Pay Attention!

Paying attention can be critical to various areas of life. I find myself in trouble when my wife has spoken to me and I have not paid attention. It is important to pay attention when driving. If one does not pay attention while cooking, proper measurement of ingredients may be missed or spills can take place. Working in a lab, lack of paying attention can cause serious accidents and injury. It is also very important to pay attention in school in order to learn the material and be prepared for TESTING.

This life has its TESTS. What we know and how we prepare ourselves for living will dynamically impact how well we will handle these TESTS. It is important to pay close attention to the things we are learning, making sure we are getting them right.

Peter wrote to Christians who were going through severe trials ( 1 Peter 4:12) and who also needed to be aware that there would be some who would either challenge the truth or pervert it. (note 2 Peter 2:1-3) In the face of such TESTING there was the need to pay attention to what he had taught them. ( 2 Peter 1:12-15)

Peter encouraged…
“(19) And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which YOU WILL DO WELL TO PAY ATTENTION as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (20) knowing this first of all, that NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE COMES FROM SOMEONE’S OWN INTERPRETATION. (21) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, BUT MEN SPOKE FROM GOD AS THEY WERE CARRIED ALONG BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.” ( 2 Peter 1:19-21 ESV)

The Bible is the best interpreter of itself. As we read it, we should recognize how it all fits together. We can rely on the word of the prophets and the Apostles as they taught and wrote by the inspiration of God. We are so fortunate to have the message of God preserved in written form so we, like the Bereans ( Acts 17:10-11), can search the Scriptures daily to be sure what we are being taught is true.

Someone has referred to the BIBLE as “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” Let us pay close attention as we read the Word. Having just begun a new year is a good time to recommit to spending daily time reading the Bible. Continually refreshing our memory is a safeguard ( Philippians 3:1) for us. Much depends upon it. What we come to learn will aid our focus and resolve to press on when times of TESTING come.

Have a great day MAINTAINING PREPAREDNESS WITH THE WORD!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on God's Word