Probably the most painful situation to be in is when you are deeply in love with someone, but they do not share the same feelings. It hurts! It is the most horrible feeling I think one can have, in dealing with the heart. I've felt this before, in my younger years, and experienced this again recently.
And "that" is what we're talking about in today's message, being in love ... but not loved!
Recently, I woke up from a dream that, for me, was rather disturbing. Now dreams are funny things. They're much like an acting career. You get to jump into a part, a life, a situation, that is not at all yours, and you get to live it, feel it and experience it all ... but it's not real. It's just a dream. Nobody really knows why we dream, much less why we dream what we dream. But we do! And this recently happened to me!
When I awoke I remember at girl at my workplace. Now, like most dreams, I do not remember a face, or a name ... but in the dream she was very real. The same goes for the workplace. I have no idea where this was, but for the sake of "living the moment" it was as real as it gets ... in the dream.
In this dream, I was deeply in love with this girl. She was basically my world. I adored her, and was head over heals in love! I've felt this before as a younger man. Often as we grow up, young men go through this. It develops us somehow, as painful as it may be. And in this dream, it was every bit as real. The girl, in the dream, however did not feel the same about me as I did for her. She loved another, and it pained me deeply. I so wanted her to care for me, to have feelings for me, and to give "me" her attentions and affections but she only felt this way for the other guy.
When I woke up from this dream, I felt a deep and awful sadness in my heart for the love that I'd experienced. And as quickly as I realized the feeling, Holy Spirit said to me, ever so softly ...
"
Rich, this is how I feel about those I love, when they are not the least bit interested in seeking Me to their fullest. When My children are more concerned about their daily affairs, about their job, their careers and even their family ... MORE than they are ... about Me, I hurt every bit as deeply as you just experienced. And I feel that longing and that desire ... for their fellowship, for their attentions and for their affections ... but they give that to another."
For the first time in my life, I realized just how Holy Spirit feels when I get too busy to pray, to spend time in silence in His Presence, and when I don't take that time to just experience the love of God in my life. I get too busy working at a job/career, or on a project, or just too busy with my family. And He misses me ... and He feels like I felt in the dream I had just experienced! How awful!
I purposed in my heart to from that day forward, to put Holy Spirit "first" in my life. We so often forget to spend time with God in prayer, and in just plain fellowship. That's all He really wants is just time with His kids! He created us just for that! For fellowship!
In reading the Apostle's Creed recently, I noticed that in it we give such credibility and creedence to God the Father, and then to Jesus, but we just sail by Holy Spirit, giving Him an honorable mention as we sail on to things about the church ("cath-o-lic", not "Catholic") and such. But Holy Spirit is our Teacher, our Comforter, our Guide ... into what God wants for us here, in the Earth. I like to call Him the "Project Manager for Assignment: EARTH"!
When your heart speaks to you about something you need to fix, or when you're hurting and you suddenly feel a comforting in side, this is Holy Spirit. When you're in danger and you don't know what to do, and suddenly a strength comes on you like never before, THIS IS HOLY SPIRIT ... strengthening and shoring you up to be your very best!
This week, purpose in your heart to return to the love that sits across from you ... that watches you, looks out for you, and cares so deeply for you, knowing your every strength, your heart, and your weakness, all at the same time! Purpose in your heart to return to that love Who so deeply cares for you, and longs for your undivided attention! Purpose in your heart ... to spend time with Holy Spirit, today! I assure you, your life will never be the same again!
Make me proud!
-pastor rich-
Get ON-TRACK with HIS Plan ...
1. Be holy - the Bible calls us a "Holy Temple", where the Spirit of GOD lives. the Spirit of GOD lives in your heart! And to keep it holy, we must confess our sin when we sin (1 John 1:9). "
If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness." In order to remain holy and clean, before GOD, we must avoid sin, and when we do sin, we must confess those sins before GOD, so that we can be made clean again.
2.
Study the Word - Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "
If you continue in My word, then are you truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Folks, rare is the time you will ever see someone skip eating for the day, let alone days upon end. But we do that all the time
spiritually. The Word of GOD is food for our spiritual bodies! We
need that spiritual food, for spiritual energy, and for the
faith that we need ... to live the life that GOD has called us to live, here in the Earth. When we study and meditate the Word of God, our spirit man grows strong, in much the same way as a battery is charged! (Romans 10:17) But when we do NOT study the Word, our spiritual
battery begins to run down, and the natural man begins to surface. We act more like our "old self" than like the renewed man that GOD created us to be. In other words, the "flesh" wins out.
3.
Pray in the Holy Spirit - Paul teaches us that we are to
pray in the Holy Spirit. "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the spirit." [Jude 1:20 - AMP] Our supernatural energy, our faith, is
charged and built up when we spend time in the presence of GOD, and when we "pray in the Holy Spirit". We are told in Ephesians 6 to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might", putting on the whole armor of GOD. We cannot
be strong if we do not spend time in GOD's presence, and in
supernatural prayer!
ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS:
"This is YOUR day ... YOU control it, how it goes, how you deal with the obstacles that come, and how you finish it! Master it! And don't let the day, or the little bumps that come with it determine how "YOUR DAY" is going to be. This is "YOUR" day!"
Master it! Conquer it! MAKE IT ... what your Father wants it to be!
-pastor rich-
WORD CHURCH is a church, a ministry, and a fellowship, even an outreach, where like in the days of the Apostles and Acts, the people joined together! 
