Millions of people attend church, week after week, month after month, year after year. For decades we think to ourselves, “this is what Christians do.” For millions, the empty, faithless (weekly) pattern becomes their only form of Christian expression. A place where the pastor is the only minister the only storyteller and the only teacher perpetually, while the rest are conditioned to be stagnant spectators {only.}
The dangers of this are very real because it is NOT real Christianity. It does NOT transform. It does NOT engage and activate.
It does NOT produce real disciples. It does NOT equip for ministry. It does NOT teach how to hear God. It multiplies hearers rather than doers.
It multiplies [pastor dependence] rather than [Holy Spirit dependence].
This was me for twenty years.
I thought I was in real Christianity. But God seemed so distant to me. This in turn caused a stagnant carnal Christianity to develop that became the breeding ground for hidden addiction, earthly mindedness, and selfish ambition.
Which eventually came crashing down all around me 20 years later.
There is a famous saying that says, “Catch me a fish, I eat for a day.
Teach me to fish, I eat for a lifetime.” I often see most churches like a Costco, where a pastor cuts up a Bible fish that he spent all week catching. People show up week after week to get a sample of the fish. Who doesn’t like free samples? But is that the gospel?
The Holy Spirit showed me something closer to the heart of God and His will for each one of us. Jesus tore the veil to make access into the Holy of Holies. What does that really mean? Jesus Himself is sitting in the middle of a river full of living words where He Himself wants to sit with you and talk with you and teach you (Himself) how to hear Him daily. The journal has revolutionized my engagement with God times 1000.
He has told me great and mighty things that I did not know. He Himself has led me to see a multitude of miracles. He Himself has led me to my perfect spouse. He Himself has led me by green pastures, and beside still waters. And has restored my soul countless times. Even as I write this, our house overlooks sheep. He fills me with Joy and my cup overflows. This is why for the past few months I am working on a variety of things that will help anyone learn the most important lesson on earth, how to hear God.
Anyone that gets Him, gets everything of lasting value.
To miss Him is to lose everything.
My job is to introduce people to the living experience and let the Holy Spirit take it from there.
God is NOT distant.
He is Emanuel, God ‘with us.’
Learning how to hear God is the foundation to truly knowing God, and the most important lesson on earth.
[Troi Nelson Cockayne]
Jeremiah 33:3 ... Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Matthew 1:23 ... Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Psalm 23 ... The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. ❤
