Communicating With Jesus

The first response to a title like this is to believe we are going to talk about prayer. However that is only partly true here. Mainly because prayer is often thought of in very limited terms.

When I was a child I remember thinking that God could only hear my prayers when I closed my eyes. So I would say my prayers with my eyes closed and when I was done I would simply hang up by opening my eyes real wide…for me as a child that meant that anything the I said or thought after that moment was in fact truly private.

I really did think that anything that I said with my eyes open was hidden from God…as a child this allowed me to justify all kinds of bad thoughts and behaviors.

As I matured I got past this idea of being able to hang up on God. But I began to compartmentalized my relationship with God.

I believed that God was only interested in the “Spiritual” things in my life. Like Church, bible study and all kind of other Churchy type activities. So just like I justified bad thoughts as a child I continued this as a preteen and probably if I am honest a teenager.

If we are honest this sounds really familiar. We either know people that still compartmentalize their faith or we may even do it ourselves.

We do it because we think it makes it easier to follow Jesus and live in the “real” World. However the result is not what we hope not becuase we are doing it wrong but becuase we do not realize we are in God’s presence continually.

In fact our central Scripture today tells us that God does not want occasional communication but Constant communication

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

17 Never stop praying.

This does not mean to walk around like a crazy person having a conversation with an invisible person. It is deeper than that.

To pray continually is to be constantly aware of to presence of God in every aspect of life…and to walk or abide in that presence. This is the final thing we are going to talk about pertaining to and emotional reset.

When we truly embrace Gods omnipresence in our lives we will be able to face even the most tumultuous seasons of our lives in an emotionally and Spiritually healthy way.

I think we all believe this in our hearts. We all believe in the omnipresence of God even if we do not understand it. But what if we are also to be omnipresent with God?

John 15:1-11

New Living Translation Chapter 15

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

The secret to an emotionally healthy Christian life is to learn how to abide in Jesus all day everyday.

When we are abiding in Jesus on our own terms we are inclined to keep a tight grasp on thought and actions that create angst and anxiety.

We are also more inclined to get our identity from what we are doing or not doing instead of just being with God…Remember Mary and Martha?

When we are trusting in ourself more than God we are unable to hear God not becuase God is not talking but becuase we may be busy trying to make things happen.

This is what causes anxiety, frustration and loneliness that seems so prevalent in our world. It is why you may be struggling not only with life but even faith…THIS IS NOT WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ABOUT…IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO BUT IN WHOM YOU REST.

When we abide/rest continually in Jesus and allow Holy Spirit to break our grip on these things we will find that our anxiety will subside and our confidence will grow exponentially.

We will be pruned by God

We will naturally produce good fruit

We will know we are loved

Obedience will not be a drudgery but a joy

We will be filled with joy that allows us to choose happiness.

By adopting a practice of intentionally resting in the knowlege that God is at work in even we are not physically doing anything other than resting trusting in God’s love for us.

We can receive an emotional and spiritual wholeness that absolves us of having to be in constant control of things that only God can do and quite honestly things God wants to do in our lives.

Communion/Altar.....If you need to abide before you receive communion please do.

To keep the altars clear I has asked those helping with communion to go all the way to the walls. As you come to receive this Holy Sacrament if you feel you need to stop and pray please do…there is no hurry we will stay as long as you need to receive communion....if not feel free to to continue to receive communion and they consider your self dismissed...

Lords Prayer....Come receive and go in peace