Dec 8 - Spiritual Discernment

Daily Reading Plan:

Job 9

Micah 6

James 2

Daily Discipler: pp 329 - "Spiritual Discernment"

1 Kings 3:5-15 (Find it at www.biblegateway.com)

Memory Verse:

2Tim 3:16-17

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for doctrine, correction, reproof and training in righteousness, that that man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (from memory today, you had better check to see if I got it right)

Reflections on Today's readings (Some of them, not all)

DRP:

Job 9.

In both todays and yesterdays readings, Job has been considering his plight and reflecting it back to God. He begins to wallow in self pity as he cries out to God. All through he tries to keep his perspective that God is "Not a Man". Who am I to tell God what he should do? However there is a truth here that bears investigating. God does not strike Job down for his pity. God does not act out of anger for Job's questions. God was quite O.K. with Job asking the question "why". He is allowing Job's circumstances to prepare him for the answer that comes next. Job's circumstances made him ready to hear Gods answers, if and when they came. I suppose the application for me is that ... I keep trying to come up with the answers myself, when in fact, God is using my circumstances every day to "Drive Me to Him" for his answers. I should be asking God the questions and waiting on Him for the answers. (James 1: "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives abundantly beyond all we can ask or think" )

DD:

Spiritual Discernment:

Todays reading opened up with "Soloman's Dream" where God asked him to "Make a Wish" so to speak. Here was the ultimate Genie in a Bottle experience. How many of us would have asked for power, riches or long life, but Soloman (just a boy) asked for wisdom to rule Gods people. (He had just been thrust into a position beyond his years). God was well pleased and gave him wisdom and riches. The long life bit was dependent on continuing on with the Lord. Anderson then changed tack to the idea of "Discernment" which is the prompting of the spirit. The wisdom Soloman received would have been the same thing. Not just figuring things out with our natural minds, but receiving the mind of Christ, the spirit of Truth that the world can neither see nor receive, but we know him, for he lives with us and is in us.

The challenge here is to receive the mind of Christ, and not just work things out ourselves with the factual, natural wisdom and planning of men. Many a church makes plans for a day, year and future based on the wisdom of man, but much more is possible when we step out in "Faith" seeing beyond what we can actually see. Trusting beyond what we are capable of. Living in the wind of the spirit, flying to greater heights. We need to step beyond what church growth strategies and natural wisdom tells us, and fly in the power of the spirit. Discerning which way to go. I love the phrase that comes up in the N.T. "It seemed right to us, and the spirit of God, and so we went..."

Wouldn't it be great to have that kind of intimacy in the daily experience of our lives where we know it seemed right to us "And the Spirit of God".....

Keep looking up

Jabin