Ruined

This morning I was doing my normal routine and as I began to tell God how good He is and how much I NEED HIM. I remembered moments in my life that ruined me (in a good way). These moments were those moments where God so radically showed up, touched me, changed me, molded me. Those moments ruined me for any counterfeits.

As a Christian you've had an encounter with the living God. I'm sure if you took a minute you could name off a few defining moments when you ENCOUNTERED God. Those moments will change the whole course of your life. To ramble a few off the top of my head...
1) 15 years old in my bedroom and I heard God speak to me, so loud to me that I set up looking for who was speaking to me... I've never been the same.
2) 16 years old sitting on the alter at North Main baptist church alone in the sanctuary and God told me I would preach... I've never been the same
3) 18 years old in my dorm room when God told me that I would go to Africa... I've never been the same.

These are just 3 huge callings that I heard from God, this doesn't include the countless times when He's talked to me about my life, my future, His love for me, when I've seen God heal someone supernaturally, or demons casted out. All of these encounters were REAL encounters and they've ruined me for any counterfeit god that the world tries to create.

Now pay attention to this next part, because this is what the Lord showed me this morning.
These encounters they put people in what I would call a spiritual high. It takes you up to the mountain in other words. More passionate, more excited, radical.

I asked God how come we see so many Christians who have had these encounters and they're slipping away? I think God wanted me to ask Him the question because the Holy Spirit began to speak immediately.

The problem is that sometimes we get confused. You can have these encounters and then you begin to seek the next encounter. The next big whoa moment instead of seeking God. My pastor once said that an encounter can change you, but it's the Word that will maintain you.

If you've ever been on a mission trip perhaps you've been here before. You go overseas and God just seemed to constantly be tangible and doing amazing things. When you come home, normal life seems mundane and not exciting. You can't lead a "normal" life anymore. You've been ruined for counterfeits.

See the challenge is to be ruined for the counterfeits and realize that you don't have to have a counterfeit no matter where you are. A life of pursuing God is never boring, mundane, or not exciting because the same God who was on your mission trip is in your living room, bedroom, your work place.

Sometimes His magnificent grace comes and He encounters us unexpectedly, but the majority of the time, it will be us, reaching out seeking Him for that encounter during our every day lives.

We can be ruined for what the world has to offer and never have to leave the real thing. The world will offer so many counterfeits for true and perfect love, for peace, for joy, for success... but the truth is there is no counterfeit for a life in a relationship with the Living God.

I pray that we would all be ruined for the counterfeits and pursue the real God like never for. Allow Him to come and impact you and have an encounter with you everyday. Everywhere we go is the mission field, everywhere we go God goes with us, acknowledge His presence.

Be Blessed
J. Tate