ptl@fluke.UUCP (Mike Andrews) (11/16/85)
Hi,
Just wanted to share something on letting go and letting God.
Last night at a prayer meeting we had a fantastic sharing and
discussion. God's Spirit was felt and seen working powerfully.
During the evening, I kept wanting to reach with my finger tips
for that last little `whatever' that I just couldn't quite barely
touch. Ever have that deep breath-holding reach? "If only I could reach
that ---- " : can't even quite define what `it' is that
I was reaching for. I just knew I'd have that closer, deeper
understanding of God and what He is doing or wants me to do.
I tried so hard to grasp, even just touch, whatever it was. And I've
tried so many times in the past, only to find what I thought I'd reached
wasn't quite it, even though it seemed to work for awhile.
Then it came to me so softly, it was fun. Jesus spoke to my spirit,
saying "Ask the Father for a simple Faith." That was it. He wants me
to *stop* the frustrating reach for the unknown `it' that would give
me the knowledge I so deeply wanted, and simply, very simply, depend on
Him to give me all that I need, a simple Faith. So I let go. I trust
He is placing desires in my heart and giving the Gifts I need as I need them
to do whatever He calls me to do. He is, without a doubt. He is bringing
me to even deeper truths, the simpler my Faith becomes, the more open I am
to His work within me. Please pray for me, I'll pray for you all, too.
Later it hit me that the desperate reach I'd been making time and time
again, was for something that I could say I had attained, that I had
finally reached. I would have said God `helped', but still I did it - Pride.
And head-knowledge of God, not heart-knowledge - the difference between knowing
about God, and knowing God. But praise Him, He gave me something better,
a simple Faith - giving up all control to Him. Ah --- another thing just
hit me, I've read somewhere that meekness is strength under Divine control.
This is fun!
God Bless,
Mike Andrews
P.S. I had to pray for a simple Faith again today, and give all to Him
again. I'll have to do it again tomorrow, too. BUT, I pray
to God it becomes easier and freer, more childlike, to do each time.
P.P.S? [whatever] Jesus Loves you personally, and He wants you to Love
Him personally, too.
--
******************************************************************************
God said He would never leave me nor forsake me, and that I am His temple.
A man is what he thinks.
A body led by the soul is only 2/3 of a person : the soul tries to get rid of
the spirit.
A body led by the spirit is a whole person : the spirit works to make the soul
help the body. And a spirit led by God the Holy Spirit is invincible.
*******************************************************************************
ARPA : fluke!ptl@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP : {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb6, lbl-csam}!fluke!ptlbecky@cylixd.UUCP (Becky Bates) (11/18/85)
> > Hi, > > Just wanted to share something on letting go and letting God. > > Last night at a prayer meeting we had a fantastic sharing and > discussion. God's Spirit was felt and seen working powerfully. > > During the evening, I kept wanting to reach with my finger tips > for that last little `whatever' that I just couldn't quite barely > touch. Ever have that deep breath-holding reach? "If only I could reach > that ---- " : can't even quite define what `it' is that > I was reaching for. I just knew I'd have that closer, deeper > understanding of God and what He is doing or wants me to do. > I tried so hard to grasp, even just touch, whatever it was. And I've > tried so many times in the past, only to find what I thought I'd reached > wasn't quite it, even though it seemed to work for awhile. > > Then it came to me so softly, it was fun. Jesus spoke to my spirit, > saying "Ask the Father for a simple Faith." That was it. He wants me > to *stop* the frustrating reach for the unknown `it' that would give > me the knowledge I so deeply wanted, and simply, very simply, depend on > Him to give me all that I need, a simple Faith. So I let go. I trust > He is placing desires in my heart and giving the Gifts I need as I need them > to do whatever He calls me to do. He is, without a doubt. He is bringing > me to even deeper truths, the simpler my Faith becomes, the more open I am > to His work within me. Please pray for me, I'll pray for you all, too. > > Later it hit me that the desperate reach I'd been making time and time > again, was for something that I could say I had attained, that I had > finally reached. I would have said God `helped', but still I did it - Pride. > And head-knowledge of God, not heart-knowledge - the difference between knowing > about God, and knowing God. But praise Him, He gave me something better, > a simple Faith - giving up all control to Him. Ah --- another thing just > hit me, I've read somewhere that meekness is strength under Divine control. > This is fun! > > God Bless, > > Mike Andrews > > P.S. I had to pray for a simple Faith again today, and give all to Him > again. I'll have to do it again tomorrow, too. BUT, I pray > to God it becomes easier and freer, more childlike, to do each time. > > P.P.S? [whatever] Jesus Loves you personally, and He wants you to Love > Him personally, too. > -- > > ****************************************************************************** > > God said He would never leave me nor forsake me, and that I am His temple. > > A man is what he thinks. > > A body led by the soul is only 2/3 of a person : the soul tries to get rid of > the spirit. > A body led by the spirit is a whole person : the spirit works to make the soul > help the body. And a spirit led by God the Holy Spirit is invincible. > > ******************************************************************************* > ARPA : fluke!ptl@uw-beaver.ARPA > UUCP : {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb6, lbl-csam}!fluke!ptl I too have experienced this feeling and it is wonderful but strange. It is as if God has brought you to an even higher place of knowing him and you want to encompass all of his being and his love and knowledge but you cannot because you cannot define it. You cannot lay hold and define the total being of God because he has intended that for heaven and our growing and learning is to be done here on earth, therefore we can be very close to God in these moments of reaching for him to a deeper level, but cannot fathom his deep well of love. There is no bottom to God's well of Love. It is very true that the most simple of things are the greatest and most humble of teachings in God's will for us. I have gone through a lot this past weekend and despite all the distress God has deepened a friendship and taught me to be patient with others. It is like a stream that flows through my being, that even if I loose control God is within me and the stream gets stronger every day, it wells up within me at times and I am so happy when I feel God putting my heart, mind, and life back into his will and letting my spirit fall back into that realm of his order. I was wondering about the "crushed spirit" last night at my Church singles meeting. We were covering God's order in our lives and reading Proverbs. It was mentioning "bends of the heart", how our hearts are turned toward sin and our willingness to obtain discipline and knowledge and not be as fools that do not want wisdom and choose to go their own way. We were reading about "crushed spirit". This got me to wondering about it. Do you ever meet those people that were once very involved for the Lord and something happened to them that they turned their lives away from God. Do these people have crushed spirits? Maybe a curshed spirit is the point where your spirit has been hurt so bad that you feel you can never or do not ever want to come back to God and his realm of peace and love. These people seem to be very bitter about Christianity, very negative and are almost impossible to talk to. I work with such an individual. He can be very helpful at times, then in fornt of me put down religion, any kind of religion. He used to be a Sunday school teacher and I believe fell in love with a girl that went to the same church. Maye she rejected him and she was his only source of a Christian example at that time. Think of all the hurt and unecessary pain that he is going through because of that. I say nothing to him because he would only get very angry I try to be understanding and an example to him, although I fail at times. I will stop for now, just wanted some reaction to the "crushed spirit". I am not trying to show pride or take away from God but I feel very good about the growth God has brought me through. I am 26 and I think if I am feeling this good at 26 what more can I learn? It takes a lifetime for growth, but if we knew everything, every answer, what is our purpose, it would be a very dull life if we knew all the answers and we probably wouldn't rely on God as much for or daily bread. Becky Bates !ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!becky