We are going to spend time in with the next few blogs considering the subject of "Listening to God".
Charles Stanley has said-“Could it be that we come to God with certain mind-sets that determine our responses? Could it be that we are often mentally and spiritually predetermined to select what we want to listen to and to ignore?”
Psalm 81:8-14
8“Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
9 There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.
13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.
As we read a scripture like this we can almost hear God’s heart beating out loud as He pleads with His people Israel-“Please hear Me. Please listen to My voice”.
I would imagine that each of us would stop and ask the question “God, do you want to talk to me today?” So, with that question, how many times has God spoken to you?”
There was a gentleman who was convinced that his wife had lost her hearing. So as to prove his point he decided to conduct a test. He went to the other side of the room and asked his wife “Can you hear me?” And with no response, he moved a little closer. “Can you hear me now?” Still no response. So he moved up again even closer to his wife “Can you hear me now?” Still nothing. To prove his point he walked up next to his wife and spoke clearly into her ear “Now can you hear me?” He was amazed at her response as she showed the irritation caused by his question, “For the 4th time, YES!”
By the way, God hears us, always but do we hear God? He speaks to us every day but are we listening? The words of a friend, the blessings of His Word, a message, or a thought, is God speaking?
Some might ask “Hasn’t God said everything He wanted to say from Genesis to Revelation?”
There are several compelling reasons why God still has His lines of communication open today with His people-
1) He loves us just as much as He loved the people of the Bible
2) He still speaks today because we need His definite and deliberate direction for our lives, just as much as Joshua, Moses, Jacob, or Noah
3) He knows we need comfort and assurance just as much as did believers of old. We have Red Sea experiences when our backs are against the wall.
4) The most important reason is-He wants us to know Him
If He wants to know us and we want to know Him there has to be more than a monologue there needs to be a dialogue.
Next week we will consider-
How God spoke in the Old and New Testament
Have a great week and I look forward to being with you again next Friday.
A thought to ponder,
Elbert Nasworthy
