NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

REFLECTION
Discerning what’s right is the theme of our reflection. Discerning what’s right means possessing the ability to make good judgments or to clearly understand issues and make good and informed decisions. We shall reflect on the fact that we need God to send discerning people into our lives to help us make the right decisions to overcome challenges in life.

Beloved in the Lord, it is important to note that when we are faced with challenges, apart from looking to God for strength and wisdom to do His will, we must also pray for discerning people who know what’s right to help us make good and informed decisions that will please God. When David was a fugitive and was being hunted and threatened by King Saul, he had the support and allegiance of men from the various tribes of Israel. One such group of men were noted for their ability to discern what was right. Israel’s historical records in Chronicles tell us that “These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said…from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do —200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command” (1 Chronicles 12:23,32) In other words, a discerning person understands the times and the best course of action that must be taken. Like David, we are sometimes vulnerable and find ourselves in precarious situations where we need to make decisions for a better future. In our vulnerability and state of confusion, we may lack ideas and a sense of direction and may need godly people to counsel us or help us understand God’s will for us. This is where we need people like the men from Issachar “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). It is important to also acknowledge that discernment or the ability to make good judgement is also a gift from God. It is for this reason the spirit of discernment was the first thing King Solomon yearned for when He prayed to God “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (1 Kings 3:9). Similarly, Paul also prayed for the Philippians, “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11). Dear friend in the Lord, each and every one, especially leaders must lead with a discerning mind and heart. Again since our lives revolves around making decision daily, it is important to pray to God to bring godly and discerning people into our lives to help us make the right decision concerning our challenges and future aspirations. We must also pray for God to bless us with the spirit of discernment so that we shall remain useful to our church and society in terms of understanding the times and making the best decisions.

Beloved in the Lord, to sustain and develop our ability or gift to discern what’s right, we must have a strong desire to always read and study God’s Word since “…the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In other words, if the Word of God is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart then those who read it and obey it daily will become discerning and able to understand the times and know what to do especially when it comes to the will of God for our lives. My dear friend in the Lord, how often do you study the Bible in a week as a Christian? Are your friends or people you look up to guidance people who rely on the Scripture? Let us always remember that the ability to discern what’s right comes from God and is sustained through the study of His Word and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. May we be surrounded by godly and discerning people who will help us overcome the challenges of life by making the right decisions.

In summary, we have deliberated on the theme ” Discerning what’s right.” We have discovered that we need God to send discerning people into our lives to help us make the right decisions to overcome the challenges in life. Shalom.

PRAYER
May the Holy Spirit grant us the gift of discernment to help other people make the right decision that pleases God. Again, when we find ourselves in challenges, may the Holy Spirit lead us to discerning people to help us make the right decision that will please God. We pray for the gift of discernment for our leaders. We also pray for leaders in our churches, communities and Government to be surrounded and guided by people of integrity and discernment so that we shall continue to experience peace, justice, prosperity and development as a nation.