Recently, I was reminded of a trip my daughter Breanne and I once took out of town. It was a bright, sunny day, and we were driving to a nearby city to pick something up for a birthday party.
I was the passenger that day. I was quietly riding along, looking out the window and simply enjoying the ride. I began to see road signs; the first one read, "Work Ahead." (At the time, we were traveling about 60 mph.) I didn't think a lot about this first sign, and we continued driving. After another mile or so, there was another sign; it read, "Road Work Ahead." We continued on – at the same rate of speed, I might add.
A few miles later, another sign appeared. "Flagman Ahead," it read. About a half-mile later, another sign caught my eye. It was the final sign I saw that day. It said, "Prepare to Stop"!
As we went into the next curve, we encountered the road work and flagman. Breanne quickly hit the brakes. Frustrated, she said, "Well, that's nice! No warning at all!"
I said, "Are you kidding me? There were several signs for the past few miles. There were warnings all along the way."
"I didn't see them," she responded. "I had something else on my mind."
Immediately, the Lord spoke to me and clearly said, "Many will NOT see the signs."
That day, God began to give me insight about signs.
What Are Signs and Why Do We Receive Them?
Psalm 74:9 says, "We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet; nor is there any among us who knows how long."
I was surprised at how many times throughout Scripture God used signs. He is the same God; He still uses signs today. It is up to us to recognize the signs and heed their warnings. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
The Hebrew word for sign in Psalm 74:9 is defined as a "banner," "miracle," "memorial," "omen," "token," or "pledge." It comes from a root word that means "to give consent" or "agree" (see Strong's Concordance).
You see, we must watch for signs from God. Then, we must come into agreement with them. They may be signs of direction for us or signs of warning for us. Either way, our agreement is required, just as it was that day with Breanne. She didn't see the signs. If she had, she would have come into agreement with them and slowed down.
God began to show me some key factors concerning signs that day.
Three Ways to Recognize the Signs and What to Do with Them
1. Slow Down! Don't Miss the Good Portion
I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha.
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:38-42)
Martha was so busy trying to make sure everything was just right, she missed the most important thing that day – the one thing that was necessary: the good portion. She missed the precious time of sitting at the feet of Jesus, the time of learning from Him.
If we are going to hear God clearly, we must spend time with Him. We cannot allow ourselves to become busy with so many other things that we miss the signs. Daily work, family and even ministry demand our time, so much so that we miss the moments when Jesus wants us to sit at His feet and learn from Him. Yet, these moments are vital if we are going to walk with God in His peace and wisdom.
Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). Make it a priority each day to spend time with God – to rest in Him and to learn from Him. It is there alone that you will find rest for your soul.
2. Keep Your Eyes and Mind on God
Remember, Breanne didn't see the signs because she had her mind elsewhere. It is vital in the days we live in to keep our minds on God, to keep our eyes on God and to look to Him in all things.
"I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:8)
"He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." (Psalm 112:7)
"'If you'll hold on to Me for dear life,' says GOD, 'I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust Me. Call Me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party. I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!'" (Psalm 91:14-16) (Photo via Unsplash)
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)
As we see from the Word of God, keeping our eyes and our minds on Him is most of the battle. Don't meditate or focus on the problems. Keep your mind on the solution. Don't think on the bad report. Meditate on the Word of God. Meditate on His faithfulness. There you will find peace.
3. When You See the Signs, Heed Them
God uses signs; our part is to see them and obey them. The blessing doesn't come just by us reading His Word. The blessing comes after we begin to obey His Word.
"You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." (Deuteronomy 5:33)
"He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray." (Proverbs 10:17)
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)
"But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'" (Luke 11:28)
Friends, I encourage you today, watch for your God signs. They are there! God is speaking. Listen closely for His voice. Watch diligently for His signs. The more you heed His signs, the more signs there will be. Watch for them and agree with God's plan to bless you!
I will leave you with this final Scripture: "How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation" (Daniel 4:3).
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Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email:Â Kim@anewthingministries.com
Website:Â www.anewthingministries.com
Kim Potter is the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to over 10,000 people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim's message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged and disappointed by the circumstances of life and imparts the desire and ability to stand against all odds; to stand for victory. She encourages people to press into God and discover that He is who He says He is.
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