Hanging Out with the Lord
Hi Everyone,
I am sharing a vision today concerning our relationship with the Lord. Just as we have to work on our relationships with family members or with our neighbors, or those with whom we work, we need to make sure that our relationship with the Lord is right. Our relationship with the Lord should be based on truth and a desire to follow him. I believe that the Lord has given this vision to show us what is most important. (Please read for I have included a prayer for salvation at the end of this post.)
The Vision
The Balloons
I saw two children, a girl and a boy coming out the back door of a house onto an open porch. The little girl wore a dress and was about 5. She carried a big bunch of balloons with lots and lots of strings attached. The little boy was a bit younger, about 4 years old. He also brought out a big bunch of balloons, with many strings hanging down. The balloons had lost much of their air, since they were hovering low to the ground, about the same height as the children’s heads.
As I contemplated the vision, I thought of the balloons as simple pleasures. A balloon can captivate a young child for quite a while. They can create their own games with them, or imagine them to be alive, as they move and float through the air.
It is better for the two children to play with balloons that are partially deflated, for they stay within reach, hovering near their heads, rather than escaping their grasp and flying away.
I believe that this vision conveys the idea of just “hanging around,” since the balloons were hovering around their heads. “Hanging around,” to a busy adult is synonymous with being idle, or unproductive. To a task or goal oriented person, idleness is not part of their nature. To them idleness is a sin and a terrible waste of time. Some say that time is money.
As I was praying and contemplating the meaning of this vision, a scripture came to mind:
“Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.” Ecclesiastes 8:3
This is a scripture that teaches a wisdom that most do not or would not appreciate. It not only applies to earthly kings but it applies to us with regards to our heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We should not leave the Lord’s presence in a big hurry, but be willing to linger a while with him. It is in waiting upon the Lord, that we give him a chance to speak to us, and tell us the things he has longed to share. Unfortunately, too many people bolt out the church doors immediately at the close of a service. Like a balloon full of helium, they take off as soon as they are released.
An earthly king would be insulted by a person who can’t wait to leave his presence. It is the same with God. He wants us to spend time with him. He wants us to linger in his presence.
Years ago when our church was experiencing a revival, we would have a prayer meeting every Thursday evening. We would pray by ourselves quietly with worship music for the first hour. Then the leader would call everyone to come together and he would ask, “What is the Lord saying to you?” Those of us who received a word from God would share it and we would begin to intercede as the Lord would direct. The presence of God would move powerfully and we would pray for several hours. At the end we would be wiped out, but because the peace of God was so rich, none of us wanted to go home. We felt like Joshua, or Anna, neither of whom wanted to leave the Lord’s presence. But of course we had to go home to our families and many had work the next day.
Joshua and the Tent of Meeting
“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Exodus 33:7-11
Simeon and Anna in the Temple
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:25-38
Some Christians desire to move in the power of the Holy Spirit and have the gifts of the Spirit, but they are not willing to pray and spend time with him. It is in hanging out with God, waiting upon him that we learn from him. He renews our strength, he speaks to us, he brings hope and imparts wisdom and words of knowledge, as we give him our time. When we wait upon him, he gives us visions and revelations. He makes his will known to us and helps us to understand his heart. If we are not impatient, or quick to leave his presence, he will share his thoughts with us.
It is futile to think that power comes without spending time with the Lord.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
How can one have the power to cast out demons, if he does not spend time with God?
“So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.’” Mark 9:29
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Many believers see prayer as a hardship, or as work, or as something boring or unpleasant. I don’t believe that they really know him. What a shame. Spending time with God is one of life’s treasures. It is a bit of heaven on earth. It is an opportunity to taste and see that the Lord is good. When we want to know someone, we want to spend time with him. The Lord wants to have an intimate, close relationship with us, but if we have no time for him, we grieve him.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, are together: one, a triune God. All are separate individuals and at the same time, they are one. We are told to not grieve the Spirit of God:
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.” Ephesians 4:30-31
Jesus warns us that we will be forgiven for all our sins except this one: the sin of “blaspheming the Holy Spirit.”
“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” Matthew 12:31
So, how can we please God, if we do not know him? Are we worshiping the one true God or are we worshipping a god that we do not really know? Do we worship God in Spirit and in truth, or are we giving him lip service? Are we actually worshiping a god of our own making, having the attributes that we want him to have? A God of love, but not a God of judgment? A God that requires nothing from us, or a God that demands obedience? Who is your God?
The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”
You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me?”
Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing?” Isaiah 29:13-16
Jesus wants us to know him. To understand him, we must read and know the Word of God, the Bible. One of the names of Jesus is “The Word.” He was the word that was made flesh.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:9-14
Jesus came to bring light to the dark hearts of this world. He came to seek and save the lost. He died not just for the Jews, but for all those who would receive him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as Almighty God, as the Great I Am. Jesus came as Immanuel, “God with us.”
He showed his love for all mankind in his conversation with the woman at the well.
Jesus and a Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well
“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:22-26
Jesus was giving the Samaritan woman and others of her community the opportunity to see and understand that he was the Messiah that was to come. They would have the same right as the Jews to believe in his name and so be reconciled to God. At this time in history, the land which had previously been called Israel, or the Northern Kingdom, was now inhabited by people who worshiped false gods and idols at their centers of worship: Samaria, Bethel and Gilgal. In both Bethel and Gilgal there was at one time, a golden calf set up to represent God Almighty who had delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. But in reality, their worship was nothing more than idol worship.
“Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years.” Amos 4:4
“Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.” Amos 5:5
So in Jesus’ day, the exiles of both Israel and Judah had already taken place centuries before. Jerusalem and the temple had long since been rebuilt. But those in Samaria did not know who they were worshipping. They did not understand that they were worshipping demons, going by the names of their false gods.
Today, we have people in churches that do not know God. We have churches that have diluted or totally ignored the Bible and are teaching what people want to hear.
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3
“If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!” Micah 2:11
We have churches today that are like clubs. They attract people to their doors with the right style of worship music, and teachings that avoid the topics that would bring a conviction of sin. They preach an all inclusive gospel that nullifies Biblical morality. This false gospel causes people to believe that since God loves them unconditionally, he accepts whatever they choose as a lifestyle. The truth of God’s word is not preached, but is considered obsolete. Truth for them is an individual thing. What is true for me, may not be true for you. Without the Holy Spirit’s presence, these churches are nothing but social clubs that exist to make money, and promote a feeling of well-being and acceptance. These churches do not stir people’s hearts to repent of sin, and so be reconciled to God. They do not encourage people to read the Word of God, or become true disciples of Christ. They do not instruct people in the Lord’s command:
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
We are told to not yoke ourselves with unbelievers, or people who claim to be believers but do not follow the Lord’s teachings.
Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17
“But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.” 1 Corinthians 5:11
These words are offensive to some. They might claim, “That is not a Christian attitude. We are to accept everyone just as they are. We are to hold out our hands in friendship.”
No. We must do things the Lord’s way. This is good Biblical counsel:
“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” Galatians 5:9
Yeast is synonymous with sin. If we allow ourselves to make close friendships in our fellowships and churches with people who claim to be brothers but are living in sin, then we have given place to the devil, and sin to be tolerated. Eventually that sin will affect the whole church. The church will no longer have the presence of God, and it will become an apostate church.
A person who claims to be a believer, yet does not hold to the teachings of Christ, especially with regards to sin, is a false brother.
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’” 2 Corinthians 14-18
Returning to the Vision
In the vision we saw that the two small children had balloons that hung around their heads, having very little helium, they would not fly off into the sky. There were many strings attached to the balloons, so that the children could easily take them to the porch to play. If the balloons represent people who are willing to “hang around” the Lord, to wait on him, to spend time with him, then the strings represent the connection that we have to God.
Very often we pray for our loved ones to be drawn to God with “his cords of love.” Jesus said:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44
So we pray that the Father draws them to the Son. There is a song that tells us to come to the Lord: “Just as I am.”
We come to the Lord with all our baggage, our problems, our fears, and just as we are, we come. To those who humble themselves, and come as little children with a child-like faith, they will receive forgiveness and mercy. And just as the children’s balloons were not fully inflated, we should deflate our pride, and come before him.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3
And as there were strings attached to the balloons, there are strings attached to salvation. These are conditions that must be met to have a true salvation and a genuine relationship with the Lord. One of these conditions is to recognize our sin and the need for forgiveness.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
Another condition is to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus the Christ and his atoning death on the cross.
“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Without godly sorrow over our sins, and giving the Lord first place in our lives, there can be no salvation. He paid a heavy price for our salvation: his own blood. Therefore we owe him our very lives.
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
So Let us come to him with repentant hearts and acknowledge our sin. Let us draw near to God, for he will then draw near to us. Let us be willing to sit at his feet, to take time to be with him. Let us stay close, with open ears to hear his voice.
If you have never prayed to receive the Lord’s gift of salvation and his Holy Spirit, you can pray with me now. Just speak these words out loud, declaring them to be a true representation of your feelings and beliefs about him.
Dear Jesus,
You are my Lord and my Savior. You died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for my sins. I ask you to forgive me for the things that I have done that were wrong, and for the things I have failed to do, that I should have done. I acknowledge that you are King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and I choose to honor and serve you all the days of my life. You have chosen me from the foundations of the world, to follow you as your disciple and as your friend, so today I choose you to be my God, and my Lord. I am not my own any longer. I am yours, so I dedicate my life to following you. Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and teach me your ways that I would be obedient to your commands. Thank you for making me a new creation, giving me a new birth in the Spirit of God. I am yours and you are mine. Please write my name in the Book of Life so that someday when I die, I will be with you for all eternity. Thank you Jesus! I am born again, and I will be raised to life on the last day! Amen!
God bless you all, and please share this with someone who needs to draw closer to God. May God’s peace that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!
