How Do We encounter God?

We serve THE Almighty, the one and only God, the way, the truth, and the life. A being with power and wisdom beyond human comprehension.

So why is it so HARD to encounter him in our daily lives?

If God is so powerful and literally exists everywhere, how come I can't see him? Where was He when I was broken and beaten? Where was He when I cried out for anything or anyone to hear me? 

If we are honest, many of us have had these thoughts, and others like them. Sometimes they drive people away from God. Others feel guilty for doubting God. For many people worldwide, it is a barrier to seriously considering Christ as an option. So, before we get to the How of encountering God, let's look at why we have to seek Him in the first place. 

A great divide...

We know through Genesis and other texts in the Bible that God created the world perfectly and that He regularly was in contact with humans. We had a type of fellowship that is impossible today, at least on this side of Heaven. When He created us, perhaps the greatest gift and curse He gave was "Free Will," or the ability to choose. God did this because He wanted us to love Him, true love, as God defines it, can't be coerced. So we existed for some unknown amount of time together with God in the Garden of Eden in a picture of what Heaven would be like until we changed things. By choosing through free will to disobey God, Adam and Eve brought sin and, through sin, all other imperfections into this world. Pandora's box has been opened. Death, destruction, dishonesty, depression, lying, and every other type of suffering stem from this choice. Not only did this create a physical separation from God but also a spiritual one. 

Not satisfied with the state of things, God decided to save humanity from our own mistakes. Through thousands of years, He prepared the way for His son, Jesus Christ, to come into this world and save humanity once and for all. We are offered salvation through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. It's a free gift that covers our imperfections so that we can come into the presence once again of perfection, otherwise known as God. 

There is still a problem though...

We have to seek Him to be saved by Him. That same gift of free will, which allows us to have true love and do unpreceded good, can also keep us from our Salvation if we choose not to accept Christ into our lives. God won't force us to receive Him. Because of this, we have to seek Him. 

So how do we do that?

Further, how do we accomplish this both in the initial acceptance of Salvation and continually throughout our lives?

The first one is easy in concept but challenging in application. Here is what I mean. The Church, worldwide, talks about the FREE Gift of Salvation, and it's not wrong. It is free to accept. It is NOT FREE to live inside. When I receive His Salvation, I should be aware that I'm turning over control of my life to God forever. After I'm saved by the precious redeeming power of Jesus Christ, my life is no longer my own. I do not control my destiny, my calling, or my purpose. Everything I am, have, or will have is His. I'm now merely the steward of God's gifts here on earth. This includes my time, talents, and treasures. What I do, for how long each day should be given over to God. Each day should serve The purpose that He has given me. How I use the talents, where I use them, and for what purpose I use them also belongs to God. Further, and this one is touchy, my treasure or finances now belong to God. Where and how, and with what drive I spend, the money in my bank account should come directly from God.

We talk about the cost but not the commitment. Salvation is FREE, but you are committing to serve a king who is NOT you. 

Hear me out, though. This sounds bad, but what if the king you are not serving is infinitely wiser, stronger, and generally more capable than you are? Also, what if His grace, mercy, and love far outshine anything you could ever hope to have on your own? 

The idea of serving a king is only daunting when the King is unworthy of loyalty and service.

So, we come to the Father through prayer. We accept Him as our Lord and Savior, ask for forgiveness of our sins, and repent from them. Then we follow Jesus's example in Baptism and walk with God as our King. 

As I said, simple in concept but challenging to do, which brings us to the second part of our earlier question.

How do I encounter God in my daily life? 

This is a huge question; no matter what we say here, everyone has to answer it for themselves. Your walk with God is a relationship, not a formula. Others can give certain pieces of advice, but they will only work with some. 

For example, my family and I do not participate in evening prayers together every night. We also don't have regular Bible Studies together. We have family service time at church, where we serve together not as a pastor and his family but as a Christian family serving their king. Further, we have fallen into a rather spectacular rhythm of discussions about ethics, politics, and other relevant subjects that often require us to study the Bible or rely on knowledge from our past studies. With Izzy being homeschooled, we also have a chance to do Bible Studies homework with her regularly. Then we each have our rhythms for prayer and Bible study. 

Please understand this is not a template I'm advocating for you and your family. It's unique and personal to ours and works well for us.

In this same way, what works for me ultimately in my relationship with Christ will be different from what works for the following ten people. 

However there are a couple common building blocks we all can use in different ways to help build this relationship.  

Here are a couple of the most important and powerful ones. 

First, spending time in God's word daily is so often overlooked yet cannot be overstated in importance for your Christian walk. If you want to have a relationship with God, you need to learn more about Him. The best way to do this is through reading the Bible. He created the book for us to use to know and trust Him. Daily devotions don't mean you have to spend hours studying, though. Here is what works best when trying to start this habit. Commit to 90 days of reading your Bible and Prayer for 10 minutes or less. Then download the YouVersion Bible App. Please create an account. It's free and helps you track your reading progress. Then, open the app daily and do the daily reflection on the home page. It's generally 2-8 verses from scripture followed by a 2-5 minute video and a section for 1-3 minutes of prayer time. In other words, an excellent start! Place this in a time you can do every day, and start. If you get into God's word every day for 90 days and pay attention, your life will change. 

The second, which we discussed in the previous paragraph, is prayer. Talking with the creator of the universe is an unprecedented privilege! So why is it so hard for us? Well, if we are honest, it's because He doesn't say anything back, at least not the way we want many times. I remember how awkward it was praying and feeling like a fool for talking with myself. This is something to get past you are going to have to take my word for at the start. Here is the thing, God does answer prayers, just in very different ways than we expect. The number of people I've seen healed when written off by doctors, lives turned around, illnesses conquered, and so much more is undeniable. Start small and work your way up. Make a list of things and people around you, and start by thanking God for your blessings and bringing Him your worries. Once you get comfortable with that, it becomes easier and easier to move forward. 

Third, spend time with God's people. We need support in life, and it becomes even more important when we want to live a life that is so different from everyone else around us. There are three super easy ways to get this going, and I highly recommend all three. 

Sunday morning services are where a large group of like-minded people comes together to get things done in God's house. We worship the king, learn about the king, and serve the king all at once. This is such a powerful and essential rhythm to set for your week. It helps you set the tone for the following days, reminds you of why you are here, and ensures you are moving forward with God's people.

Find more information about Sunday Service Here

Small groups are a place where you get more intimate relationships going. You also learn and grow in your personal walk by seeing the struggles and victories of others in close proximity.

Find more information about Small Groups Here

Lastly, serving God's kingdom on a serve team can look like many different things, being a greeter, kids church leader, worship band member, or someone who helps mow the grounds. But serving God with others will give you purpose and create strong relationships. 

Find more information on how to join a Serve Team Here

Remember, how you do each of these three things will differ from me, but no less critical. Also, the most crucial step of this journey is the next one you take. Don't stop. Move forward, make mistakes, and learn. Grow in your walk with God as you move forward, and you will not be disappointed.

See you soon!

Josh Tufte

Lead Pastor

The Crossing Church - Union Cross Campus