Faves

Good Evening Church Family! God is able and faithful! Have you ever noticed that when you start to do something to get your relationship with the Lord on a deeper level, the enemy works really hard to discourage you? It almost feels like you start out great and the next thing you know you feel like you are spiritually walking through mud? It's feelings like this that can deter people from continuing to go deeper in the Lord and it's why we walk by faith and not by feeling. There are times when we just have to press on and keep going despite how it feels because we know that it is good for us. I was thinking about this today after a visit to the dentist. I never minded going to the dentist before but today after my appointment was over and the cleaning and exam were done, I had to do something I did not feel good about.... brush on fluoride!!! Oh my goodness!!! I felt like they painted on a layer of grit like sand on my teeth and then sent me on my way. It was terrible! My mouth went dry around the inside gums by my teeth... I couldn't taste flavors for almost 3 hours and I couldn't get the grit off my teeth. I definitely didn't feel like what I had done was "good" for me!!! Then it hit me, (I know... I'm weird but often spiritual truths hit me in situations like this.) this is how we see things that are good for us in our lives but they sure don't feel good at the moment. Fluoride is a great thing. It strengthens your teeth, prolongs the life of your teeth, helps fight against plaque, helps with any sensitivity... and so on. It truly is something good. HOWEVER, it truly felt terrible to me at the time and we really hard to get excited about. Hours later now, the grit is gone and the memory is getting less and less but the results of having the fluoride will last with me for a long time. This is why decisions in our lives can't be made based on feeling alone.
I am in the middle of reading the New Testament through for the 3rd time this year and I love it! It's like stories are popping off the page for me and I'm reading as if it is being told straight from the Holy Spirit. But I can remember a few years ago when I determined to read the whole Bible through twice in a year. I started out great! Things were going smooth and then I hit the spiritual muck. It went from being interesting to dull and mundane. I felt like things just were difficult and I wasn't getting anything from it. I wasn't "feeling" it, that's for sure. I have come far enough in the Lord to know that when God calls you to do something, He has a reason for it. If you are faithful to complete what He's called you to do, things will happen whether you feel them or not. I also believe that the enemy DOES NOT want us to go deeper in the Lord or become more aware of what the Word says for our lives. If he can get us "feeling" bored or uninterested or dull about the Word, then chances are we will simply not continue to read it. There comes a time, when just like getting fluoride at the dentist, you do it because you know it's good for you! Unlike the fluoride, the Bible doesn't taste bad and it doesn't leave a gritty feeling in your mouth... thank you Jesus! :) But like fluoride, reading the word, studying scripture, memorizing verses, listening to teaching all do great things for our lives!!! They strengthen our walk with the Lord and help us to grow stronger in Him! They prolong our lives and make our lives blessed and fulfilled! They help us to fight against the things that try to come against us! They help us with sensitivity... being more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and less sensitive to offenses! The list of benefits goes on and on!!!
I kept going with my reading and have now done it 3 years in a row!! As I shared earlier, I am now digging deeper into the New Testament and I don't face those times with the Word feeling dull or mundane anymore. I pushed past the enemy's attempt to stop me and now I am reaping the reward of the Word!!! This is what happens when we keep pressing in and going deeper with the Lord. I know sometimes you may not feel like doing it but when you go past feelings to walking out the truth, it will change your life!! SO, get your spiritual fluoride from the Lord daily and know that it's not about how you "feel", it's about the faith you have to believe things are happening when you do it!!! Have a blessed rest of your week, Church Family and keep going deeper with the Lord!!! Blessings, Pastors Sheli and Steve