Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
WELL DIGGERS 2. DEEPENING OUR BETHEL EXPERIENCE continued.
Genesis 28:19: “And he called the name of that place Bethel (house of God).”
Psalm 27:4: “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.” This was David's No. 1 desire.
Men, we all need to have a Bethel (house of God) experience in our lives. We all need a place where we, like Jacob, actually encounter the presence of our great God. Each one of us has physical feelings for good or bad when we are in certain people’s company. We should also experience spiritual feelings and emotions (because we are both physical and spiritual beings) when we are in God’s presence.
I personally believe it is wrong to discount our feelings and emotions regarding our relationship with God. Of course we do not make feelings our ultimate evidence regarding the will of God, or any given matter, because sometimes our feelings may be contrary to the direct written Word of God. Often people can be deceived because they mistake physical feelings for godly and spiritual feelings. There is indeed a difference.
I am sure that Jacob’s feelings concerning God were deeply and strongly affected by his Bethel experience. I believe that if we do not spiritually feel God in our gatherings, and have not become aware of His presence for some time, then perhaps there is something wrong with us personally or collectively.
Our gatherings, whether it be our own private devotional times, our family devotional times, or our church gatherings need to be a spiritual encounter with God where our emotions are heightened and stirred. Wherever this happens--in our home, in our closet (our secret place), walking in the woods, out under the stars, or inside a church --it becomes our true Bethel (house of God). When we encounter the presence of our most awesome God our whole beings are changed. Our spirit feelings are stirred, which affects our physical feelings too.
God does not want us to be refrigerators without warm feelings, or even hot feelings towards Him! Far too many Christians are almost emotionless and without passion when it comes to their relationship with God. They need a real Bethel experience.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
