Text: Deuteronomy 13:1-5 

1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;  3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams:  for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.   4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.   5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death;  because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in.   So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.  

Tuesday, 30^th April 2024    

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THOUGHTS FROM GOD 2

Text: Deuteronomy 13:1-5

Memory verse: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

There is a concern that people abandon the process of wise decision-making that God has given to us as His people, in favor of impulses or signals they interpret as messages sent from God. I don’t mean that God cannot use impulses or circumstances as part of our decision-making process. But when we allow receiving impulses or reading signals to take the place of wise and careful consideration, then there is great danger.

A woman was sharing with me how difficult it is to know how she should be using her time: what things she should spend most of her time on or she should keep in her life and what things should she give up? And she was saying how she wished that God would just tell her what she was supposed to do. We all identify with that. There are a lot of dilemmas we face in life. And it would be a lot easier if God would just tell us what He wanted us to do. But God has not told us everything He wants us to do. It is good that He hasn’t, because He’s teaching us to grow up, and take responsibility for our own lives, to make decisions as His servants according to His wisdom. In making these hard decisions:

Another way of looking for indicators in the Bible or for signals in the world is to go through the process of wisdom. That is, to take the principles of God’s word about what is the most important amongst these alternatives, and what our highest responsibilities are, to weigh it considering the circumstances God has placed us in, and ask this questions, "What is best for the kingdom? What does my husband want me to do? What do wise counselors think I should do? What do my close godly friends think I should do? What seems to be most in line with my gifts and abilities? What is most consistent with my sense of God’s calling in my life? What would God be most pleased with? What would help the people of God the most? What would contribute most to the cause of Christ? What would be the most edifying and beneficial? What is most consistent with godly priorities?" It means going through this wise but strenuous process in godly decision-making.

CGDS HYMN 35: SS & S 293:

ONCE MORE AT REST, MY PEACEFUL THOUGHTS ARE BLENDING

1. Once more at rest, my peaceful thoughts are blending.

    Once more, O Lord, Thy loving smile I see.

    For softly now the twilight shades descending

   Have closed, and left my heart alone with Thee

Refrain

Still, still I hear Thy words of consolation

That gave me hope when I was sorely tried.

And since that hour of hallowed meditation,

Thy counsel, Lord, has been my only guide.

2. Once more at rest, my cares awhile forsaking,

I thank Thee, Lord, for victories I have won.

For strength and grace, when earthly ties were breaking,

To trust in Thee, and say, "Thy will be done."

3. Once more at rest, I view the silent river,

Whose placid waves Thy love will bear me o’er.

There, home at last, my raptured soul for ever

Will fold her wings, where sorrow comes no more.

   Prayers:

1.  Holy Spirit, consume my thought life with Your presence always.

2.  LORD God Almighty, give me instruction, direction, and correction about everything in my life by Your Spirit in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.