Are You Listening?
Marsha Deveaux Johnson
http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com
One
of my favorite commercials on television depicts an elderly woman moving around
in her family room cleaning and talking to her husband. She gets no response from him to which she
says very loudly “Morty are you l-i-s-t-e-n-i-n-g?” She still gets no reply from Morty because Morty
is on the couch fast asleep. MDJ
All
of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) that God gave to man
are irreplaceable. The ability to see is
paramount to our survival in the world in which we live. We treasure our sight and fiercely protect
our eyes. We also protect our ears which are invaluable in our
communication with others. I am
completely absorbed this morning with the depth of the sense of hearing that
manifests when we can identify and distinguish sounds, spoken languages, and
anything audible.
I
want to call your attention to the Voice (God the Father) that constantly speaks to man. God Himself
speaks to the spirit of man. Man’s
spirit is the eternal part of him that communicates with God. Our inward voice or impression in our human
spirit is in direct connection with God when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior
and Lord. We are God-conscious in our spirit. Our soul (mind, will, and emotions) is
conditionally functioning depending upon the attention to the word of God. If we constantly renew our minds (Romans
12:2) with God’s Word we open a wide door for hearing the voice of God.
The
challenge for God’s people today is to hear His Voice. He is saying to us that there is no greater
message that needs to be heard but for His people to quiet down and hear Him. We have
listened to leaders, friends, politicians, and many other voices and it is now
time to hear His voice.
The
problem has been that when other voices become
pronounced in our lives the voice of God becomes distant and faint (1st
Corinthians 14:10), “There are many voices in the world and none
without signification…”). We render to ourselves answers, decisions,
plans, and options that come from self, others, and the devil himself. How can
this be? It can and does happen to even the
best of Christians. It happens because
we do not know and obey the voice of God.
God
says in His word that His sheep know His voice (John 10:27) and another they
will not hear. God speaks, and we hear
Him but choose to not follow instructions.
The next time He speaks, it is harder to hear Him. Slowly dullness sets in when we hear God’s
voice and do not fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives. We do not spend enough time with Him to
profoundly hear His voice.
God
impressed in my spirit that there are two things that He is saying to His Body
at this time in the earth.
Number
one, “Hear My Voice”
Number
two, “Do as I have instructed you to do.”
James 1:22-25
“But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
John
5:30 says, “I can of my own self do nothing:
as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father
who hath sent me”. (KJV) These are the words of Jesus, our perfect
example. He heard and fulfilled every
word that Father instructed while He was here on earth. The perilous and critical times we live in demand
that we are led by the Holy Spirit and hear only the voice of the Father.
For
those who are listening, the drum beat is getting louder and louder. The need
to hear God as never before is paramount. The rescue of souls to the kingdom
has taken a back seat to prosperity, selfishness, and fame. The distractions are as numerous as the sands
on the seashore. Nevertheless, God calls
to His own to listen to His voice and do His bidding.
God’s
voice must be heard in the midst of any human condition that would try to
demand our attention. He shelters us
only as we yield our attention and lives to Him and His Word.
He
gives grace to the humble while humility is looked upon by the world as a sign of
weakness (James 4:6-7, 1st Peter 5:5-6). He brings us through
sufferings while suffering is looked upon by the world as being out of God’s favor (1st
Peter 4:1), “Inasmuch as Christ suffered, arm yourselves likewise…”). He demands that we tell and stand with truth
when men look upon lying as an ability to seize power. (Colossians 3:9, “Lie
not one to another…”, Psalms 101:7-8, “He that telleth lies shall not tarry in
my sight…”).
Religious
tradition, self-love, self-promotion, along with all the works of the flesh (Galatian’s
5th Chapter) can stop the ears from hearing God and following His
footsteps. The fruit of the Spirit, love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance, and goodness
Galatian’s Chapter 5) can open your ears to the voice of your Heavenly Father.
Are You Listening?
Better yet, have you done what He told you to
do?
