Benchmarks

Let’s be clear, every Christian grounded in the Word of God wants his fellow believers to have an intimate awareness of our Savior and grow with a deeper understanding of Him. Saints, we were saved to grow and this week our Devotional team addresses the topic of “Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding from God” taken from a beloved portion of scripture in Colossians 1. Once again, learn these verses and keep them in your pocket, because when you pray the Holy Spirit will bring this verse back to your remembrance, whatsoever He has said unto you.

Today’s scripture passage is an undeniably worthy prayer for oneself as well as those for whom we are regularly praying.  After all, earnestly seeking  and discovering God’s will is a huge timesaver!  It precludes our spinning our wheels in activities and pursuits that will count for nothing in eternity.  His will is not some ever-elusive divine concept that He teasingly withholds from our grasp.  He has given earnest pursuers many scriptural benchmarks that, if regularly mined for His leading and guidance, will deepen our faith and trust in our Savior.

One such precept is mentioned in a related verse, Colossians 3:16, where we’re commanded to let His word be at home in our heart.  One can never discover His will if His Holy Word is neglected for days on end!  We are warned not to foolishly waste the time we are given, but to value it by using it for eternal purposes [Psalm 90:12 and Ephesians 5:15].  We all know that we are not walking in the will of the Lord if we fail to abstain from sexual immorality, as 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4 warns; yet some of us, as it pertains to obeying God’s revealed will, are much like Jonah, who knew God’s specific will for him was to evangelize those Ninevites, but he had OTHER more-preferred plans!  Is gospel-sharing still  an essential part of our Lord’s expressed will in 1 Timothy 2:4? It absolutely is!  “…God our Savior…. desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  And who can say that they’re baffled by God’s command to give thanks in everything---for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18)?

If you have combed the Scriptures praying and seeking God’s will for direction and confessed your currently known sins,  (including possible unforgiveness of others),  but can find no clear guidance using any of the above to filter the possibilities, try out the decision-making standard found in 1 Corinthians 10:31, which commands that “Whether, then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”   Do you and I love Jesus enough to walk worthily of Him, to daily seek His pleasure, being useful in ministry for His glory?  Such commitments can’t help but increase your intimate knowledge of the Holy One.
 
Prayer:  Dear Abba, forgive us for behaving at times like You are some “tricksy-falsy” Deity who is indifferent to our pleas for leading and guidance.  You have given us many signposts and benchmarks in Your Holy Word to guide our decisions. Thank You in Jesus’ matchless name—AMEN!
By Sis. Denise Diggs