Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

There aren't really any lions or tigers or bears here but I wanted something catchy and that's what I came up with.

I have so much I want to share about my trip to India but finding the words to speak or write have been really difficult.  Also, I had some technical issues (camera not working) and so I have to wait on other people to either post or send me pictures.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

I have two or three book reviews that I need to write up and post too.  I thought I'd have more time in India and on the flights to read, but I was so focused on the task at hand (or being miserable on a plane) that I wasn't able to read too much.  (I did read 2 really good books and will get those reviews up soon.)

I have two people I'm supposed to mail books to from last month's (or was it the month before?) giveaways.  Bear with me ladies!

My roomie in India has gifts of prophecy, discernment, prayer, and more.  She told me that my verse is Psalm 27 and that I need to really read Proverbs (for the wisdom it holds).  I told her that out of all the things I saw in Ps. 27 was that I need to wait on the Lord.  Of all things - who wants to wait??  Wait on Him I shall do.  But, I will not be idle in my wait.  I will continue to pray and study and mediatate on His word.  I can sense changes around me and I can't wait to see what He has in store!

Over at Beth Moore's place, she's recouperating from surgery.  Her daughter, Amanda, was asked what Beth's favorite verse was because a friend wanted to have the verse by her in the hospital.  Guess where the verse is from? Psalm 27:4.  Well, I want to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord forever too, which is why I'm going to wait on Him.  I just love the little threads that weave my spiritual quilt together.

Sophie over at All Access wrote about the last Deeper Still conference.  One of the topics, which she shared, is discernment.  I've been praying for discernment!  I'm going to post her post here.  Thank you Sophie!  (I love a post that includes the word skeedaddle - thanks Sophie!)

The Power to Know

by Sophie - December 14, 2009

When I found out that Beth Moore was teaching on discernment at last weekend's Deeper Still, my ears perked up a little bit. Because I'll be honest: discernment, especially in relationships, is one of those things that's been sort of tough for me in the past. I do not like confrontation EVEN A LITTLE BIT, so there have been lots of times when I've ignored a flag in my spirit for the sake of keeping the peace.

So, a lesson on discernment? Yes, please. Bring it on.

Beth began her session with 2 Corinthians 2:6-16, and she said that if we as believers are going to learn to "mind our spiritual gut," so to speak, we desperately need divine revelation in our human encounters. But before we can have confidence in that spiritual gut, we need to know whether or not we can trust what we sense.

This is where a how-to list would be super helpful, wouldn't it?  Well, I am so happy to provide one.

Beth said that there are four questions we need to be able to say "no" to before we say "yes" to our spiritual gut in a given situation.

Remember: 4 NOs = 1 YES.

Here are the four questions:

1. Am I a critical or suspicious person by nature?

2. Am I jealous or do I feel threatened?

3. Do I have anything selfish to gain from this?

4. Are my emotions clouding my discernment?

Beth reminded us that discernment is NOT a critical spirit. A critical spirit is carnality, but discernment operates within the fruit of the Spirit. She also said that we're not called to love blindly; we need to remember that "being entangled with somebody is not the same thing as being in fellowship with them."

Oh, that's a good word.

Anyway, if you answer "NO" to all four questions, and if you know that you know that you know that the flag in your "spiritual gut" is legitimate, what do you do?

Well, according to Beth, when you truly discern that something is off in a situation, you pray and listen for one of four instructions:

1. Run (2 Timothy 3:5). Have nothing to do with them. Obviously if this applies to a situation in a marriage where someone is in physical danger and needs to leave, that person should also seek Godly counsel about what the next step should be once he or she is in a safe place. But if it's the sort of deal where you sense an emotional danger with a friend or acquaintance - or if, heaven forbid, you find yourself thinking about doing things you know you shouldn't do - then SKEDADDLE. Get out of there.

2. Take a step back (Proverbs 4:23). Watch. Listen. Pay attention to what's going on. The flag may be so you don't move too quickly in a situation or in a relationship.

3. Ask questions. If the answers don't add up, ask God if you are to lovingly confront. But do not - DO NOT - do this over the phone. Loving confrontation should always be done face to face. (I missed the Scripture reference here - sorry!)

4. Learn to love with eyes wide open (Obadiah 1:3).

Beth closed by saying that we should be careful not to be cynical (Psalm 116:11), and we must always remember Philippians 1:9-10: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ."

That's some mighty good wisdom, isn't it, girls? Yes, it is!