For 24 years, God has given me the ministry of reconciliation through (teaching 50 years) counseling in the local church and nationwide by phone/Skype. Many people who have been in the church for years have a relationship with church activities instead of having a vital alive relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me help you understand what I’m talking about.
I’ve heard people say, “I can’t wait to get to church on Sunday to get my blessing!” We should not wait until we get to church to feel God’s, presence, blessing or to praise Him! All of us have 168 hours every week. If we spent 8 hours a week in church and slept 60 hours a week, we still would have 100 hours in a week to work, be with family, do all that must be done.
My question to you is this: “In those 100 hours outside of the church walls, does your life give glory to God? Does your family hear you praying? Does your family see you reading the Bible? Do your co-workers and neighbors see and feel the presence of God radiating through you? Do you invite God into every family function? Do you pray with your children? Do you share God’s Word with your children though life’s experiences? I call this living in a God conscious state of mind!
We are to glorify God in our body and our spirit. If there seems to be a blockage in your ability to become intimate with God and allow Him on the throne of your heart, search your heart. If there are painful events in your life, God wants to transform you by renewing your mind with His truth – not the lies that the devil wants you to believe. God is the great Counselor. He came to redeem you and He wants to heal your brokenness so you can have victory in God daily.
You may hear someone say, “Don’t talk about your problems. Just give them to God.” Hurting people tell me they have prayed for years for emotional healing. Until someone helps them change their ‘stinkin’ thinkin’ through God’s truth, they are stuck in the negative thoughts and feelings. It is our purpose as a church to help people be reconciled to God through the power of His truth. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. Until we understand how to apply the Word of God to our hearts, we can be saved but still hurting.
I recently posted an article on my website: www.carolclemans.org entitled, “Are You Saved, but Lonely and Hurting?” I further explain how God is the healer of our brokenness. We must be teaching God’s Word and helping people to understand that we live and move and have our being in Him. God’s love is not based on our performance. He gives us unconditional love. We are to love God, love self and love others. A person who is emotionally and spiritually wounded does not ‘feel’ God loves them. They feel unworthy and condemned. Condemnation does not come from God. It comes from the devil. He wants to rob our joy so he causes a feeling of condemnation.
God’s truth says there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh – Romans 8:1 & 2. So if you are feeling condemned, but not sinning, what is your self-talk? Is it focusing on the negatives in your life? God’s truth can turn your negatives into God’s positive interpretation. This is why the church must become equipped to know how to use the Word of God to transform the mind that will transform the heart.
When we become healed through developing a close relationship with God through the power of His Word, going to church will always be a vital part of our walk with God, but it will not need to be a ‘filling station.’ Through daily prayer, His Word, and living in a God conscious state of mind, we can come to church with a full heart rejoicing in our daily victory in Him! His truth must permeate through every part of our lives – living daily to give Him glory! It’s is called practicing the presence of God.
Ephesians 6 shares the whole armor of God. The helmet of salvation has a broader meaning than just salvation. When we study God’s Word, we are filling our mind and heart with God’s truth – His truth sets us free – His Word keeps us from sin. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It will transform us. Ephesians 6 also tells us to pray always in the Spirit. One commentary said, “We need daily prayer in our life, but our life needs to be a prayer.”
Our life can be a prayer by allowing the Fruit of the Spirit to be manifest in our lives: love, joy, peace, longsuffering-patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control – Galatians 5. Also, we need to study God’s character by looking at I Corinthians 13 – God is love! Vs 4 – 8, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
Ephesians 5:1 tells us to imitate God. Our heart, soul, mind and strength needs to be Holy Ghost controlled reflecting God’s glory. The Lord is our Shepherd. A shepherd loves his sheep. He leads his sheep to good eating. He protects his sheep. He cares for his sheep when they are hurt. He administers whatever it takes to restore the sheep to good health. This is the ministry of reconciliation. When we develop an intimate relationship with God, we will have the strength to serve God with joy.
Don’t just be a ‘church attendee.’ Let’s put on the Lord Jesus Christ and develop an intimate relationship looking unto Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. When we choose to invite God into our daily lives, we will continuously live with a thankful heart for this great salvation so rich and so free!
© Carol Clemans – February 2015
Carol Clemans has been teaching God’s Word for 50 years. She is a Certified Pastoral Counselor providing nationwide counseling by phone/Skype (636) 448-0121. Carol loves speaking at churches/conferences helping others to grow spiritually, emotionally and relationally. For teaching CD’s, DVD’s, book: “God’s Design for Marriage” go to her website: www.carolclemans.org – Em: carol@carolclemans.org. Carol has several short videos on YouTube: Carol Clemans channel. Follow her on FB: Life Enrichment Ministries, Inc. (501c3) & Carol Theobald Clemans. She tweets on Twitter: CarolsCorner and posts her articles on google+ and LinkedIn.