SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1287

“Pay Attention”

Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it… For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. – Micah 1:2-3

Heads Up!

Ten-Hut!

Listen Up!

Attention on deck!

We, the church – the Body of Christ – need a wake-up call – a call to attention. We have succumbed to the siren call of the pleasures of the world and largely live and move and have our being in the drunken stupor of compromise.

And he came and found them sleeping, and he said … Could you not watch one hour? – Mark 14:37

I tell you…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:8

Pay Attention to Your Surroundings and Relationships.

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”- 1 Corinthians 15:33

‘Bad company’ does not necessarily have to be people. Our surroundings can be bad company. Pay attention to how you are entertained, what you watch and the games you play. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable in such company with Jesus standing at your side. If it feels wrong, or you are embarrassed that you brought Jesus with you into that context, avoid it!

Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? – Proverbs 6:27-28

Immorality can sneak up on us and, if we do not pay attention, we can find ourselves crossing a line that we have told ourselves we would never cross.

Pay attention to the time spent in relationships with members of the opposite sex that are not your spouse. It can be innocent enough like carpooling, a coworker project team member, a school lab partner, or a team sports doubles partner. Intimacy begins subtly in the mind and heart. Pay attention that it does not transition to innocent touches, embraces or more. Flee immorality!

With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast – Proverbs 7:21-22

Pay Attention to the Word of God

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. – Proverbs 1:20; Hebrews 2:1

We become vulnerable and spiritually weak when we neglect the reading, studying, and praying the Word of God. It is through the Word of God that we hear ‘Listen Up! Pay Attention! We cannot heed the warning if we refuse to listen.

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching… – 1 Timothy 4:16

Pay Attention to the Leading of the Holy Spirit

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings; Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; – Proverbs 4:20; Proverbs 2:2

The Holy Spirit ties it all together for us. He gives us the ‘Heads Up! gut check’ when we are about to cross the line. He brings to mind the Truth of the Word of God that we have studied as a light for the path we are to take.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16

Pay Attention to Subtle Temptations that Slowly but Surely Draw You into Sin.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. – 1 Timothy 6:9

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. – Luke 21:34

Our flesh is easily deceived and drawn into sin. It would be a no-brainer to put up our defenses and flee were Satan to come at us looking like the grotesque, evil, repulsive character that Hollywood likes to portray him as. But instead, he approaches us in disguise.

…For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. – 2 Corinthians 11:14

So, we must be all the more diligent in heeding the Word of God’s call to ‘Pay Attention’ and be dressed for battle with the full armor of God.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour; The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. – Matthew 25:13; Nahum 2:1

Pay Attention to Warning Signs

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars… For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. – Matthew 24:5-8

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place…. – 2 Peter 1:19

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour; Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. – Matthew 25:13; Matthew 24:44

May you heed the warning to ‘Pay Attention’ and be found ready when He returns.