How God Works in Our Lives

The Bible tells us that we can have a relationship with God. How would a relationship with God impact us? Some relationships are like nuclear explosions. There is blinding heat and light and then a whole lot of damage. Some relationships are like roller coasters ? up and down. Some relationships never seem to change. What is a relationship with God like? How does God work in our lives?

According to Jesus, over time, God?s influence on our lives grows beyond our expectations until it becomes all-consuming. Relationship with God takes place over time. God builds a relationship with us continually and faithfully, but not explosively. He does not by-pass our wills, He changes them slowly over time. But the result is beyond our expectations. Ultimately, we become like Him and He becomes the very center of our lives.

God?s influence over us also takes place, not in spite of life?s difficulties and messes, but through them. Through all circumstances He grows us. If you go to your local florist and buy a fake tree, it will look good from day one. It doesn?t need any sunshine, and no rain. It will not fade ? at least not in the short run - and it will never loose its leaves. You can place it in the darkest corner of your home and it will still be green.

Of course, it?s not alive either. That means that it will never produce any kind of fragrance or any fruit. It will never provide any real shade and no one will ever be able to climb its branches. It will never grow, but it will collect dust. In short, there will be little hassle, but no life.

Some of you have longed for, and even nurtured, spiritual lives like the fake tree. You don?t want any rainstorms. You can do without the mess and fuss of dirt and grim. You don?t mind the absence of sunlight. In fact, you kind of like your dark, little corner. But you have no real life. There is no unhappy fall; but there is also no glorious spring. There is very little mess except for occasional dust, but neither are there any fragrant flowers. There are no expanding branches and no fruit, so you offer no shade and no sustenance to anyone. In short, there is no life.

What you have nurtured has nothing to do with God. The work of God in our lives is dynamic. It produces life. It is often messy, and sometimes painful, but always vital. God?s influence on our lives is relentless and steady. Like the growth of a mustard seed into a mustard plant. Like the influence of yeast on a whole batch of dough. Over time, God?s influence on our lives grows beyond our expectations until it becomes all-consuming.

LUKE 13:18-21

Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches." Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount [1] of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Spiritual growth takes time

"Full grown oaks are not produced in three years; neither are servants of God." There is no short cut to godliness, no quick fixes that produce holiness. When the Bible uses the word holiness it means, "set apart for God," "distinct," "unique," and "morally pure."

A. Richard ? became a Christian and wanted it all right away. He felt like he had wasted his life, but there is no wasted time with God. Richard wanted to know how to grow up in God. He wanted all the information he could get. He also struggled with pride. He wanted to do great things for God, partly because he wanted recognition. God wants to do great things through us but not so that we can gain recognition. Richard fell away. When Richard came back to Christ he came in complete humility. He did not expect to be used by God. How could God use a failure like him? Then God began to use him mightily.

Jesus held a mustard seed between his fingers. "The kingdom of God is like this," he said.

• Mustard seed ? smallest known seed.
• Imagine their surprise.
• Just like ours. Americans love big things.
• If God were to really influence my life ? wow. God involved with my life. It would be huge, instantaneous.
• But we know enough about living things to know that real life does not work that way. It progresses. It develops over time.
• So it is with the work of God.

God will use us mightily.

Imagine the very first day of plant seed school when all the local plant seeds come mingling in. Can you imagine how poor little mustard seed must feel? "Okay, you little seeds, line up shortest to tallest," the teacher plant barks out. And there goes little mustard seed down to the end of the line. How could anything big come out of such a little plant? But something big does come out of the little seed. A huge bush, big enough for the birds to come and build nests in. God can take lives like ours and make something mighty out of them.He was a known criminal and a fugitive. He had never really exercised leadership of any kind except over a bunch of unmanageable animals. He was old by any standards and suffered from a life-long speech impediment. He had a confused upbringing and never understood fully who he was and what place he should fill. This is an unlikely resume for a great spiritual leader and yet God picked this man, named Moses, to be the preeminent leader of the nation of Israel.

If we allow Him, God will use us mightily beyond even our expectations.
 

God will grow us deeply.

 
My own life?
Did not want to be too religious
God changed my heart made me want to be like Him
Felt frustrated that I could not
Tim?s testimony that I was.
 
 

Until He becomes all consuming.

Imagine stacking up a pinch of yeast next to a whole batch of dough. The dough looks impenetrable, formidable to the little yeast. "You will exercise your influence over that whole batch of dough," the baker says to the yeast. "How can that be?" we ask. But we watch in amazement as a pinch of yeast makes the whole dough rise. So it is with God?s influence on our lives
Little by little, every aspect of our lives comes under His supervision. Our hearts become more like His heart. Our minds more like His mind. He moves closer and closer to the center of who we are and what we do.
Life in God is exciting. Summer, winter, spring and fall. Some of it is painful, some of it is messy, but all of it God uses for our good. It is because we relate to this kind of a God that suffering has meaning. Through it all, God grows us. In spite of ourselves He uses us mightily. He makes us more like Himself and grows us deeper. And eventually, He becomes all we want. And this is a great place to be because He is all we need.
 
 
 

But why don?t I see it like that? Someone is saying. 
 

We don?t see it like that because holiness does not focuses on God and not on ourselves. And as we draw closer to God, the first thing He shows us is always a mirror. The closer we get to Him the closer we are to that mirror and the clearer we see our own faults.
In one of his early letters, the great apostle Paul wrote that he was "least of all the apostles." 1 Corinthians 15:9
Later he wrote he was "least of all the saints." Ephesians 3:8
Near the end of his life, he wrote to his young student Timothy he was "the foremost of sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15

 

Today, some of you need to adjust your expectations. You have forgotten that the spiritual life within is real life. It is messy and dirty sometimes. It needs rain as well as sunshine. Sometimes the wind blows hard and we complain but that only serves to strengthen our root system. Some of you need to lift your eyes up from your present disappointment and see the larger work of God in your life. He is forming His character in you! He is working the yeast throughout the whole batch of dough.

Some of you need to recognize the miraculous, dynamic work of God in your life and give thanks. He is making you into a person He can use mightily. "My best days are past," you have thought. "I use to be so close to God." But if you are walking in His love, if you are pursuing your end of relating to Him, your best days are right now. You are wiser, you are stronger, you are more holy and more able to be used by God without needing all the recognition for yourself. You have known the heat of summer. You have felt the melancholy of fall and the death and dormancy of winter. You have thrilled to the new life and exuberance of spring. And you know that you will experience them again. And finally, you know that none of it will shake loose your faith. God has been good, just like He said He would.

Others of you have been so neglectful of your relationship with God He has been unable to work the yeast throughout the dough. You have been unable or unwilling to rise. Give yourself to Him today.