1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 - Flying Lessons (Part Three)

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 "Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." (NASB)

As I've shared before in these devotions, I am a pilot. I've also shared my amazement that many of the lessons I learned while training to become a pilot, when looked at from a different perspective, have taught me a great deal about how my walk with the Lord should go.

Tonight's scripture above again got me to focus on my pilot training because there are comparisons between it and what Brother Paul is saying above.

Although I'm still studying for my instrument rating (which means, when I get it, I can fly airplanes at times of low visibility and into clouds), there are some things to note in my training thus far.

Pilots are taught to believe in their instruments. When an instrument indicates the aircraft is either heading down or heading up, believe it...even though the other senses may be telling the pilot otherwise. This is especially true when the pilot loses all outside references.

In my own training, my body was frequently telling me something that the instruments didn't indicate, and there were several times when I caught myself pulling back on the yoke to gain altitude when my instruments were indicating straight and level flight. Fortunately either my instructor or I caught it right away otherwise, if I continued to pull back, I might stall the airplane.

And tonight's words from Paul seem to say to me the same general things about my "flight" with the Lord through life. The Spirit is my instrument on this flight through life.............there are others along the route who may be telling me things........some things true......some things not true...........but I'm to let the Holy Spirit always guide me in what my proper response to these others should be.

I do that through building a relationship with Jesus to the point I'll always hear Him.........and be guided by Him.........reading His Word (one instrument).........praying to Him for guidance (another)..............listening to Him telling me when I'm drifting off course and then pulling myself back on course (another)...........and trimming myself up through the teachings of my pastors and others so that I have the proper attitude for my flight.

I feel if I keep these "lessons" in the forefront of my focus............I will fly the course He's set for me through life and arrive safely at my destination on this all-important flight.

Love in Jesus,

Jim ---------------------------------------

"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on January 5, 2004 in post #446. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 17, 2006

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