Wow, this is such a fantastic topic. Many believers have an unhealthy understanding of what intimacy with God truly is and think if they don't have some overly emotional experience, they are missing out or maybe not even saved. I appreciate your balanced approach! There are a multitude of Christian practices that can create a posture for that intimacy... like preparing garden soil. We weed and throw out the rocks and enrich the soil, and God sends the sun and rain to make the plants grow. Thank you for this message!
Gardening can be good for mental health. For spiritual health, God does the work.. Just like the parable of the sower. We are the soil and God will remove the stone and plow the dirt and sow the seed, and bring the rain and the sun to make the plant grow.
Not like button. ❤️ button! Mark has helped me MORE than any other counselor, I am 67 and have been battling since my childhood. The understanding is SO REAL and puts me in a place where I can have a more personal and graceful relationship with the Father! I pray for u and your family every day! Melissa, Max and Abby and your ministry has been covered with many prayers to continue the wise 7:16 teachings as the Lord leads you, Mark. Ya know, u went thru the trenches and showed me that door to get to the HEALING I so desperately needed! It TRULY makes a 🌎 of difference. Thanks for going thru those trenches for the body of Christ. May all experience healing and strength for their journey. Blessings! P.S. Love the Jazz music 🎶 on You Tube. Thanks Melissa on the GREAT recommendation!
Great teaching!!! Coming out of the performance based way of relating to God has lifted such a weight off my shoulders, not going to lie, its a continuous battle though
Another great video 🔥 I would love to see you discuss the topic of trying to find a church home that’s right for you . I never imagined it would be this hard to find a church but I think this video did a great job at speaking to the reasons why . I find that many churches (I live in NYC) speak from a fix it mindset , and there’s often an undertone of guilt and shame . Even amongst the community, i sense an unspoken atmosphere of fear. It’s extremely rare to hear a sermon of Gods total unconditional love and acceptance.
Thanks so much for this....I feel I've had such an unhealthy relationship with myself, with men and with God and the healing has been happening for the past year slowly but surely. I know how much God loves us but I sometimes struggle to actually believe it and feel it ....this is such a great message thanks again. God bless!
I hear about "just come to God to fix you don't worry about doing it all yourself" and at the same time it's "God won't do anything because you don't [have faith][trust God to do better][don't pray enough][don't read the Bible enough][etc]". So don't do things all by yourself and ask God, but also you have to do this by yourself before God steps in" and that was one of things that discouraged me from even further attempts. I quite literally can no longer will myself to trust, hope or believe God has better for me with after a long period of disappointment and fear that, because I can't force myself to go all-in and trust God more, God won't give me the peace of mind and the hope and the blessing from him that I've been seeking since my first prayer. It's very sad. I envy people who do have that kind of relationship with God and I'm frustrated my experience in that "relationship" with God is to ever be further for the joy and hope I believed I could have.
I so empathize with you and recognise this completely. I felt SO much pressure to have more faith or do better in order to hear from Him. I deal with sickness for a very long time now and I was fighting of depression by trying to do better with God. It didnt work and exausted me even further. Now I have finally let go of the pressure and admitted to myself I couldnt do it anymore. I even stopped ‘finding God’. Very scary. But I finally got a sense of relaxation, pressure off, and then i heard from God without even really trying…and now i am on a path of just getting to know Him without stress. Just trusting that He is there, even if I don’t feel Him or hear Him or whatever. Hope this encourages you!
Oh and, we cannot pressure or force ourselves into completely trusting Him or surrendering all to Him. I personally don’t think it works like that. You cannot force your heart. So please be gentle on yourself. God knows your heart and know why you struggle❤️
I’m so tired of life. Trying so hard to barely survive in this economic hell hole, working 40,50,60 hour work weeks to still having to choose between eating, and getting gas in the car to go back to work the next week. I’m exhausted and I Pray that God just takes me away from this life. It’s hard enough trying to survive, but also finding God, living His Life, doing what He did. Like I can’t. That’s why He’s God and I’m not! He knows I’m tired why make life even more hard? He should be trying to find me because I’m lost, not the other way around. I’m so tired of doing doing doing and never getting anywhere, and I feel guilty because deep down, I know He’s good. He’s blessed me with so much, but I can’t do anymore. I need to just be able to be me, feel what I need to feel, and not just keep going and going and going like I’m just His robot, just enduring hardships with a smile on my face. I’m so tired.
I like that you mention Thomas, we give him far too much of a stiff upper lipped kind caricature that believes he is too good for this believing stuff. But he probably was terrified, traumatized and (probably, can't say for sure) had that doubting disease which needed assurance to see Jesus.
What I struggle with is going to church and finding time to get into groups to have Christian friends. I work so much I can’t get close during the hours they want to due to my job. I struggle with people talking to me at church or getting close to anyone who is a Christian. It’s a huge problem and I do find a lot people at church aren’t really real. For background, I went to church my whole life, Sunday school, and Bible study on Wednesdays. I grew up in it. Now that I’m on my own, away from family, I’m having a hard time connecting with other believers and finding time for Bible study. I’m off every Wednesday but there are no Bible study on Wednesday’s. I work every day. I didn’t have this problem growing up to teen years. Idk what to do. For example I been going to this newer church and no one talks to me. I came from another church and no one talked to me there either except one old lady. No one my age .I say hi but it’s just feels I don’t belong. I feel sad when I go so I stop. It just sucks. My church growing up wasn’t so cold. I will keep trying to find a church
Aww, I'm sorry. That's hard. I don't have any advice but currently going through the same thing. I've always had trouble connecting with people and feeling like I belong. Going to church alone is not fun. That's terrible that no one comes up to talk to you. Older people do seem to be friendlier, but there's nothing like relating to someone your own age. I've stopped going, but I know God wants to us to be in community. I hope that you keep trying, but just be patient with yourself because it's not easy to find a church. Have you been going to a big or small church?
Well, I go to church to worship God and praise God, and for the gifts he gives. I don't go to socialize. Curious, you said an "old lady" tried to talk to you. Why do you care about her age? I went to a new church and it was an "old lady" who approached me, after church when there was coffee in the back room. She and I had a big of a conversation. Some other folks greeted me. The old lady had children and grand children. I am not saying you are the problem but maybe you are the problem, not everyone else? It seems like you expect everyone should swarm you and overwhelm you? Personally, I appreciate when people are not aggressively approaching me. If you are shopping around for a church that feels good to attend, maybe you are going to church for the wrong reason? I go to church to feel uncomfortable, convicted, and in need of a savior, in need of forgiveness, in need of the sacraments, and to express my thanks to God for all he has done to save me, when I do not deserve salvation.
Wow. When I tell you this was a huge blessing to me!!! I NEEDED this!!!! Thanks for letting God use you, because He definitely brought me (and I'm guessing a whole lot of others) here , and spoke to me through your video!!!
What God has shown me what intimacy with God is can be compared to being sexual. When your intimate with some one you shed your clothes with desire to become one. Your truely vulnerable. Your self identity is shed so you can become one. Same with God true honesty your thoughts anger doubts fear despair feelings emotions. In a desposition of humilty to become one with God through surrender of self identity, desires, and plans. Im learnimg this lesson as km going through the hamster wheel. Trying to put in action without succumbing to unworthiness and negativity is a tough trial.
@@kintsugi-u7vit’s always because we fear rejection. I remind myself that he was naked on the cross, in all its ugliness and pain and disgust but why did He allow Himself to go through it knowing many would reject Him?
Mark. Thank you. This was so encouraging. ❤️💯📖 This teaching is so badly needed in the Church today. MANY times I have heard the opposite being taught which is basically what most world religions aspire to.
Thank you brother, because i have been feeling like that since i was born again last year. I felt much more conectes at the begining but then i felt like he was far....but thats the way my Brain has been working , family Life, stress, work etc over doing...so the OCD grows..but this video really helped me Remember that even i dont see him in person he is always there, you can see all hes crations wich that IS more than enough to believe! Please Carry on with you amazing content! LOVE from Spain brother . God bless you and your family ❤
Hallelujah! All the angels are rejoicing because you have chosen to put your total trust in Jesus as your Savior and your God!! Please do continue to keep your heart and mind focused on Jesus Christ who is the Author and the Finisher of your faith, who reveals the heavenly Father to you by the Holy Spirit, for one day you will see Him face to face!!!
I thank you for your help. I'm coming to the end of a fast where God has been showing me that I place too much pride in my own understanding. He's been showing me that this connects to the distrust I feel towards my parents. How do you heal from the hurt that has been done to you by others while remembering that God loves you? It's been pretty tough for me to do that; I just feel like I'm a constant screw up
I have to say, I have been a pastor for many years, and I still feel like a screw up. But, you know. I am still glad that I make the initiative to love even though at times it’s a struggle. Don't give up….. obedience, and it can be hard. Always wins. God bless
I feel god loves me more that im not even worthy enough anymore to say i love you father..but i do .its a belief he loves me more than i could possibly love him..which i think is true because i think its he who shows us how to truly love.. unconditionally..and we do fall short .but with my dad, its the most difficult relationship...hes hard to get along with but i know he is my relationship that i need to pearn to love unconditionally..i feel i give to him but dont receive..i guess its the love i want with him. Guess im upset i dont receive the love i want with him..its a superior inferior relationship .im wrong hes right, controlling, which i feel i cant be myself with him..a equal, friend ..its sad really...i know im to accept him as he is, i just want him to accept me as i am..it seems he doesnt..trying to tell me what to think believe..etc..uf i dobt agree with him im wrong, stuff like this. ive given uo, tried again, given up..a cycle..but i wont give up on what im meant to learn..to love and accept unconditionally..be it me, or him, or me and him...im sure its both.....ty so much..again..❤️🌻
Thank you for this topic!!! I struggle with this, I asked about this with my mentors, and no one seems to admit it. This causes me to question if I love God? Thank you.
@powers…I understand your frustration. God speaks through His Word, sermons, other people, events that He orchestrates in our lives, many other ways. And lastly (but in no particular order 😂), but certainly not least, Mark DeJesus. Don’t give up. May God bless you and grant you peace. I highly recommend that you read The Rejection Mindset, written by Mark DeJesus. It has helped me a ton! 🙏🏻
In 2023 something felt like it got taken away from me. 😢 Like it got Sucked right out of me. Then I couldn’t really study that much cause I couldn’t hear or feel the Holy Spirit 😢 I felt my life be torn from me. I have bipolar and adhd anxiety Depression why was I made or born this way. Can’t I have Jesus like everyone else 😢 PLEASE HELP ME…
How can I be intimate with a holy God? Where’s my connection? Why can’t I stay in step with following Jesus? Why do I feel like I’m way off? When I read the Christian church in Acts, I see a very different Christianity. It makes what I see, hear and live out look like a knock off version of being a Christ follower.
Wow, this is such a fantastic topic. Many believers have an unhealthy understanding of what intimacy with God truly is and think if they don't have some overly emotional experience, they are missing out or maybe not even saved. I appreciate your balanced approach! There are a multitude of Christian practices that can create a posture for that intimacy... like preparing garden soil. We weed and throw out the rocks and enrich the soil, and God sends the sun and rain to make the plants grow. Thank you for this message!
Yes
Gardening can be good for mental health. For spiritual health, God does the work.. Just like the parable of the sower. We are the soil and God will remove the stone and plow the dirt and sow the seed, and bring the rain and the sun to make the plant grow.
Not like button. ❤️ button! Mark has helped me MORE than any other counselor, I am 67 and have been battling since my childhood. The understanding is SO REAL and puts me in a place where I can have a more personal and graceful relationship with the Father! I pray for u and your family every day! Melissa, Max and Abby and your ministry has been covered with many prayers to continue the wise 7:16 teachings as the Lord leads you, Mark. Ya know, u went thru the trenches and showed me that door to get to the HEALING I so desperately needed! It TRULY makes a 🌎 of difference. Thanks for going thru those trenches for the body of Christ. May all experience healing and strength for their journey.
Blessings!
P.S. Love the Jazz music 🎶 on You Tube. Thanks Melissa on the GREAT recommendation!
This blesses us more than you can know! Thank you 🥰 We are honored to be part of your journey!
Great teaching!!! Coming out of the performance based way of relating to God has lifted such a weight off my shoulders, not going to lie, its a continuous battle though
Couldn't agree more! Ongoing work...but oh so worth it!
Yup, this is the most difficult part of my spiritual life. I fear God more than love Him.
So do I ….
Me too. It’s really become a fear lately.. especially of going to hell.
@@thea1790same..
@@gracegotthis3704 Mark Dejesus may be a help for this struggle ! Bless you from Holland
@@thea1790thank you! God bless you too
Man, I just found your content and it’s been so meaningful to me
Another great video 🔥 I would love to see you discuss the topic of trying to find a church home that’s right for you . I never imagined it would be this hard to find a church but I think this video did a great job at speaking to the reasons why . I find that many churches (I live in NYC) speak from a fix it mindset , and there’s often an undertone of guilt and shame . Even amongst the community, i sense an unspoken atmosphere of fear. It’s extremely rare to hear a sermon of Gods total unconditional love and acceptance.
Yes you are right. It is sad but true. You might consider taking a break from Church (the building, four walls) not from Jesus? Just a thought
Thanks so much for this....I feel I've had such an unhealthy relationship with myself, with men and with God and the healing has been happening for the past year slowly but surely. I know how much God loves us but I sometimes struggle to actually believe it and feel it ....this is such a great message thanks again. God bless!
Thank God I found your therapy podcast! Wonderful insight you don't usually get anywhere else. ❤
I hear about "just come to God to fix you don't worry about doing it all yourself" and at the same time it's "God won't do anything because you don't [have faith][trust God to do better][don't pray enough][don't read the Bible enough][etc]". So don't do things all by yourself and ask God, but also you have to do this by yourself before God steps in" and that was one of things that discouraged me from even further attempts. I quite literally can no longer will myself to trust, hope or believe God has better for me with after a long period of disappointment and fear that, because I can't force myself to go all-in and trust God more, God won't give me the peace of mind and the hope and the blessing from him that I've been seeking since my first prayer.
It's very sad. I envy people who do have that kind of relationship with God and I'm frustrated my experience in that "relationship" with God is to ever be further for the joy and hope I believed I could have.
I so empathize with you and recognise this completely. I felt SO much pressure to have more faith or do better in order to hear from Him. I deal with sickness for a very long time now and I was fighting of depression by trying to do better with God. It didnt work and exausted me even further. Now I have finally let go of the pressure and admitted to myself I couldnt do it anymore. I even stopped ‘finding God’. Very scary. But I finally got a sense of relaxation, pressure off, and then i heard from God without even really trying…and now i am on a path of just getting to know Him without stress. Just trusting that He is there, even if I don’t feel Him or hear Him or whatever. Hope this encourages you!
Oh and, we cannot pressure or force ourselves into completely trusting Him or surrendering all to Him. I personally don’t think it works like that. You cannot force your heart. So please be gentle on yourself. God knows your heart and know why you struggle❤️
@@tessaspanjersberg8057 Thank you
I’m so tired of life. Trying so hard to barely survive in this economic hell hole, working 40,50,60 hour work weeks to still having to choose between eating, and getting gas in the car to go back to work the next week. I’m exhausted and I Pray that God just takes me away from this life.
It’s hard enough trying to survive, but also finding God, living His Life, doing what He did. Like I can’t. That’s why He’s God and I’m not! He knows I’m tired why make life even more hard? He should be trying to find me because I’m lost, not the other way around. I’m so tired of doing doing doing and never getting anywhere, and I feel guilty because deep down, I know He’s good. He’s blessed me with so much, but I can’t do anymore. I need to just be able to be me, feel what I need to feel, and not just keep going and going and going like I’m just His robot, just enduring hardships with a smile on my face. I’m so tired.
Praying for you 🤍
I like that you mention Thomas, we give him far too much of a stiff upper lipped kind caricature that believes he is too good for this believing stuff. But he probably was terrified, traumatized and (probably, can't say for sure) had that doubting disease which needed assurance to see Jesus.
@cutepuddleslime YES. I agree. Thomas was not with the others in the upper room. Quite naturally he could doubt Jesus. We short change him imo
He's tangible. In dreams, visions. Press in. He'll show you who he is ❤
So right on. We must PRESS IN. U get to a place that’s all ya wanna do and read the word. It’s magical!!
@@party320 Could you tell me how to achieve this? Because I have been searching for more than ten years and nothing happens.
It’s a Father and Child intimacy that is needed
What I struggle with is going to church and finding time to get into groups to have Christian friends. I work so much I can’t get close during the hours they want to due to my job. I struggle with people talking to me at church or getting close to anyone who is a Christian. It’s a huge problem and I do find a lot people at church aren’t really real. For background, I went to church my whole life, Sunday school, and Bible study on Wednesdays. I grew up in it. Now that I’m on my own, away from family, I’m having a hard time connecting with other believers and finding time for Bible study. I’m off every Wednesday but there are no Bible study on Wednesday’s. I work every day. I didn’t have this problem growing up to teen years. Idk what to do. For example I been going to this newer church and no one talks to me. I came from another church and no one talked to me there either except one old lady. No one my age .I say hi but it’s just feels I don’t belong. I feel sad when I go so I stop. It just sucks. My church growing up wasn’t so cold. I will keep trying to find a church
I’ll be praying for you!
So sad😢❤
Aww, I'm sorry. That's hard. I don't have any advice but currently going through the same thing. I've always had trouble connecting with people and feeling like I belong. Going to church alone is not fun. That's terrible that no one comes up to talk to you. Older people do seem to be friendlier, but there's nothing like relating to someone your own age. I've stopped going, but I know God wants to us to be in community. I hope that you keep trying, but just be patient with yourself because it's not easy to find a church. Have you been going to a big or small church?
Praying for you 🤍
Well, I go to church to worship God and praise God, and for the gifts he gives. I don't go to socialize.
Curious, you said an "old lady" tried to talk to you. Why do you care about her age? I went to a new church and it was an "old lady" who approached me, after church when there was coffee in the back room. She and I had a big of a conversation. Some other folks greeted me.
The old lady had children and grand children. I am not saying you are the problem but maybe you are the problem, not everyone else? It seems like you expect everyone should swarm you and overwhelm you? Personally, I appreciate when people are not aggressively approaching me.
If you are shopping around for a church that feels good to attend, maybe you are going to church for the wrong reason? I go to church to feel uncomfortable, convicted, and in need of a savior, in need of forgiveness, in need of the sacraments, and to express my thanks to God for all he has done to save me, when I do not deserve salvation.
Wow. When I tell you this was a huge blessing to me!!! I NEEDED this!!!! Thanks for letting God use you, because He definitely brought me (and I'm guessing a whole lot of others) here , and spoke to me through your video!!!
What God has shown me what intimacy with God is can be compared to being sexual. When your intimate with some one you shed your clothes with desire to become one. Your truely vulnerable. Your self identity is shed so you can become one. Same with God true honesty your thoughts anger doubts fear despair feelings emotions. In a desposition of humilty to become one with God through surrender of self identity, desires, and plans. Im learnimg this lesson as km going through the hamster wheel. Trying to put in action without succumbing to unworthiness and negativity is a tough trial.
That level of intimacy terrifies me 😅.
@@kintsugi-u7vit’s always because we fear rejection.
I remind myself that he was naked on the cross, in all its ugliness and pain and disgust but why did He allow Himself to go through it knowing many would reject Him?
God already knows everything, I think what we fear is being honest with ourselves.
Such a God ordained video. Thank you
Hi I am new here.
Thank you for your help.
Its so welcome in my life.
I am from the Netherlands ❤
A great help yes. Groeten uit midden Nederland
Mark. Thank you. This was so encouraging. ❤️💯📖 This teaching is so badly needed in the Church today. MANY times I have heard the opposite being taught which is basically what most world religions aspire to.
God bless you Mark, this was really helpful!
Wow! I learned necessary new truths. Thank you❤
Thank you brother, because i have been feeling like that since i was born again last year. I felt much more conectes at the begining but then i felt like he was far....but thats the way my Brain has been working , family Life, stress, work etc over doing...so the OCD grows..but this video really helped me Remember that even i dont see him in person he is always there, you can see all hes crations wich that IS more than enough to believe! Please Carry on with you amazing content! LOVE from Spain brother . God bless you and your family ❤
Hallelujah!
All the angels are rejoicing because you have chosen to put your total trust in Jesus as your Savior and your God!! Please do continue to keep your heart and mind focused on Jesus Christ who is the Author and the Finisher of your faith, who reveals the heavenly Father to you by the Holy Spirit, for one day you will see Him face to face!!!
@@Yj-Fj Hallelujah, Thank you 🙏🏾🫂❤❤️❤❤️🙏🏾🫂😘😉
Can you make a video on denying ourselves and carrying our cross?
I thank you for your help. I'm coming to the end of a fast where God has been showing me that I place too much pride in my own understanding. He's been showing me that this connects to the distrust I feel towards my parents. How do you heal from the hurt that has been done to you by others while remembering that God loves you? It's been pretty tough for me to do that; I just feel like I'm a constant screw up
I have to say, I have been a pastor for many years, and I still feel like a screw up. But, you know. I am still glad that I make the initiative to love even though at times it’s a struggle. Don't give up….. obedience, and it can be hard. Always wins. God bless
I have not seen the wind, either, but I have seen it's effects.
Mark, great video. I recommend you adding Zephaniah 3:17 NIV for these topics ❤
I needed this! Thanks for sharing ❤
Grace is HARD to accept. My goodness. Knowing I'm loved in mess, even when struggling to connect to His love... Gah!
I feel god loves me more that im not even worthy enough anymore to say i love you father..but i do .its a belief he loves me more than i could possibly love him..which i think is true because i think its he who shows us how to truly love.. unconditionally..and we do fall short .but with my dad, its the most difficult relationship...hes hard to get along with but i know he is my relationship that i need to pearn to love unconditionally..i feel i give to him but dont receive..i guess its the love i want with him. Guess im upset i dont receive the love i want with him..its a superior inferior relationship .im wrong hes right, controlling, which i feel i cant be myself with him..a equal, friend ..its sad really...i know im to accept him as he is, i just want him to accept me as i am..it seems he doesnt..trying to tell me what to think believe..etc..uf i dobt agree with him im wrong, stuff like this. ive given uo, tried again, given up..a cycle..but i wont give up on what im meant to learn..to love and accept unconditionally..be it me, or him, or me and him...im sure its both.....ty so much..again..❤️🌻
Thank you for this topic!!! I struggle with this, I asked about this with my mentors, and no one seems to admit it. This causes me to question if I love God? Thank you.
@powers…I understand your frustration. God speaks through His Word, sermons, other people, events that He orchestrates in our lives, many other ways. And lastly (but in no particular order 😂), but certainly not least, Mark DeJesus.
Don’t give up. May God bless you and grant you peace. I highly recommend that you read The Rejection Mindset, written by Mark DeJesus. It has helped me a ton! 🙏🏻
I’m filled with so much Fear
In 2023 something felt like it got taken away from me. 😢 Like it got Sucked right out of me. Then I couldn’t really study that much cause I couldn’t hear or feel the Holy Spirit 😢 I felt my life be torn from me. I have bipolar and adhd anxiety Depression why was I made or born this way. Can’t I have Jesus like everyone else 😢 PLEASE HELP ME…
Can you get these books in stores?
God I feel so bad for not loving my brother my sister in Christ
I didn't have sexual education 101, and feel as though I really missed out in my brains mature journey. Where's the joy of being here?
How can I be intimate with a holy God? Where’s my connection? Why can’t I stay in step with following Jesus? Why do I feel like I’m way off? When I read the Christian church in Acts, I see a very different Christianity. It makes what I see, hear and live out look like a knock off version of being a Christ follower.