Pay Attention to Prompting

by Bob A Clifton

I am not one to pay much attention to end times. Even starting out this blog like that brings embarrassment. This is something God tells us to keep an eye on all the time. I remember my wife really digging into the subject a couple years ago when the Left Behind series came out. I enjoyed listening to her give me the summed up version of what was going on as the latest book would come out and the story would unfold farther. I am thinking of different friends over the years that have spent time in Revelations wanting to understand some of the end time mysteries. Honestly I always am pretty skeptical of people who look to closely into this stuff.

Well in the last ten days, not by my prompting, have ended up in four conversations about the end times. A couple people asking some questions, an associate of mine sending me a video, and then a breakfast where a close friend had a heavy burden about some things he sees unfolding in the world right now. Then I crack my bible today to prepare for an upcoming bible study and am led to Hebrew 10:25.

Let us not give up on meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching

Catch that last part? Incredible I thought. One thing I have learned in the last couple years of my walk with Christ is to pay attention to what is going on around me. Not like slipping off of a curb, but understanding how he is trying to get my attention. This issue that has come up with the end times has been a good example of other things that he has brought up and wanted me to pay more attention to. I love this interaction from him. Times like this are the easiest for me to see him loving on me. He knows I am pretty thick in the head so when he wants to get a point across or bring up something for me to look into, he hits hard!

Do you have ways in place for discerning when God has something he wants to speak to you? Always remember that God is always communicating with us. If we have a heart for the Father and are open to his leading, we will often understand what he wants to tell us. His relationship with us is very similar to that of a loving father, here on this planet. Some things you can expect from Christ include:

1. His delight. Do you know what it is to experience someone delighting in you? My boss stopped in yesterday to tell me how much she enjoys me and my enthusiasm. Now you need to know my boss is repelled at the idea of being touchy feely, so this was a big step. Recently, and only very recent have I started experiencing God’s delight in me. I sat out on my porch last night and watched a thunderstorm roll through. I just found myself saying thanks, God knows how much I love the elements like snow, rain, sleet, and anything intense.

2. Correction. Our Father is interested enough in you to set loving limits. When we choose not to live within his system and go toward sin we can expect him to correct us. It may not come in the form we grew up with, but it will come.

3. Direction. Do you see that God is leading you in a certain way right now? Who and what is he using to bring direction to your life. Just today a close friend of mine was told that her contract would end on July 15. Obviously on the surface that seems like a pretty sad deal, but what I like is the way God uses those moments to make clear his direction.

4. Relationships. Just as I experienced the revelation God wanted to reveal to me, he will often do that through our close relationships. The bible is makes so clear that our church participation is critical for us to be encourage and be encouraged by the relationships he has put in our life.

5. His Word. Enough said! You have to be in his Word to be clear about his prompting.

There are so many other ways, but pay attention this week to how he is prompting you.