my little la la land.

that awful moment when you love someone who is deceived.

I cannot imagine how God feels. 

drugs and alcohol, i hate you, and what you have done to the people I love most. 

He said ‘doll take comfort in the fact someday someone will care for your life as much as you did for His’.

So this is for all the young men and women who suffered from an unrequited love

For all those who loved a vampire, a liar, or a thief.

This is for all who believed in that someone, and saw the light in them no matter how deep they were in darkness.

Not all can be saved.

So save yourself.

Because someday, someone will love you even more than you loved them.

But for now…

Just let Him wrap you in the warmth of His wings.

It is a place of freedom.

It is a place of healing.

It is a place of safety.

It is a place of hope and restoration.

It would be laughable, if in the instance you were longing for the company of your best friend, you sought their presence in your ‘mind’ rather than driving over to their house, meeting up for coffee, dinner, a walk, or any other rendezvous than involves both of your physical presence.

So is it not as insane when a Christian decides that rather than going to God’s house, taking that physical step to meet Him, in the presence of His people, you will instead only ever connect with Him in your mind?

Think of it like this. 

Text messages, emails, facebook, instagram, phone calls, facetime, skype… these are like the lint, the bark, or the kindlers for the fire of a friendship or relationship, as the log slowly burns away. But these won’t make the fire last. It’s the actual ‘catch ups’ the ‘hang outs’ the ‘chilling’ sessions and the ‘date nights’ that are the real logs that will feed the fire with adequate fuel, that will continually sustain the fire. If you want a big fire, the most obvious thing to do would be to throw some kerosene on it - yet that only provides a momentary thrill. If you want a long fire.. you need to keep replacing log, after log, after log. 

The word of God speaks very specifically about the need to seek God both in private, and in unity with fellow believers. It’s those quiet, intimate moments with God that build your relationship with Him and hopefully, if you listen, the moments He can communicate with you clearly and specifically. The very fact that God created us in the first place is a giveaway as to the purpose for our existence here on earth and for all eternity: to be in relationship with Him. Yet though God was pleased with all He created by the sixth day, the very fact God saw Adam’s need for a ‘help mate’ indicates God did not purpose us to do this life alone, or in isolation, but in relationship and fellowship with one another.

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

-       Genesis 2:19

A lot can be drawn from the story of creation about our purpose, and our relationships, specifically in relation to the way God intended a relationship to operate between a man and a woman, but those revelations are splashed elsewhere on my blog [though it is something I will certainly speak of again].

If we Christians do not know our word, then we are more likely to be the victim rather than the victor in the face of adversity, which we ALL will come across, with or without God [however when we become filled with God’s spirit our battle is not against things of the world but things of the spiritual realm]

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

-       Ephesians 6:13-17

Quick note: *shield of faith – it’s so important our faith is in God’s word above any one else’s word, because unfortunately there is such a thing as false prophets, and then also there’s such a thing as highly opinionated people who make their view sound good but actually have no wisdom, knowledge or revelation on the topic of which they advise you. So put your faith in God first, seek His word, KNOW His word and you will be protected from such untruths. [the bible warns us against this]

This verse tells us the word is our sword! If we don’t know our word, with what to have to fight? I am telling you it is all in the book. And I am guilty, as many many Christians are of not knowing my word. But the more I have immersed myself in its message, the more wisdom I have gained on virtually every situation I’ve been in, and on every decision I’ve had to make, from trusting God, to serving, to being obedient, to controlling my tongue and not gossiping, to what I have to do to live in God’s presence forever, to how I should be single and what kind of man God sees fit to have my heart, to who I should be friends with, to my future, to how I should worship, steward my finances, and of course… what God has to say about going to church.

The most common reason driving a person to leave church is offense. Unfortunately, as human beings we tolerate more from ‘vampires’ in our life than we do from the church. And by vampires I mean people who subtract from your life more than they uplift, build, encourage and strengthen. People who suck out your lifeblood. When God puts a good thing in you there is no doubt you’ll come across people who resist it and either intentionally or not, try to steal it, kill it and destroy it. Yet the church’s primary function is really only to connect people with the same God in their heart. One of the biggest faults of humanity I believe is false expectations of the church. But again I say, the primary function of the church is simply to connect God’s people, because as you saw earlier God’s primary function for our lives was to be in relationship with Him and with others. If we lose that, we lose our sole purpose. Let me tell you, the church will disappoint you. I went through a season where I felt like I was an expert on how my church could run better, and I prided myself on the fact I could see their every fault. That is not something to be proud of. Now I have learned. You must learn to forgive, let go, and do not seek revenge or to avenge yourself – that’s God’s job! Let it go, let God sort it out, and in the mean time stay in His house! The house is not God, God is in the house.

Let me tell you another thing that may surprise you… the church is not responsible for your personal relationship with God. You are. So do not expect the church to provide you with all the necessary teaching you need to make it through to your final breath as a Christian. That, is up to you. If you wish to study theology, study theology. But do not expect that the church will automatically download into your brain every single revelation you desire. That comes from your personal relationship with God. Want to go deep with God? Do it in your personal time. Again I say, the church is not God, God is in the church. The church’s primary function is to connect people.

So now that is enough from me. I have searched the word for some key verses that call us to engage in, and speak of the power of a personal, intimate relationship with Christ, and the verses that highlight the significance of and the fruit of being a part of the body of Christ in unity with others… i.e. going to church! I hope something here speaks to you, and I encourage you to meditate on these verses and ask God to reveal to you what each one means.

Peace x

Verses for intimacy.

Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else , and live righteously and He will give you everything you need.

-       Matthew 6:33

But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. And though you started with little, you will end with much.

-       Job 8:5-7

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. 
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

-       Psalm 23

Be still, and know that I am God.

- Psalm 46:10

Verses for unity.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

-       Proverbs 27:17

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

-       Hebrews 10:19-25 

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

-       Proverbs 15:22 

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green

Psalm 92:13-15 

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19 - 22

 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

-       Colossions 3:16

Because I have loved you, I have learned how God loves.

You embrace me from afar,
And when you come close,
Still your heart is still distant.

You tie false promises around my neck, yet they fall from me as if purposefully timed.

You lie lame, to be swallowed by the mouth of the storm

Your heart’s poured out in the evening and concealed in the morn

You love me, with everything. And my love is yours.

Yet no truth stands between your deceived heart and your honest soul.

And Death seems so far away.

You’re in no immediate danger of losing your love or your last breath, and so why would you run for your life?

And so you make another toast to yourself, and intoxicate yourself with poison, til you drown in its empty embrace

You swallow the bait of the monster, and turn a blind eye to His lies

But I know you know the truth, I could see it in your eyes.

And the dirty world will call me crazy, for giving all my love to someone like you

They see the devil, but I see God in you.

if you think you’re green you’ll grow, if you think you’re ripe, you’ll rot.

Letting you go is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and a decision I have to make every minute of every day. But one day, I’ll know why I did, when I look at Him, and He lets me in, and He promises me all you never did, and He is brave, brave enough to love me, brave enough to stay, brave enough to have needs and weaknesses and flaws, but strong enough to keep fighting; humble enough to know he needs others, and He needs God, and selfless enough to serve me rather than control, abandon, steal from and break me like you did. When I look at my future warrior in the eye, I’ll know exactly why I said goodbye.