Girlfriends in God - Someone Else’s Story

by Logan Wolfram

Today’s Truth

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil (Proverbs 4:25–27, ESV).

Friend to Friend

Girl, please believe me when I tell you that I really didn’t mean to do it. Even saying it out loud feels a combination of mortifying and wholly embarrassing. It was just one quick glance sideways that ended up monopolizing my entire flight with something fruitless.

From the moment I sat down in 18C, my eyelids felt heavy. I’m pretty sure I was asleep before the plane even lifted into the air. The lady beside me had seemed friendly enough; she smiled and obliged easily when she had to move so that I could access the window seat. She didn’t say anything, and I was so tired from a week of travel that I didn’t have much to offer by way of conversation right then either. I just needed a quick nap so that I could make it through the rest of the day.

I think I slept for maybe 30 minutes of the two and a half hour flight, and when I woke up, the woman beside me was holding two hearing aids in one hand and an iPad propped straight upwards in the other. It was silent on the plane and I could only hear the constant hum of the engines on either side.

I don’t know why it matters, but I am always a little curious about what the person next to me is reading. Usually with a hard copy of a book it’s easy to get an idea if it’s a John Grisham, Nicolas Sparks, or James Dobson type book. Covers and titles are helpful little tools to get a quick snapshot of another person. It’s a window into their interest and sometimes even to their soul. I like people, and the books we read often speak to pieces of the people that we are.

This time though, I couldn’t tell anything about the contents or the lady beside me since the entire book was on an iPad. Black groups of words stood out across the backlit white page. “Married by Midnight,” the title read in the top left hand corner. It was easy to see the words from the seat right beside her. I have 20/20 vision and this book was being read in ginormous print. Something in me was curious and my eyes scanned the page to figure out what kind of book it was.

Before I knew it, the Captain came on to the loudspeaker and informed us that we were landing in 15 minutes.

“OH MY GOODNESS!” I didn’t even realize I was doing it. Truly, it was completely by accident, but somehow I read 150 pages of Married by Midnight and my seatmate with the curly hair that obstructed her periphery had absolutely no clue!

Part of me wondered if I should confess, and then I was terrified she would think I was a total creeper. Equal parts embarrassed and horrified, I found myself still wondering if Lady Anne and Garrett Sinclair would truly fall in love, or if the marriage would stay arranged so that he could go on to inherit his senile father’s grand English estate. You guys! I spent an entire flight reading a book that wasn’t mine because I couldn’t manage to keep my eyes facing forward. What a bizarre and hilariously awkward waste of time.

I laughed about it for a good long while. What on earth was I thinking? Really, I guess I wasn’t. I just got so caught up in what was going on next to me that I forgot to even pay attention to the way that I was spending my own time.

It’s easy to do it though. One glance sideways and before we know it, we’re more engrossed in someone else’s story than we are our own. Maybe we even follow along, keep reading, keep looking their direction instead of forward onto the journey that God has for us?

We can laugh about accidentally reading someone else’s period romance novel, but when it comes to turning our heads to the side and allowing our hearts to be distracted from what God wants to do in us, we start walking into dangerous territory. What starts as a glance to the side can derail us entirely.

We plan to just spend 5 minutes on Facebook or Instagram, just checking in on what’s going on with our friends, but before we know it, we find our hearts feeling less-than, inadequate, not as stylish, creative, or clever as someone else. We allow our gaze to shift from the life and the ministries that God is calling each of us into and begin focusing elsewhere. We waste our time on things that aren’t meant for us.

When we look to either side instead of straight ahead at the Lord, the lines and goals and purposes of our lives can go crooked. And before we know it, we have wasted a whole lot of time worrying about someone else’s life novel instead of looking at the Lord as He is writing our own.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, You are good and You have a specific purpose and plan for each one of us. Thank You that You are writing stories with our lives. Father, it can be so easy to find ourselves looking in the direction of another person’s story, but Lord I ask that we fix our eyes upon You, because only You can make our paths straight and our steps sure. Thank You Jesus for loving us, for sacrificing for us, so that a new story can be written before our eyes when we are fixed on Your goodness.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Today, fix your eyes forward. What is distracting you from the left and from the right? Sit with those things before God and figure out where your gaze has shifted.

More from the Girlfriends

Logan Wolfram would give you full access to her pantry if you lived next door. She is a plate-juggling mom and interior decorator turned author, speaker, Bible teacher, and host of the Allume Conference. She is a passionate leader who desires to see women live fully in Christ. Her first book, Curious Faith; Rediscovering Hope in the God of Possibilitywith David C Cook publishing encourages women to rescue the now and uncover possibility in their lives. Logan and her husband, Jeremy, divide their time between wrangling two inquisitive boys and a 175-pound dog named Titan. They reside in Greenville, South Carolina.

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Standing Strong Through the Storm - AM I WORTHY?

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38

Helen Roseveare was an elderly missionary to Congo, Africa when I was still very young. I remember her holding the audience of ten thousand university students spell-bound and then in tears at Urbana ’76. Her life story is a testimony to the grace of God portrayed in the 1989 movie, Mama Luka Comes Home.

She is often asked by young people what she suffered for Jesus. Her simple answer is, “During the Simba uprising in the Congo, I was raped twice. Government soldiers came to my bungalow, ransacked it, and then grabbed me. I was beaten and savagely kicked, losing my back teeth through the boot of a rebel soldier. They broke my glasses, so I could not see to protect myself from the next blow.

“Then one at a time, two army officers took me to my own bedroom and raped me. They dragged me out into a clearing, tied me to a tree, and stood around laughing. And while I was there, beaten and humiliated and violated, someone brought out the only existing hand-written manuscript of a book I had been writing about God’s work in the Congo over an eleven-year period. They put it on the ground in front of me and burned it.

“I asked myself, Was it worth it? Eleven years of my life poured out in selfless service for the African people and now this? The minute I expressed that, God’s Holy Spirit settled over that terrible scene and He began to speak to me.”

‘“My daughter, the question is not “Is it worth it?” The question is, “Am I worthy?” Am I, the Lord Jesus who gave His life for you, worthy for you to make this kind of sacrifice for Me.’ And God broke my heart,” Helen continues. “I looked up and I said, ‘Oh Lord Jesus, yes, it is worth it, for You are worthy!’” She concludes, “When you ask the right question, you’ll always know that He is absolutely worthy of anything you can give Him or do for Him!”

Phil Callaway of SERVANT magazine once asked her, “Did you ever struggle to forgive those men?”

“No,” she replied. “There was no sense of bitterness or even anger. I was overwhelmed by the sense that God was graciously using me in His purpose. All He asked of me was the loan of my body. The consequences were His. A year later when I returned to Congo and met the man who had humiliated me, I realized that I did carry some resentment and I wasn’t sure I had forgiven him. But God led me to accept from Him the forgiveness that only God can give, and He gave me His peace again.”[1]

Helen returned to Congo after all the above and continued her life of service for Jesus among the African people.

RESPONSE: Today I will ask the right question, “Is Jesus worthy of the sacrifices He asks me to make?” Then I will answer affirmatively and take up my cross and follow Him!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the wonderful trophies of grace, like Helen Rosevere, who encourage us in our walk with You who are truly worthy.

1. Phil Callaway, “Is it worth it?” Servant (Issue 85, 2010), p.11.

Un Dia a la Vez - Por sus frutos los conocerán

Todo árbol bueno da fruto bueno, pero el árbol malo da fruto malo. Mateo 7:17

Cuando llegas a una iglesia cristiana en especial, comienzas a escuchar frases como estas: «Por sus frutos los conocerás». A menudo, las escuché sin comprenderlas en su totalidad hasta después de un tiempo. Sé que muchos de ustedes no van a ninguna iglesia o quizá nunca han escuchado este principio bíblico.

Cuando se habla de frutos, se refiere a los resultados. Si saboreamos una fruta deliciosa, nos permite darnos cuenta enseguida que viene de un buen árbol, de un árbol sano que da buenos frutos.

El Manuel de Instrucciones nos habla a nuestras vidas de la misma manera. Si una persona tiene una vida sana y eficiente en lo espiritual, dará buenos frutos a su tiempo. Aunque muchos llegamos a los caminos de Dios lastimados con vicios o con otras cosas terribles, cambiamos al andar con Jesús. Por eso, tal vez las personas nos digan después: «Ya no eres el mismo», y es porque damos frutos.

Esto no solo muestra lo que somos tú y yo, ya que la gente nos conoce también por lo que somos. Es decir, las personas nos conocerán por nuestros frutos y, al mismo tiempo, seremos capaces de saber cómo es alguien que quizá no nos termina de convencer, debido a que las conoceremos por sus frutos.

Hoy te invito a que examinemos nuestros frutos. Tal vez sean frutos buenos y sanos, o estén tan podridos que no valga la pena recogerlos.

¿Cómo está nuestra vida? ¿Has considerado lo que piensa Dios de nosotros?

Verse of the Day - November 09, 2016

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Read all of Isaiah 1

The Daily Readings for November 9, 2016

Joel 2:12-19
Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" Then the LORD became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. In response to his people the LORD said: I am sending you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a mockery among the nations.

Revelation 19:11-21
Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords." Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders-- flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Luke 15:1-10
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 119: Mem Quomodo dilexi!
97   Oh, how I love your law! all the day long it is in my mind.
98   Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, and it is always with me.
99   I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my study.
100   I am wiser than the elders, because I observe your commandments.
101   I restrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
102   I do not shrink from your judgments, because you yourself have taught me.
103   How sweet are your words to my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104   Through your commandments I gain understanding; therefore I hate every lying way.

Psalm 119: Nun Lucerna pedibus meis
105   Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.
106   I have sworn and am determined to keep your righteous judgments.
107   I am deeply troubled; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108   Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, and teach me your judgments.
109   My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget your law.
110   The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111   Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112   I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes for ever and to the end.

Psalm 119: Samekh Iniquos odio habui
113   I hate those who have a divided heart, but your law do I love.
114   You are my refuge and shield; my hope is in your word.
115   Away from me, you wicked! I will keep the commandments of my God.
116   Sustain me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be disappointed in my hope.
117   Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and my delight shall be ever in your statutes.
118   You spurn all who stray from your statutes; their deceitfulness is in vain.
119   In your sight all the wicked of the earth are but dross; therefore I love your decrees.
120   My flesh trembles with dread of you; I am afraid of your judgments.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 81 Exultate Deo
1   Sing with joy to God our strength and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2   Raise a song and sound the timbrel, the merry harp, and the lyre.
3   Blow the ram's-horn at the new moon, and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4   For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.
5   He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt.
6   I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "I eased his shoulder from the burden; his hands were set free from bearing the load."
7   You called on me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered you from the secret place of thunder and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8   Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9   There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not worship a foreign god.
10   I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."
11   And yet my people did not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey me.
12   So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, to follow their own devices.
13   Oh, that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways!
14   I should soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.
15   Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last for ever.
16   But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from the rock.

Psalm 82 Deus stetit
1   God takes his stand in the council of heaven; he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2   How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked?
3   Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy;
4   Rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5   They do not know, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6   Now I say to you, 'You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High;
7   Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.'"
8   Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

The Daily Meditation for November 9, 2016

From Forward Day By Day
Written by Richelle Thompson

Luke 15:6b-7 (NRSV) “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

Perhaps few of God’s sheep have been as lost as Bo Cox. In his early twenties, addicted to drugs and alcohol, he killed a man, was convicted of murder, and sent to prison.

About ten years into his prison sentence, Cox sent a donation and writing samples to Forward Movement. The then-editor took a chance and asked Bo to write meditations for Forward Day by Day. The response was overwhelming—we still get calls and letters about that first month of Bo’s work. A model of humility and reconciliation, he connected with readers in a powerful way, and his deep and abiding gratitude to a God who forgives and loves was transformative.

Bo continues to write for us—maybe you have read his words and been changed—and, now released from prison, he works at a state-run psychiatric hospital, helping other lost sheep.

In our pragmatic calculus, ninety-nine out of one hundred is a pretty solid return. Thankfully, God has a different reckoning.

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Our Daily Bread - Signs and Feelings

By Tim Gustafson

Read: Matthew 16:1–4 | Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 46–47; Hebrews 6

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

A young man I know has a habit of asking God for signs. That’s not necessarily bad, but his prayers tend to seek confirmation of his feelings. For instance, he’ll pray, “God, if You want me to do X, then You please do Y, and I’ll know it’s okay.”

This has created a dilemma. Because of the way he prays and the way he thinks God is answering, he feels that he should get back with his ex-girlfriend. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she feels strongly that God doesn’t want that.

The religious leaders of Jesus’s day demanded a sign from Him to prove the validity of His claims (Matt. 16:1). They weren’t seeking God’s guidance; they were challenging His divine authority. Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign” (v. 4). The Lord’s strong response wasn’t a blanket statement to prevent anyone from seeking God’s guidance. Rather, Jesus was accusing them of ignoring the clear prophecies in Scripture that indicated He was the Messiah.

God wants us to seek His guidance in prayer (James 1:5). He also gives us the guidance of the Spirit (John 14:26) and His Word (Ps. 119:105). He provides us with mentors and wise leaders. And He’s given us the example of Jesus Himself.

It’s wise to ask God for clear direction, but He may not always give it in ways that we expect or want. Perhaps the larger point of prayer is that we learn more about God’s nature and develop a relationship with our Father.

Lord, it is impossible for us to comprehend Your nature, and yet You welcome us to approach You in prayer. And so we seek Your guidance today and ask to know You in ways we haven’t seen before.

The best way to know God’s will is to say, “I will” to God.

© 2016 Our Daily Bread Ministries

Nuestro Pan Diario - Señales y sentimientos

Por Tim Gustafson

Leer: Mateo 16:1-4 | La Biblia en un año: Hebreos 6

Lámpara es a mis pies tu palabra, y lumbrera a mi camino (Salmo 119:105).

Un joven que conozco suele pedirle señales a Dios, aunque, en realidad, lo que busca es una confirmación de lo que siente. Por ejemplo, ora así: «Señor, si quieres que haga x, haz y, y sabré que está bien». Esto genera un dilema. Por su forma de orar y la manera en que cree que Dios responde, siente que debe volver con su ex novia, Sin embargo, ella está totalmente segura de que Dios quiere lo contrario.

Los líderes religiosos de la época de Jesús exigían una señal para que Él validara sus afirmaciones (Mateo 16:1), pero no buscaban la guía divina, sino que desafiaban su autoridad. La dura respuesta del Señor, «la generación mala y adúltera demanda señal» (v. 4), los acusó de ignorar las claras profecías de la Escritura que indicaban que Él era el Mesías.

Dios quiere que busquemos su guía en oración (Santiago 1:5), y nos da el Espíritu (Juan 14:26) y su Palabra (Salmo 119:105) para que nos dirijan. También nos da consejeros y líderes sabios, y el ejemplo del propio Jesús.

Es sabio pedirle al Señor instrucciones claras, pero Él no siempre las da de la manera que queremos o esperamos. Quizá lo más importante de orar es que aprendemos más sobre la naturaleza de Dios y cultivamos nuestra relación con el Padre.

Señor, que al buscar tu guía hoy en oración, te conozca mejor a ti y tus caminos.

La mejor manera de conocer la voluntad de Dios es tener voluntad de cumplirla.

© 2016 Ministerios Nuestro Pan Diario

Unser Täglich Brot - Zeichen und Gefühle

Von Tim Gustafson

Lesen: Matthäus 16,1-4 | Die Bibel In Einem Jahr: Jeremia 46–47; Hebräer 6

Dein Wort ist meines Fußes Leuchte und ein Licht auf meinem Wege. Psalm 119,105

Ein junger Bekannter hat die Gewohnheit, Gott um Zeichen zu bitten. Das muss nicht verkehrt sein, aber mit seinen Gebeten sucht er vor allem eine Bestätigung seiner Gefühle. So betet er etwa: „Herr, wenn du willst, dass ich X tue, dann tu du doch bitte Y. Dann weiß ich, dass es richtig ist.“

Die frommen Führer zur Zeit Jesu verlangten auch ein Zeichen (Matth. 16,1). Sie suchten jedoch nicht Gottes Führung, sondern stellten Jesu göttliche Bevollmächtigung in Frage. Jesus erwiderte: „Ein böses und abtrünniges Geschlecht fordert ein Zeichen“ (V.4). Mit der krassen Antwort will er allerdings niemanden davon abhalten, Gottes Leitung zu suchen. Vielmehr warf er den Pharisäern vor, die deutlichen Verheißungen der Bibel zu ignorieren, die klar darauf hinwiesen, dass er der Messias war.

Gott möchte, dass wir ihn im Gebet um Führung bitten (Jak. 1,5). Er will uns auch durch seinen Geist (Joh. 14,26) und sein Wort (Ps. 119,105) leiten. Er schenkt uns Mentoren und weise Lehrer. Und er hat uns Jesus selbst als Beispiel gegeben.

Es ist klug, Gott um klare Wegweisung zu bitten, aber er gibt sie nicht immer so, wie wir es erwarten oder wünschen. Das Wichtigste an unserem Beten um Führung ist vielleicht, dass wir vor allem mehr über Gottes Wesen lernen und die Beziehung zum Vater pflegen.

Herr, wir können dich letztlich nicht begreifen. Dennoch möchtest du, dass wir im Gebet zu dir kommen. Deshalb suchen wir auch heute deine Leitung und wollen Seiten von dir kennen lernen, die wir noch nicht gesehen haben.

Der beste Weg, Gottes Willen zu erkennen, ist, zu sagen: „Herr, ich will.“

© 2016 Unser Täglich Brot

Хлеб наш насущный - Чувства и знамения

автор: Тим Густафсон

Читать сейчас: Матфея 16:1-4 | Библия за год: Иеремия 46-47; 2 Фессалоникийцам 2

Слово Твое – светильник ноге моей и свет стезе моей. — Псалом 118:105

Один мой знакомый молодой человек постоянно просит у Бога знамений. Может, это и нельзя назвать грехом. Однако плохо то, что он таким способом ищет подтверждения своим чувствам. Молится он примерно так: «Господи, если Ты хочешь, чтобы я сделал то или другое, то покажи знак, и я буду знать, что это Твоя воля».

От этого возникают разные казусы. Положим, он хочет устроиться на определенную работу, молится, получает, как он считает, знамение от Бога, но все упирается в работодателя, который не хочет его нанимать! Фарисеи времен Христа требовали от Него знамения с неба в качестве подтверждения Его заявлений (Мф. 16:1). Собственно, никакого знамения они не ждали, поскольку не верили в божественный авторитет Спасителя, а хотели лишь уловить Его. На это Он ответил: «Род лукавый и прелюбодейный знамения ищет, и знамение не дастся ему» (Мф. 16:4). Такой суровый ответ, конечно, не был упреком всем, ищущим руководства свыше. Но Христос упрекнул Своих противников за пренебрежение ясными пророчествами Писания, которые указывали на Него как на Мессию.

Бог желает, чтобы мы искали Его водительства (Иак. 1:5). Он также направляет нас Своим Духом (Ин. 14:26) и Своим Словом (Пс. 118:105), а еще посылает мудрых наставников и советников. Наконец, Он показал нам пример в Иисусе Христе. Мы можем просить у Бога открыть Его волю, хотя Он не всегда делает это так, как мы ожидаем. Но намного важнее познавать Божью природу и развивать с Ним глубокие, тесные отношения.

Господи, невозможно объять Твое величие и мудрость, и все же Ты желаешь, чтобы мы приходили к Тебе в молитве. Мы просим Твоего водительства и хотим познать Тебя так, как не знали раньше.

Чтобы узнать Божью волю, нужно быть готовым ее исполнить.

© 2016 Ministères NPQ

Notre Pain Quotidien - Signes et sentiments

par Tim Gustafson

Lisez : Matthieu 16.1‑4 | La Bible en un an : Jérémie 46 – 47 et Hébreux 6

Ta parole est une lampe à mes pieds, et une lumière sur mon sentier. Psaume 119.105

Je connais un jeune homme qui a l’habitude de demander des signes à Dieu. Il n’y a rien de mal à cela en soi, sinon qu’il tend à rechercher par ses prières la confirmation de ses sentiments. Il priera, par exemple : « Mon Dieu, si tu veux que je fasse X, fais Y, et je connaîtrai ta volonté. »

Or, cette façon de prier et d’interpréter la présumée réponse de Dieu lui a créé un dilemme. Il avait le sentiment que Dieu voulait qu’il retourne à son ancienne petite amie, alors qu’elle avait le fort sentiment du contraire.

Les chefs religieux de l’époque de Jésus exigeaient de recevoir un signe de sa part qui prouverait la validité de ses déclarations (MT 16.1). Ils ne cherchaient pas à connaître les directives de Dieu, mais à mettre en doute son autorité divine. Jésus leur a répondu : « Une génération méchante et adultère demande un miracle » (V. 4). Cette réponse saisissante ne visait pas à empêcher quiconque de chercher la face de Dieu, mais à accuser ces leaders de faire fi des prophéties scripturaires le désignant comme Messie.

Dieu désire que nous cherchions sa face en prière (JA 1.5). Il nous dirige aussi par son Esprit (JN 14.26) et sa Parole (PS 119.105). Il nous procure des mentors et de sages leaders, et il nous a même donné Jésus en exemple.

Il est donc sage de solliciter de Dieu une direction claire, mais sans nous attendre à ce qu’il nous réponde forcément comme nous le pensions ou le voulions. Il se peut que la prière serve avant tout à mieux connaître la nature de Dieu et à nous rapprocher de notre Père.

Pour connaître sa volonté, le mieux est de lui dire : « Je la ferai. »

© 2016 Ministères NPQ