fear

You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4

As I try to wet people’s appetites for deeper levels of passion and relationship with Jesus, I encounter many Christians who are afraid of drawing closer to God–even among Christians who are quite knowledgeable in the Bible.

They usually come with the same concern: “But doesn’t pursuing a deeper experience with God open us up to doctrinal error?” The answer that concerns us in this meditation is: ‘How big is your God’? If we are ever going to reach out and be touched by God we’re going to have to believe in a God who is big enough to keep us safe in our pursuit of more of Him.

Doctrinally speaking, we all know that God is all-powerful–He’s stronger than the devil. But if you talk with many Christians who say they believe that, practically speaking, their devil is bigger than their God. Some, because of their fear of error, have not only shied away from seeking an experience with God for themselves, they’ve actively discouraged other Christians from pursuing God. 

After all, history shows us many deceived groups who based their beliefs on experiences even though it was in conflict with clear statements in the Bible. Under the guidance of such attitudes, fear becomes our teacher and walking by fear instead of by faith, we ironically end up equally in conflict with clear statements in the Bible that tell us to pursue God. Is this deception any less dangerous? (more…)