Hearing Test

 

Hearing Test

Hebrews 3: ¹⁵ This is what the scripture says:

“If you hear God's voice today,
    do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were
    when they rebelled against God.”

 

¹⁶ Who were the people who heard God's voice and rebelled against him? All those who were led out of Egypt by Moses. ¹⁷ With whom was God angry for forty years? With the people who sinned, who fell down dead in the desert. ¹⁸ When God made his solemn promise, “They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest”—of whom was he speaking? Of those who rebelled. ¹⁹ We see, then, that they were not able to enter the land, because they did not believe.

 

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Wanting to be mad, I thought of all the “bad” things that had happened. Then I heard something within me say “Let it go. Your hatred is hurting you more than you know.” I had a choice. Let go of the hurt I replayed in my mind or move forward, carrying GOD’s love.

 

• I could not hear GOD when I was fuming.
• I could not hear other people when I was upset.
• I could not hear words of reason when I had anger, rage, slander and hurt in my heart.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, warns everyone to listen to GOD “today.” He mentions ancestors who heard GOD, but refused to obey as a warning to everyone. Their rebellion caused death and GOD promised they would never reach the promised land.

 

My Observations

• My stubborn heart is no match for GOD.
• Any time I rebel against GOD, I lose.
• Since GOD is pure love, my rebellion is against pure love.

 

Not listening to GOD is a huge mistake, I mean, when I hear HIM tell me “forgive that person” and I don’t, I am rebelling. HE wants me to voluntarily choose love as my path to all my relationships. The more I choose hatred, hurt, and slander, the harder my heart gets. After a while, I get friends who agree with my hatred and slander and we feel better spreading poison versus love. BUT GOD has a remedy

 

HE wants me to see that my heart is on its way to becoming hard and stubborn as those HE did not deliver into the promised land. HE can open my eyes to HIS promises, but I have to be willing to let go of things HE does not want me to have. I am glad GOD wants to be my guide, therefore, I choose to hear HIM.

 

Challenge

• What warning does the writer give?
• Have you ever knowingly done something wrong and now you have justified your wrong for so long, that it seems like there is no way back to right?
• Will you let go of things that are obviously wrong and allow GOD to rescue you and guide you with the HOLY SPIRIT today?

Being Sharp

 

Being Sharp

Romans 11: ⁷ What then? The people of Israel did not find what they were looking for. It was only the small group that God chose who found it; the rest grew deaf to God's call. ⁸ As the scripture says, “God made their minds and hearts dull; to this very day they cannot see or hear.” ⁹ And David says,

 

“May they be caught and trapped at their feasts;
    may they fall, may they be punished!
¹⁰ May their eyes be blinded so that they cannot see;
    and make them bend under their troubles at all times.”

 

 

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“OoWee! You look sharp!” someone told me as I donned my new suit. I felt pretty important walking around in a new suit. I heard the word “sharp” before but was never called it. Later in life, I met people who were moving up in the company. “That woman is sharp” they told me. I watched what she did and tried to emulate what I saw. I soon met other “sharp” people.

 

• I met many people who were classified as “sharp.”
• I met many people whose minds were classified as “sharp.”
• I met many people who led large crowds, who I thought were “sharp.”

 

The prophets and Paul talked about people who overlooked GOD. HIS chosen people denied JESUS being the Messiah so GOD made their minds and hearts dull. They can no longer see and hear GOD, so they follow who they label as “sharp.”

 

• GOD wants my heart so HE can keep it sharp.
• GOD wants my mind so HE can use it for HIS purpose.
• GOD wants my search to be over so HE provided JESUS.

 

Finding JESUS as the Savior keeps my mind and heart sharp. The news speaks of name after name. calling each person sharp or dull. BUT GOD is the only one who has the authority to do so.

 

HE blinds those who do not rely on HIS SON and sharpens the few who call on HIM for their troubles. I am glad JESUS entered into my life and ask that HE keeps my heart sharp for those HE wants me to bring to HIM.

 

• Are you trying to look good in front of people to gain their respect?
• Are you trying to mimic people who you think are “sharp?”
• Will you allow GOD to keep your heart and mind sharp by allowing JESUS to come into your life and  believe HE is the Savior of the world today?

Noisy

Noisy

Acts 7: ³⁷ “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’

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Singing a jingle over and over, I almost persuaded someone to purchase the candy I was speaking about. “Want some?” they said. “No way!” I replied. I just like the song and it was stuck in my head.

• Sometimes marketing can be noisy to me.
• Sometimes marketing can make me hear a message I do not care for.
• Sometimes marketing can get to my ears, but not my heart.

Stephen explains what Moses said to the children of Israel. He spoke about JESUS being the prophet that people would “hear.” But how can I hear?

• GOD says to me “Believe in the LORD JESUS and you will be saved along with everyone in your household.”
• GOD says to me “Hear the word of the LORD.”
• GOD says to me “Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go.”

Hearts can be very deceptive when it comes to listening. If I let my heart listen to fear, I will be filled with it. Same goes with hatred, lust, greed, impatience, abuse, disobedience, unfaithfulness, pleasure or lack of discipline.

When I listen to these, I am listening to the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control. GOD wants me to have a generous helping of the fruit of the Spirit so I can hear HIS still, quiet voice. HE breaks through the noise when I bear fruit. I am grateful HE speaks softly to me each day.

• What are you listening to?
• What are you filled with?
• Will you stop listening to the noise that is causing you to act opposite of what GOD wants you to and allow HIM to fill you with HIS fruit today?

Be Different

Be Different

John 10: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

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Seeing the professor compliment one of the students made me glad I did not go first. I quickly adjusted my speech to sound like theirs. I figured that would get me extra points. I gave my speech and it seemed like the excitement went out of the room. “Thanks” was all I got. I asked for feedback. “You sounded like everyone else”, was the response.

• There were times when I wanted to be safe with what I said.
• There were times when I wanted everyone to agree with what I said.
• There were times when I wanted to fit in, so I said what “they” said.

JESUS had just told the church leaders they were blind. They taught what they felt the people wanted to hear. Eventually they got a large following that increased their power. They spoke about GOD, but not about JESUS being GOD. JESUS then says “But the sheep will know the Shepherd’s voice.”

• JESUS says to me “Speak about MY kingdom.”
• JESUS says to me “Bring people to ME and I will guide them.”
• JESUS says to me “Take MY yoke upon you and learn of ME.”

Loving yet offensive, is the message of JESUS. I mean HIS word offends everyone because they have to admit they are a sinner. It makes me say “I am wrong and need help that I cannot get from a human.” This offends those who love religions, programs and especially those who have all the answers.

GOD is the only answer and JESUS is the only way. HIS message is so simple that people walk away from it, thinking it has no power. BUT GOD says be different. HE wants me to tell people I am a weak sinner, but I have hope. This hope comes from JESUS. I am grateful for HIS vast power.

• What do you sound like in public?
• Do you sound and act like the world?
• Will you dare to be different and admit “your” sins to people so they will feel comfortable admitting their sins?
• Will you lift JESUS up to where HE should be when you talk about solutions today?