Daily Scripture Reading
1 Samuel 3:6-21
Galatians 1:11-24
Matthew 5:27-30
Day 21
1 Corinthians 31 Timothy 6:6-7 “Do You Worship the Work?” “We are God’s fellow workers.” (I Corinthians 3:9 NKJV) BEWARE OF ANY work for God that distracts you from concentrating on Him. The greater majority of Christian workers worship their work. Our only concern as...
Day 20
John 16:16-33 “The Cross in Prayer” “…Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24 NIV) WE TOO OFTEN think of the Cross of Christ as something we have to get through, yet we get through for...
“Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.” (1 Samuel 3:15 NKJV)
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” We always need more.
ISAIAH SAID that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, because of worldly cultural influences around him (Is. 8:11 NKJV). Without the infinite supreme hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as trivial occurrences? Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (I Sam. 3:9 NKJV). Every time circumstances push back on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and determine to make time to listen. Restraining ourselves is more than a means of discipline—it encourages us to focus on the Holy Spirit, “Speaking.” Think back to a time when the Holy Spirit spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Christ, we will hear God all the time. Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the struggle of obedience hits us. We disobey God when we arrogantly attempt to manage God and intervene by thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli—he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matt. 5:29–30 NKJV). Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask for advice, you will almost always side with Satan.“I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood” (Gal. 1:16 NKJV).” Counsel is critical in all of our lives but as we develop in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, He expects us to choose in the moment, in His Spirit, as Christ, to say what we hear and do what we see.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for choosing us to be members of Your body; members connected to one another because of Your Spirit and Truth. Help us restrain ourselves from our feeble attempts to manage and intervene on behalf of others when You’re finishing the work you began in them. Thank You for empowering us to demonstrate faith by being quick to obey You.