'Wholesome Thinking'

S – 2 Peter 3: 1-2

 

……. This is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as a reminder to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the Holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through the Apostles.

 

O – I see that ‘wholesome thinking’ is an attitude that needs to be kept continually before us in the journey. Peter felt the need to emphasise this through both his letters and address this culture. It seems that Wholesome Thinking needs to be continually addressed as it can easily regress into small, selfish, dark, toxic and unwholesome. Humanity seems to be incapable of keeping a check on this thinking unless two powerful disciplines are exercised – to recall the words spoken by the prophets and to recall the words and commands given by Jesus. Wholesome Thinking is only maintained when I recall the words of the Lord. It is His word that lifts me to a different level for focus and priority.

 

A – There are so many lesser things I can put my thoughts to; how easy and often do I default to ‘unwholesome thinking.’ This thinking takes me to small and even dark places. There is only one way for me to counter it. It doesn’t come from techniques or different circumstances. It comes from recalling the words of Jesus and what has been spoken. These words then take me to a different place in my thinking and focus. I need this antidote to keep my thinking wholesome and in line with God’s word.

 

P – Lord, I thank you for your words that lift, correct and bring wholeness – help me to be a recaller and not a reactor in my thoughts and actions.

'Calling on a Father'

 

S – 1 Peter 1: 17

 

‘Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.’

 

O – Peter is reminding me as to whom I am calling on. I am calling on a loving Father who acts and responds to the affairs of men the way a Father responds – impartially, no favouritism, no exclusions an equality and justice that comes from a heart of relationship. Peter wasn’t saying you call on God or a God. He no doubt remembered the significant teaching Jesus gave them all when he taught them how to pray. – Our Father who art in heaven. He then goes on to instruct – don’t let this privilege of access and relationship be diminished with familiarity or be dishonoured. This relationship will determine how we live. While I have access and relationship to a Father, I also live with a reverent fear and understanding of who He is.

 

A – I can never forget or fail to appreciate that I call on a Father. That is my privilege – it is why Jesus died so that I could become part of God’s family. When I call on Him as Father, then I enter into the protection, the affection and confidence of that relationship. This is just not another name for God. My calling on a father takes me beyond just calling out to a generic being, into calling out to a relationship where love and connection is ready to be poured out to me and embraced. The way I live then shows whether I am honouring or dishonouring Him as my Father. I would never think to dishonour my earthly father in any behaviour. How I then need to appreciate the importance of honouring Heavenly Father in the way I live.

 

P – Thank you that I can call upon a Father, not just a generic being who I speak about, but a Father who loves in relationship security and honour.

 

 

'What have I come to?'

S – Hebrews 12: 18-19

 

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness gloom and storm, to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who hear it begged that no further word would be spoken to them.

 

O – I see an arresting reminder and contrast, in what I have come to. It is apparent the encounter of the people of Israel in their connection with Jehovah God was both awesome and terrifying. From their human perspective these were overwhelming in their intensity- mountains burning with fire, the fearful trumpet blast that summoned the people to hear the next awesome communication. This was probably a fearful experience to hear words that were overwhelming to receive. These words were in fact so overwhelming there was the begging to please stop as their humanity couldn’t handle the veracity and impact.

 

A – I need to be reminded by way of contrast what I have come to. I need to pause, reflect and re appreciate both my access to and my relationship to God as Father. My whole basis and the inclusion in God’s family have powerfully changed because of my new birth. I don’t have to be fearful beyond human endurance or understanding. I don’t have to experience the feeling of being overwhelmed or being condemned in the presence or interaction with an awesome and powerful God. I have come to the family of God, to the church of the firstborn, to Jesus the mediator of a new relationship. This brings me to a new place of relationship and privilege. I cannot let this significance be lost or have the reality of it diminish in my life. I can so easily lose the power of this reality; to be constantly reminded as to whom I have come to and what I am a part of.

 

P – Lord, I than k you that I need not fear your awesome power. I don’t need to fear any dread of your overwhelming presence. Help me to keep the privilege of my access, relationship and significance ever before me.

Anchored by Hope

Scripture:

‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’ Hebrews 6:19

 

 

Observation:

The Message says this anchor of hope is our unbreakable spiritual lifeline. Our souls need to be anchored.  In a world where we can get tossed about in the storms of life it is essential that we have hope with the strength and ability to hold us fast in times of trouble.

 

Application:

I have taken hold of this hope. The promises that God has declared over my life are firm and secure- without doubt and any potential of being withdrawn. What an encouragement to know that in those times when I am being tossed about and above sea level the atmosphere is dark and turbulent- I AM SECURE! Underneath sea level is the Kingdom perspective and my position as a beloved child of God is seen.  It is this perspective that reveals to me that even in midst of the storm, I am held, firm and secure and a strength is being developed unlike anything ever experienced.

 

Prayer:

Father. Thank you that you are King over every single storm I might face. Thank you that in the midst of those storm that I am anchored in You.  Thank you for holding me and strengthening me in the storm. Amen   

 

Hayley  

Two Questions

S – Hosea 14:9

 

‘Who is wise? He will realise these things, who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.’

 

O – These are two significant questions asked; who is wise? Who is discerning? True understanding takes us to the ‘green pine tree’ where fruitfulness comes from. Even though the ways of the Lord are right, there is the choice to walk in them or to be rebellious where it will cause a stumbling. It reveals how blinding rebellion can make the perceptions of people in what decisions they make in choices or in what they regard as important or otherwise. It is always sobering to realise these entreaties were directed to the people of God. The very ones who had experienced the deliverance and who saw His power. Yet there is the distraction away to other powers and idols rather than toward the source of blessing. Rebellion in opting to make their own choices and discern their own wisdom had caused a stumbling. It seems this rebellion had blunted and blurred both the need and desire for repentance.

 

A – I can walk a path that will either bring a blessing or result in stumbling. Stumbling is never intentional; one never sets out or plans to stumble. However I see the challenge to ask myself these two questions everyday. Do I want to have right wisdom and correct discernment? If so then I need to settle that the ways of the Lord are right – they are non negotiable or just an option along side of many others. How I can look to other places and sources outside of the Lord’s ways. It seems though that if I try to walk in the ways of the Lord with any rebellion or disobedience in my heart then I too will stumble. I can only walk this path to blessing with a clear conviction that it is right and there is no other way to walk.

 

P – Lord I ask for your wisdom and discernment to stay on the right path. – I want to be quick to repent so that the path I walk in you will be the one of blessing and not one where I stumble.

'Rodents and Bats'

S – Isaiah 2:20

 

‘In that Day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of gold which they made to worship.’

 

O – Isaiah is confronting the human mindset and lack of understanding of ‘In that Day’. He has graphically expressed the indescribable awesomeness of the appearing of the Lord when He comes in all His majesty and to shake the earth. The immensity of the description of this event is incomprehendable to human reasoning or even reality. He uses this description to emphasise how drastically the turnaround in values and perceptions will be in the light of the magnitude of this climatic event. The things and aspiration of value and self pursuit will be worthless and will be shown for the rubbish, toxicity and decay that they are.

 

A – How do I comprehend and embrace the significance of – ‘In that Day’? – How important for me to ensure that what I am building my life on and what I place my heart towards will only be fit to throw on the scrap heap. These Bats and Rodents represent to me the worthlessness decay and the stench. I cannot take for granted what I build on or pursue. I cannot fully comprehend the awesomeness of ‘In that Day’ – but I know Holy Spirit has placed it in my heart as to the reality of it. I also must allow the Word to bring and keep this ever before my heart both in the reality and revelation. This can only give me true life balance and priority. How I need to keep the awesomeness of –‘In that day’ before me.

 

P – Lord I pray for the correct balance and wisdom for what I pursue in my life. You have given us this great ‘back drop’ to live before. – ‘In that day’. Forgive me when I paint it in my own understanding and lose the significance of what that day will be like.