Quietly Listen

Do you ever feel lost? Do you feel like you are groping along in the dark? Do you feel left out, as the only one who does not know? Do you have questions that you never seem to get answers for? Would you like to know what the future holds for you? What if you could have it?

There are times in our lives when we feel lost. We feel as though we are in a fog or sludge or maybe even being kept in the dark. We feel like an outsider, like others know something we don’t. We search for answers and don’t find them. We can’t forecast tomorrow, let alone next week.

But what if we could get the answers we seek and be confident in our future. No, we may not know who we will marry or how many kids we will have or what job we will be working in ten years. What we can know is that we have a God who cares for us. We can know he will always be with us—through the hard times and the good times, until we are no longer on this earth.

How do we get this knowledge? By listening to the Holy Spirit. That may sound simple, and yet it is not. We must train ourselves to listen to him. We must learn to ask the question and be silent. We must discipline ourselves to turn off the television, the computer, and put down our smart phones. It requires us to spend quiet time with God to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us.

How do I know? I have been there, done that. I have experienced it work over and over. Spending quiet time does not mean sitting in a dark corner. It can be the time you spend mowing your yard. It can be your exercise time. It can be your drive work, if you turn off the radio. It can also be sitting quietly on your couch or in a chair with no distractions. It is in this quiet time that your answers will come through the Holy Spirit.

I pray we all seek answers to our questions. I pray we strive to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us. I pray each one of us will spend quiet time asking our questions and listening for the Holy Spirit to answer us. Ask your questions. Be quiet and listen. Trust God to send the answers through the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Afflictions Mold Us

How do you react when you are faced with some type of trouble? What is your reaction to a medical issue? How do you feel when someone shuns you? Do you get depressed when facing financial difficulties? Have you ever thought your troubles are molding you?

Any type of trouble we face causes a reaction of some sort. We might call those troubles afflictions. They can cause us to be angry, depressed, frustrated, hurt, stressed, and even wonder why we exist at all, depending on the trouble we are facing.

But those afflictions may be molding us, refining us into the person God wants us to be. Now, make no mistake, God does not send the troubles our way, but he does use them to make us a better person, if we are willing. Those afflictions will produce in us an endurance. Not the endurance of a long-distance runner, but an endurance that allows us to remain standing throughout the situation.

Endurance builds and strengthens our character. Some of the strongest characters ever built lived through the great depression. That strong character then gives us hope. We discover that with God we can withstand anything. We carry that hope into every situation. The stronger our character, the deeper our hope. And that hope is the belief and trust in God’s promises. Through all of it, we witness the love God has for us as he provides for our needs.

I pray we all view our afflictions differently. I pray we endure our hardships and our character is strengthened. I pray each one of us have a deep hope in God and always trust in his promises. Endure your hardships. Allow God to build your character. Put your hope in God. Trust God’s promises.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Hope In Glory

Faith. Justification. Peace. Grace. Hope. Glory. Don’t those sound like wonderful things? Wouldn’t you like to have all of them? Do you know that you can? Wonder how they are accessible to you? The first step is asking God to give them to.

We may think our faith is ours, but we would only be partially correct. True, we must believe. Yes, we decide to trust God. But it is God who adds to our faith, strengthening it and us along with it. For God strengthens us as we call out to him (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

As we put our faith in Jesus, we are justified. That justification guarantees us eternal life with God. Not only should that justification bring us peace, but we have peace as we live in Jesus Christ. Why do we have it? The grace of God. It is as we stand in God’s amazing grace that we acquire our faith, that it is strengthened by him, that we are justified, and we have peace. 

The hope we have is not wishful thinking but a belief that God will deliver on his promises. Our hope is that Jesus came to be our Savior, and we are granted eternal life. It is a hope that brings us great joy and confidence, knowing this world cannot take it away from us. And our hope is knowing we will share in the glory of God. Yes, we will share in the same glory as God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I pray we all ask God to strengthen our faith. I pray we thank Jesus for our justification and peace. I pray each one of us are thankful for God’s grace, boast in our hope, and know we will share the glory of God. Strengthen your faith. Thank God for his grace. Hope in the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

Ask for Wisdom

Do you think there have always been wise people? How many do you believe are wise today? Do you count yourself among them? Have you considered what it takes to be wise? How long do you think wisdom has been around? How is it acquired? Is it passed down from one generation to another?

Yesterday, we discussed wisdom being personified in Proverbs. Today, we continue that motif. The writer of proverbs steps into the shoes of wisdom and states wisdom existed before the creation of the earth. That wisdom was created by God, just as he created us.

Why should we doubt that? For true wisdom comes from God. Wouldn’t God create wisdom before creating human beings? After all, if wisdom comes from God and God desires us to have wisdom, he would have had to create wisdom before creating humans. In many ways, wisdom is God’s personification, just as Jesus is God in the flesh.

So, how do we acquire wisdom? James tells us in James 5:5 that we should ask God for is and he will give it to you generously. Is it really that simple? Yes and no. The no part of that is that we also must believe and have faith. The deeper our faith, the better we can ask with our whole heart and in accordance with God’s will. Having a deep faith, it becomes simple to ask God for wisdom and trust that he will provide it.

I pray we all know that wisdom comes from God. I pray we have a deep faith in God. I pray each one of us will ask God to grant us wisdom and trust that he will give it to us generously. Wisdom comes from God. Deepen your faith. Ask God for wisdom. Trust it will give it to you.

Proverbs 8:22-23

“The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, 

the first of his acts of long ago. 

Ages ago I was set up, 

at the first, before the beginning of the earth.”

Wisdom Cries Out

Do you like to watch people? Have you ever sat on a bench in a mall and simply observe them? Have you seen the silly things they do? Have you been frustrated by the thoughtless things people say? Have you wondered why they speak at all? Are you one of them?

It can be quite entertaining to sit and observe people. They will do some of the strangest things. Each person has their own little quirks. But if we eaves drop on conversations, people will say some of the most mindless things as well. Some are silly while some are ignorant.

Ignorance and thoughtlessness seem to be more common today than ever before. It may be merely a perception. Yet, many people don’t take the time to learn. They don’t research a topic, dig into the who, what, when, where, how, and why of it. Therefore, they end up speaking about something with very little knowledge of it, or ignorance.

The ignorance feeds into the thoughtlessness with which they speak. The thoughtlessness comes from the combination of ignorance, laziness, and a desire to fit in with the crowd. Rather than simply being quiet, people will repeat what they heard someone else say, rather than doing some critical thinking before deciding to speak.

In Proverbs, wisdom is personified. It is a voice crying out to the human race, desiring us to seek it. Wisdom shouts out to us, calling for our attention. Yet, far too often, we ignore it and continue in our ignorance. Imagine how we could reduce disputes, improve society, and become more faithful by pursuing wisdom.

I pray we all cease to speak in ignorance. I pray we decide not to merely repeat what we have heard. I pray each one of us seek wisdom and think critically before we decide to speak. Seek wisdom. Think critically. Ask God for wisdom. Know that God will grant wisdom.

Proverbs 8:1-4

Does not wisdom call 

and understanding raise her voice? 

On the heights, beside the way, 

at the crossroads she takes her stand; 

beside the gates in front of the town, 

at the entrance of the portals she cries out: 

“To you, O people, I call, 

and my cry is to all who live.”

Celebrate Pentecost

How often do you have family gatherings? Do you have family reunions? Do you have smaller and larger family get togethers? What determines when you come together and who is part of it? Are the gatherings special? Do you cherish them, more so as you get older?

Family gatherings can be great. They provide us an opportunity to catch up with family members we haven’t seen in a while. They can include a lot of fun. We gather for birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, and other special days. We may attend a family reunion.

The disciples gathered as a group on Pentecost. Pentecost is the Jewish holiday that is celebrated fifty days after the Passover. What happened at their gathering was completely unexpected. Though Jesus had told them to wait, and He would send the Holy Spirit. The disciples had no idea when nor how that would be manifested.

As they were gathered, the Holy Spirit came upon them. It was indicated by what looked like tongues of fire above their heads and the sound of a loud, rushing wind. The disciples then began to speak in languages they did not know so that everyone who heard them speaking of Jesus could understand them.

We gather on Pentecost Sunday to remember the gift of the Holy Spirit. Though some may not celebrate it, it is also the considered the birthday of the church. For it is on that day that the disciples began to preach the gospel about Jesus without Him being with them. We continue to meet and celebrate Pentecost because Jesus fulfilled His promise.

I pray we all enjoy family gatherings. I pray we realize it is the gift of the Holy Spirit that brings us all together. I pray each one of us celebrates Pentecost and the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise. Enjoy coming together. Be thankful for the Holy Spirit. Celebrate Pentecost. Give thanks for Jesus’ promises.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

Clarity When Needed

Do you wish you had someone who could provide clarity during times of uncertainty? Do you wish you had someone who could explain confusing things to you? Do you wish there was someone who would remind you of the things you have forgotten?

We live in uncertain times. It would be great to have an explanation for it and to know it would all work out. With all the confusion or point and counterpoint going on, it would be nice to understand it all. As we get older, it would be wonderful to remember many of the things we have forgotten.

Uncertainty, confusion, and failing to remember some things is right up the Holy Spirit’s alley. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, Advocate as he is called in today’s Scripture, to help us in our times of need. Honestly, the Holy Spirit is in us to help us all the time, because we are always in a time of need, whether we want to admit it or not.

The Holy Spirit will bring things back to our mind, especially passages of Scripture, when we need it, if we rely on him. I can personally attest to that. We may not remember the exact book, chapter, and verse, but the text will come back to us. Even if the exact text doesn’t come back, we will be able to paraphrase it with the proper meaning.

The Holy Spirit also gives us clarity when we experience confusion. Again, we must rely on him to provide that clarity. This means learning to be in touch with the Holy Spirit all the time. When we take time to ask God to provide clarity and listen for the Holy Spirit, we will hear the clarity God wants us to hear.

I pray we all rely on the Holy Spirit at all times. I pray we trust the Holy Spirit to provide clarity. I pray each one of us will trust the Holy Spirit to bring back memories when we need them. Rely on the Holy Spirit. Trust him to provide clarity. Trust him for recall of memories. Trust God to provide.

John 14:25-26 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

Ask and Receive

Are there things you wish you could have? Are there things you wish you could change? Have you played the game ‘what I would do if I were a king or queen for a day’? What did you decide? How much would you change? What if I told you that you could have your desire?

We all have things we would like to change. We likely have thought about what we would change if we were in charge of the world for a day. Likely, our decisions are good for some and not so good for others. Why? We cannot see everything and cannot think of everything.

However, there is a way to get our deepest desire…if it is aligned with the desires of God. Jesus promises us that whatever we ask for in His name, He will grant it. But that is not an invitation to ask for worldly things. It is a promise to grant us what we ask for when we are asking for what God desires. So, how do we go about that?

First, we need to know what God’s will is. We need to know God’s Word. We need to understand God’s way of thinking. We need to listen for the Holy Spirit to guide us. When we listen to the Holy Spirit and desire what God desires, what we ask for will be granted. It is that simple. Yet, simple does not equate to easy.

Because we live in the world and are often overtaken with worldly desires, our desires are not often in sync with God’s. To have his desires, we must give up our worldly desires. We must give up all of ourselves to be filled fully with God. When we do that, we will ask in accordance with his will. Then we will be granted what we ask for.

I pray we all strive to give up our worldly desires. I pray we seek to know God’s Word. I pray each one of us will listen for the Holy Spirit and ask for those things that are in accordance with God’s will. Give up worldly desires. Know God’s Word. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Ask that God’s will be done.

John 14:13-14 “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

Truly See God

Do you find that you have lots of questions? Does it seem like you have more questions as you get older? To whom do you go to with your questions? Who is your trusted advisor? Have you received the answer but not understood it? Did you fail to see or hear it?

We have lots of questions as young children. When we get into our teens and twenties, we think we know it all and have it all figured out. As we continue to get older, we start questioning if we really know what we think we know. We start asking lots of questions again.

I can remember thinking I had the world by the tail when I was in my twenties. By the time I was in my forties, I realized there were a lot of things I didn’t know. As I continued to age, I started asking even more questions, even if not directly to someone else. I was questioning myself. I was questioning what our national leaders were doing. On occasion, I even questioned my faith.

Philip asks Jesus to do something. He seems to be a little unsure. What he hadn’t realized is, Jesus had already provided the answer to him. Philip had missed the fact that Jesus was showing him God in earthly form. Philip had heard Jesus’ teachings, seen His miracles, and lived with Him for about three years, but Philip missed this key piece of information.

We can miss it, too. We can attend church services for years, participate in Sunday school, and participate in Bible studies, and yet miss truly seeing God. How can this be? Just like Philip, we are encountering Jesus in a variety of activities, yet not putting the pieces together. We hear teaching about Him. We partake of Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. We spend time in prayer. But it only when we open our hearts and minds to hear His message and open our eyes to see Him, that we truly see God.

I pray we all open our hearts and minds to God. I pray we ask God to open our eyes. I pray each one of us puts the pieces together and truly sees God in our worship and in our daily lives. Open your heart and mind. Open your eyes. Put the pieces together. Truly see God.

John 14:8-9 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Heir with Christ

What does it mean to you to be an heir? Do you wish some long-lost aunt, or uncle would leave you a fortune? Are you concerned about sharing your inheritance with someone else? What if there is no inheritance? Have you worried about nothing all along? What then?

The possessions and money left by someone who dies can be a troublesome thing. It can cause family members who profess their love for one another to be at one another’s throats. If someone inherits a lot of money, they can quickly become a completely different person.

All of us who put our faith in Jesus have an inheritance coming. Yet, there will be no fighting over it. There will be no arguing. There will be no dissension. For all of us will inherit what God rightly decides we will inherit. Not only that, but we will also all be with the Father and the Son forever. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us that we are join heirs with Jesus Himself.

As children of God, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. It is by the Spirit that we cry out to God in joy and in anguish. Yet, when we inherit eternal life, we will only cry out in joy. Yet, Paul also tells us that we must suffer with Christ. That doesn’t mean going to a cross. It does mean bearing our cross daily. It means putting up with ridicule and persecution along the way.

Why should we bear our cross? Because we love Jesus that much. Yes, there will be an inheritance far more wonderful than we can imagine. But that cannot be our reason for bearing our cross. If we are only bearing our cross for a reward, our reward will be what we receive in this world, not what God would love to give us. All of this requires a humble heart. It requires a heart that submits to God.

I pray we all know we are heirs with Jesus Christ. I pray we trust in God’s inheritance. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves before God, bearing our cross, and submit to him. You are an heir with Christ. Trust God. Humble yourself before God. Bear your cross. Submit to God.

Romans 8:15b-17 When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.