Our Relationship With The Lord

by THOMAS, R. | Category: Principles Of Church Growth | Aug 2002

Our relationship with the Lord is of paramount importance in our life. It is a way of living. Joshua told the people of Israel to choose for themselves whom they would serve, but also emphasized the correct choice when he said that he and his household would serve the Lord.(1) Moses had stressed the principle that blessing is related to obedience: if Israel would walk with the Lord their God, then they would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.(2,3)

Our desire is the same as Joshua's: to serve the Lord and to see our families do so as well. Joshua knew that this choice was not easy. It would be a spiritual battle, but to overcome would bring great blessings from the Lord. If we are seeking the blessing of spiritual growth as individuals, and in churches of God, a close relationship with the Lord is essential. It requires self-discipline. Paul wrote to the Church of God in Corinth and encouraged them to run this 'race' on earth to win the prize, but warned that it would take strict training. (4) The race is marked out for us and it requires perseverance to keep our eyes focused on Jesus.(5) Satan is doing what he can to break our concentration and to make us stumble and fall. The saints in Galatia were running a good race, but someone cut in on them and kept them from obeying the truth. (6)

Maintaining closeness

It is good to see those in churches of God running well in their spiritual lives. Consistency is achieved by putting on the armour of faith daily and going out to the battleground of spiritual growth. Satan would have us feel as though we are not walking with the Lord. Furthermore, he will want us to be so disillusioned as to feel that the breach is beyond repair.

Sometimes we are tempted and turn our eyes away from Jesus, the One we love to walk with. This may only be for a few moments, a couple of days or perhaps longer. Sin can break communion with God so that we feel as though we have lost touch with Him. When we can trace our problem to sin, then confession is necessary. Our faith is tested sometimes through illness or a traumatic event that touches us. At other times we may not be able to identify why we are so low in spirit and feeling so far away from our normally close relationship with the Lord.

Recently, I was admiring a beautiful porcelain vase on a matching pedestal. It was a masterpiece of its creator, formed of the finest material and finished with intricate painting. It was valuable to the owner because of the memories associated with it. Unfortunately, a thief carelessly took hold of the base and the vase fell and broke into many pieces. Yet, to my delight, this extraordinary vase has been lovingly restored at great cost to the owner, so that it appears as beautiful and flawless as it was before being broken.

Perhaps we feel as though we have been wrenched from the One to whom we belong with no hope of restoration at times when our regular communion is broken. But we also can be renewed in our walk with the Lord so that we are covered with His righteousness and are seen as holy because the Lord Jesus paid the full price for our reconciliation at Calvary. Godly sorrow leads us to repentance and full restoration in our relationship with our God.(7) Although we may wander from Him, we can be assured of this, that our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep(8) will never leave us or forsake us.(9) He is always there waiting for us to return.

Measuring growth potential

We might measure the closeness of our relationship with God by the degree to which we achieve an attitude of consistent devotion, faithfulness and prayerfulness. It is our privilege and purpose in the house of God to meet together regularly to encourage one another in our work and devotion for the Lord.(10) Our faithful devotion is also evident in participating in the worship of God and service in the house of God.

Devotion is a result of a faithful attitude. Faithful saints devoted themselves to learn and follow the commands of the Lord involving worship, service and daily living. On the day of Pentecost those who had gladly received the Word of God steadfastly followed the doctrine of the Lord.(11)

In their walk with the Lord, they cultivated an attitude of prayerfulness. For instance, many of those in the rapidly growing church in Jerusalem had gathered to pray for Peter who was imprisoned and while they were still praying angels from heaven released his bonds, opened the iron gates and he walked out unhindered.(12) They were still praying for him as he knocked on the door of the house where they were. It was a powerful demonstration of the miracle of wrestling with God in prayer. We, too, must demonstrate an attitude of prayerfulness, watchfulness and thankfulness (13) as an essential aspect of a healthy church. Speaking with our God will lead us to a deeper understanding of His will and to a closer relationship with the Lord.

We have experienced the power of prayer in the Churches of God today. Lives have been changed, disciples made, the sick healed and more has been done than we can even imagine through the earnest prayer of faithful saints. As we reach out with the teaching of salvation, baptism and addition, our growth in numbers and in spiritual maturity will be severely limited without an attitude of consistent devotion, faithfulness and prayer to God. Rather our close relationship with the Lord should cause us to shine as a glorious bright light in this dark world.

The Lord's presence and leading

Our awareness of the presence and leading of the Lord is also a measure of our relationship with the Lord. Those added to churches of God have made a choice similar to the people of Israel when they told Joshua '"We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice"'.(14) He is our God too; a holy and jealous God. Consequently, in every aspect of our life we must strive to be holy and as those the Bible calls 'saints'(15) display a sense of awareness of the presence and leading of the Lord, rejoicing in the things that please Him and sharing His sorrow and displeasure with that which does not.

As we mature spiritually, we have a finer understanding of that which pleases God and that which brings displeasure. We rejoice in seeing disciples being made and the seed of the Word of God being sown. We are saddened when someone begins to walk in a way that is contrary to the principles of how we ought to act in the house of God. Perhaps they are carrying heavy burdens and have wandered away from the Lord and godly saints draw close in an effort to carry some of their burdens.(16) As born again believers we have the Spirit, therefore, let us walk by the Spirit.(17)

We do not boast of our close relationship with God as though it were based upon our merit. Our righteousness and holiness did not originate within us. In fact, we died and are now hidden with Christ in God. (18) It is because of God that we are in Christ Jesus and our Saviour has become for us our righteousness, holiness and redemption.(19) Since we are not worthy in ourselves to be called righteous, if we are going to boast, then our boast can only be in the Lord.

Joy and fruit

Those walking closely with God and desiring to live and be led by the Spirit, share in the fruit of the Spirit. (20) Others should see these qualities, and our desire is to attract others to the Lord Jesus and to the house of God by our walk with the Lord and demonstration of the fruit of the Spirit. When a plant bears good fruit, it is evident that the plant is healthy and growing. So when we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, it is evident that we are spiritually healthy and growing more into Christ. We belong to Christ Jesus and have crucified the sinful nature and long for the joy of keeping in step with the Spirit that the lovely fruit of the Spirit might be seen to grow in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (21)

Healthy fruit ripening

Many have been blessed with decades of joy in a close relationship with God in His house. They have known the thrill of the expansion of the churches of God in their locality and elsewhere today. Even where there is a decline in numbers, godly saints may still be walking in step with the Spirit. Their lives exhibit an attitude of prayerfulness, watchfulness and thankfulness. Let us worship and thank God, and let us walk in the Spirit so that a healthy ripening of the fruit of the Spirit is evident to all.

(1) Josh.23:6;24:15 (2) Deut.1:10;10:22;11:1,13,27 (3) Deut.28:1-14 (4) 1 Cor.9:24,25 (5) Heb.12:1,2 (6) Gal.5:7 (7) 2 Cor.7:9,10 (8) Heb.13:20 (9) Heb.13:5 (10) Heb.10:25 (11) Acts 2:41,42 (12) Acts 9:31;12:5-12 (13) Col.4:2 (14) Josh.24:24 (15) 1 Cor.1:2 (16) Gal.6:2 (17) Gal.5:25 (18) Col.3:3 (19) 1 Cor.1:30 (20) Gal.5:16,18,22,23 (21) Gal.5:22,23

THOMAS, R. | Aug 2002
Principles Of Church Growth