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“"Thunder or a Message From Heaven?"”

Thoughts for Today:

It is very important as we mature as Christians, that we don't make mistakes similar to those of the Corinthians. How so? Because we must not only read the Word, but also listen to the tone in which it was written. Some of the Corinthians misunderstood not only the tone of Paul's message, but his intent. This reminds me of another time in Scripture when "tone" played an important role. John 12:28-29: "Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.' The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him."

I find that very interesting. At the time of Jesus' crucifixion, a group of people were standing in the same location and hearing the same words -- some of them thought it thundered, while others thought it angelic. The same thing is true of a devotion, Bible study, or sermon. Some will hear it as thunder and others will hear a message from heaven. Why? Because what we hear is often filtered by what's going on in our own hearts.

The problem is: How do we know if what we're hearing is really from above? James 3:17 gives us the answer: "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." So if what we're hearing is harsh, full of condemnation or accusation, then we can be fairly certain it is not from above. Jesus ate with sinners and prostitutes; Jesus is pure and peace-loving; He is full of mercy; and He never says to us, "Run faster, jump through this hoop, and try even harder!" Instead our gracious Lord and Savior says, "I stand at the door of your heart and knock. If you open the door, I'll gladly come in."

All of this is not to mean we won't need to hear a difficult message from time to time. The difference is in the tone. Does it represent (as Paul said), "the depth of my love for you," or something else?

Questions to Ponder:

How do you hear Scripture? Is it harsh and accusatory, or do you hear the heart of the Father who loves you so much He gave His Son for you? Do you hear: "The price is paid, the work is done, and you are forgiven," or something else? I am convinced one of the greatest keys to understanding Scripture is to pay careful attention to the Father's tone. And it's all about His love for us!

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.