Lift up your eyes – June 23rd, 2019

Command: Lift up your Eyes

John 4:35
“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.

John 4:1-38

Story: Paul to Macedonia

Acts 16:6–15
They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.  A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. 14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

1 Corinthians 16:8–9 (NASB95) — 8 But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

When meditating on the commands and stories, keep these questions in mind:

  • What do I learn about God, Jesus, and/or the Holy Spirit?
  • What do I learn about man/ people?
  • What troubles or bothers me? What does the Holy Spirit reveal to me in light of this?
  • How does the command connect to the story?
  • What is God saying to me (or what should I obey) & what am I going to do about it?
  • Do I have any fears, doubts, or resistance in keeping this command?
  • What does this command reveal about the condition of my heart – what do I really believe and
    what do I really want?
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