If you’re enjoying this series on moving from Milk to Meat you may like to check out the Podcasts episode 1 and episode 2. You may like to also check out the posts on Repenting from Evil Deeds, Placing our Faith in God, Baptisms, theLaying on Of Hands, the Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgement.
It’s the condition of our heart that’s important every time we hear a message.
We can all see this happening. Our attitude determines what we get in any service. If we decide we know it all, we’re not going to learn anything new. If we don’t expect God to speak, we’re not going to hear Him when He does.
I often have people hear a sermon that wasn’t preached. They’ll come up to me after and tell me how amazing it was and the detail they go into is incredible and none of it came from me. God was speaking to them in spite of me because they were ready to hear.
My wife can see it in me. I hear a message and get all excited and tell her about it and she says, “Why weren’t you excited about it when I told you three years ago about it?” The answer is “My heart wasn’t ready to receive it then.”
What’s the condition of your heart? Not just now, but every time you read the Word? Every time you listen to a podcast, or webcast or CD? Watch yourself. If you think you know it all, you’re not going to learn anything new. But if you’re wanting to hear from God, wanting to learn, your going to get meat anywhere.
Intelligent people are always ready to learn.
Their ears are open for knowledge. Proverbs 18:15 (New Living Translation)
God wants you to mature. He wants you to grow more-and-more into the image of His Son, who was an exact representation of the Father. The world needs to see Jesus in you.
What do you do to make sure you’re ready to listen to God each day? He’s speaking all the time.
photo credit: Peter Hellberg
This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses. You’ve got a design here that’s not too flashy, but makes a statement as big as what you’re saying. Great job, indeed.
Thanks so much Joann
Very nice post, I surely love this site, keep it up.
This is so true! I think many times, we only hear what we want to hear. To make sure I am listening, I look at subtle clues. He speaks in whispers and through others. If we are not listening, will simply not hear.
Thanks Julie. When I don’t wake up in time to spend time with God alone I often NEED to take time in the day just to listen.
I definitely talk to God more than I seem to listen. As a counselor, I hear quite often frustration from a spouse whose bride or groom is all of the sudden hearing things from me in counseling that they have been saying all along. I always knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking not me, but didn’t think about explaining that the spouse’s heart wasn’t ready to hear it. Thanks for the counseling tip.
As far as I go, I think I do my best listening when I am journaling. Even though I am writing, I try really hard to think about what God would want me to know. Some brilliant stuff comes out that I know is Him.
Great post!
I LOVE what I call “Conversational Journaling” I don’t think I’ve posted anything on it yet, but I do it all the time. It’s a great tool I use that’s similar to my writing schedule – write first, edit later. Blessings Sue, keep up the great work on your blog. Need to catch up with the blog posts this week.