The Call to True Connection: Becoming Who God Wants Us to Be
"Christ does not ask for followers who practice merely a form of godliness. He asks for those who will live out His character in the world."
— A.W. Tozer
The Importance of Staying Connected to God
As I begin to write, I am unsure how to describe the sorrow nagging at my heart. I am realizing more and more each day how important it is to stay in connection with God. The closer and closer we get to the end of time, the more that connection is needed.
In Revelation, it talks about seven churches, and I do believe that each one of those churches represents a time in history. I believe that we are living in the history of the last church.
The Message to the Laodicean Church
"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
— Revelation 3:14-22 (KJV)
God is looking for Christians who realize their need for Him. Yet, many of us do not recognize that need. We think we are doing all the right things. But what I am beginning to realize more and more is that who a person is matters more than what he or she says or does. Many times, we focus on the do’s and don’ts and, sadly, miss who we are supposed to be.
What is a Godly Character?
Who a person is really speaks to their character. A godly character is one that reflects Christ—His love, patience, humility, and faithfulness. The only way we can develop this kind of character is by staying connected to God, allowing Him to work on our hearts and minds, and giving Him full control. When we do this, our character will naturally influence what we say and do.
If our focus is only on what we do or say, we risk doing things for the wrong reasons. We may end up fulfilling what is described in Isaiah:
"Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Indeed, you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?"
— Isaiah 58:2-5 (NKJV)
Like the Laodiceans, we may think we are saying and doing the right things, yet we are actually poor, miserable, blind, and naked. How can we show Jesus to the world if we ourselves are not reflecting the love of God?
The Fast That God Desires
But what kind of fast does God truly desire?
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?"
— Isaiah 58:6-7 (NKJV)
The devil doesn’t care what he distracts us with, as long as he keeps us from seeking God for ourselves and staying connected to Him. If we allow God to shape our character, we will serve others naturally, without even realizing it.
Jesus describes this kind of selfless service in the parable of the sheep and the goats:
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
— Matthew 25:37-40 (KJV)
When we develop a Christlike character, our actions will be an outflow of a heart transformed by God. We won’t serve others for recognition or duty, but because love for Christ compels us.
"Revival comes when we stop using the Word of God to point at others and start allowing it to change us.” —A.W. Tozer
Conviction and the Call to True Worship
Isaiah 58:8-10 (NKJV) states:
"Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday."
What I love the most about this passage is the fact that when we call, He will answer. But there is a qualifier. My heart has been so convicted by this qualifier: "If you take away..." It is so easy to point fingers at others and speak wickedly. Somehow, it makes us feel better about ourselves, like we are doing okay—like Laodicea. This takes away our realization of our own need.
We often go into the Word of God to prove our point or to show someone else their errors instead of approaching it to see where we need to change. Are there wrongs happening within the Christian community and churches? Absolutely. But I want to be like Daniel when he prayed:
A Prayer of Confession
Daniel 9:5-6 (KJV) states:
"We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land."
I want to be among those who are marked in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 9:4 (KJV) states:
"And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."
And not among those who are slain:
Ezekiel 9:6 (KJV) states:
"Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary."
I want to be in the camp of those who fall on their knees in prayer, rather than those who point fingers and speak wickedness.
The True Measure of Godliness
I believe there will be people in the kingdom—even those considered heathen—who have never heard of God but have been listening to His voice in their hearts and doing the very things found in Isaiah 58. How many times have we met people who seem kind and godly yet do not fit our definition of a Christian? We must be careful, for we do not know whom God is leading and guiding. By all appearances, we might wrongly judge them.
Our best example is Jesus. When I look at how He treated Judas, who was not only a church member but also the treasurer, I see that despite stealing from the purse and possibly engaging in other wrongdoing, Jesus still loved him, showed him respect, and continued to reach out to his heart until Judas made his final decision. He didn't make a public example of him but worked quietly with him, protecting his reputation.
I can’t help but think of Jesus as our example. He was treated with such contempt—beaten, mocked, and subjected to unimaginable suffering. I don’t think we can even begin to comprehend what He endured. Yet, despite all of this, He took on the sins of the world, including those who treated Him so cruelly. And in His final moments, He did something astonishing—He asked His Father to forgive them, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
That seems almost unthinkable. They didn’t know what they were doing? How could that be when they were committing such evil against Him? And yet, He still asked for their forgiveness. Wow! What love!
I also think of Stephen in the Bible. As he was being stoned by the religious leaders, he too echoed Jesus’ words, praying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." What an incredible example of forgiveness.
It’s hard to grasp this kind of love and mercy. But we are called to have this same forgiving spirit. The truth is, we cannot do this in our own strength—it is only possible through the Spirit of God dwelling within us.
I am praying for this kind of heart in my own life. How about you?
A Personal Confession and Commitment
I find my heart torn as I see Jesus being hurt again and again—not by the world, but by me. I have been hurting Him by thinking I was doing His will, yet I was in the ditch of pointing fingers and speaking wickedness. My fasting, prayers, and studies were often more about proving someone wrong and ensuring I was checking off the right boxes for salvation. But I have come to realize:
I am wretched, poor, blind, and naked. (Revelation 3:17)
I now know more than ever how much I need Jesus. I need Him to refine me, which means embracing trials and hardships. I must approach God, saying, "We have sinned," rather than pointing fingers. I need to keep my eyes fixed on the cross, recognizing what Christ has done for every person on this earth and seeing them through His eyes. I must trust God more, and for my struggles with trust, I echo the father’s cry:
"I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:24, KJV)
Join with me in commitment.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come before You with a humble heart, confessing that we have sinned. We have pointed fingers and spoken wickedly, believing we were standing for truth when, in reality, we were only exalting ourselves. Forgive us, Lord. Please open our eyes to our own needs rather than focusing on the faults of others. Refine, cleanse, and teach us to love as You love. Let us be marked as one who sighs and cries over the abominations in this world and in our churches, not out of self-righteousness, but out of a heart that longs for Your righteousness to prevail.
Help us trust You more. Give us eyes to see people as You see them and a heart willing to serve and love unconditionally. May our lives reflect Your goodness, and may we always seek You above all else.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
An Action Plan for Staying Focused
I cannot do this alone, but only with God's help. In the strength that Jesus has promised to give me in my weakness, I want to follow these steps. Would you like to join me in these steps as we seek to draw closer to God to be ready for His soon coming?
Daily Self-Examination – Before correcting others, I will ask God to search my heart (Psalm 139:23-24).
Seek Understanding—When I read the Word, I will first ask how it applies to me.
Intercessory Prayer—Instead of pointing fingers, I will pray for those who are struggling.
Acts of Mercy – I will actively seek ways to serve and uplift those in need, as outlined in Isaiah 58.
Watch My Words—I will be mindful of how I speak about others and avoid gossip and condemnation.
Trust God’s Judgment – I will remember that only God truly knows the heart and that He is working in ways I may not understand.
Keep Eternity in Mind – I will live each day as if Christ could return at any moment, striving to be ready.
Christ is coming soon. I do not know how soon, but today could be my last, and I want to be ready. How about you?
Keep seeking God every day and go forward with His strength.
I love you all!
