Reminder to Listen

"But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm."

Proverbs 1:33 NLT

Some people call it their conscience; some that little voice. But those who are following after Christ know His voice. John 10:27 reads, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." How many times have we heard it? The suggestion in our mind, "I should call so-and-so and see what's going on in her life..." Then we call and she answers with a tear-filled voice, a voice that had just asked God to send someone who cares...

Isn't it inexplicably wonderful when that happens and you get to see the hand of God touch someone's life? I know the joy of that. However, I also know the pain of missing it because I'm too busy with stuff, or worse, I'm not listening...

The thought comes unbidden, "I should send a note to encourage him and tell him how cool it is to see his growth." Or we get the idea to hand somebody a little money and the whole time we're thinking, "I really can't afford this" or "I might run short this week" or "They don't look like they need it. What if they think I'm crazy or think I'm being prideful? God, they drive a better car than I do!..." And yet, you really feel like you're supposed to do it. So, you go and stammer a little, hem and haw, and finally say, "I think the Lord told me to give this to you..." And their eyes fill with tears as they clutch your hand and reply, "I had no lunch money for my child this week. I didn't know what I was going to do..."

So what will you do? “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts..." Hebrews 3:7b-8a

Prayer:

Father,
           In this lost and dying world, help us to listen with our hearts to hear Your voice and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Listen Much, Obey More

If a person thinks he is religious, but does not keep his tongue from speaking bad things, he is fooling himself. His religion is worth nothing.
James 1:26 NLV (New Life Version)

I was going to expound on this a little, but the Truth is it's very clear. I love this passage in James - it's simple but so rich. Verses 19-27,  My Christian brothers, you know everyone should listen much and speak little. He should be slow to become angry. A man’s anger does not allow him to be right with God. Put out of your life all that is unclean and wrong. Receive with a gentle spirit the Word that was taught. It has the power to save your souls from the punishment of sin.

Obey the Word of God. If you hear only and do not act, you are only fooling yourself. Anyone who hears the Word of God and does not obey is like a man looking at his face in a mirror. After he sees himself and goes away, he forgets what he looks like. But the one who keeps looking into God’s perfect Law and does not forget it will do what it says and be happy as he does it. God’s Word makes men free.

If a person thinks he is religious, but does not keep his tongue from speaking bad things, he is fooling himself. His religion is worth nothing. Religion that is pure and good before God the Father is to help children who have no parents and to care for women whose husbands have died who have troubles. Pure religion is also to keep yourself clean from the sinful things of the world.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for making it very clear about what is pure and good religion in Your eyes. Always, always keep our eyes open to discern the difference between pure religion and religious acts done for the sake of looking "good". Keep our hands clean and our hearts pure before You, Father, so we may stand in Your holy place, according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

W.A.I.T.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 

26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 

James 1:19-20, 26 NLT

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
James 3:7-10 NLT

I wonder how many of us do the opposite of our text for today - are we slow to listen (if at all), quick to speak, and quick to get angry? How often do people NOT take the time to listen? How often is it because they're already angry and running at the mouth?  Oh, that we would adhere to the wisdom found in God's Word. 

Pastor Robert Morris offers a great acronym to help us remember to not be quick to speak. It's WAIT.  The acronym is two-fold - yes, wait to talk, that's obvious. The acronym as a double reminder stands for Why Am I Talking? Do you think God gave us two ears and only one mouth so we'd do twice as much listening?

Prayer:

Father,

          Put Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth. Help me, Father, to bridle my tongue and put my ears to good use. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Who's Talking?

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
James 1:19 NLT

When we're angry, are we able to listen to the other person? When we're angry, we're usually too busy firing off a reaction to hear. Even if we are not actively voicing our protest, our thoughts are fully engaged to fervidly or passionately react. This is not the best way to communicate.

If we're angry all the time, we are not listening to any voice response save our own. The next verse of our text tells us that human anger does NOT produce God's righteousness in our lives. So what do we do? We know our own righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64). The Message Bible instructs us to lead with our ears. To make it a priority to hear, to LISTEN. 

Who's talking - you or God? Your pride and anger or His Truths? Who do you want to hear? Then be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Prayer:

Father,

           Help us, O God. Without You, we are never able to do this. Give us clean hands and pure hearts so that we are able to walk righteously before You, quietly and at peace. We want to be able to hear You when You speak. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Are You Listening?

Doing something for you, bringing something to you— that’s not what you’re after. Being religious, acting pious— that’s not what you’re asking for. You’ve opened my ears so I can listen.
Psalm 40:6 The Message

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone when all of a sudden, you realize you have no idea what they're saying? Their voice didn't change. They're speaking the same language. They're following the line of their story, but somewhere along the line, you stopped listening. It's all in how you hear. Yes, there IS a difference. Jesus said so. Look...

Turn to Luke 8, starting in verse 11. 
    The seed is God’s word. 
12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 

13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 

14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 

15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

How you hear is SO important. Jesus went on to say in verse 18, So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.

Can you hear Him now? Are you listening?

Prayer:

Father,
           I tremble at the thought of the consequences of a hardened heart that refuses to hear You. Forgive us for those times we have ignored Your voice and gone our own way. Father, by Your mercy and Your unfailing Grace, please give us a listening ear and a servant's heart to hear and obey Your voice. Teach us, Father, we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Standing and Staring

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven?"
Acts 1:11a NLT

How often do we do the same thing? Jesus had just told them to go witness of Him and then He left... and left them staring into an empty sky. It was angels who came and asked why they were still standing there...

Well, I'm no angel, but I will ask; how long are we going to stand and stare - completely devoid of forward motion - and not do what He's told us to do?!? What is it He's asked you to do? 

This is the Book of Acts... The time is getting shorter every day.

Prayer:

Father,
         Unstop our ears to hear Your still, small voice. Finetune our hearts to first-time obedience. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Does God Listen? Repost by request

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 
1st John 5:14

Every day, I get calls and emails and texts asking me if I will pray for or with someone, and yes, I will. It's my privilege and honor to come into agreement with you, in the Name of Jesus, according to His Word.

So, the real question is not will I pray for you but rather do you believe the Word of God? Do you believe it is true? Do you think that Jesus or God would lie to you about ANYTHING? Those are the questions you need answered and settled in your need to settle in your heart. That is what I pray for you. That your faith would rise up and you would truly know that God is always ready to listen. And if you think you've done or are doing something that would impede your prayer life, stop it. Confess it to God, ask forgiveness and for His help in overcoming it... because that's also something that He promised to do!

Prayer:

Father,
          We confess as the dad did in Mark 9, The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” We choose to believe the Truth of Your Word over every circumstance and situation in our lives, just as You promised to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Let's build our faith according to His Word!
Matthew 21:22........."...whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Jeremiah 33:3......... "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things..."

John 14:14........ "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it."

John 16:23........ "...whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."

James 5:16........ "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

Job 22:27...... "You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you..."

1 John 5:15........ "And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

John 14:13........ "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Isaiah 55:11....... "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

John 15:7.......... "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."

Matthew 18:18........ "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 18:19........ "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven."

John 15:16........ "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

Jeremiah 29:12........ "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you."

Isaiah 65:24........ "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer, and while they are speaking I will hear."

Psalm 91:15........ "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him."

John 16:24....... "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Want to Hear?

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
Matthew 13:12 NLT

I want to hear the Lord. I want to know what He is saying, and more specifically, what He is saying to me. I think every Christian who is trying to do the will of God also wants to hear what God has to say. Amen?

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone, but you're in a busy place, there are people milling around having conversations or laughing, the TV or radio might be on, even your own thoughts may distract you to the point of having to ask the person to repeat what they just said. How much of that conversation do you actually hear - or do you just nod and smile, pretending you heard? We've all experienced that, at one point or another.

Aren't conversations much better when you are able to look the person in the eye and your surroundings are quiet and prepared? How much more so when the King of all kings would like your attention? Have we prepared our hearts and minds? In Hosea 10:12 NKJV, the Lord tells us to, Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 NKJV

The dictionary defines 'fallow' as:
           1. (of land) plowed and left unseeded for a season or more
           2. not in use, inactive

Does fallow describe your heart? It has described mine in the past. Let us break up our fallow ground so that we can get the seed sown and it will produce the harvest needed to feed the lost. It is very important and NEEDFUL to listen intentionally, with purpose. Why? Oh, you may remember - faith comes by hearing...

Prayer:

Father,
           Help us to prepare our hearts to receive Your Word. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see , and faith that truly hears and obeys Your voice. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Shhhhhhhh, Hear Him?

But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33 NLT

Some people call it their conscience; some that little voice. But those who are following after Christ know His voice. John 10:27 reads, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. How many times have we heard it? I should call so-and-so and see what's going on in her life... And we call and she answers with a tear-filled voice, a voice that had just asked God to send someone who cares...

Isn't it inexplicably wonderful when that happens and you get to see the hand of God touch someone's life? I know the joy of that. However, I also know the pain of missing it. I'm too busy with stuff, or worse, I'm not listening...

The thought comes unbidden, I should send a note to encourage him and tell him how cool it is to see his growth.  Or we get the idea to hand somebody a little money and the whole time we're thinking,  I really can't afford this or I might run short this week or They don't look like they need it. What if they think I'm crazy or think I'm being prideful? God, they drive a better car than I do!...And yet, you really feel like you're supposed to do it. So, you go and stammer a little, hem and haw and finally say, I think the Lord told me to give this to you... And their eyes fill with tears as they clutch your hand and say, I had no lunch money for my child this week. I didn't know what I was going to do...

So what will you do?   “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts..." Hebrews 3:7b-8a

Prayer:

Father,

          In this lost and dying world, help us to listen with our hearts to hear Your voice and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Failure to Communicate

When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.

Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.

But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

Jesus responded, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me..."

John 11:32-33, 38 - 41

This is basically going to be a Cliff Notes© section - just one section - of the teaching I heard tonight. I hope I can do it justice.

This is for everyone who has ever been frustrated and angry to the point of tears because of the failure to communicate effectively due to the lack of understanding on the part of the hearer. Jesus knows just how you feel.

Ever had one of those days when you know your mouth is moving because your ears hear the sound of your words, and yet nobody 'gets it,' and you know it will have serious repercussion if no one will listen? Our text for today was just one of those kinds of days for Jesus.

Mary and Martha sent for Jesus. He didn't come right away and Lazarus, their brother, died. In fact, Jesus waited a few days before telling His disciples they were going back to Judea. They argued with Him, reminding Him that just a few days prior, the good people of Judea tried to stone Jesus. Then He tells them Lazarus has fallen asleep and He is going to wake him up. They argue with Him again, until He finally tells them plainly, "Lazarus is dead." Then He bids them, "Come, let's go see him." So Thomas resignedly "said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

He gets to Bethany and Martha can't "hear" what He's saying. (It's all there in John 11.) Mary comes, the one who sat at His feet to gather the wisdom of His teaching, and she can only accuse. "If You'd been here..." 

Think about this for a minute. How many times have we asked God, 

"Where are/were You?" 

"What are You doing?"

"Why didn't You...?"

And always, it is when we take our focus off God and what He has said - and look only at what we see. Only what we can humanly comprehend. How much and how many times have we reasoned away His Truths spoken to our lives?

Prayer:

Father,

         Open our hearts to receive Your Word. Open our ears to hear You. Open our eyes to see only You. You who are high above our circumstances. Keep us focused on You, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen