Truth:
But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.
Jeremiah 23:22 (New International Version)
Thought:
Without faith it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) because everything not done by faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
Faith is our obedient response to hearing the voice of God.
Faith is what protects us; it is our shield. The Roman shield covered everything the soldier was responsible for. So to our faith cover us. Faith is an excellent verb and a debilitating noun.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the present-spoken words of God (Romans 10:17).
How do we know what we’re responsible for until we read it in the Bible or it’s quickened in our Spirits?
What this means is we need to regularly have some quiet time with God. My brother-in-law coined my favorite term for it : “shut-up and listen time.”
Jesus was pronounced “Immanuel” – God with us. We don’t live in the 400 years before John, when God didn’t speak to His people. We don’t live in a time before Samuel when the word of God was rare. We are in a relationship with the One who spoke the worlds into being. Because of the blood of Christ we have direct access to the Father. Because of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to communicate with God beyond our understanding. God still speaks to us today.
John 15:15 says that when we obey God, we are friends with Christ, no longer servants because servants don’t we can know the plans of their Master. But Jesus lets us know what he learns from the Father.
Do we take the time to listen? When we listen, we can walk by faith. When we don’t take time to listen, is it really faith we’re walking in?
When you come before Him, quiet your Spirit, focus on His love and expect Him to speak, He does!
And He still speaks the words of life today (John 6:8). He speaks peace to the storms and there is fullness of joy in His presence. When we quiet ourselves and invite Him to speak, He will. When we’re quick to obey – that’s faith.
Test it and see.
Prayer:
Father, I come in the name of Jesus Christ with thanksgiving and praise and as I wait expectantly upon You now, I do my best to listen to Your voice. I stand before You, Almighty God and seek Your counsel. Please reveal any information I need; any strategies that I can employ right now so that I can be knowing and doing what You want.
Challenge:
Spend some “shut-up and listen time” (quiet time) alone with God today. Finish up your requests and leave time for Him to speak to you. Focus on His love. Cease striving and rest. Expect Him to speak. Some worshipful music can help. If you can’t do it for more than two minutes, take a scripture and think about it from every possible angle with the love of God in full view.
Declaration:
I choose to put on the full armor of God. I put on truth. I put on righteousness. I put on peace. I put on faith. I put on salvation. And I choose to learn to use the word of God with great power and in love.
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Thanks for helping others live life above the negativity!
You are all doing well. Jesus loved you as sinners – how much more now that you try to reach out to him – for every step you take he will take a thousand towards you – keep going – day 5
Stephen…Amen.
My devotion to listening to God has waned. I remember that I used to spend quality quiet time in His presence on a regular basis, however, in recent months I’ve allowed that habit to fall away. It’s time to return to that discipline.
Meditation is listening without hearing the noise my mind is constantly making. This is one way to hear the Word of God so that I can obediently respond with faith. This comment is meant to be a public declaration that I intend to meditate daily, focusing my heart on His Word.
Phillip Enjoy your private time with God. Be blessed.
Good Morning – and Ouch! Your thoughts today, with the corresponding verses in Hebrews and Romans sting! My flesh wants to resist and argue against them – but then I realize that the Truth hurts – especially when I’m not in it. Even ‘My Utmost for His Highest” today (March 1st) suggests that The word of God hurts as no sin can ever hurt, because sin blunts feeling….The word of the Lord pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, there is no deception left.”
To me – Listening to God is much like loving my neighbor…I know it is God’s will, yet I so easily dismiss these activities for business and selfishness. God grant me the discipline to obey Your will – even if You have to use pain to get my attention and increase my focus on You!
Thank you RevTrev for your prayer and challenge. I will take you up on it! Be Blessed!