Teachable Moment

Pour Out My Spirit

Ken

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you” (Proverbs 1:23 KJV). Ever notice when you begin to take notice of something, you begin to see the same pattern where you never saw it before? The Holy Spirit is the author of our ‘teachable moments,’ since the same Spirit of Wisdom He placed upon Joshua to teach him what he needed to know to succeed Moses (Deuteronomy 34:9) under the Old Covenant, He promised to influence all His people in Proverbs 1:23. 

But, He gave special promise for that same Spirit to have a Privileged Place of Dwelling Within Us under the New Covenant. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). The NT promise of the Spirit would treat God’s children as the Temple of God, just as He appeared in the OT Holy of Holies. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1Corinthians 3:16). The evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us is not just understanding of God’s Laws and their application to us, but inspiring or causing us to keep, obey, or do His judgments and statutes (Ezekiel 36:27). This is the grand purpose of the Holy Spirit in us, to restore that right relationship with God. 

Father, cause us to receive the outpouring of Your Spirit, just as Your Early Church repented and were baptized to “receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). Cause us to walk in obedience. Cause us to walk in a right relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Teach Me Thy Statutes (Psalm 119:12)

Ken

“Blessed art Thou, O LORD: teach me Thy statutes” (Psalm 119:12 KJV). This is God’s teachable moment for His children. It starts with the LORD’s happiness, for blessed means happy in both the OT and NT. In a right relationship with God, our righteousness is to seek to make God happy, for right relationship and righteousness are interchangeable. When our goal is to make the Teacher happy, then we best are able to learn the curriculum of His Word. And, unlocking the power of God’s Word is valuable for every situation of our life. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2Timothy 3:16-17). It is never too late to learn! Blessed Father, make today my day to learn of Your Word and its application to every situation of my life. May my children and their children learn the righteousness of making You happy, for when You are happy, then we are happy. Lord Jesus, return quickly and deliver us. Amen and amen.

Help, LORD (Psalm 12:1)

Ken

We are always a prayer away from help. God’s “throne of grace” is ever open to us in our “time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV). Thrice, God rapidly responds, “I will help thee” (Isaiah 45:10, 13, 14). When our crisis is deepest, His help is closest. He knows we are then most open to a dramatic application of change in our teachable moment. Trust, try, and “prove Me now” (Malachi 3:10) is our Lord’s call to action. What thing in the back of our mind has the Spirit of God been whispering, “Change”? You, fill in the blank. “Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke [of man’s traditions], the putting forth of the finger [in scornfully pointing out those who do not comply with those traditions], and speaking vanity [using those false traditions]” (Isaiah 58:9). When the Spirit of God has sufficiently arrested our attention about whatever change He wants, He then challenges us, “Prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). The surest path is “straight forward” (Ezekiel 1:9, 12), and we know the outcome will bring us safely Home. LORD, You are our help. Come to our aid. Supply what we have not. Open our eyes to receive the understanding we need. Thank You, and may Your name be praised evermore. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen and amen.