SO HIGH YOU CAN'T GET OVER IT

I was thinking about my friend CARL, whom I had not seen for awhile, and I decided to give him a call, and invite him to have coffee with me. After hem-hawing for awhile he agreed to meet me at a favorite restaurant. We got past the obligatory chit chat, and I asked him how things were going. Whereupon he surprised me by saying, not as good as I would like spiritually, and then he quickly added, but things are getting better.

I was trying get over my shock because Carl was a very solid Christian, and I couldn't imagine him having trouble in that area. I didn't say anything; I just waited to see if he would elaborate further.

After what seemed to be a long time he began to tell me that he had for years gone along serving God, and doing what was expected of him, but there was something lacking in his experience.

It wasn't always like that, just these last few years. Being busy he didn't pay much attention to it but lately it became more evident and bothersome. All his communication with GOD had become one sided, like he had come up to a wall and like the old song “it’s too high you can't get over it, too wide you can't get around it, too deep you can't get under it ,you must come in at the door”. The only problem was there was no door.

At a time like this, scripture fragments of scripture would come to mind like, I am the door to the sheep, and I stand at the door and knock. The only problem was I couldn't find the door.

As I began to examine my life I couldn't remember any blatant sin I had committed or any wrong doing. I think it would have been easier had I had been able to point to some sins that stood out, but since that weren't the case I was at a loss.

I didn't do much praying but I meditated on GODS word, and my daily walk, and finally a pattern began to emerge. Several scriptures helped me to understand what the problem was.

In James it says to keep your-self unspotted from the world, lay aside the overflow of wickedness, my attention was drawn to the word “overflow.”
The main stream contains the main body of water but the overflow expands and affects the surrounding area. Jesus said In John speaking of his flock “they are not of this world” I began to understand that my problem was in my association with the world. While rejecting the so called pleasures of the world I was still being affected by the “Overflow”.

One of my Bible instructors said; while he was in India he became weak and was on the verge of passing out when the HOLY SPIRIT spoke to him and said, “Eat some salt.” He realized because of the hot climate he needed to intake more salt. He said thank you LORD, and, “Please pass the salt.”

So it is when we discover the problem, and the remedy thereof we must say,”Please pass the salt,” or apply the remedy required for our issue”

Carl went on to say, from my meditating on the scripture I realized that from my necessary association with the world there was a residue and dross that was attaching itself to me, and was a layer of insulation between me and the Lord, shutting off the flow of divine intercourse that I needed so badly.

I sat there somewhat speechless for I had never heard anything like that, but I wanted to know what he then did, and I said, “Go on.”

First he explained that “overflow” has many faces and comes from many directions causing different degrees of separation. Some will affect our ability to pray others weaken our commitment to GOD and his work. One of the worst is discouragement that attacks our faith.

But I still wanted to know, what did he do?

Well he said it was back to the scriptures,”We are (present tense) more than conquerors through Christ our Lord."  And if we are, then, “I am," is my conclusion.

I decided to treat all this residual mess like it was sin, and do what 1John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

I especially depend on the cleansing part. The HOLY SPIRIT, gentleman that he is, waits for me to initiate the action. When I do, HE cleanses me from the effects of mingling with the world, and that is just the first part. Then opens up divine interactions, that results in a fellowship experience that is new and desperately needed by me.

This has renewed the excitement and enjoyment of being a Christian. While still learning, I have found and opened the closed door that seemingly had been blocking my access to the throne room. I have become more willing and able to eat of the fat of the land of the Spirit.

Carl wanted to go on, but I excused myself by saying, we must do this again, soon. In reality I had heard about all I could handle, and I wanted to get home to some confessing of my own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Bc-GBHAvg

Hebrews 12:1 Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.