1 John 4:1-6 NIV
[1] Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. [4] You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. [5] They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Dear God, I guess where my heart is this morning is that I have not spent much time the last couple of days meditating on things that are of you. I have spent a lot of time watching secular YouTube videos or TV shows. I’ve listened to secular podcasts. I just haven’t spent much time pursuing you throughout my day, and as I sit here this morning I can feel that.

To paraphrase verse four, greater are you who is in my that he that is in this world. I need to tap into that in this moment. I need to tap into that today–all day. I need to seek you first in my marriage, parenting, and family relationships. I need to seek you first in my work and what needs to be done there. I need your favor and blessing on the work I am doing, and I need to do it all in your wisdom and your love. If I don’t, my temptation is to try to do it out of my own wisdom and for my own glory. My pride and vanity start to get in the way. I start doing things for the wrong reason and in the wrong spirit. And then that spirit starts to rub off on the others around me.

Father, I come to you right now, first saying that I am sorry for not being more intentional about pursuing you the last few days, and second surrounding myself with your holiness, words and Spirit. Please forgive me. And now I want to spend the rest of this day being mindful of you and meditating on your word. Help me to do that.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen