Keep your spiritual glasses clean

2017-10-28
Isaiah 52:11 NKJV

One day a man was getting his windshield washed at a filling station. When the attendant finished, the man said, “That’s a terrible job. Redo my windshield – it’s as dirty as when you started.” So the attendant wiped it again. The man looked it over and in frustration said, “That window hasn’t changed a bit.” The man’s wife was sitting next to him in the car fuming. She reached over, pulled off his glasses, wiped them, and gave them back to him. The attendant had been doing his job correctly. The man himself was the problem all along. Spiritually speaking, the glasses you’re looking through determine what you see, and how you see it. When you look through the lens of jealousy and envy, you become resentful of the blessings of others. When you look through the lens of judgmentalism, you speak and act without mercy and grace. When you look through the lens of fear and unbelief, you limit God and forfeit what He can do for you. When you look through the lens of selfishness, you put yourself first and your loved ones suffer. When you look through the lens of negativity and cynicism, people begin to avoid you because you’re not enjoyable to be around. “Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.” Just as your glasses need to be wiped clean from the contamination around you, so do your heart and mind. How does this happen? Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3 KJV). Through prayer and daily Bible reading, your perspective on life is kept right.

Soul food: Isa 30-33; John 6:35-51; Ps 104:24-35; Prov 28:9-12

When Jesus prayed (5)

2017-06-30
Luke 22:41-42 NIV

Jesus prayed before He faced the greatest crisis in His life. The Bible says: “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place… He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared…and strengthened him” (vv. 39-43 NIV). Jesus didn’t wait until the hour of His greatest crisis before He prayed. For three and a half years during His earthly ministry, He had built a life of prayer. Before He raised Lazarus from the dead, we read, “Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me…that you always hear me'” (John 11:41-42 NIV). Jesus had such an intimate relationship with His Father that in times of pressure and pain He could go to God, confident He would receive His sustaining grace. Can you do that? Until you do, you’ll be vulnerable to people and situations beyond your control. Consider this question: Do you think Jesus prayed so much because He wanted to, or because He thought He should? The answer is – He wanted to! And if you want to follow in His footsteps and enjoy God’s richest blessings, you need to move from “should” to “want to.” Here’s a truth that people who pray know: The less you pray, the less you want to pray. And the more you pray, the more you want to pray. The power behind Christ’s amazing success in life was the power of prayer. Starting now, commit to praying each day.

Soul food: 1 Sam 11-13; Mat 22:23-33; Ps 98; Prov 17:1-3