Jesus Surfs Oct 14, 2011
Many of us will get the place of accepting Jesus, but then we don't know what to do from there. Once we've come off that first realization, that first joy, we don't know what to do, but that's when the fun starts. He renews our mind and He starts to show us His heart... if we can "see" it. Now we get back to surfing lessons: how to see God working in your life- how to see Jesus surfing and how to join that wave with Him.
Using the analogy of surfing, the hard part is not standing up. The hard part is being in the right place at the right time, and being able to be in the right portion of the wave, working with the power of the wave. Obviously, there is no use trying to go against the power of the wave. Absolutely no use.
Every time I try to surf (by the way, I'm terrible, I'm just learning,) no doubt I get creamed. I've learned to avoid the "back breaker" but I have not so far learned how to avoid being tumbled and held under water. So I avoid the big waves for right now while I'm learning. Following God is a learning process also and we've got to make sure we're not afraid of making mistakes because there is forgiveness.
When we're trying to hear the voice of God, when we're trying to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it's OK to lay hands on people for healing and then not to see them not be healed. It's not your fault (if they do not become well) Keep trying. You have to try. Don't look at the waves. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
There is a point at which we begin to hear God more clearly. In other words, without Him speaking outloud, there is a point at which, after spending long enough in His Word, you begin to understand His Word, His will and His ways. When you've meditated on Him and you've spent time with Him that's when you start to "see" God- not with your eyes, but in relationship with Him, spending time with Him, you start to see that He is active in your life. You can then say, along with those of us who have never seen him with our physical eyes, "I have seen Him."
My faith is not blind. The term "blind faith" is not in the Bible. The scripture reference is 'The just shall walk by faith and not by sight' which means that we trust and obey God's Words even when we don't understand why. This doesn't mean that our faith is illogical or completely devoid of experience. I don't trust in some distant hope that may or may not be. The Scripture says our hope is sure, an anchor for our soul. I experience God every day. I see Him. I walk with Him. I surf with Him. I know Him. I can now see that He has been with me every single day of my life.
When we don't see Him, it's not that He is not there, it's that we haven't had our eyes open yet. That is a work of the Holy Spirit. We can't try hard enough or do some type of ritualistic thing that is supposed to help us "see" God. There is no shortcut. You must come to Him His own way, on His terms, acknowledging that He is God and that His Word is right. When we put our trust in God's Word, even that is not blind faith. He is trustworthy. He always does what He promises. Test Him and see. I have seen Him true to His Word so many times that it's no great leap of faith to trust Him. It's logical. It's the right thing to do.
Using the analogy of surfing, the hard part is not standing up. The hard part is being in the right place at the right time, and being able to be in the right portion of the wave, working with the power of the wave. Obviously, there is no use trying to go against the power of the wave. Absolutely no use.
Every time I try to surf (by the way, I'm terrible, I'm just learning,) no doubt I get creamed. I've learned to avoid the "back breaker" but I have not so far learned how to avoid being tumbled and held under water. So I avoid the big waves for right now while I'm learning. Following God is a learning process also and we've got to make sure we're not afraid of making mistakes because there is forgiveness.
When we're trying to hear the voice of God, when we're trying to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it's OK to lay hands on people for healing and then not to see them not be healed. It's not your fault (if they do not become well) Keep trying. You have to try. Don't look at the waves. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
There is a point at which we begin to hear God more clearly. In other words, without Him speaking outloud, there is a point at which, after spending long enough in His Word, you begin to understand His Word, His will and His ways. When you've meditated on Him and you've spent time with Him that's when you start to "see" God- not with your eyes, but in relationship with Him, spending time with Him, you start to see that He is active in your life. You can then say, along with those of us who have never seen him with our physical eyes, "I have seen Him."
My faith is not blind. The term "blind faith" is not in the Bible. The scripture reference is 'The just shall walk by faith and not by sight' which means that we trust and obey God's Words even when we don't understand why. This doesn't mean that our faith is illogical or completely devoid of experience. I don't trust in some distant hope that may or may not be. The Scripture says our hope is sure, an anchor for our soul. I experience God every day. I see Him. I walk with Him. I surf with Him. I know Him. I can now see that He has been with me every single day of my life.
When we don't see Him, it's not that He is not there, it's that we haven't had our eyes open yet. That is a work of the Holy Spirit. We can't try hard enough or do some type of ritualistic thing that is supposed to help us "see" God. There is no shortcut. You must come to Him His own way, on His terms, acknowledging that He is God and that His Word is right. When we put our trust in God's Word, even that is not blind faith. He is trustworthy. He always does what He promises. Test Him and see. I have seen Him true to His Word so many times that it's no great leap of faith to trust Him. It's logical. It's the right thing to do.
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