Spiritual Awareness
Ask and it will be given to you. . . . How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! — Matthew 7:7, 11
Awareness of God’s presence is a key part of developing spiritual receptivity; the supernatural ability to interact with and receive from God by faith. Every child of God is endued with spiritual awareness when they are born again. We are born again by fixing our eyes on Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But few develop this awareness toward a growing spiritual receptivity. Oswald Chambers shows us how to make progress: "Fix your mind on the idea that God is there. Once your thoughts are settled on this line, it becomes as easy as breathing to recall that your heavenly Father is behind everything that happens. Even when perplexities and difficulties press in on you, remembering the “much more” of your Father comes naturally and without effort."
The heart leads the mind to pursue thoughts, ideas, and desires in the direction it is looking. Since the mind has a habit of thinking this way, changing means a change in the eyes. The goal is to train the eyes of our heart to be looking at Christ to meet every need. We can receive all that we need when the eyes of our heart [faith] are looking at Christ. It is helpful to reflect in each circumstance where we are looking with the eyes of our heart. Our emotions are a clue (although not definitive) as to where the eyes of our heart are looking. If the eyes of our heart are looking to ourselves and our resources (money, property, effort, relationships) then anxiety and fear of their loss or failure will be our lot. If perhaps we are convinced that our resources are sufficient, then pride in our resources will be the result. Isaiah 26:3 teaches what happens when the eyes of heart are fixed up the Lord: "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed [steadfast] on You, Because he trusts in You." The causal relationship is clear: heart trusts, is looking to the Lord, then the mind naturally is fixed upon and rests in Him.
May the Lord help us to keep our eyes upon the Lord in everything we do today.
Awareness of God’s presence is a key part of developing spiritual receptivity; the supernatural ability to interact with and receive from God by faith. Every child of God is endued with spiritual awareness when they are born again. We are born again by fixing our eyes on Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But few develop this awareness toward a growing spiritual receptivity. Oswald Chambers shows us how to make progress: "Fix your mind on the idea that God is there. Once your thoughts are settled on this line, it becomes as easy as breathing to recall that your heavenly Father is behind everything that happens. Even when perplexities and difficulties press in on you, remembering the “much more” of your Father comes naturally and without effort."
The heart leads the mind to pursue thoughts, ideas, and desires in the direction it is looking. Since the mind has a habit of thinking this way, changing means a change in the eyes. The goal is to train the eyes of our heart to be looking at Christ to meet every need. We can receive all that we need when the eyes of our heart [faith] are looking at Christ. It is helpful to reflect in each circumstance where we are looking with the eyes of our heart. Our emotions are a clue (although not definitive) as to where the eyes of our heart are looking. If the eyes of our heart are looking to ourselves and our resources (money, property, effort, relationships) then anxiety and fear of their loss or failure will be our lot. If perhaps we are convinced that our resources are sufficient, then pride in our resources will be the result. Isaiah 26:3 teaches what happens when the eyes of heart are fixed up the Lord: "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed [steadfast] on You, Because he trusts in You." The causal relationship is clear: heart trusts, is looking to the Lord, then the mind naturally is fixed upon and rests in Him.
May the Lord help us to keep our eyes upon the Lord in everything we do today.
Posted in Chambers, Isaiah, Matthew
Posted in Abide, Delighting in God, Fear, Sanctification/Growth, Jesus the Christ
Posted in Abide, Delighting in God, Fear, Sanctification/Growth, Jesus the Christ