Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding

TODAY’S VERSE
So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Do you desire to live a way that will always honor and please God? Do you want to produce every kind of good fruit with your life? These are high and lofty goals that Paul wrote for the church. But how? How do we achieve such spirituality? We do what Paul did. We pray and we don’t stop praying that we would know God better and better, gaining spiritual wisdom and understanding. It is through knowing God in this deep and intimate way that we will live the life He desires for us.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, please give me spiritual wisdom and understanding, so I can know You better and better, honoring and pleasing You. Help me produce the good fruit that You desire in my life. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Discernment

TODAY’S VERSE
O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised.
Psalms 119:169 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There are many things that we need in life, but perhaps one of the most important is discernment. Things are seldom the way they appear. How important is it then to know the mind of God when we are in various situations? Solomon told us in Proverbs that we need to seek for wisdom. We need to go after it like we would golden treasure. James writes that if we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask God for it. What a gift. What love that God would not leave us here clueless! The Psalmist asks God to “give me the discerning mind you promised.” God promised, are you asking? Today, stop and seek the wisdom of God. Ask Him for discernment in all you do.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, how I need Your wisdom. How I need Your understanding. I desire Your discernment to see me through this day. Thank You that You will give me the discerning mind you promised.
AMEN

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Eyes Open

TODAY’S VERSE
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber – The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
Psalms 121:2, 3, 7, 8 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I once saw a little boy crying hysterically, afraid that he was abandoned by his father in a large crowd of people. I remember thinking how odd because his father was standing right next to him. Something had frightened the son and, in his despair, he closed his eyes. As he cried, with his eyes shut, he was not aware of his father’s presence. It was not until the father picked the child up that he opened his eyes and returned to joy. How often are we like that little child? Something frightens us. It could be a confrontation, an anxious thought or worst, some dread of things to come. When our mind gets in that state, faith seems to go out the window. It is as if we stepped out of the presence of God, when in reality what we did was shut our eyes. The Psalmist decided to go into his day with eyes wide open. He writes, “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble!” He then affirms his faith by believing, “The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Today open your eyes. Wipe away your tears. Look up, the Lord is here! He will watch over you and keep you from harm. Put your trust in Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, make me conscious of Your presence so I will put my faith in Your precious promises. The promise that You will watch over me and protect me. The promise that You will keep me from harm. Help me today, to open my eyes to Your power and love.
AMEN

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Realization

TODAY’S VERSE
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
John 14:20 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
A realization is different than assuming something. You can think you “know” how difficult something may be and later explain, “I never realized how much work it was really going to be!” Knowing can be academic or theoretical whereas realization is experiential knowledge. True realization is an awakening. It is an “aha” moment. We can “know” all about Christ, but realizing His presence is something totally different. Jesus is explaining that because He rose again from the dead, we should realize that He is equal with God the Father. Jesus is also saying that because we believe He has a special relationship to God the Father, we should likewise realize that He has a special relationship with us. As God the Father is “in” Jesus, Jesus is “in” us. Here is the crux of the matter. When are we going to start living as if the Almighty God of the Universe is living in us? When are we going to realize all that is ours in Christ? It is not too late. Today, meditate on God’s love for you and His desire to live in and through you. Ask Him to help you realize what that should mean to you and the way you live.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank you for your presence in my life. Thank You for making me Your child. I pray that today I may come into a full realization of what it means to have You alive in me.
AMEN

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Seek Him First

TODAY’S VERSE
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It’s easy for us to assume what God’s will is instead of asking Him for it. The truth is that God’s ways are not always our ways. Jesus said to seek His kingdom and righteousness before anything else. So if we want to live out God’s will in our life, then we must seek God first. A quarterback has the same goal as his coach. They both want to win the game. But the Coach is better versed in the game. He has more experience and a more comprehensive view of the whole game. If the quarterback is going to do his best, he needs to work in harmony with the coach. How much more should we align our behavior and attitudes with God Almighty? A hurtful situation, a wayward son, a sudden illness, a loss of a job. Life has many twists and turns. When they come, stop and seek God. Let Him know your thoughts, your apprehensions, your fears, and frustrations. Come to Him, seek Him first and He will direct your path.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I confess that I do “my own thing” so many times. I do not take the time to know your will. I just assume that what I am doing is the “right” thing. Forgive me. Help me to stop when I am tempted to run in a certain direction. Help me to seek You first.
AMEN

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God’s Power

TODAY’S VERSE
I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
I Corinthians 2:4-5 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We like to move toward balance. Homeostasis, a relatively stable state of equilibrium, seems to work in many systems. But sometimes that is not the best move. Balance is good if you want to have normalcy. But many times, if you want to reach worthwhile goals, you have to unbalance a few things. Does the professional athlete balance his or her practice time to other activities? No, they are consumed with their sport and devote many hours to that single pursuit. Soon or later, if you are going to excel at something, you must become a little unbalanced. Paul was trying to share Jesus with people groups that never heard of Christ before. He was starting churches from scratch and he learned that the spiritual life must not be balanced with worldly wisdom. There needs to be a radical dependence on God to do mighty things if you are going to see His Kingdom come. Sure you need to ask for wisdom, but it is spiritual discernment that you should seek. You need to move in faith and hope in the spiritual realm, not logic and theory in the earthly. Today, what are you depending on God’s power for? What big hairy audacious goal are you trusting the Holy Spirit to accomplish in and through you? Paul trusted in the power of God, today do the same.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I must confess that many times conventional wisdom tells me to move in one direction when I know I should trust You for greater things. Lord, I want my life to make a difference. I want to see Your kingdom come as a result of Your Holy Spirit’s guidance in my life. Lead me, use me, I pray.
AMEN

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The Journey

TODAY’S VERSE
Peter asked Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus replied, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.’
John 21:21-22 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Life is a journey with many twists and turns. And it is different for each of us. None of us travel the same road. If we are going to live the way He desires, we have to be willing to follow Him. In his book “Sacred Companions”, David Benner writes, “It is impossible to specify precisely the route that has to be followed in a soul’s journey of transformation. This is because rather than following a map, in this journey we follow a person – Jesus. Jesus does not tell us where to go; He simply asks us to follow Him.” Jesus compared us to sheep. He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
When worried whether John’s journey was going to be similar to His, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “What is that to you? As for you, follow me.” It is the same for us today. We don’t need to be concerned with others and what God has for them. All we have to do is get to know God, try to understand the purposes He has for us and begin to follow Him. Today, obey His command to “follow me” and seek God’s direction for your journey.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me follow You. Give me the wisdom, courage, and understanding I need to participate in the journey You have for me.
AMEN

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