That is the price that has been set if you really want to "know God". (John 17:3)
The work is straight-forward but very hard to accomplish in this world.
So I encourage you to cut out from your life as many worldly things as you can at this stage to make some room.
And then to do all that you can to ensure that you keep your flame of faith burning bright.
Find the things that make that flame inside you brighter and do them often.
And stop doing the things that make it dimmer.
The more you do this the more the other worldly things you do will become a nuisance and you will be able to phase them out, thereby making more room for the work of belief.
And the more you will find the joy of following Jesus and not the world and know for sure it is all them that are blind and you that see.
In return for this work you will more and more receive the Spirit, which is a supernatural gift, which will "guide you into all Truth". (John 16:13)
"You cannot serve God and mammon".
If you are not single-mindedly devoted to this work, you are better off not starting it.
Some things I find make my flame brighter at the moment...
- reading a chapter of the New Testament followed by a commentary on it on Bible-Hub. Maclaren's commentaries bring tears to my eyes.
- singing songs to God when I'm driving. - at the moment I'm signing that Taylor Swift song "Everything has Changed", I only sing the bits I want and la-la the words I don't want... "I just want to know You better, know You better", etc.
- New for me is talking to people about Jesus - "whoever confesses Me before men...", "as you give so it will be given back to you overflowing."
- And, of course, I talk to God all the time.
I'm also finding this web-site really encouraging at the moment. I find going to church and listening to an average sermon among lukewarm believers makes my flame dimmer so I don't do it. I'm hoping this web-site could be my new 24/7 church.
I'd be interested to hear what things make your flames of faith grow brighter in case there are some things that would work well for me too.
The work is straight-forward but very hard to accomplish in this world.
So I encourage you to cut out from your life as many worldly things as you can at this stage to make some room.
And then to do all that you can to ensure that you keep your flame of faith burning bright.
Find the things that make that flame inside you brighter and do them often.
And stop doing the things that make it dimmer.
The more you do this the more the other worldly things you do will become a nuisance and you will be able to phase them out, thereby making more room for the work of belief.
And the more you will find the joy of following Jesus and not the world and know for sure it is all them that are blind and you that see.
In return for this work you will more and more receive the Spirit, which is a supernatural gift, which will "guide you into all Truth". (John 16:13)
"You cannot serve God and mammon".
If you are not single-mindedly devoted to this work, you are better off not starting it.
Some things I find make my flame brighter at the moment...
- reading a chapter of the New Testament followed by a commentary on it on Bible-Hub. Maclaren's commentaries bring tears to my eyes.
- singing songs to God when I'm driving. - at the moment I'm signing that Taylor Swift song "Everything has Changed", I only sing the bits I want and la-la the words I don't want... "I just want to know You better, know You better", etc.
- New for me is talking to people about Jesus - "whoever confesses Me before men...", "as you give so it will be given back to you overflowing."
- And, of course, I talk to God all the time.
I'm also finding this web-site really encouraging at the moment. I find going to church and listening to an average sermon among lukewarm believers makes my flame dimmer so I don't do it. I'm hoping this web-site could be my new 24/7 church.
I'd be interested to hear what things make your flames of faith grow brighter in case there are some things that would work well for me too.
