and that he still deserved their worship.
I love that! God even if you don't.... even if you allow me to go through this situation, you are still good, and you are still worthy of my praise.
Lately, Christ has been pulling me closer to him. This season has been about trusting him releasing things to him and it's tough to release things that I've controlled for so long! It's causing me to move out of my comfort zone and into a place where he can use me. God cannot move when you're in your comfort zone. You have to brave enough and willing to move out of that place.
So often we just want to label of being a Christian and not want to do the work. Once saved, always saved, right? WRONG. Being a Christian is nothing more than a label. You can say you're a Christian, but how do others know you're a Christian? What sets you apart from the world?
Whenever I bring up Heaven and Hell or Christ coming back, people seem to get really uncomfortable. I hear a lot of people say that , Oh, I'm a good person, I believe in God, I go to church, so I'll go to Heaven." Sadly, there a good people in Hell and even the devil believes there is a God. We cannot solely rely on the fact that we think we're a good person to be enough. Are we doing what God has told us to do? I challenge myself with this blog, because I have to make sure that I'm doing the very thing God has to told me to do.
We should get to a place where we are so confident with our relationship with Christ, that if we died that second, we know we would go to Heaven. Or if Christ where to come back right then, we would be raptured up with him.
Choosing to be intentional with God didn't happen over night. Personally, I got tired of the same ol stuff and feeling stagnant, on top of that I was experiencing spiritual warfare and I came to the conclusion that it was only God that could see me through this. I intentionally have to make time to pray and seek the face of God. And with the busy work and school schedule I have, I have to make sure I make time for God because I cannot make it without him.
Lately, I've been desperate for God and for more of him. I want more of him in everything that I do, I want him to involved. I wanna look like him in everything (which is tough). God promised that he would pour out his spirit in the last days and I feel like I'm crying out and seeking for more of him. I know that I cannot make it without him.
So my challenge is simple, join me in making a conscious effort to be intentional in our relationship with Christ. Be intentional about spending time with him, be intentional about praying daily and allowing him to speak to us, be intentional about being OBEDIENT in his word and things he asks us to do. We can do this! You never know what effect your obedience has on someone else.
Here are my tips that help me go deeper in Christ:
1. Watch your friends, they should be building you up to be closer to Christ. Have an accountability partner!
-Proverbs 27:17.
2. Make a scheduled time to spend with Christ.
God says if we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. How can he get closer us if we don't allow him space to do so.
- James 4:8
3. Worship Music playlist.
Worship music helps me get to a place of peace.
4. Think on things that are like Christ.
This is hard for me because it's so easy to assume the worst.
- Philippians 4:8
5. Trust the process. Things don't happen overnight, be patient, but be intentional.
- Philippians 1:6
