Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

1 John 3:1, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Do you fully realize God’s love for you? You are a child of God. That is who you are and whose you are. Jesus said to the disciples, after washing their feet in John 13:12, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” Look at what John says in 1 John 4:10-11, “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” Think about that the next time an argument or conflict arises. Your self-worth is based on the fact that God loves you and you are His child. He knows your name (Isaiah 43:1). Be that reflection of whose you are.

In 1 John 2, John talks about the importance of abiding in God. God created everything. God owns all that you have. When you believed in his name, He gave you the right to become children of God, as John 1:13 declares. God gave you the right to become a part of His family.

 We are to abide – continue, dwell, endure, remain, stand, tarry, and pursue Him throughout our whole day. What happens when we don’t? Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9b-10, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip had been with Jesus as an apostle for two or three years. Where was his faith, we might wonder? Philip had seen Jesus do many miracles. “His earthbound thinking, his materialism, his skepticism, his obsession with mundane details, his preoccupation with business details, and his small-mindedness had shut him off from a full apprehension of whose presence he had enjoyed.” Twelve Ordinary Men. How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You.” John MacArthur, p. 133. We all have unfortunately been like Philip sometime in our life. I admit I have been just as guilty at times. Sit, tarry, remain, continue in His presence as you go about your tasks. Sometimes we need to slow our minds down and think about enjoying the fact that we have a heavenly Father that wants the best for us just as we want the best for our children.

Remember what He has done for you when you need to feel God’s love. Tell Him what you need and ask Him to open your eyes to His great love for you despite your weaknesses as you rely on Him to fulfill those needs. See His love for you with fresh eyes. Continue in God’s presence. He gives angels charge over you (Psalm 91). Stand strong in your defender’s protective love. Who you are is because of whose you are.

1 John 2:24-25, “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us – eternal life.”

We have the constant residence of being in the presence of God the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 8:31, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Synonyms for the word abide would be continue, dwell, endure, remain, stand, and tarry (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. W.E. Vine). As I dwell on God’s Word renewing my mind, I am tarrying – abiding – in being in the presence of Jesus Christ, which will fill me with peace and joy as I share my highs and lows with Him and seek His guidance. 1 John 2:6 declares, “Whoever says he abides in him ought also to walk in the same way he walked.”

Let’s look at the Message’s version of 1 John 2:24-25, “Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!” Then the NLT states it this way: “So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.” “A Christian who spends time daily in the Bible and in prayer will walk in the Spirit and have the discernment he needs.” Warren Wiersbe.

Think about living out who abides in you and you in Him. What does that look like? It is an intellectual understanding and an experiential steadfast standing in what Christ has done for you and growing in your relationship, never abandoning the fundamental truths about Jesus Christ. As you grasp promises from His Word into your heart and mind, having it actively transform your mind so you can fight with your Spiritual armor day by day, one step at a time, you will abide in the Son and in the Father.

In John 13:12, after washing their feet, Jesus says to his disciples, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” They were to serve God, serve each other, and serve people with whom they would share the message of salvation. Focus on Christ and not on the pressure(s) you are facing right now. Continue, dwell, endure, remain, stand, and tarry in His presence. Abide in God’s Word. Remember Jesus’s words in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Persevere today in abiding in Christ despite all of the world’s calamities going on around you. Believe the truth found in God’s Word that the Holy Spirit is teaching you what you need. Use it to dispel all lies tempting you to be discouraged. Keep your focus and gaze on Him. “Just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:27b.

Listen to The Jesus Way by Phil Wickham (Official Lyric Video) 3 months ago.

1 John 2:20, “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.”

Do you realize you have the empowering work of the Holy Spirit within you? It is not something magical or something to be caught in a second step. From the time of salvation onward, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you to the truth in Jesus Christ. He illuminates your mind and your spirit with spiritual insight from reading God’s Word. Need more of this knowledge in applying it to a problem? Ask for it. Your anointing doesn’t come and go. It is permanent and remains in you (1 John 2:27).

• “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” The person speaking here is the Messiah – Jesus Christ. Isaiah 61:1. Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1 in Luke 4:14-30 and proclaims He is the fulfillment of this prophecy.
• “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.

Are you having a problem with discouragement recently? Have your concerns caused you to be dismayed? You are not alone. If you look out over a crowd, most are also experiencing hard things in their life too. There may be things you have no idea about that are also happening inside them. Take the time to pick someone out. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to someone who needs your encouragement. Once you have found that person, ask them what is on their heart that is weighing them down. Pray for their need while sitting or standing next to them.

I often feel impatient when something goes wrong at work or in a relationship. Resentment takes hold, I start to feel all alone, and feelings of bitterness move in instead of dwelling on the eternal, all-sufficient, good, excellent, mighty, fair, and just God holding the whole world in His hands. Once again, I don’t need more faith. I need more of the Father.

Be aware the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy your joy. When you lose your patience, is it because of a fleshly grief or something that would grieve the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 4:30 warns, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” When something upsets you within your family, work, or a specific situation, ask first if this situation is grieving you only or is grieving the Spirit inside of you. Remember, Jesus came to serve others. Some things are just out of your control. Lift the burden onto the Lord. You are anointed by the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you to do what Jesus would want you to do as you seek Him with all your heart, soul, and mind (Jeremiah 29:13). Then ask what He wants you to learn from this. Is there something you need to ask His forgiveness for? Then let it go. Remember, you are an anointed child of God. Use the knowledge given to you by the Holy Spirit. Follow Jesus. Serve others as you seek to bless those in your sphere of influence God has given you. Be led by the Spirit in everything you think about, actions, and conversations. Ask for His guidance and use the knowledge He has given you as you abide in Him. Jesus is a righteous, wise, and loving judge. Be like Jesus and stay focused upon Him. Each of us is accountable for our own actions before Christ. Speak back truth to yourself from God’s Word that you have asked Him for, when you feel weighed down, and it will renew your mind.

You are anointed, and your position is in Christ, so you have the advantage. “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. Follow Jesus. Trust and rely on Him. He is and will be with you. You have the advantage.

Listen to Phil Wickham -The Jesus Way (Official Lyric Video).

1 John 2:17, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

All problems have an ending. They just do. But there are two things in life that do not have an ending. They are eternal: 1.) Salvation; 2.) Eternity after this life. John said, “the world is passing away.” David Guzik Commentary makes a profound statement: “No one drives through the gates of heaven with a moving van filled with the stuff of this world. It is true: The world is passing away.” 2 Corinthians 4:17b states, “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Circumstances and material possessions are temporary, eternal values are not.

What will never disappear is your standing or position in Christ here on this earth.

• God knows your name. Isaiah 43:1.
• God goes before you and is presently with you. He will never leave you. Deuteronomy 31:8.
• You are a treasured possession of God, and you belong to the family of God – a royal priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9.
• Jesus is at the right hand of God and is interceding (effective intervention) for you. Romans 8:34.
• The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Ephesians 1:18-20.

Keep on keeping on doing the will of God. Put your attention on those things. Keep your mind focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and seeing His face. As you go about your day today, think about what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Who does He want you to reach out to? What words of Scripture is He bringing up to your mind to remember during the various circumstances that are occurring throughout your day? You don’t need more faith. You need more of the Father.

The enemy will put roadblocks in your way. They are normally temporary and purposeful distractions. Don’t let him distract you which will result in guilt, shame, frustration, and feelings of failure – self condemnation which then falls into discouragement. The word “dismayed” appears 31 times in the Bible – “be not dismayed.” Fight back with the promises of God. “Satan wants to keep the truth from being spread. He will do all he can to squelch the passions of proclaiming that Jesus is the only way, the truth, and the life, due to discouragement!” Eliminating The Greener Grass Trap. Quitting The Habit Of Comparisons, Linda Killian, 2020, page 61. Remember Isaiah 41:10 as one example: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God upholds the past, the present, and the future.

The Message states today’s verse this way: “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world – wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important – has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out – but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” You are all set!

Listen to Ben Fuller – If I Got Jesus (Lyric Video)

1 John 2:13-14, “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you; and you have overcome the evil one.”

What stage of spiritual growth would you categorize yourself as being in? That is what John is writing about as he was symbolically using the words children, young men, and fathers. In verse 14a, “fathers” have to do with having a deep, genuine, and experiential relationship with Jesus Christ. These would be mature men and women, growing and seeking Jesus Christ in all they do. Each stage in the Christian life builds upon each other and grows deeper in maturity in Christ.

John repeats himself in 1 John 2:13-14a for a reason. “Paul in his letter to the Philippians, could say that he counted all his previous spiritual achievements as rubbish, compared to the surpassing greatness of just knowing Jesus. That I may know Him is the powerful way Paul phrased it in Philippians 3:10.” Blue Letter Bible Commentary, David Guzik. His goal was to become more like Christ as he grew in his own faith. This is a continuing theme in 1 John of knowing Jesus Christ.

Jesus is our Advocate (1 John 2:1b-2), our defense lawyer. Being able to recite God’s Word is our sword to fight against the one falsely accusing us before God (Revelation 12:10) and applying it. Satan condemns but the Holy Spirt imparts loving conviction. We need to distinguish between the two. It requires being submissive to the Father, following Jesus’s example in defeating the Enemy. Note these three examples.

• “When Jesus said, “It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” His implication was, “therefore I will not turn stones to bread, but will live by God’s Word.” (see Matthew 4:4).
• “When Jesus said, “It is written that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,” His implication was, “therefore I will not jump off this pinnacle and tempt My Father to save me” (see, Matthew 4:7).
• “When Jesus said, “It is written that thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,” His implication was, “therefore, I won’t bow down to you, but will worship My Father exclusively.” (see Matthew 4:10). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament.

Do you feel like you are on the front line in something you are going through? That is the role of a mature soldier. Whatever stage you are at in your Christian life and physical age, God has you there for a purpose: to shine the light He has put inside you. Use it. Follow what His Word says to do. Seek Him. There are many principles out there promoting how to have success in life. But as you mature in your relationship with the Lord, it will become clearer that Jesus is the anchor to hold onto, nothing else and no one else. Seek the one who is the great I AM that has enabled you to overcome much because you know the Father. The Word of God abides in you. Hold onto that truth. Shine the light that is inside you, and it will inspire others. What are you waiting for? What verse will you use today for His glory? Get ready to apply it, put it into action, and you will inspire others to do the same.

Listen to King & Country’s new song, What Are We Waiting For? (The Single) Official Lyric Video.

1 John 2:4-6, “Whoever says “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him, but whosoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way he walked.”

When you know someone well, you know what they act like, believe in, and some of their likes and dislikes. You may remember something they have said to you that made a lasting impression. Think of someone you admire right now. What about them attracts or causes you to admire this person? You may wish you could match or surpass some of their inner qualities more often. Is it their devotion to God? Or the amount of faith that they courageously hold onto when they pray? Are they someone that lives out their total commitment and reliance on God without losing their temper when in a challenging circumstance? What about living out self-sacrifice and abandoning their preferences in building up others when needed? This was Jesus’s pattern of life and we “ought to walk in the same way he walked.” 1 John 2:6. Jesus was an example of complete obedience to God and loving service to people He encountered.

The question to ask and examine is how well do we (I) know God? “The point here is that the one who knows God will increasingly lead a righteous life, for God is righteous. It does not mean that he will be sinless; John has already shown that anyone who claims this is lying. It simply means that he will be moving in a direction marked out by the righteousness of God. If he does not do this, if he is not increasingly dissatisfied with and distressed by sin, he is not God’s child.” James Montgomery Boice. It takes living one day at a time as 1 Peter 2:21-22 declares, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

Jesus is not asking us to walk on water as He did. Instead, He asks us to follow Him and walk in intimacy in our relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as we keep His commandments and grow in our obedience to Him. Every day we are to seek to have greater Spiritual awareness personally, as we “abide in Him” His presence is right there with us in our business role, activities, projects, communication, relaxation, and in all circumstances in being more Spirit-led as we walk and talk in the light of Jesus and share with others, “I know Him.” 1 John 2:4.

Listen to Hope Darst – Never Walk Alone (Official Lyric Video).

1 John 1:3-4; 7, “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

We recently visited our son and his family, who live near Dallas, Texas. We rode on the Avis shuttle bus from the Avis car rental facility to the Love Field airport to board our return flight home. On the shuttle bus was a woman with a magnetic personality. After we all occupied a seat, two women boarded. There was only one seat left. The one took the remaining open seat and the other stood and held onto the pole behind the bus driver. The magnetic personality woman spoke up about wanting to show kindness to the woman left having to stand. She wanted to accommodate her need. The woman kindly declined; said she didn’t mind standing. The magnetic personality woman said, “Ok, I just don’t want anyone to outdo me in showing kindness! I am here to show kindness!” Then she shared a story about what she called a God thing that had happened to her the previous night. She had lost her keys to the rental car and was locked out of her car. She called a locksmith and was told replacing the lost key would cost $600. That was not an option. So, she went through everything hunting for those keys. She went through all the trash in bags, searching desperately for her car keys. She could not find them. So, she sensed within her that she should pick up the two bags of trash she had gone through right before her. She held up one sack. Nothing happened. She put that bag down and picked up the other bag, and the car door unlocked itself! The keys were in there, after all! She excitedly shared with the shuttle bus, “That was a God thing!” I looked at her as we departed the bus and said, “It is so nice to know other Christians are around!” She lit up joyfully and said, “Yes, we just have to be more vocal!”

I had the privilege of enjoying fellowship with this sister in Christ for those few minutes that I will never forget. John had seen and heard Jesus Christ. He stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus died. Peter and John witnessed the resurrected Christ and ate breakfast with Jesus after His resurrection. John had a special relationship with Jesus Christ. He saw Him with his own eyes, touched Him, and proclaimed the truth of the Word of life to bring his readers into a relationship with God Himself, and God’s people. When we “walk in the light” of Christ, as John stated in 1 John 1:1-4, we have fellowship with Him and other believers because we have a common bond as equal heirs of heaven. The light of Christ should then shine through our life. This woman on the shuttle bus had her light shining on all the other passengers on that bus. I wish I had gotten her name.

How can we be more of a light for Christ during these tumultuous times we are living in? When John wrote 1 John, there was a decline in commitment within the church, and the people were compromising and failing to stand up for Christ. May 1 John 1:1-4 and verse 7 be your prayer, as it is mine today, to live before others with an inner abiding peace, cheerfulness, and joyful optimism not based on our circumstances but on our faith in God. May we become more vocal in shining the light of Jesus with others we encounter.

Listen to Phil Wickham – His Name Is Jesus lyric video.

2 Peter 3:14; 18, “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these [new heavens and a new earth-verse 13), be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

The word “waiting” stands out to me in 2 Peter 3:14. Peter, who had been a fisherman, was not lazy. He worked hard in that employment, had drive, initiative, and was chosen to be the leader of the apostles. So must we live passionately and diligently with what God has given us to do on this earth, while we wait, seeking to earn eternal rewards until Christ’s return. How do you see yourself doing that in your employment or retirement? What would you desire to be doing should Christ’s triumphant return occur today? I would not want to be in an argument or be complaining about not being treated fairly because right then it wouldn’t really matter anymore. It takes godly wisdom to discern when to address and have those critical conversations that arise. Ideally, I would like to be reading my Bible, listening to Christian music, or taking a walk and enjoying God’s creation of trees and flowers if I am still alive when this occurs.

Peter gives a final appeal to the church in his letter, admonishing them to actively grow in having purity in their lives. The NIV uses the word “blameless.” How do we not stumble? It is found in 2 Peter 1:5-8, “growing in one’s faith, virtue (pureness of integrity), knowledge of God, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.”

What about being “at peace with him (NIV)” that Peter mentioned? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 declares, “Now may the God of peace himself, sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God is the God of peace. I regret wrong decisions and actions that keep me from having peace after the fact, which just happened recently. I STUMBLE whenever I am not first checking or being led by the Holy Spirit and doing things my way. My green internal light should have been a red light. Perhaps I should have had more patience. Perhaps I wouldn’t have received the consequence if I had done what I knew was right. Yes, perhaps, the sovereign hand of God was upon me, and for that, I praise Him.

Are you growing in the favor of God and gaining more knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? That is what growing in grace is. Keep on keeping on. Be steadfast, unmovable, and diligent in your relationship with Christ. Seek Him first in all things and His kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Remember, God, knows your name (Isaiah 43:1). The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Ephesians 1:18-20). “The Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire (declared to Israel when they were about to cross the Jordan and dispossess nations greater and stronger than they).” Deuteronomy 9:3. You have the advantage which is all due to God’s mercy and grace. Go get ’em!

Listen to Jeremy Riddle, Jesus Have It All (lyrics).

2 Peter 3:8-9, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Have you noticed that as you get older, time has passed by much quicker than you had thought possible when you were younger? Do you see your perspective of time differently? My mom told me during the last five years of her life, “How did you get to be the age you are now? How did that happen?” I feel the same about our children that are now parents themselves and we as grandparents. Psalm 90:4 was part of a prayer of Moses, known as “the man of God,” which says, “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.” God’s perspective on time is not the same as ours, as is pointed out in this cross-reference verse of 2 Peter 3:8. God is waiting for more people to acknowledge their sin, repent, and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior before He breaks forth in judgment and we are to be ready.

We each get 24 hours a day to use. So, there should be a sufficient amount of time to spend working, serving others, eating, reading, enjoying the outdoors, exercising, recreation of choice, and hospitality with family and friends within each week. So how does one manage time effectively? Try asking the Lord what He wants you to do today. Then take it one step further. What is the Holy Spirit leading you to do today by using your Spiritual gifts for His glory along with God’s perspective of how your time should be spent? The best time management advice we can follow is this. Obediently do what the Lord is telling you to do in your circle of influence with integrity. “You’ll find you have plenty of energy, plenty of opportunity because, having given God your day, you can’t outgive Him.” Jon Courson, Daylight Saving Time. A Topical Study of 2 Peter 3:8. We are to do our best and leave the results with Him.

We need to live to serve the WHO as He is in charge of the HOW. Each of us has important work to do that God has given to each of us to be used for His glory until He returns and calls us home with Him. Meanwhile, He is giving as much time as possible for people to reach repentance and accept Christ as their Savior. We are to live with God’s perspective of time in mind. God has compassion in His purpose of timing. “As God is not willing that any should perish, and as he is willing that all should come to repentance, consequently he has never devised nor decreed the damnation of any man, nor has he rendered it impossible for any soul to be saved.” Adam Clarke.

Therefore, we are to live with the point of view that Christ could return today, tomorrow, or sometime in the future (which could be in our lifetime as you read this). For every situation, challenge, disappointment, unmet expectation, and dream, seek the mind of Christ. John 8:31b-32 declares, “Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Give God your day and remember, you may not have tomorrow. God’s perspective of time is not like our timetable. He is the great I AM, the WHO and in charge of the HOW.

Listen to Phil Wickham’s new Lyric Video song, “I Believe.”

2 Peter 1:19, “And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.“

Whatever you are going through, God has the answers. Big things, little things, God cares about it all. Psalm 119:105 states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” As you read the Scriptures, God has a message that will give counsel, wisdom, and guidance. Ask God what He wants you to pay attention to as you seek Him by reading God’s Word and talking to Him and reflecting upon what He has taught you in the past.

Do you feel like you have blown it? Peter had occasions to feel that way because he had a time or two. Yet God used Peter mightily and powerfully in putting him as the leader of the twelve apostles. But Peter had to learn humility to be used for God’s purpose. John MacArthur labeled Peter as “the apostle with the foot-shaped mouth,” in his book Twelve Ordinary Men. How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You.

When your parents were giving you instruction as a child, or a schoolteacher, when they wanted you to learn or understand what they were teaching you, they would say, “Pay attention! Listen to me!” Peter was one of the personal witnesses to Jesus’ transformation and heard the voice of God say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him (Matthew 17:1-8).” This is what Peter is directing his readers to pay attention to and listen to the prophetic Word of God to learn and apply God’s wisdom and instruction. It is more than just a book of stories. Over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament give details of the Messiah’s birth, life, and death. Jesus Christ fulfilled each prophecy. As extraordinary as it was for Peter to witness Jesus’ resurrection, he says these prophecies, Scriptures, are an even greater witness of Jesus Christ than his own experience of being an eyewitness to seeing Jesus transfigured, “after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother . . . And he was transfigured before them.” Matt. 17:1-2. Peter focused on Jesus Christ, not merely on an event and voice He heard that he witnessed and experienced. These prophecies, he is saying, have trustworthiness because they all came true.

Picture yourself sitting down for coffee or a meal with Jesus as your guest. Just you and Him. What would He tell you He wanted you to pay attention to? Would it be vacuuming or dusting your house more (although that is important)? No, it would be more profound issues such as your heart and your relationship with Him. Jesus wants us to “pay attention” to His Words, giving us more discernment and knowledge in growing as an authentic Christian.

I write down on 3 X 5 note cards, prayer requests and answers to that prayer, date them, and keep them in a gift box on the mantel of our fireplace in our living room. This week I found a specific prayer request I had written down in a book I had grabbed from my shelf and saw a prayer request I had written on one of the pages, during the 2^nd quarter of 2022. The whole memory flooded back into my mind. I had forgotten to write down how God abundantly supplied seven months later above and beyond what I had asked! I immediately grabbed a note card, wrote down the date of this needed prayer request, and then the date of God’s provision to that prayer request. It was a moment of God reminding me, “Pay attention! I will shine my light into your situation and remember, Jesus is the bright and Morning star – the light of salvation to all.”

Listen to Hymn Of Heaven – Phil Wickham Lyric Video