Mind the Checks
1 Kings 19:11-13
11Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
Isaiah 30:21
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Several years ago, I read “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life,” by Hannah Whitall Smith. I only remember one thing she wrote (and I hope that was where I read it!). When someone asked her how to consistently be happy as a Christian, she said “Mind the checks.”
Do you know what that strange phrase means? It means to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit—and OBEY what He says to do or not do. So often, we ignore that small voice and drown it out with our own desires or reasoning.
A case in point is Eugene, a dear Christian friend from my church. He would be the first to tell you God called him clearly to be a preacher many years ago, but he has yet to answer that call. He has survived several life-threatening situations, including having an ice pick plunged into his brain and being delivered from severe drug addiction. Now, that’s a testimony!
Eugene is a very hard worker. He works long, hard hours delivering the mail on foot in a large city. About a month ago, he developed pneumonia and ended up in the hospital. When he recovered from that, he says the Lord told him clearly not to work any more overtime. But then Eugene began to worry. How would he make the car payments, the rent, and all his other bills? So when the post office offered him more hours, he accepted.
Within a few days, Eugene ended up in the emergency room, this time with an infection throughout his entire body, to the point where he couldn’t even walk. We prayed for him, and within a few days he was in a convalescent hospital. When I visited him, he said he knew God was trying to get his attention. In fact, the Lord had told him to take a year off from the post office, and He even showed him how he could do it financially. Eugene seemed to be doing well, but a few days ago his fever returned, and they sent him back to the emergency room.
I know Eugene is under attack because Satan doesn’t want him to obey God’s call into full-time ministry. But Satan isn’t as powerful as we make him out to be. He can only attack us if God allows it, and God allows it if we open a door. When Eugene drowned out God’s still, small voice about not working overtime—when he didn’t “mind the check” of the Holy Spirit in his spirit—he opened that door to be physically and spiritually attacked.
Do you know what a shepherd does with a wayward sheep? He breaks its legs and carries it in his shoulders. The Holy Spirit will tell you which way to go in life, but He does not shout. We have to ask for guidance, and then we have to listen. If you are in the habit of ignoring that voice, it will be hard to hear at first, but it’s there.
Cathleen
11Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
Isaiah 30:21
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Several years ago, I read “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life,” by Hannah Whitall Smith. I only remember one thing she wrote (and I hope that was where I read it!). When someone asked her how to consistently be happy as a Christian, she said “Mind the checks.”
Do you know what that strange phrase means? It means to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit—and OBEY what He says to do or not do. So often, we ignore that small voice and drown it out with our own desires or reasoning.
A case in point is Eugene, a dear Christian friend from my church. He would be the first to tell you God called him clearly to be a preacher many years ago, but he has yet to answer that call. He has survived several life-threatening situations, including having an ice pick plunged into his brain and being delivered from severe drug addiction. Now, that’s a testimony!
Eugene is a very hard worker. He works long, hard hours delivering the mail on foot in a large city. About a month ago, he developed pneumonia and ended up in the hospital. When he recovered from that, he says the Lord told him clearly not to work any more overtime. But then Eugene began to worry. How would he make the car payments, the rent, and all his other bills? So when the post office offered him more hours, he accepted.
Within a few days, Eugene ended up in the emergency room, this time with an infection throughout his entire body, to the point where he couldn’t even walk. We prayed for him, and within a few days he was in a convalescent hospital. When I visited him, he said he knew God was trying to get his attention. In fact, the Lord had told him to take a year off from the post office, and He even showed him how he could do it financially. Eugene seemed to be doing well, but a few days ago his fever returned, and they sent him back to the emergency room.
I know Eugene is under attack because Satan doesn’t want him to obey God’s call into full-time ministry. But Satan isn’t as powerful as we make him out to be. He can only attack us if God allows it, and God allows it if we open a door. When Eugene drowned out God’s still, small voice about not working overtime—when he didn’t “mind the check” of the Holy Spirit in his spirit—he opened that door to be physically and spiritually attacked.
Do you know what a shepherd does with a wayward sheep? He breaks its legs and carries it in his shoulders. The Holy Spirit will tell you which way to go in life, but He does not shout. We have to ask for guidance, and then we have to listen. If you are in the habit of ignoring that voice, it will be hard to hear at first, but it’s there.
Cathleen
posted by BreadBakers at 2:31 PM
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