“Really!” “Oh, come on now! No way does God spend time talking with me.” This prevailing attitude seems to be man’s normal expectation when it comes to hearing from God.
“God has much better things to do than to speak to little ole me.” Does He? We are the purpose of all that He has created. He paid a dear price in the death of His Son so that we could have a relationship with Him via the spirit. Don’t you think the Father would utilize that spirit to communicate with us?
Consider why He “invented” speaking in tongues and used it to introduce the new birth realities on the Day of Pentecost. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God” (I Corinthians 14:2a). Now we can pray in the spirit for the first time, which is talking to God. Would the Father not reciprocate by speaking to us via the other manifestations of the spirit such as word of knowledge and word of wisdom or in spirit action?
We should be expecting to hear from our Heavenly Father. Remember when Jesus shared with His apostles on several occasions about the coming “comforter?” This comforter was the gift of holy spirit that came for the first time on the Day of Pentecost. In John 14:26 we see how involved the “comforter” which is the spirit, would be in the believer’s life: “he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
We need to tune in to God’s frequency. How do we do that?
The other day I was driving my car and trying to find KJOY, a popular Christian radio show. I was all over the dial until I finally hit upon it. Once I knew the right frequency number it was easy to find.
While searching for my radio station, what I heard most was static. We need to be able to clear out the static, so we can hear the Father.
Our Heavenly Father wants to work with us. He really does! “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” Philippians 2:13. If this is the case then He will be talking to us. All we need to do is keep an ear out for Him as we walk by the spirit.
Bob Lindfelt
When I think about faithfulness two godly men in the Bible come to my mind, Moses and Jesus Christ. Of course there are thousands in the Word of God but these two are my favorite.
Moses was "faithful in all mine house" (Num. 12:7). Moses obediently did all God asked of him. Moses was meek towards God...which was quite different from the Israelites with him. They were meek one day, grumbling the next, and idolatrous soon after. Moses did not allow the people's attitude to deter his own obedience. He was imperfect as we all are but he consistently did God's will the best he could.
Jesus Christ is our premier example of faithfulness. He always did the Father’s will and spoke God's words never his own. He had only one desire, "...not my will, but thine, be done.--Luke 22:4 Jesus always obeyed his Father that’s why he could be our perfect sin offering.
We too can develop that character of faithfulness towards God and man by feeding our hearts with God’s Word and obeying it. Being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only is the pattern of a faithful man.
I have personally known a faithful man in the flesh for over 42 years that is my husband Bob Lindfelt. The reason I am sharing this is on June 8th he will be celebrating a milestone in his life, his 70th birthday and 50 years of being born again and a faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He has proven himself to be a faithful minister from the East Coast accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at East Carolina University at 20 years of age to coming to the West Coast starting with his service in the Marine Corps to being a faithful pastor for over 48 years in Bristol, England, Indiana, Boston, MA and San Diego ministering to believers teaching, preaching and living the gospel. He has been a faithful steward of the things God has given him. His heart and drive has been the caring for and feeding of God’s people especially encouraging them to walk in all the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit.
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."--1 Cor. 4:1,2
His passion for helping people drove him to publish a book in 2002 called, Speaking in Tongues: A Biblical Perspective that has blessed people around the globe and in 2013 he wrote a second edition to make it even clearer how important our communication with our Heavenly Father is.
Our children, their spouses, our grandchildren, the household of believers and I would like to invite you to a special Sunday morning fellowship at Pt. Loma Assembly (3035 Talbot Street San Diego, CA) on June 18, 2017 at 10:30 am to celebrate his life and faithfulness. If you cannot physically attend we would be honored if you would send a card or note to bless him and remind him of your time together, a testimony or an encouraging word.
You can email a note to me at
God has truly put our lives together for a purpose to love and serve Him together and we are thankful for each one of you. Today we have over 700 people receiving the Bless Net. Praise the Lord!
Thank you for you faithful stands on God’s Word and in His love and grace we eagerly await the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Joyfully in Him,
Jeanie Lindfelt
When we want to learn a new language, perhaps the first thing we do is go buy a book and learn some of the words. But this method is kind of stale, boring and takes a long time.
We then might go out and buy tapes/CDs on the language and listen to it, which seems better than the book.
But if we are really going to learn the language, experts all agree that the best way to become knowledgeable of the language is to do one thing. That is immersion. What is immersion? In this case it is to fully put yourself in the culture of the language. Surround yourself with people that speak that particular tongue. The more you do this and immerse yourself daily, over long periods of time, you will best pick up the language.
When it comes to living as a Christian, putting on the new life in Christ, the same principle comes into play.
Of course we could read books about being a Christian (not bad to do); or we could listen to tapes/CDs of teachings of our new life in Christ (better yet).
But if you really want to live like Christ walked, you need to immerse yourself into being around others who walk the Christian talk; you need to attend fellowships where not only do you learn more about living the love of God, but you see it and can even exercise it yourself with others. In other words, throw yourself into the lifestyle by not only reading God’s Word or listening to it, but get involved with believers who want to grow and live the Christians lifestyle. Immerse yourself with others in fellowships (be it meetings or informal gatherings of the saints).
Don’t stick your big toe in the water if you want to get wet. Jump in and really get wet with Christ. Put Him on all the time.
Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:10, 12 & 14: And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Hebrews 10:24 & 25: And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Agape,
Bob
God invented something so perfect, we could not mess it up. And what is so marvelous is how it can benefit the believer in so many “credible” ways.
Think about it... If the Creator of the Heavens and Earth initiated a whole new way to communicate with Him and introduced it for the very first time on the Day of Pentecost, it must be monumental. Keep thinking about it...God is perfect, so if He invented something, it would be perfect.
How would you like to pray or communicate to the Heavenly Father perfectly?
How would you like to make perfect intercession for your loved ones and fellow saints?
How would you like to edify yourself perfectly?
How would you like to give thanks well perfectly to the Heavenly Father?
How would you like to talk divine secrets?
How would you like to have the perfect assurance that you are a son of God?
How would you like to magnify God perfectly?
What is this grand invention that allows you to do all these things? Speaking in Tongues.
God in His matchless Word encourages everyone to speak in tongues (I Cor.14:5) and commands that no one forbid it (I Cor.14:39). And why not speak in tongues much in light of what God has done to make it available and to benefit the relationship between the believer and God.
I think about the Old Testament means of connecting with God and all the rigmarole that came with it. They had to have this huge building, with special curtains and furniture. Only a special few people were even allowed to approach God; and only on special times.
Today all I need to do to perfectly connect with God is speak in tongues.
Now do you see why I am always encouraging people to speak in tongues?
Thank you Heavenly Father for your grand invention!
Agape,
Bob
Little members can teach big lessons. This was the case with my wife’s little toe.
A number of weeks ago, Jeanie unfortunately jammed her foot into the corner of a table. The results was a painful, bruised little toe. It really bothered her for over a week, until she finally went to the doctor to be informed it was broken.
What was the solution to fixing it? Nothing really, except to let it heal itself. There was one suggestion that really had healing results. That was to tape it to the toe next to it. By doing this, the little toe had a splint that protected and kept it from being moved around impeding its healing.
What can we learn from this parable? Whenever you are hurt, attach yourself to someone in the body that can give you support and encouragement to heal. The reality is, we are all members of the one Body of Christ.
I Corinthains 12:14-18, 22 & 23:
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
by, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
Romans 12:5
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
What have we learned? We belong to the one Body of Christ. If anyone has a problem, they should seek out help—a bigger toe—to help overcome their situation.
Agape,
Bob