Listen

My brother in law is deaf in his left ear, and there is no medical reason it has happened.  My sister didn’t believe he was telling her everything, so she went to the doctor with him and the doctor could not tell my sister anything more than her husband had. I told him a story about my grandparents:  Grandmother thought grandpa was going deaf and come to find out he was just tuning her out.  Eventually his hearing did go bad.   My brother in-law needs a healing. Some people have selective hearing.  They only hear what they want hear. They will have temporary hearing loss. 

I have one desire for 2007; to hear more clearly the voice of God, and have the boldness to act on that word. 

To be able to hear like that means a more disciplined ear.  It also means that I am spend more time with my Savior King. How many of you have had a thought run through your head or get a certain feeling and then ask yourself, was that God or me? Car broke down on side of street…Person in grocery line digging for more cash…Widows in our church…Wife needs encouragement… I would say that if the action that followed the thought or feeling glorified God, it was from Him. 

I believe that God speaks to us all the time.  I believe He speaks with an audible voice. It’s not whether He speaks, it’s are we listening?  **Story of Elijah Prophet confronts evil Ahab King of Israel (wife:Jezebel) –Baal WorshipElijah tells Ahab there will be no rain until he says. *Baal worships believed that was baalim’s job

Then something happened.  1 Kings 17:2-3 Voice told Elijah to go away from there.  4 more times the voice of the Lord comes to Elijah and gives him instruction or direction. 1 Kings 17:8; 18:1, 19:9 & 13   I want to stop for a minute and focus on this portion of Scripture in 1 Kings 19 Jezebel hears what happened and spoke a word about Elijah that she would have him killed. He fears and runs for his life.  He has this experience with the Lord on Mt.Horeb   

Great wind – God not there Earthquake –God not there

Fire – God not there

Gentle voice- God 

Elijah believed God and saw him do the stuff But-another word had come and brought fear.  I honestly believe that there has been a time in all of our lives when we have listened to another voice and fear was produced.  And the reason that we struggle with hearing God’s voice or don’t hear it at all is because of fear.   

That voice could have been a parent, friend, enemy, spouse The voice that contradicts God’s voice is the voice of the enemy.  The enemy is a liar. Elijah was a prophet and of course he would hear from God.  What about the average person. 

Jesus in John 10:1-16 –ShepherdSheep know Him and hear his voice. 

Holy Spirit Acts 10:1919While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you. Acts 13: 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 

Time and time again we are told about His voice.  Maybe we have to many other voices in our head or we just have selective hearing. The fear is we do not know what He is going to say to us.  He might just ask me to be uncomfortable. The fear is losing control of your life. Are there things that God might say to you or ask of you that you might be unsure about?  YES!  That is why we call it a life of FAITH.  Believing that He is God and what He says is right for your life.  You will find when we listen and then show up and do what He has asks, we will not be able to contain the outpouring of His Spirit and power in our lives. Is He speaking to you?