Daily Devotion

September 4, 2013

An Impulsive Spirit (2)


“Peter…not knowing what he said.” Lk 9:33 NKJV

On the Mount of Transfiguration, “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said…And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!’” (vv. 33-35 NKJV). Another spirit Jesus identified among His disciples was: An impulsive spirit. Note the words, “not knowing what he said.” Peter’s penchant for saying whatever came into his mind drew a strong rebuke from heaven: “This is My beloved Son—hear Him!” There’s an important lesson here. Your need to appear wise and have all the answers can get you into trouble with people—and God! Generally speaking, you’re not learning while you’re talking. So learn to be quiet, observe what’s going on, and listen for what God may want to say. When you don’t know, don’t speak. People respect you when you have the wisdom and humility to say, “I’m not sure, but if you give me time I’ll pray about it, consider it more fully and get back to you.” Experts say the average person is now bombarded with thirty-five thousand messages a day: e-mails, text messages, billboards, television, radio, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. It’s “information overload.” People don’t need more information, they need answers that work! And God has those answers. So talk to Him first, then you’ll have something to say to others that’s worth listening to. “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” (Pr 15:23 NLT).

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