The Lesser -vs- the Greater!

As a couple we recommitted our lives to God in 1995 after moving to Florida. We were swept up in a move of God that broke out in pockets around the country. At the time, we were attending a conservative Baptist Church which was the roots of our earlier years of Christianity, but 3 months in, everything changed. Our pastor went to a conference in Toronto Canada and was mightily touched by God, returning a different man. Always a great bible preacher, but upon his return there was a depth to him that was unmistakable. In addition to that, his words were not just words; they were still the same truth but were experiential truths now. There was a weightiness in them that changed the atmosphere of the room and the lives they were released into. The Spirit of God met the Word of God and the presence of God was tangible! Hour services became two-hour services and most of the church resisted leaving. At times we would just hang out in the (zone) as we called it thinking where else would we want to be.

I have heard it said that the LESSER never includes the GREATER, but the GREATER always includes the LESSER!

How many times do we seek after or settle for the lesser in life and never experience the greater? We cycle around in our same old patterns, watching people suffer in the same way, only getting momentary relief, but never really getting free. Brokenness perpetuates brokenness which can potentially lead to failure of marriages, jobs and many times people themselves. What is missing? We certainly give truth and good steps to implement, but are we a catalyst to a deep encounter with God by his Holy Spirit or are we as dry as they are with no water to offer? Do we give an empty cup and wonder why their thirst is never quenched?

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

What does this mean? The Kingdom of God is vast and multi-faceted; barely tapped into in one man’s lifetime. It’s endless, bottomless; limitless! It’s his realm, his dominion, his will and his nature. Our seeking is the pursuit and surrender to those things. It won’t model the world’s standards or agendas, it won’t be driven by any hint of self-gratification, and it won’t end in dead works. Seeking first the Kingdom, lines us up with God’s plans and his character which can and should only lead to HIS glory. It will draw others to him personally! His righteousness? We point them towards not just knowing about God and what he says, but to KNOW God. We reach for the greater and naturally the lesser is included.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to seek it out.

God want’s us to seek out his deeper mysteries.

In those days of renewal, few of us strived or toiled like we so often do today. We didn’t worry about getting to the restaurant after church or rushing off to do something fun with the rest of our day. We were in the presence of the King of Glory. Every possible need was being met. Where else would you want to be than sitting at the feet of Jesus? His presence was tangible. We ceased being a Martha and we all became a Mary. Every God given sense within us was being awakened in his company. He became our source, and we hungered and thirsted for him alone. Lives were changed; people were set free as the Prince of Peace gave rest to every soul tormented by emotional wounds. People rushed to serve, not out of obligation, but out of a desire to partner with the Lord on whatever he was going to do next. The most amazing revelation was how God provided for the lesser when we were focused on the greater. Nothing was left unprovided for. Work in the lesser was effortless and provided in ways man could not. Businesses grew and prospered supernaturally, households saw breakthroughs in ways that they had not seen and people were devouring the word of God like never before. Students were impacting their schools with the gospel because they were saturated with the presence and word of God. Testimonies were a common occurrence at church on Sunday’s because people couldn’t contain what God was doing around them. It fueled hope in those that heard.

Over and over again, we saw people pursing God with vigor and God meeting them and blessing them without measure. We learned that if we can just host God’s presence and allow him to move the way he wanted to, lives would be permanently changed. Altars would fill as people cried out to God and the Holy Spirit stepped in as only he can do and met them there.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death

Are we settling for the lesser? Is what we are doing thriving or are we on life support? We might think we are doing what seems right, but is it? We examined ourselves on sabbatical and both agreed it was the time for fresh wind and fresh fire for the Lord! It came with a ripping open transparency before our Father, to address every dead work we might be toiling in, every slanted motivation we might have embraced and every system we might have agreed to be reevaluated.

Not everything is bad or even ungodly, but is it what is best? Are we reflecting the world, with the attempt to change it or are we influencing a world because we are being changed by abiding in the presence of God?

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does

We can’t influence the world for God by altering our approach to what the world responds to. In the end, when the world quits providing what people think will make them happy, they will be coming to us for something different, not something familiar!