Tuned to the Master's Voice
By Vince D'AcchioliHere's some good news. As followers of Christ you and I can have access to a power that is far greater than anything we can bring about in our human efforts. This power is conditional, however, and here is where most men fall short.
Breaking Through
In Matthew 14:28-30 Peter called out, "'Lord, if it's you...tell me to come to you on the water'" (NIV). The Lord answered Peter and he confidently stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. Peter considered Jesus his closest friend, so much so that he was willing to trust Him with his life.
He literally walked on the water! What phenomenal evidence of unconditional love and trust. But we all know that the story did not stop there.
As long as Peter had his eyes fixed on Jesus, his feet stayed above the water. However, the minute he looked away and let fear and doubt enter his mind, he began to sink.
Each day we face the same decision that Peter faced as he walked across that water. We can choose to keep our eyes on Jesus or to focus on the circumstances around us.
We must learn to trust in God's ability to handle even the smallest of cares in our lives. This is not possible, however, unless you develop the kind of trusting relationship with Him that Peter demonstrates.
How can we have that kind of relationship with God? I believe we need to have a deliberate, scheduled time alone with God every day: reading the Word, praying and praising God.
Reading the Word
I have an illustration that exemplifies how many of us regard God's Word.
I am sure that you have at least one computer sitting in your home. If not, you probably have a basic understanding of how a computer works. The hardware is nothing more than the platform upon which some very sophisticated programs will run.
The real brilliance is in the software. A programmer sits down and writes incredible volumes of code in order to produce a product that you and I will eventually buy at some retail outlet.
Inside the package there is often a hefty manual. You see, the original writer of the program knew that we would not be able to figure it all out, so he provided instructions.
Do you know what? You also have been manufactured. Just like that computer program, Someone wrote your code and knows how every part of your program is supposed to work.
Then He plopped you down on planet Earth and sent along a manual. That's right, your Bible.
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." What is that verse suggesting?
Literally, a lamp to my feet means that it will illuminate my steps every day--one step at a time. We won't be tripping over the minefields of life. But then there is an even greater promise. The second half of that verse says a light for my path.
That means not only will the Word illuminate my daily walk, but it will also shine a bright light on where I am headed. Want to know why you may be having a hard time discovering the light at the end of the tunnel? I ask you, could it be that you are not in the Word?
Now, I understand that reading the Word can be challenging. There have been many times where I have sat down to read two or three chapters in the Bible, and just a few minutes later I cannot remember what I just read.
A friend of mine once warned me, "Don't let the enemy come in and rob you of the truth." He will get you thinking: "Why do I bother reading the Word? I don't get anything out of it." Read it anyway!
Power of Prayer
A second means of becoming more intimate with the Father is through prayer. Prayer must become a significant part of our devotional habits. Following are what I like to call, "The Six Principles for Effective Prayer."
1: SCHEDULE IT. If you don't schedule it, you won't do it.
Jack Eckerd was the founder of a large and very successful drug store chain. In his autobiography, Eckerd, he talks about how he would go to work every morning and retreat directly to his office. Each morning from 7:30 to 8:30, he closed his office door and shut the rest of the world out. Eckerd's first meeting of the day was scheduled with God.
He protected that time as though it was the most important meeting of his day. What a great example of how we should be treating our intimate moments with the Father.
2: FIND A QUIET PLACE. This may be your office, a study, your basement or a place in your home where there is little family traffic. Some people have even designated a special room or closet in their homes especially for the purpose of prayer.
Wherever it may be, be sure to create a private prayer haven of your very own. If you don't have a quiet place, you will never be able to achieve principle No. 3.
3: QUIET YOUR MIND. This is the greatest challenge for me. It is tough to get my mind into a neutral place where I am not thinking about anything else but God. To get there, I generally start by praising Him.
I may say something like: "Lord, I love You. I give You honor, glory and praise. You are such a wonderful God."
Just begin to talk to Him as if He were sitting right at your side. Thank Him and honor Him. Before you know it, everything that was previously clouding your thoughts will fall away, and your focus will be on Jesus alone.
4: SEEK HIM FIRST--NOT WHAT YOU WANT. If your mind is quiet and you are truly operating with a heart of praise, it will only be natural to seek God's face rather than His hand. I do not mean to say that it is wrong to bring our petitions before the Lord. The Word clearly instructs us to cast all of our cares on Him.
However, it is important that we learn to seek the Giver of the gift before we seek the gift. Often, we are too quick to jump right in with our requests.
Can you imagine how a loving parent would feel if the only time their child ever came to them was when they wanted something? Should our Father God feel any differently?
He loves us and desires to spend quality time with us. First seek, then ask!
5: ASK FOR HIS WILL IN ALL MATTERS. In Mark 14:36 Jesus states: "'Father...everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.'" In this verse Jesus is referring to His pending death on the cross.
He continues, "'Yet not what I will, but what you will.'" Even though Jesus knew what was about to happen, He was willing to endure it in order to see God's will fulfilled. In the same way, we must ask for God's will to be done in our lives.
6: PRAY AGAINST THE FORCES THAT ARE AT ODDS WITH GOD'S WILL. As a result of Jesus' death on the cross and His shed blood, you and I have been given the authority to pray against all forces that are at odds with God's will. What are those forces? There are three: the world, the flesh and the devil.
If we pray for God's will, we should never be disappointed with the outcome. We can rejoice knowing that He will answer our petitions in His own way and in His own time.
Giving Him Praise
It is funny how we sing about praise; we talk about it, and we even use it in our spiritual lingo, "Praise the Lord!" But how many of us have established a habit of personal praise?
Did you realize that the word "praise" is mentioned 319 times in the Bible? It is one of the most often mentioned concepts in all of Scripture, yet one of the most misunderstood. Most of us do not understand what praise really means.
Over time, I have learned that God's voice is always heard the clearest during moments of intense praise. Second Chronicles 5:13 states: "The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: 'He is good; his love endures forever.'"
The verse continues, "Then ["then" is a transitional word, meaning as a result of what has just taken place, here is what happened] the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud." The cloud, of course, was God's presence. Under the old covenant, God would reside in physical locations--the temple, tabernacle or ark of the covenant.
Under the new covenant, 2 Chronicles 5:13 has a whole different connotation. Today, God resides in our hearts. As the direct result of praising our God, He blesses us with His very presence. Scripture tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people.
If you praise Him--He will speak! James 4:8 says, "Come near to God and he will come near to you."
Are you tuned to the Master's voice? If not, take the time to make it happen!
Vince D'Acchioli is founder and president of On Target Ministries, committed to helping men succeed with a greater intimacy with God, a full knowledge of His plan for their lives, and a clear understanding of how to live out that plan. For more information, call (800) 367-6364; e-mail vince@otm.org; or visit otm.org.
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