Pastor's Circle - Chris Lohrstorfer

Today in the Pastor's Circle: Chris Lohrstorfer, Senior Pastor of Hinds Independent Methodist Church, talking about grace, works, and a personal relationship with God. 

Do people ever operate as Christians without having a personal relationship with God?

It happens a lot.

The thing is, you ended your devotion time talking about works. The problem is most people work like they're in a pre-Pentecost church instead of a post-Pentecost church.

They're not really experiencing God and letting that flow over into their life.  They are working for God and not with God. 

 
How refreshing is it when you're working with God?

It's freeing. It's not the kind of work that you do to gain something.

It frees you up from a kind of slavery. It just allows life to be about living out the gospel.

 
How can someone know what to do to get that personal relationship?

I think first of all, Acts chapter 1, Jesus said wait for it.

The waiting for it involves confession, surrender.

You have to follow through with that, because you're not going to meet with Him outside of grace.

Wait, confessing, surrendering, receiving from Him.

 
Do we have to groan after this experience?

Well, that is the debate of the day, I suppose.  John Wesley always said wait for it.

I think he's right about that.

In my own experience, we want to tell God what to do...to really experience it, it's gotta happen on God's timing.

You can confess it all you want. But it's not a confession; it's a possession.

  What does it mean to "groan after"?

You've gotta want it.  It's not like God's holding you out on a string.

I think this groaning after is a person who wants it more than all other things.

I think when you want it to the place that you're ready to hang on and experience it, that's probably the groaning after.

Just wanting a deeper work of the Spirit to happen this Sunday doesn't mean it will necessarily happen?

Sometimes we just want to wait for that emotional tickle. God doesn't want to tickle you. He wants to change you.

You have to get past the emotional.

 How can you reach God personally through prayer?

I think the Church makes a huge mistake in prayer.

We turn it into telling God what to do.

Rather than letting prayer be anthropocentric, why not let prayer come from God?

I think that's the key. I'm talking about the Holy Spirit guiding your heart and mind in prayer.

 How do we approach a personal God through scripture?

Take a book of scripture. Read and study through it.

You have to be able to meditate on scripture.

Use that time and strengthen God's will in your life.