It never ceases to amaze me how people talk. I read the Word, I listen to the Word at church and online, and it never ceases to amaze me how I talk. Talking is the most natural thing in the world to do. Silence is the most unnatural thing in the spiritual realm to do. It seems like I’m always running my mouth even when I try to wait silently to hear God’s voice.
I complain about what’s going on around me, I complain about how people talk to each other, and I especially complain about all the complaining other people do. Good grief, where does it end?
I can tell you where. It ends with destruction. Complaining is something that is dealt with very harshly in the Word of God. (Num 11:1) It is also lumped together with sins of the flesh including murder. (Galatians 5) That’s harsh.
So how do we stop complaining? Other than duct-tape over the mouth? Prayer and opportunity. When we decide to be content no matter where we are or what circumstances we are in, we’ll notice an almost miraculous cessation to complaining. When we lose ourselves in Christ Jesus, we’ll obtain His peace and His mind and we’ll be content in who we are in Him. The circumstances won’t matter because no matter what they are, we’re always in Him. (Phil 4:11) He is our strong tower, he is our balm to heal our injuries and our comforter when we are maligned.
As we pray for His comfort and His help, we’ll find more and more opportunity to complain. But don’t do it. Check with the Holy Spirit before you open your mouth. That split second can make all the difference in the world to how your situation plays out.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Does God Have Your Attention?
How do you learn from God? By the things that happen in your daily life? By reading the Word? Through the advice of friends? A combo? How does God want us to learn from Him?
He wants us to learn through the Holy Spirit. In I John 2:27, it says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” The “anointing” and “Him” refer to the Holy Spirit.
Often we go through trials that we think are from God but really aren’t. There’s a very real enemy in our world and in the heavenlies who is determined to “kill, steal and destroy” us. He causes all kinds of bad things to happen…things we wrongfully attribute to God. For example, I heard someone say that she thought God “needed” her loved one in heaven and therefore took him. That’s so wrong. The Bible clearly states in I Corinthians 15:26, that “the last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” So how can death be from God if it is an enemy of God? It can’t be. Neither can illness. God won’t “use” illness to teach you something. God will use the Holy Spirit to teach you.
The problem lies when we do get sick or hurt and turn to God in the midst of it. Sometimes we turn to Him so quickly and discover Him to be right there that we somehow feel that He brought the situation to us. But He didn’t. It’s not His style. All good things come from God. The enemy is the deceiver and would have us believe that he’s the innocent one and that God is the guilty one. But it’s not true.
He wants us to learn through the Holy Spirit. In I John 2:27, it says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” The “anointing” and “Him” refer to the Holy Spirit.
Often we go through trials that we think are from God but really aren’t. There’s a very real enemy in our world and in the heavenlies who is determined to “kill, steal and destroy” us. He causes all kinds of bad things to happen…things we wrongfully attribute to God. For example, I heard someone say that she thought God “needed” her loved one in heaven and therefore took him. That’s so wrong. The Bible clearly states in I Corinthians 15:26, that “the last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” So how can death be from God if it is an enemy of God? It can’t be. Neither can illness. God won’t “use” illness to teach you something. God will use the Holy Spirit to teach you.
The problem lies when we do get sick or hurt and turn to God in the midst of it. Sometimes we turn to Him so quickly and discover Him to be right there that we somehow feel that He brought the situation to us. But He didn’t. It’s not His style. All good things come from God. The enemy is the deceiver and would have us believe that he’s the innocent one and that God is the guilty one. But it’s not true.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
What Are You Talking About?
I’ve learned a lot lately. I’ve learned to wait silently for God alone and I’ve learned to shut up. Or at least I’m learning to shut up. Sometimes my mouth really does have a mind of its own but I really, truly want my spirit to be the entity of my being that’s in charge. Really.
How does talking impact the average Christian at work or at home? Let me give you an example of what I’ve learned as I’ve waited for God alone: If I’ve prayed and am believing God for a healing, what I say is of critical importance. If I am waiting for God alone, if I am waiting for the Healer, then I won’t have a need to talk about the physical condition that I prayed about. But if I am waiting for the healing, I’ll be tempted to talk about my physical condition and in turn make it worse.
There’s a huge difference between waiting for God alone and waiting for what God does. We have to be content with Him, not with what He brings or gives or does. If we are content with having God (and being content is really just a decision we make) then we will be less likely to complain or check incessantly to see if He’s done what we’ve asked Him to do.
If it’s a healing you’re believing for, you really don’t have to ask God for it. The Bible already guarantees it…by His stripes you ARE healed…remember? So if we ask for it, we’re actually telling God that we don’t believe what He has already made provision for on our behalf. So what do we do? We simply thank Him for His provision. Thank Him for healing you. Thank Him for sending the Healer, the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank Him. Thank Him. Thank Him. And then be quiet and wait silently for God alone.
Well, of course you already knew that, right? So why do you still tell people about “your” illness? Listen to the words you say; they are the difference between having a healing and having the Healer. You need the One way more than you need the other.
How does talking impact the average Christian at work or at home? Let me give you an example of what I’ve learned as I’ve waited for God alone: If I’ve prayed and am believing God for a healing, what I say is of critical importance. If I am waiting for God alone, if I am waiting for the Healer, then I won’t have a need to talk about the physical condition that I prayed about. But if I am waiting for the healing, I’ll be tempted to talk about my physical condition and in turn make it worse.
There’s a huge difference between waiting for God alone and waiting for what God does. We have to be content with Him, not with what He brings or gives or does. If we are content with having God (and being content is really just a decision we make) then we will be less likely to complain or check incessantly to see if He’s done what we’ve asked Him to do.
If it’s a healing you’re believing for, you really don’t have to ask God for it. The Bible already guarantees it…by His stripes you ARE healed…remember? So if we ask for it, we’re actually telling God that we don’t believe what He has already made provision for on our behalf. So what do we do? We simply thank Him for His provision. Thank Him for healing you. Thank Him for sending the Healer, the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank Him. Thank Him. Thank Him. And then be quiet and wait silently for God alone.
Well, of course you already knew that, right? So why do you still tell people about “your” illness? Listen to the words you say; they are the difference between having a healing and having the Healer. You need the One way more than you need the other.
Friday, July 2, 2010
What Are You Waiting For?
Let's take another look at last week’s blog article about patience. While it’s true that the Name of the Lord really is a strong tower and we can run into it and allow Him to control our patience, it is also true that there will be times when we really blow it! Hmmm, guess how I know that?
But I read something the other day that really made me stop and think. It’s Psalm 62:5 and it simply says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone.”
I know that many of you are really busy at work with ordinary tasks plus the issues from home that you bring with you to your desk or workstation. I also know that getting ready for work in the morning is typically a rushing around with things to do, things not to forget, and things you wish you could forget. So in reality, I know there’s precious little time to meditate on the word of God.
But the above little scripture is only a few words. All you have to do is remind yourself during the course of the day that nothing at all is as important as even a split second with the Father. During the busiest times of the day, “Wait silently for God alone” will be like a soothing balm to you. It will help you remember that God is there in your workplace and that He’s accessible. Allow those few words to minister to your soul…the brief silence you will experience will allow the Father to speak to you even in the midst of your chaos.
But you have to remind yourself to meditate (post-it-notes, people!). Wait silently for God alone. He’s all you need.
But I read something the other day that really made me stop and think. It’s Psalm 62:5 and it simply says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone.”
I know that many of you are really busy at work with ordinary tasks plus the issues from home that you bring with you to your desk or workstation. I also know that getting ready for work in the morning is typically a rushing around with things to do, things not to forget, and things you wish you could forget. So in reality, I know there’s precious little time to meditate on the word of God.
But the above little scripture is only a few words. All you have to do is remind yourself during the course of the day that nothing at all is as important as even a split second with the Father. During the busiest times of the day, “Wait silently for God alone” will be like a soothing balm to you. It will help you remember that God is there in your workplace and that He’s accessible. Allow those few words to minister to your soul…the brief silence you will experience will allow the Father to speak to you even in the midst of your chaos.
But you have to remind yourself to meditate (post-it-notes, people!). Wait silently for God alone. He’s all you need.
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