Spending Time With God

I have always found it odd how people have such a difficult time spending time with the creator of the universe. Everything I have ever seen shows that most Chrisitans spend between 3-5 minutes a day in focused fellowship with God. After considering this idea I have come up with four good reasons not to spend adequate time with God: 1. You don't believe in God. 2. You believe in God but you know more than God. 3. Your time on facebook, the internet, t.v., or reading a fiction novel can have a greater impact on your family and eternity than your time with God. 4. God is just one of many gods vying for your time. You love Him enough to give Him whatever is leftover. (side note: Interesting how we often give God our leftovers but we demand His best.) Remember, spending time every day with the creator is not a duty to perform but a priveldge to enjoy. If you have not done it lately, begin to sanctify time every day to make it holy. Set apart at least 30 minutes a day to focus on God. Once or so a month, schedule an extended period of 3-4 hours with God. Be amazed in the knowledge that Jesus gave His life so we might have access into the throne room of God. Don't waste your opportunity to be blessed. If you need help in this area,especially in the extended time area, please let me know. Let's sit down and talk about the importance of a daily time with the awesome creator of the universe. You need never worry about wasted time in God's presence. Time with God is never wasted but always beneficial. Learn to take advantage of one of our greatest privileges.

"Radical Together" by David Plat

David Platt is an author, speaker, and preacher who continually challenges my church paradigm. He did it in his first book, “Radical” and did not disappoint in his follow-up book “Radical Together.” I never know for sure if I enjoy reading Platt’s books but I know I must read them. I am always convicted, challenged, confirmed, and compelled by Platt’s writing. “Radical Together” was no different. What is the vision of the church? Are we more concerned with the comforts of our call or the cost of reaching people? As you read Platt, you realize there are very few people who have a greater passion for reaching all people groups in the world. He gives some amazing numbers of the unreached people groups across the world. Believing it is the task of the church to reach all people groups, he challenges the church to be radical in completing this task to usher in the return of Jesus Christ. To accomplish this, the church must begin to remember she has been “entrusted by God with stewards of God’s Word to equip God’s people to be servants with God’s Word” (pg 71). The church must regain her focus on equipping people and not just planning events. Platt will argue throughout the book of the importance of a selfless people serving a self-centered God. We must our eyes off of our comfort and put them squarely on the greatness of an all-mighty and all-sufficient God. If I were to sum up Platt’s ideas I would with two quotes of the many I underlined while reading “Radical Together:” “We want to see God glorified by people everywhere because God wants to see himself glorified by people everywhere” (pg 106). “Radical Together” takes the ideas of “Radical” and asks the question “How can we in the church best unleash the people of God in the Spirit of God with the Word of God for the glory of God in the world?” (3, 125). I am always convicted and challenged by Platt. I would highly recommend the reading of “Radical Together.” Be ready to be challenged. Be ready to ask yourself in you are more concerned with the comforts of following Christ or are you willing to submit to His Lordship and accept the cost of fowling. As a Christian, are you ready to get busy in getting the Gospel to every people group in the world to help usher in the coming of our Lord? If that is a challenge you are ready to undertake, take a moment to read “Radical Together.” It is an easy read yet a challenging read.