This post is a few months shy of being six years old. I am now finalizing it (being October 9, 2018). A long time has gone by but this post I rather fine to be simply beautiful. It has come from a place of awe and wonder and joy for the Lord. Interesting fact. I no longer own that iPhone, and I no longer use an iPhone. I have as of 2014 went to using Android. However, this is not a post about the differences, the pros and cons of two different interfaces. It is about my relationship with the Lord God and how He allowed me to perceive Him through something I used in my every day. With that being said, I now invite you into my HEART.
*The following words are the original words from 2013. However, I will put [brackets] around words in the body of this literary work that are from today 10/9/18.
Beloved, just from the title alone, you could be wondering and even saying, ‘what is this crazy man talking about?’ Today, as I was outside thanking God for His willingness to be faithful in all things and in all ways, my speech went from giving God thanks and praising Him to speaking as if to a group and then before a great crowd.
It all began with God showing me how my iPhone works, and the direct relation to the way He works, when it comes to those who are willing to desire change in their life.
God placed this into my heart, and it was a message about sin. it was a message about temptation. It was a message about filling ourselves with all sorts of poisons that would harm us and ultimately destroy us. Yesterday, was a very tough day for me. Yesterday was a day of conviction. A day, where I was greatly troubled and alarmed by these words, ‘If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.’ I was greatly disturbed by it, because much of society and even His Church, takes God’s Word metaphorically instead of literally. Certainly God uses symbolism to show the message of the Kingdom of heaven on earth, but His Word has a literal meaning to it as well, especially when it comes to sin, and allowing sin to contaminate and dominate the hearts and minds of others and ourselves. Jesus the Son of God, did not come to live among His creation and die for it, in order for people to continue to contaminate themselves and others with all sorts of evil.
I know these are strong words, and rightfully so! Much of the Word of God illustrates to us a picture that is frightening. Much of the Old Testament and New Testament portrays this frightening message that I share with you, but it’s completely due to God’s holiness and love, not standing for sin to rule our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. God refused for such a thing to be, when His Son Jesus died on the Cross for all sin once for all time.
You may be asking yourself right about now, what does this have to do with your iPhone showing you God? Let me share that with you now. When God was showing me the step-by-step process for my iPhone to be turned on and used, He was speaking directly to my now weightless feeling from my yesterday. I went to bed greatly troubled, and woke up rejoicing as I felt a great weight removed. God showed me, that in order for myself and all others, to have the heavy weight of concern and sin to be removed from them, they had to turn off their ways and turn on His ways. But it wouldn’t come easy.
Just like my iPhone when it is turned off, takes time to turn back on into a useful state, so it is with those who desire to no longer sin against God. To no longer live lives of depravity committing all sorts of evil. God showed me, that once I made the conscious decision to turn my iPhone back on, I was aware that it wasn’t usable for a time. First came the waiting of the apple logo, [then came the boot up to the lock screen, then came the swiping to the right in order to enter into the home screen interface. From there I was presented with the ability to use the iPhone in its various functions.]
My iPhone when purchased had no purpose, it was merely a box in my hand, containing a casing with hardware inside. But once, I made the decision based off of my desire to [remove] the packaging and [to open up] the box and turn on my new iPhone and start using it, did it have a purpose.
Just like with human beings and God. God has given all of us a purpose, but unless we have the desire to fulfill that purpose, we will never find out that purpose. We must allow ourselves to be opened and used by God.
Once I removed the protective packaging and opened up the box containing the iPhone inside, and held it in my hand, it truly became mine. Once I powered up my iPhone, and saw the apple logo appear, I grew with anticipation to the world of iPhone that awaited me; that was created for me. But first, I had to register my iPhone and follow the specific instructions laid out for me, to get to the point of actually using it! Although, this process isn’t something we care to do (it can be down right exhausting if we don’t have the right perspective while doing it). In order to reap the full benefits of using the iPhone and exploring the world of iPhone, I had to do all that was required of me.
The same thing applies to us and God. God has a world awaiting us. God has this new life all planned out for us, but unless we are willing to do what we must, we will never experience all the wonderful things He has created for us. In order for us to begin on the journey that leads to signs and wonders and excitement and rejoicing, we must first allow God to do as He must.
F.A. Lugo
Originally written on: 1/24/13
Revisited and finalized on: 10/9/18
Posted on: 10/11/18
My iPhone when purchased had no purpose, it was merely a box in my hand, containing a casing with hardware inside. But once, I made the decision based off of my desire to [remove] the packaging and [to open up] the box and turn on my new iPhone and start using it, did it have a purpose.
Just like with human beings and God. God has given all of us a purpose, but unless we have the desire to fulfill that purpose, we will never find out that purpose. We must allow ourselves to be opened and used by God.
Once I removed the protective packaging and opened up the box containing the iPhone inside, and held it in my hand, it truly became mine. Once I powered up my iPhone, and saw the apple logo appear, I grew with anticipation to the world of iPhone that awaited me; that was created for me. But first, I had to register my iPhone and follow the specific instructions laid out for me, to get to the point of actually using it! Although, this process isn’t something we care to do (it can be down right exhausting if we don’t have the right perspective while doing it). In order to reap the full benefits of using the iPhone and exploring the world of iPhone, I had to do all that was required of me.
The same thing applies to us and God. God has a world awaiting us. God has this new life all planned out for us, but unless we are willing to do what we must, we will never experience all the wonderful things He has created for us. In order for us to begin on the journey that leads to signs and wonders and excitement and rejoicing, we must first allow God to do as He must.
F.A. Lugo
Originally written on: 1/24/13
Revisited and finalized on: 10/9/18
Posted on: 10/11/18
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