STRIVE FOR A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER


What made the Garden of Eden a paradise was the spiritual union that Adam and Eve had with God. It was the pure and perfect union that offered our first parents all they could ever want or need. When God graces you, moments of that indescribable harmony are possible even on earth.

The sad fact is, most of us accept a far less consuming relationship with God, either because we don't realize that there is more, or because we do know there is more and won't pay the price. The degree to which we allow Him to work in our lives determines the level of relationship we can experience.

Five levels of relationship with the Father:

  1. Unaware of God. This category represents people who have not been regenerated spiritually though faith in Jesus Christ. They may or may not believe in God or be religious.

  2. Born in God. This category refers to people who have accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ as their own, and through the Holy Spirit have been regenerated to new spiritual life. The Holy Spirit is with them, providing the possibility of ongoing fellowship and help. These people are spiritually immature, needing continued development toward healthy Christian living. Many Christians stay in this stage their entire lives, missing out on the dynamic relationship with God that is possible in Christ.

  3. Doing for God.People in this stage have come to understand that the Christian life involves service to the purposes of the Kingdom. To one degree or another they have responded to the call to ministry. They realize that helping and caring for the broken and evangelizing are elements of true discipleship. Many Christians are at this level, representing a mighty force for Kingdom good in the world. The downside is that too many think doing for God is the centerpiece of the Christian life, and they run the risk of not growing in intimacy with the Heavenly Father.

  4. Filled with God. Hungry for an experience of His living presence, those in this category begin to pray for genuine spiritual life and vitality. They ask for an outpouring of His presence to ignite them with renewal. People in this stage are open to a new level of dependence on the Holy Spirit and seek to walk out the Christian life filled with His power. A warning: sometimes experiences of God's presence and power can be sought for reasons other than genuine harmony with Him. They can desire the Spirit in order to be more productive in service or to feel the power of His presence - while union is still to come.

  5. Living in God. This phase represents the ultimate destination of the Christian life. It signifies union, or spiritual harmony, and will be our eternal experience beyond this life. If we are surrendered to the process of "dying to self," moments of selfless oneness are possible. "Union with God" is not some god-like status or nirvana-like experience. It refers to the truth that a Christian can move to a place of spiritual maturity in which "I no longer live, but Christ lives in Me" (Gal. 2:20). Only God matters.

    Dr. Terry Wardle holds a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary and is former executive director of Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, N.Y., and the founding pastor of Risen King Community Church in Redding, Calif. He has written several books including Wounded: How You Can Find Inner Wholeness and Healing in Him, One to One: a Practical Guide to Friendship Evangelism, and Exalt Him: Designing Dynamic Worship Services. Wardle and his wife, Cheryl, have three children and live in California.

    Wardle is the founding director of Spring Meadow Retreat Center, a ministry of renewal and restoration for Christians in the mountains of northern California. If you are interested in more information, contact Dr. Terry Wardle at: Spring Meadow Retreat Center, 9647 Thatcher Mill Rd., Shingletown, CA 96088.

    From Draw Close to the Fire by Terry Wardle. Used by permission of Chosen Books, a division of Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Mich. Copyright (c) 1998 by Terry Wardle. All rights to this material are reserved. Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in other media, or mirrored at other sites without written permission from Baker Book House Company.

    © 1997 vinebranch@hotmail.com

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