Keep your eye on God and don’t be shaken!
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8 NIV)
I had taken my eyes off of the Lord
When I was first saved many years ago, I struggled with many doubts. Some of it was due to my own personal failures and some of it was because I was looking around at others who were imperfect or worse. Some had failed seriously and publicly. A pastor friend I had greatly respected had been caught in an affair and dramatically removed from his church.
I was an emotional wreck and it showed
Then, one evening, I went to a church meeting featuring a woman evangelist. I didn’t know the speaker was a woman until I was seated in the middle of the audience. I have to admit that I was very prejudiced against women preachers and I wouldn’t have gone to the meeting if I had known. But, there I was, so I just sat and listened to her.
She was delivering her message in a normal speaking voice. Nothing seemed strange or unusual. But suddenly she raised her voice greatly, pointed her finger directly at me and said, “Young man, stand up and listen to me!”
I was startled and embarrassed as I rose slowly to my feet
She loudly and passionately said, “Get your eyes off of man and back onto God!” Then she lowered her voice and went instantly back to her message as though there hadn’t been an interruption.
I was greatly moved!
How did she know what I was going through at the moment and the exact words to say to me? What she said was exactly what I needed to hear! Therefore, I took it very seriously and did exactly what she said to do as though her words had come from God Himself.
“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7 ESV)
Therefore…
“Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11 NLT)