Buckling his seatbelt as we drove away from practice, my son turned to me with excitement. “Guess what, Mom? My lacrosse coach wants me to try out for his soccer team this weekend.”
“Wow, buddy, that’s quite a compliment. I didn’t even know he coached two different sports. I guess we can think about it, but why did you say ‘no’ when I asked you about signing up for tryouts a long time ago?” I probed.
After a moment of thoughtful silence, he answered. “I don’t know. I guess it just felt good to be asked and to know he believes in me.”
My son knew he had potential, but he wasn’t motivated to tap into it until his coach validated it too. With the knowledge that someone else was on his side, his confidence skyrocketed. This was obvious even in his last few games of the lacrosse season as he ran up the field dodging opponents and scoring goals. His athletic abilities hadn’t changed, but his belief in himself had grown exponentially.
It’s a good lesson for all of us. When we know a person recognizes potential in us, we are more eager to develop it. I’ve experienced this in the last few years as others have challenged me to develop gifts God has given me for teaching, leading and writing. I would not be writing this blog if the women in my writers group and an inspiring leader from church hadn’t been there to spur me on. Similarly, I would never have had the courage to start a Bible study for women exploring faith if a friend hadn’t believed in me and partnered with me to do it.
God has given each of us a unique set of spiritual gifts, heart desires, abilities, personality traits and personal experiences to be developed and used for Him. When we take the time to discover and develop them, God uses all of these things to further His Kingdom. Pastor Erik Rees has created some excellent materials for exploring them in his study, S.H.A.P.E. Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life. He encourages us to consider Galatians 6:4-5:
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” (The Message)
As followers of Christ, we’ve been entrusted with a life changing message and all of the tools we need to share it. Yet we often get tempted to find what’s comfortable and stick with it. We rely on the same people to perform certain jobs in ministries without ever asking God if there are new ways He wants to stretch us. Stepping out to risk facilitating a small group or leading worship may sound frightening. Perhaps there is a group of praying parents in need of a leader, but you don’t think your prayers are eloquent enough. Or maybe you’re great with kids, but fear you don’t have the Bible knowledge to lead them at church. You might have the gift of administration but hesitate, not wanting to commit the time to use it in a certain ministry. Is it possible that you’ve grown comfortable and complacent watching others give and serve? Have you and opted out of using your potential with different rationalizations?
The Apostle Paul was great at coaching and developing the gifts and skills in others. We see this in his relationship with Timothy, a young partner in ministry with whom he traveled. In one letter Paul writes to Timothy:
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:8-16)
Paul admonished Timothy to persevere and not let his ministry be deterred by insecurity about his youthfulness. He told Timothy not to neglect his gifts but to use them fully and to continue developing them. The purpose was to optimize his effectiveness in sharing the good news of Jesus. Discovering and using our gifts is about honoring God and blessing others, not elevating ourselves.
Maybe you’re like my son who needed his coach to recognize the potential he had. With an encourager to cheer you on perhaps you’d be more willing to discover new ways God could use you. If you’re intrigued by this idea, pray that He’ll give you the desire and the tools to discover how your gifts, experiences, personality and passion can be used for His glory. Pray for a person who can help you identify them and develop them. If you already know your gifts, pray and evaluate how effectively you’re using them right now. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage and confidence if you’re feeling afraid or insecure. Maybe it’s time to branch out and trust Him to take the next step. Once He starts moving in you, you’ll never want to go back to your ordinary way of life.
Casting Crowns has an inspiring new song called “Thrive.” Click on the link to listen, then pray about how God wants to tap into your potential.
In the Northern California climate, bare root roses are usually planted in January. My husband and I moved into our house a number of years ago in mid-February. So, for close to a year I eagerly anticipated the time when we could finally start our very own rose garden. We went to a nursery and studied labels, carefully choosing the colors and varieties we wanted to plant along the side of our driveway in the front yard.
It was hard work digging holes and planting in the winter soil, but it was worth the effort when we envisioned the beautiful roses that would bloom a few months later. We’d chosen colors in a variety of shades: pink, yellow, white, red, coral and lavender. They had names like “Mr. Lincoln” and “Touch of Class” embossed on metal tags hanging around the main stalks of the plants. We kept them attached even after planting so we could remember their names later.
As winter turned to spring, green shoots and fat buds began to appear on our new rose plants. I’d check them regularly– excited to see which colors would show first. Then, one morning, I discovered all of the buds were gone. It looked almost as if someone had come into our yard and snipped them off with a pair of clippers. I was perplexed, angry and disappointed. I couldn’t imagine who would have done such a thing.
Later that evening, as the sun was setting, a family of dear gracefully wandered into our yard. As I moved to the window to watch them, I was horrified to discover they were brazenly snacking on my rose plants. What had looked like a clean cut from a pair of garden shears had actually been the teeth of several deer.
When I went back to the nursery where we’d bought the roses to explain our predicament, the employee there was less than sympathetic: “Yea, deer eat just about anything. They don’t care about thorns. I can sell you some stuff to spray on the flowers to make them taste bad, but you have to use it all the time. Those deer are pretty tenacious.”
I bought the spray and tried it for a while, but finally gave up. It smelled bad and the deer ate the blooms anyway. For several years, we just relinquished any hope of ever seeing a bud, let alone a fully blooming rose. I couldn’t even remember what color flowers we’d planted and had only the metal tags to remind me.
Finally, one winter we decided to risk uprooting our rose bushes and re-planting them in the backyard. It would either kill them or give them a new lease on life. We hoped they would survive the transplant and would thrive safely tucked behind our high fence where deer couldn’t get at them. Sure enough, that spring, we began to see buds forming. Eventually after years of waiting to see roses, our backyard was filled with blooms in a multitude of colors. I could enjoy them from the window or clip them to put in vases or give them to friends. All it took was guarding the roses from the hungry deer that devoured them.
Those roses were one of the first things I pictured as I read Kelly Minter’s words in the week 2 lesson of Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break. Until I fenced them in for protection, they never reached their full blooming potential. In the study, Minter describes how Nehemiah and his fellow Jews focused their attention on rebuilding the gates around the walls of Jerusalem. She explains: “Little is as important to a city as guarding the places where people come and go. Jerusalem’s walls meant nothing without fortified gates—every door, bolt, and bar had to be scrutinized and secured. This led me to think about the ‘gates’ in my life, what I allow to enter my seeing and hearing…The question became, ‘What am I allowing in and out?’ Have you ever wondered if ‘mindless entertainment’ might actually be a wide-open gate in your life by which many hurtful and deceiving ideas are sliding straight into your thinking? What about the friendships you keep, the magazines you read, the conversations in which you choose to engage? Are your doors open to uplifting, truth-telling and life-giving, or to what corrodes your soul?” (p. 43).
If we’re not on our guards, the good things in our lives can be infiltrated and ruined by the enemy, just like my roses. Proverbs 4:23 says it clearly: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” I started thinking about the times in my life when I’ve let my guard down and have allowed my heart to be influenced in ways that are not beneficial to my walk with God. See if you can relate to any of the areas below where your “soul gates” might need a bit of shoring up:
Entertainment
Kelly Minter mentioned in her video how people often excuse inappropriate subject matter because it is funny. She pointed out that even sin can seem funny but that “if it put Jesus on the cross, it’s not funny.” I started thinking about all the ways we can be entertained that have the potential to leave our “soul gates” wide open to ungodly influences.
-TV Shows and Movies: Often they subtly or blatantly give messages contrary to God’s teaching. I think about this in relation to my kids and ask myself how their worldview might be shaped by what they’re seeing. When we come across something that doesn’t fit with God’s word, we talk about it and point out the message that is contrary to God’s plans for us. Talk shows and reality shows espouse unbiblical worldviews as much as dramas and sitcoms, so it’s important to consider them too.
-Music: Song lyrics spout messages constantly. I have one child who particularly enjoys listening to “hit music” on the radio. Many of the songs are catchy and fun, but it’s important to listen to the message behind the beat. Recently my son and I had a conversation about a song with the recurring line: “Are you gonna stay the night/ Doesn’t mean we’re bound for life.” He was a little annoyed and embarrassed when we talked about how the song’s message didn’t fit with God’s design for sex, but he listened and accepted what I said. Now, when the song comes on we can joke about it and roll our eyes, realizing the not so subtle message it gives. Sometimes my boys and I look up song lyrics online to clarify or discuss the content. We can’t keep our kids or ourselves entirely in a bubble, but we can learn to recognize the way the world influences us so we don’t fall for it.
-Books: We need to be wise about the non-fiction and fiction books we read. Even those fun “beach reads” have an impact on our thought lives, for better or for worse. Our imaginations have few limits and when they’re fed ideas that don’t fit with God’s plan, we are opening our “soul gates” unwisely.
-Websites/ Chat rooms/ Blogs: The places we frequent on the Internet also impact our thought lives significantly and can lead to a breakdown in the walls around our souls. Are you considering that with the content you absorb online?
-Magazines: How are the articles you read influencing you? Do the magazines you read make you wish for bigger and better material possessions? Do they turn the personal lives of strangers into scintillating gossip? Do they tempt you to eat and drink in ways that you’ll regret later? Do they influence your worldview in ways that draw you closer to God or that pull you farther away from Him?
-Talk Radio: Talk radio can fill our minds with ideas. Do the people you listen to on the radio continually espouse specific views and label groups of people? Do they vilify certain people or groups? This happens easily on talk shows centered on politics. Keep in mind, whether you agree with someone’s political views or not, they are still loved by God. Sometimes when we draw political lines in the sand, it’s hard to reach out in love to people whose labels don’t match the ones with which we agree.
-E-mail forwards: Do you think carefully before you forward “thought provoking” or “funny” e-mails to friends and family? Do you think about how they have influenced you and how they might influence others? Do you check to see if information you are forwarding is factual? Do you think about whether the recipients need more e-mails in their inboxes?
The links below provide resources for reviewing movies, TV shows and other media. They are a great way to screen in advance what you plan to watch or to let your kids watch. The first is from Focus on the Family, the second is from Common Sense Media:
A good guideline to keep in mind for entertainment is to think of Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Relationships
The people we spend time with influence us profoundly. Here are a few questions to think about how they might be influencing you in different ways:
-Do the people you spend time with point you towards God or away from Him?
-Are your peers positive and encouraging or negative and bitter?
-The Bible calls us to be salt and light to a world in darkness—are you rubbing off on your non-Christian friends and acquaintances or are they rubbing off on you?
-If you’re married: Do the people you spend time with make your marriage stronger? Do your friends know more about the highs and lows of your marriage than your spouse? What parameters do you place around your interactions with the opposite sex? (Sometimes we may think we’ve been married too long for these things to be issues-yet our culture is full of marriages that crumble even after twenty, thirty or forty years. We must be relentless in protecting our marriages at every stage in life.)
-Do you seek out friends to provide support and wisdom before you ever consider seeking God? Kelly Minter cautions: “Even well-meaning people can unintentionally draw us away from God’s will in our lives” (p.58).
-Do you spend time with people who take pleasure in being critical of others?
-How easy is it to get drawn into gossip in your circle of friends and acquaintances?
-Does the sarcasm and cynicism of others rub off on you?
-Do you spend time with people who expect you to “show well” and put up a façade?
-Do you downplay your faith around certain friends and acquaintances?
Colossians 3:1-17 provides some great instructions for relationships:
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is yourlife, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
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There are a lot of challenging issues to think and pray about in the paragraphs above. If you’re feeling convicted, just keep this in mind: the goal of these questions isn’t to make you feel guilty, but to help you find the places where your “soul gates” need strengthening. Strong gates allow your spiritual garden to flourish and give God room to develop your potential. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep your soul gates strong. Let Him monitor what comes and goes through them. You may not realize the ways you can bloom spiritually until you notice what is coming through your “soul gates” and guard against the things that will damage your walk with God. I didn’t realize the beauty I was missing until we took the time to move our roses. It was worth the effort.
For some additional perspective on this topic, click on the link below to hear Casting Crowns’ song “Slow Fade.” It’s a great reminder for why keeping your “soul gates” intact is so important.
October, November and December are months filled with celebrations in my family. It seems we’re continually enjoying birthday dinners, Halloween candy, Thanksgiving delicacies and Christmas treats at a fairly steady pace for a long stretch of time. Although we generally try to eat healthy food, it seems there is always an excuse for a “splurge” during those months. This December, my husband and I realized that our “fun splurges” were becoming a regular part of our diet. By the end of the Christmas holidays, we were both feeling the effects of too many months of making bad choices with food. It was time for a change.
My meal planning and cooking had been on autopilot for quite a while. I’d chalked it up to a busy schedule, but the truth was, I was getting pretty lazy. We were eating the same four or five meals all the time and making things interesting by eating plenty of unhealthy snacks and desserts in between. We didn’t feel good physically and often criticized ourselves for the bad food choices we were making. Then, we’d do the same thing again the next day.
Driving home from a visit with family over the holidays, I began perusing a book that outlined a twenty-eight day plan for eating healthy, cleansing our bodies and rebooting our metabolisms. It sounded a bit daunting, but after some serious thought, we decided the health benefits were worth the effort.
To implement this plan required full buy-in for both of us. We had to commit to following all of the guidelines of the plan for twenty-eight days. There was no way to eat on autopilot anymore. I was checking our book so much that the pages were dotted with splotches of food from reading recipes while I cooked. I had to write meal plans for the week in a spiral notebook and check it frequently. My husband would regularly ask, “Is this in the plan?” I’d grab the book to check, not trusting my memory to guide me.
Having to think about meals so much required more effort than our old ways of interacting with food. We had to be intentional in planning menus, preparing ahead and anticipating possible challenges along the way. However, we were also seeing the benefits of the plan and were feeling great. I’d never given so much thought to what, when and how I was eating until then- but my metabolism seemed to be responding well.
I realized a striking similarity between our new eating plan and our spiritual lives. We can’t go on autopilot. We can’t just check off our thirty minutes reading the Bible and praying in the morning and then move on with the day. Instead, we need to be in tune with God’s Spirit and connecting with Him at regular intervals throughout the day to get the strength and wisdom we need. My eating plan required healthy snacks and meals at regular intervals to fuel my metabolism and keep it burning. Our spiritual metabolisms also need regular fuel to function fully. I’m finding Beth Moore’s words to be true: “Dependable discernment comes only by walking in the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit comes only by walking and talking with God Himself…The Spirit of God fills us only to the extent that we yield to His authority and welcome His Presence. (Beth Moore, Faithful, Abundant, True: Three Lives Going Deeper Still p. 138)
There is an obvious comparison between eating healthy and maintaining spiritual well being. Both require constant vigilance. We need to be intentional with our efforts to connect with God instead of becoming lazy spiritually or relying on others to keep us growing in our faith. Beth Moore uses the story of the Israelites and Moses from Exodus 20:18-21 to illustrate this:
When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Beth explains: “That’s how a lot of people still want their religion today. We still say in effect, ‘I’m not looking to be close to the Father God and to get to know Him intimately through His Son Jesus Christ. I just want someone to tell me what to do and what not to do and I’ll go on with it from there’…What people with this mind-set don’t understand is that they’re missing the most satisfying love relationship of their entire existence…We will never live one single day in the Spirit accidentally. It simply cannot happen…You show me a godly woman, and I’ll show you a woman who pursued God” (Beth Moore, Faithful, Abundant, True: Three Lives Going Deeper Still p. 137 & 139).
Not surprisingly, the Bible has quite a bit to say about staying tuned into the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:25tells us: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Our job is to match the cadence of our steps to those of the Holy Spirit. We can only do this through consistent time in God’s Word and prayer.
Over the past few years as I’ve learned more about the Holy Spirit, I’ve incorporated a few regular phrases into my prayer life. They help me keep in step with the Spirit and remain intentional in my pursuit of Him. The first is: “God, pour out your Spirit on me today.” When I pray this, I imagine God taking a pitcher of water and pouring it over my head so that everything around me is soaked with His Spirit. Although I know that His Spirit already resides in me, asking for more of Him increases my capacity to be filled and used by Him. Ephesians 5:18b admonishes us to be “filled with the Spirit.” The footnotes in my study Bible explain this verse well: “The Greek present tense is used in this verse to indicate that the filling of the Spirit it not a once-for-all experience. Repeatedly, as occasion requires, the Spirit empowers for worship, service and testimony.” (Zondervan NIV Study Bible p. 1832)
Another regular prayer of mine is “God, align my heart with Your Spirit.” Essentially, this means asking God to make me want the things He wants. This is what it means to pray “in Jesus’ name.” In John 14:13-14 Jesus says “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” When we ask in Jesus’ name, it acknowledges our desire for God to be glorified by our requests. It’s not like a closing salutation for a prayer; it is a statement of wanting our wills to align with God’s and to ask in prayer for the things we know He wants.
Just like I read my meal-planning book throughout the day, we have to consult the Bible regularly to stay aligned with God’s will and Spirit. We have to be actively engaged in studying His word, praying and seeking Him. We can’t base our faith on memories of the past. That would be like cooking on autopilot and making the same default meals over and over. God has something new to show us all the time. He wants to keep our spiritual metabolisms moving to ingest new truths so that we can use our gifts to bless others and honor Him.
“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” -Isaiah 42:8-10
Maybe it’s time to think about your spiritual metabolism. Are you on autopilot cruising along spiritually without giving much thought to your need for the Spirit? Is there an area you need to surrender so that you can obey God more fully? It may seem daunting, but once you address these things, you won’t want to go back to autopilot again. God has too many great things in store for you and will give you exactly what you need to live walking in His Spirit.
I’ve attached a link below to a song that is a little older. It is called “Rushing Wind” and is by a Christian musical artist named Keith Green who passed away in a plane crash in 1982. Although it may not sound as current as some of the songs I usually include, I hope it will bless and inspire you. I first heard it as a freshman in college in 1988 and it is still one of my favorites.
I’m in a serious state of denial. I think I’m reaching that “certain age” where mature adults finally admit that they need a little boost with their vision. Somehow, I can’t bring myself to make the trip to the store to buy a pair of reading glasses. I guess it just makes me feel “old.” (If you wear reading glasses, please don’t take that personally, it’s my silly little issue). So, I’ve been compensating by using larger font sizes, squinting, or sneaking to put on my husband’s readers when no one is looking. He came home from work the other day and caught me by surprise as I was writing at the computer. As I turned to greet him, he laughed and said: “You’re busted!!” I’d forgotten to take off his reading glasses. It was a funny, albeit humbling, moment.
I’ve been thinking about vision a lot lately and realizing that besides our physical eyes, God has also given us “spiritual eyes.” And just like my physical vision is in need of a “boost,” we need to give our “spiritual eyes” a boost by asking God to open them for us. I think many people spend a lifetime in spiritual blindness, missing out on all that God is doing in the world around them. I don’t want to be one of those people.
Two of my favorite stories about spiritual vision come from opposite ends of the Bible. One is in 2 Kings 6 and the other is in the book of Acts.
The story in 2 Kings 6:8-23 is about the prophet Elisha. God has given him the divine ability to know the movements of Israel’s enemies in advance so that the Israelites can defend themselves. Verse 10 says, “Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.” Elisha’s ability to discern the enemies’ plans enraged them, so they decided to try and capture him. As the soldiers surrounded the city to close in on Elisha, his servant went into a panic: “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked.”
Elisha responds with complete confidence: “Don’t be afraid… Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then he prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
How cool is that? One minute the servant is quaking in his sandals and the next he sees God’s holy army completely surrounding the enemy and protecting Elijah and him. They were there all the time–he just didn’t have the eyes to see them.
The New Testament “vision” story I love takes place in Acts 9 when Saul is converted on the road to Damascus. As he is on his way to persecute Christians, he encounters a blinding light from heaven accompanied by the voice of Jesus: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus then gives Saul instructions to go to the city and find a specific disciple who will tell him what to do. With the help of his companions, the blinded Saul travels to Damascus where he follows Jesus’ instructions. He meets with a disciple named Ananias, who Jesus sends to heal Saul. Ananias lays his hands on Saul saying “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The text says: “Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.”
I love that Saul’s physical sight was restored and that the Holy Spirit opened his spiritual eyes at the same time. I love the instant change that occurred in Saul and that his first action was to get baptized as a believer. From that moment on, his entire mission in life went from persecuting Christians to sharing the Good News of Christ.
I wonder, sometimes, if we need to pray for God to open our spiritual eyes a bit wider. Are there things we’re missing because we’ve stopped staying in tune with the Spirit? Are we getting apathetic and failing to look in wonder on God’s creation all around us? Maybe we’ve lost our spiritual eyes to see a world crying out for compassion. Do we realize that the same spiritual army that surrounded Elisha and his servant is at our beck and call? Do we even recognize spiritual battles when they crop up?
I like the way Priscilla Shirer says it: “As believers, our spiritual eyes must detect God’s presence. Once this happens, the opportunity unfolds for us to understand our calling and the vast inheritance we’ve been given to accomplish the tasks before us” (Gideonp.44).
I think it’s challenging to have spiritual eyes in our western culture. We pride ourselves on self-sufficiency. We like to make things safe, comfortable and easy. We have contingency plans and back up scenarios for everything. We’re anesthetizing ourselves constantly with mindless entertainment. We all run the risk of being lulled into letting our vision get fuzzy- kind of like my denial over needing reading glasses (yes, I am wearing my husband’s readers as I type this).
The more I write, the more it reminds me of Gideon’s community. People had lost sight of who God was. They had forgotten His power and His miracles. They stopped worshipping Him and were influenced into worshipping the gods of those in the cultures around them. And it happened in just one generation.
I don’t know about you, but reading that makes me want to ask the Spirit to sharpen my spiritual eyesight. I want to discern where I’m growing lukewarm and letting our world direct my steps instead of God. My prayer through Gideon is “Give me eyes to see you God.”
How about you? Is it time for a spiritual vision check? Time to see where things have gotten a little fuzzy? Are there places where God is opening your eyes in new ways? Make a comment below and tell us about it.
Finally, check out the three attached videos. Each one deals with a slightly different aspect of our “spiritual vision.”
Chris Tomlin’s “Whom Shall I Fear” will focus your “spiritual vision” on God’s hand of protection that surrounds you at all times.
Brandon Heath’s “Give Me Your Eyes” will fix your gaze on God’s heart of compassion and the ways He’s calling you to engage others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mhpLjPslbM
Josh Wilson’s “Behind the Beauty” will remind you to see every aspect of creation as an opportunity to praise God for His incredible handiwork.
If you’ve read any of my posts in the past year, you know that I love to mountain bike. God seems to speak to me as I climb hills, pick my way through rocky spots and roll through shifting soil. I’ve been riding for quite a few years without any major incidents. There has been a minor crash or two, but nothing too serious.
Until this past summer, I’d never even gotten a flat tire. And then, in the span of a few weeks, I got two. Both times I was out on an early morning ride with a close girlfriend when I realized I’d run over a thorn and was losing air fast. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’d never learned to change a flat (my only consolation was that she didn’t know either). Our solution was to leave in the thorn to plug the hole and pump the tire back up. I’d ride my bike as far as I could until the tire was too flat, then we’d stop and repeat the whole process. Both times, I made it home with only a minor amount of walking after I’d parted ways with her. Here’s the worst part, though. In my “Camelbak” (a small backpack that holds water), I had a patch kit, a new tube and tire irons. The problem was, I had no idea how to use them.
Years ago my husband lovingly placed all the needed tools to change a flat into my “Camelbak” so that I’d be prepared in an emergency. The one thing we’d never taken time to do was make sure I knew how to use them. I’ll admit it– I’m spoiled and let him do about 95% of my bike maintenance (I pump up the tires and hose it off when it’s muddy, that’s about it).
After my second flat, I called my husband. “I think it’s time for me to learn how to change a tire.”
That night, he gave me a lesson. I wasn’t 100% confident in my abilities, however I at least knew the basics.
A few days later my husband and I went for a ride. We’d been on the trail for about 20 minutes when I noticed my front tire going flat. It was my third thorn of the summer after going years without a flat. Very frustrating.
We pulled out our tools and I was actually somewhat helpful as my husband found the leak and repaired it with a patch. So instead of turning around and limping my way home with a deflating tire that continually needed air, we were able to finish our ride and enjoy a sunny summer afternoon.
I’d had the tools on every ride– the difference was that now I knew how to use them. Even better, I had someone there to help me.
Riding home I started thinking about the study we just started on Gideon. In Week One of Priscilla Shirer says:
“Like it or not, spiritual warfare exists. We may never take up arms with a shield and sword like Gideon, but we are no less in a battle every day. We know it. We feel it. Victory requires constant effort to take ‘every thought captive to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Cor. 10:5). By God’s Spirit, we can be successful—the same way the judges were” (p. 31).
She then asks three penetrating questions:
1. “Does the enemy have to think twice about his schemes against your family because of your watchful presence?”
2. “Do the enemy’s attempts become quickly thwarted because you are alert and prayerful?”
3. “Are you on guard and aware of the spiritual nature behind physical events in your life?”
I’ll translate her questions a different way to connect to my story:
Do we have the tools we need but fail to us them?
Or how about this:
Do we have the tools but not know how to use them?
God has given us his Word and the Holy Spirit–two incredibly powerful “tools” in our “Spiritual Camelbaks.” But, have we taken the time to learn about them and how to use them?
Ephesians 6:10-18 is probably the most well-known passage relating to spiritual warfare:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Take a look at verse 17. Do you see it? The sword of the Spirit is the word of God! Knowing God’s word and relying on the Spirit are our best offensive weapons.
Priscilla Shirer puts it this way: “Our goal must be to flesh out the truths of God’s Word, open ourselves to His activity in our daily lives, learn from those who are doing it well, and seek to inspire others through our example” (p. 35).
Time spent studying the Bible is time well spent. Time spent studying it consistently with others is even better. Asking God to fill you to overflowing with His Spirit is the best way to meet spiritual attack.
And just like my husband was there to teach me how to use my tools and to help me out on the trail when I got my flat, the Holy Spirit is always there with us once we’ve accepted Christ as our Savior. When we’re involved in a Bible Study with others, we have them to help us along the way too. Pray and invite more of His Presence into your life. Pray that God will open your eyes so that you can see where He is at work. Then, sit back and enjoy the ride.
