The Opportunity

Many modern western churches are creating generations of false converts; Folks who think Christianity is all about them getting into heaven someday, Folks who think they are all set for eternal life because they heard about Jesus and spoke a sinner’s prayer once. Folks who treat Christianity very superficially and only adopt Christian principles when it is convenient, or not at all. Christians in name only; Folks who think it is fine to continue on in their old self-centered ways, behaving badly, treating others horribly, not becoming good ambassadors for Jesus, and in fact repelling many from considering Christianity as a desirable option.

Dan Mohler does an awesome job bringing these points out and showing us how to do much better. This write up is inspired by Him and is an attempt to capture the essence of His message for your use.

It is all about Knowing God and Jesus

Scripture is very clear, you Gain eternal life when you KNOW God and Jesus. KNOWING God is much different than Knowing ABOUT God.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3

You can tell if someone KNOWS God by their attitude and how they behave towards others. If they KNOW God, they will exhibit love. If they don’t know God they will exbibit self-centered behaviors: pride, anger, impatience, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8

To Know God You Must Spend Time With Him

To KNOW God you need to spend time with Him, Time alone in His presence, One-On-One.

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 1 Chronicles 16:11

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…. James 4:8

God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1O

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees you in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

As you get to KNOW God, you will be changed by the process.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

As you get to know HIM and are changed, you will come into fellowship with Him, and He will get to KNOW you, and will invite you into the kingdom.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-24

OK, So Now You See You Need To Spend Time Alone With God, What should you do?

How Do You Spend Quality Time Alone With God

Kneel and Humble Yourself

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! Psalm 95:6

Speak to the Lord in faith so that His grace can be released into you.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8-9

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

Acknowledge God’s Love

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

Acknowledge Jesus’s love and His humble sacrifice for you

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13

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. Colossians 3:16

You are encouraged to get the ball rolling with the communion elements – the bread and cup. Break the bread and lift it up remembering that Jesus broke His body on the cross for you. Accept that sacrifice and Eat the bread. Lift up the cup, remembering that he shed His innocent blood to forgive your sins and make you righteous here and now and give you a path to eternal life.

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:19-20

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

Invite the Holy Spirit to come and take up residence in you.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

Repent and Allow Your soul to be refreshed.

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19

Submit yourself fully to Him. Yield control, and invite Him in.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God.” James 4:7:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Express you desire to become like Christ, To have Him form In You and restore the original Image Of God In You.

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we] shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1 Corinthians 15:46-49

Actively embrace the call to cut off any self-serving agendas, deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:3:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24

Actively put off the old man and his ways, and put on the new man who’s mind is renewed.

“…if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24

…since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. Colossians 3:9-10

Commit yourself to His calling and purpose – To Bing Him Glory In All You Do, and To Shine as a Beacon for the kingdom.

Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Say Yes To His Promises of Transformation

“For all the promises of God in Christ are Yes, and in him Amen, to the glory of God through us” Corinthians 1:20,

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

Examples: 

I transcribed two examples from Dan’s Video and provide them here so you can use them for inspiration to build on.

Simple Example:

A good first session, or a great warm up for every session.

Grab the two communion elements: the bread and the cup, then go into a bedroom and start remembering Him.

Lift your eyes up to the ceiling. Lift up the bread, break it,  and say, “Jesus, this represents your body. You gave your life for me, not because you were mad at me, not because you felt sorry for me, but because you love me. You knew me and how I was living, I’m so much more when I am in You. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for not judging me. Thank you for not coming mad, but as a humble, meek, loving Savior, gentle and kind, but so powerful; The Lion and the Lamb. Thanks for what you’ve done. As best I understand, I yield my body to You, and I give myself to You. I ask You to mold me and shape me into everything You desire. Thank You for covenant.” Embrace what He has done for you and eat the bread. Then take the cup and begin to talk to Him. “So Father, I come to You. I believe that You love me and want to father me. I embrace you and submit myself to you. You are the potter, I am the clay, make me who you intended me to be when you put me here. .Please keep truth in front of me so I may learn to follow you and grow. Help me transform my mind and my heart so that I can perfect the flow of your love to others and bring you glory in all I do. I drink this cup in remembrance of you” Submit yourself to Him and drink the cup.

More detailed example:

Father, I thank You that You love me. I thank You that over years of weakness and misunderstanding and reactions to life, You never changed Your mind about me. You never changed Your mind about my value. You never changed Your mind about my destiny. You did not rewrite a book out in front of me, but instead You wooed me and You drew me and You came to me and You turned my heart to You. And I thank You that You’re not mad at me. I thank You that You forgive me. I thank You that You wash me clean of everything that I have ever done. I thank You that You’re pleased to give me the kingdom.

You said I should never fear, and You called me a little sheep in the flock, and never to fear because it’s Your good pleasure. It’s not Your burden. It’s not Your obligation. It’s Your pleasure to give me the kingdom. And I just thank You for giving me who You are and the way You function. I thank You that the depths of Your heart and the depths of Your being have become the reality of my life. I don’t want to just serve You. I don’t just want to do good deeds. I don’t want to be seen by men as a do-gooder. I want to be seen as Yours. I want to be seen for Your image, for Your love, for Your nature. And I just thank You that You’re doing a work on the inside of me.

I give You my “why”; I give You my motives. I give You my reason for being. I turn my mind to the kingdom. Father, I don’t want affirmation. I have no expectation on men. I release men; Men owe me nothing. Men don’t owe me a thing. My own spouse owes me nothing. I realize I’m privileged to love her, to lay down my life and bring out the best in her and be rain on her life and let her flower bloom. I’m here to be like You are to me, to her, and I yield myself to You. She owes me nothing. Marriage isn’t 50/50 and a lot of work. Marriage is, “I love you, and I thank you for the honor of love.” The way You love me is the way I want to always love her, and I thank You for empowering me. The way You love me as Your son, I want to love my son. The way You love me as Your son, I want to love my daughter.

God, I yield myself to You. You’re my teacher. Jesus, I don’t want anything else teaching me. I see it in Your life and I want it in mine. And I’m a big yes. Search my heart, God. Search it, Father. I’m a big yes. When I go to work, I want people to see who You are in me without me trying, without me striving. I don’t want to have to yell through a bullhorn. I don’t want to have to just wear a Christian t-shirt. I want them to see You through my life. So do a work in me. I yield to You.

I thank You, Lord. You’re taking contentions out of me, the need to be right out of me. I cast my old self off. I lay it down. If it’s not edifying, if it’s not profitable for your kingdom, I don’t want it in my life. If it doesn’t bring life, stir life, impart life, I don’t want it in me. I yield to You. Teach me what it means to be a man of God and let my life have impact. Let people know You a little more because they’ve met me. Let them know You a little more because they’ve worked beside me. Holy Spirit, empower me. Let them know You a little more because they’ve met me.

Jesus, I want to live everything You paid for. And I don’t want what the world taught me anymore as wisdom. I want a brand new thing—a new creation, a new mind, a new way, a new reason. Thanks for always loving me. Thanks for being so patient. Thank You. I’m not a step away from breaking Your heart. You do nothing but father me. My desire is to never miss You. And even in weakness, You’ll make me strong. And I’m not banking on weakness. Today, let the weak say, “I am strong.” You are the strength of my life. Did You not die for me? Did You not pull me out of sin? Did You not rescue me from darkness? Surely You empower me now that I’m in the light. Surely You’ll save me from wrath through the One that lives. Thank You for more than enough grace in my life. You took away all my flesh excuses. You took the blame off of everyone. And You’ve given me the right to just be Yours. I yield myself to You. You’ve been a great change in me because You love me, and Your love will never fail.  I thank you Lord for all you have done, and all your are doing in me and through me. I will bring you glory in all I do.

Hope you find this process helpful. Let me know how you are changed.

Reference:

Dan Mohler: How To Be Alone With God  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SqVX8JvkUU