AUGUST 20 -What would you choose?

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

The approach roads to Wollaton Park yesterday were packed with people dressed as Superman, wearing masks – and for some unknown reason, rubber gloves! I was listening to Radio Nottingham this morning when this was announced. As a result one of the phone-in topics for the morning was the question, “What super-power would you like to have?”

As I had a shampoo-blow dry, this got me pondering. My thoughts kept returning to God's conversation with Solomon. 'The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what you wish me to give you"' – 1 Kings 3: 4-5. Solomon replied: “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom. “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life. (9-14)

Ask God for the right thing and He will bless you abundantly with the gifts you truly need to serve His people.

God wants you to teach someone who can then teach someone else.

• He wants you to teach others about the spiritual insights he’s deposited in you

• He wants you to teach others about the practical steps you’ve taken to become more   and more like Jesus

• He wants you to teach others about the ways he’s stretched your faith.

• He wants you to teach others how they can discover life in Christ.

• He wants you to teach them the skills necessary to go on mission.

God’s plan calls for us to tell others about Jesus and then to disciple them so they can disciple others.

You may be wondering if you’re capable of doing this, but the apostle Paul says you can make a choice to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom . . .” (Colossians 3:16 NIV) It is God who teaches through you, giving you a supernatural wisdom and confidence to tell others about Jesus.

Frankly, you have more knowledge, training, and resources at your disposal than believers did in the first century Church, and yet they were able to be a witness to the world (2 Timothy 2:4). More importantly, God is with us in the same way that he was with them.

Trust the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to flow from you and give you the words and the wisdom you need to tell others about Jesus.

(Acknowledgements Jon Walker)

Yes, discernment and wisdom sound good to me!

“Thank You Lord for Your Blessing (LIVE) is our music for today. Click in the picture to listen.