READ, WATCH and LISTEN!

For as long as I can remember, I have always been one who learns primarily through READING, WATCHING and LISTENING.  My mother instilled a love for reading in me at an early age with regular trips to the county library.  She even forced me to read some different styles of literary writing that became favorites of mine… can you imagine that!  That was very much like Piper and the way she fostered the love of reading with our kids.  One of the many things I learned while studying within my college major of Psychology was the ability to properly perform, study and decipher research.

When Piper’s situation was first coming to light, I immediately hit the books, reading everything that I could get my hands on concerning the scientific research that had been and was currently going on with Alzheimer’s.  And I didn’t just scroll through the internet either, but first dove into the University research papers that had been posted on the various medical websites.  

Along with the scientific findings I also did a fairly thorough amount of research on many of the “natural cures” that I had read about or those suggested by people I talked to.  What I quickly discovered to my dismay though, was that the majority of the so-called “natural miracle cures” were all based on some pretty shoddy experiences with questionable research and in most cases resulted in very limited success.  I have to admit that it was a great source of annoyance to me when people would throw out unproven information as if it were fact, and then end up upset with me when I did my research and didn’t act on their suppositions.

The same could be said about the way I learn of the things of God.  There was a popular saying among the leadership at our Bible College that declared “Half of what you receive at Rhema is what is taught, the other half is what is caught!”  That truth perfectly reflects the way I’ve grown throughout my Christian life.  I have always taken copious notes at church as I did at school (I just counted 14 full notebooks from Bible School on my bookshelf!), I constantly watch what the Pastors, staff, teachers and other Christian leaders say and do, and as you know, love to spend time in the Word on my own.

Recently it seems like the Lord has been majoring with me on the subject of Spiritual Discernment.  Romans 8:14 instructs us by stating “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (EMTV)  So, by His leading I have had my eyes opened to a lot of the spiritual activity that was going on all around us over the last 10 years with the events concerning the attack on Piper’s health.

It’s bothered me that I was still having a difficult time trying to understand why some things unfolded in the manner they did with the way different folks responded to our situation.  Then I began to see that while I can’t seem to reason it out it with my natural understanding, that the light began to come on as I studied the spiritual workings that are clearly discussed in God’s Word and clarified through prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit in me.  And again, I am learning through READING, WATCHING and LISTENING!  I was disturbed because I heard certain words being spoken but witnessed actions that did not correspond to those words.

Some of the insight came just the other day as I broke down the original Greek meanings behind Jesus’ words in John 10:10 where He taught that: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (but) I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (EMTV)  The idea behind the actions of the words Jesus described as to steal, kill and destroy demonstrate EXACTLY the actual intent (whether known or unknown by the individuals) behind many of the negative statements and actions that were made against us.

I was amazed as I studied the Word and compared it to what I had seen and heard.  It was like all my questions were answered at once!  So, what have I learned?  Well, first of all, there is a lot more going on around us than we can see, hear or feel with our natural senses.  But as a Christian our spirits are born again, and infilled with the Holy Spirit, which gives us a definite advantage over everyone else who simply cannot understand the things of God.  We see this everyday in the political environment of our government today.  I find myself wincing and laughing at the same time as I see and hear people without the spiritual knowledge of God’s ways attempting to set the moral standards for our great nation.

Secondly, and most importantly to me, I have witnessed first-hand, the tremendous anger, fear and deception that the enemy of our souls will employ in order to stop anything good, wholesome and of God that threatens his destructive agenda.  I am totally aghast at the lengths that he will go, the sources he will employ, and the unsuspecting people he will deceptively influence in his attempts to try and stop you and me from following the Lord’s directions and righteousness. (See: John 8:44 & Revelation 12:9)

Like I said early on… there is a lot more going on around us than meets the natural eye!  When things begin to look crazy around you, don’t just try to figure it out in your mind, but look inside.  Begin to READ and deeply study the Word for God’s insight on the matter, pray and then WATCH and LISTEN to the clues that are abounding all around you.  If you can’t understand it with your head like I couldn’t… then look into your heart!

We are supposed to have a wet but fairly warm weekend, so I guess I’ll continue to work on the many in-house projects that await my attention!  I hope you have a great weekend no matter what the weather in your neck of the woods presents, and as you do, keep saying with me… “I am expecting to know what’s going on around me as I continue to READ the Word, pray and WATCH and LISTEN to the activities around me!”