Called Out

I don't read Steven Furtick's blog often, but I stumbled across this post, Ignoring What They Said, from him today:

Ignoring What They Said

Jesus is in the middle of performing a miracle in Mark 5:36, and some doubters start to voice their cynicism.
To describe Jesus’ reaction, Mark uses a phrase that ministered to me deeply last week:
“Ignoring what they said…”
Then, of course, Jesus goes on to heal the little girl, in spite of the surrounding doubt, teaching us a valuable lesson:
In order to witness the miraculous, sometimes you’ll have to ignore what they said.

Maybe some people are perpetually misjudging your motives, and nothing you say seems to sway their verdict.
Ignore what they said.

Perhaps someone in your past filled your head with insecurity about who you could never be, and what you could never do. (Several people told me adamantly I’d fail as a church planter.)
Ignore what they said.

Sometimes the voice of doubt is internal-and we struggle to tune out the static of condemnation, faithlessness, and worst case scenarios.
Ignore what they said.

If any voice is raising itself in contradiction to the will and Word of God concerning you, be like Jesus.
Practice selective hearing.
Ignore what they said.

That resonates with me and my life. I don't want to be ignorant, but, sometimes, I just need to ignore what they said. Instead, I want to listen to what God says. After all, it's His opinion that really matters . . .

Continuing on in the journey. I know this sounds silly, but giving up soda, sweets, dessert, and the like has been a bit harder than I thought it would be. But, it's good. I'm glad for it. Let's just say I'm reminded often of God's presence and good work in my life.

I have to tell you, the more days I use the Amplified Bible for my personal study, the more I like it. For the longest time, I only read it as a reference or study source. But, I am very much enjoying the new ways that I am seeing the Scriptures as I read from it. If you want to know more about the Amplifed Bible, you can go here or here.

As I was reading John 5 this morning in the Amplified Bible (I have been reading multiple translations each day), verses 38-39 really stood out to me:

And you have not His word (His thought) living in your hearts, because you do not believe and adhere to and trust in and rely on Him Whom He has sent. [That is why you do not keep His message living in you, because you do not believe in the Messenger Whom He has sent.]

You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!

I think there are a lot of us (myself included) who miss out on the life-giving nature of our Heavenly Father because we are too caught up in the intellectual pursuit of knowledge. I really like to learn new things. Consequently, I tend to esteem people and situations that teach me new things. And this, in and of itself, isn't bad. But, if I ever depend on the words (even the words of the Bible) instead of God (who gave them to us), I am missing out on present day manifestation of eternal life in me.

Instead, God wants me to live a life of belief, trust, reliance, and obedience to Him. And when I do that, those words become words of life!

What do you think? Am I off base on this one?

I would love to hear what you have to say.