WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY

When I first started out writing this article I was thinking of entitling it, “The WOOS are coming.”  But after a little more thought, I decided I would probably be accused of abandoning sound doctrine, in pursuit of the faith and practices of Dr. Seuss.  In the end, I settled on the title,  Windows of Opportunity. (WOOS)

Men and women throughout our society are handed some of the greatest opportunities that we have ever faced.  But when opportunities come, we must first be able to recognize them, and then be ready step up to the plate and accept them. 

Often when opportunities knock, we see them as obstacles, rather than challenges that God gives us to help us grow.  In reality, obstacles are only stepping stones for the obedient and challenges are opportunities for the unafraid.

Sometimes opportunities come with a risk as the price tag. Giants tend to get in our way, or depending on our attitude, we may seem them for what they are; woos.   In the face of the unknown, we must gird up our loins in faith and move forward, or go backwards in disbelief.

God told Moses to send some men to spy out the land of Canaan, that was just waiting for the Israelites to inhabit.  Caleb, the eternal optimist, seeing a woo, silenced the people before Moses and said,  “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. “ But the pessimists could just not see that opportunity.  They said, we cannot attack those people; they are stronger than we are.  Numbers 13:30-33

How many windows of opportunity are out there just waiting for you to inhabit?  Are you one of those who will step out and accept the WOO?  Or are you one to let challenges and uncertainties consume your confidence.  Pray that God will let you be one who will transform the challenges into WOOS.  Trust Him to use the scary giants for His glory.  After all, God orchestrates the giants (WOOS) to be opportunities for His greater good. 

Good leaders look for and pray for the WOOS, and explore them with energy and enthusiasm.  This then inspires others to step out in faith, believing God has prepared a promised land for them.  Go after the windows of opportunity with vim and vigor, and see what God has waiting in store for you.   We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13   

Dock Caton  03/28/13

 

SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

Recently I was challenged with this question.  What is spiritual understanding?  I thought about this for a moment, to myself.  Do I know what spiritual understanding really is?  And then my next thought was, perhaps I better do some research.  I started out with Mr. Webster online, and here are some of the things I learned about understanding.

         

      .   A mental grasp, or comprehension

·    The power of comprehending, especially the capacity to apprehend general relations of particulars

·     The power to make experience intelligible by applying concepts and categories

·    Friendly or harmonious relationship

·    An agreement of opinion or feeling: adjustment of difference.

·    A mutual agreement not formally entered into but in some degree binding on each side.

Then as I moved on down the wisdom trail of Webster on line, it gave some examples of understanding.

• He has a thorough understanding of the subject.
• She has a basic understanding of the process.
• I hope to get a clearer understanding of the issues involved.
• He seems to have little understanding of our situation.
• We have an understanding that whoever cooks doesn't have to do the dishes.
• She treats them with kindness and understanding.

And Webster’s definition of understanding goes on.  But nowhere in any part of the definition, did we see what we consider to be the real true meaning of understanding.  Implied in all the above are people.  Note the lower set of bullet points and all the pronouns involved, he, she, I we.   But for a true definition of understanding, we need to look at the word from a spiritual perspective, at least that it be a part of the definition.  We need to remove people from the picture and see that the source of understanding is God. 

Too often we look to other people, the seminary professor, pastor, Sunday school teacher or youth leader to give us a clear view of the meaning of understanding.   We need to remove from our minds that people are the source of understanding.  The source is God.  To properly understand insights from the Bible, we need God’s understanding.  Because God’s word is true, accurate and everlasting, we need spiritual understanding and must ask God for it, in order to have the true insights.   

In order to experience everything that God has to offer, it is important for us to ask Him over and over.  Since it is a gift from God, when we try to use human understanding to grasp His Word in our own strength, we become proud, and soon others will be admiring us for our great wisdom and understanding. In time natural understanding will fail, and we fall flat of our face. That is why it is so important for us to cry out to God for understanding.  It cannot come from our inner selves.  It is the Holy Spirit that gives understanding. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.  Psalm 111:10a.

Dock Caton 03/01/13