Relationship Goals

Hey guys! I hope you are all enjoying your summer!  I've had something really weighing on me lately and of course at every turn things have been put in my path that back up my thinking.  Lately, all I can think about is how it seems like people are too worried about their church.  Take a deep breath, I'm not saying church isn't important, far from it actually.  I just feel like we as a people have shifted to a thought process that puts too much emphasis on where you go to church and the fact that you "show up".  Have we forgotten the fact that our relationship with God is supposed to be the most important thing?!?  Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.....one of my favorite lines.  I have come to a place in my life where just showing up to church once or twice a week and soaking up someone else's relationship with Christ just isn't enough.  I was listening to a sermon recently that has really had me thinking, it was about the story of Thomas.  John 20:25 says, So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he said to them "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe".  Most times this is taught as Thomas doubting the Lord (Doubting Thomas) but if you really sit and think on this that was the farthest thing from the truth.  Thomas was not going to be satisfied with just hearing about someone else's encounter, he wanted to have his own encounter.  Think about it for just a minute, are you striving for your own encounter with the Lord or are you just relying on hearing about someone else's?  Do you go to church to hear about your pastor's relationship or do you go to learn more about how you can encounter Him yourself?  I feel like we have all been at a place from time to time where we show up at church and go through the motions just listening to "story time"...that is one of the many things that is wrong with the world today.  Recently I have realized that if I truly have quiet time with Him, He actually speaks to me.  Actually, He speaks to all of us all the time!  We just don't realize it because we are not in a true relationship with Him.  It's like in John 10:27 where Jesus says "My sheep know my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me".  It doesn't talk about following Him because someone you know heard from Him.  He speaks to all of us, it's just a question of if you are willing to listen.  I know I have said this before but being a Christian is not about comfort...He WILL ask you to do things that are not comfortable for you.  Lately with me personally it has been speaking a word over me about people in my life.  When I get these words I can not just sit by and think "that can't really be God" just because it may be a little weird to walk up to someone and tell them that God gave you a word to speak over their life.  Trust me it is very uncomfortable sometimes.  But you can also trust me in how amazing it is when you listen and get to hear a friend or loved one tell you that they needed to hear what you spoke over them.  Think about how impactful it would be if you were really struggling through a situation that you haven't told anyone about and then someone walks up to you and knows exactly what you need to hear in that situation.  Tell me that isn't a God thing.....and to top it off you got to be a huge part of it!  But, if you haven't fostered that relationship with God on your own you won't get those moments.  God can't give your pastor a word to be passed over to you and then passed along to the person that needs it, that's just not how it works.  We need to stop relying on other peoples relationships with the Father and start building ours so that we can truly experience the amazing things that He wants to do both for and through us.  I pray that you all take a few moments to ask God to come into your life so much that you absolutely explode in His goodness.  If you stop worrying about checking church off your list for the week and getting to enjoy your entertainment and "story time" your life will be changed so much.  I'm gonna leave you with a quote from a sermon I was recently listening to...."The success of the Kingdom man is attributed to just one thing, that one thing is the obedience of the spoken word of Jesus."  I hope that you all enjoy the rest of your summer and if you need any specific prayers please feel free to reach out, I'm always here.  Love you all!