Posts Tagged ‘Listening’

Listening don’t always require a reply.

Posted: October 29, 2021 in Listening
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Under Gods Command

Scripture is not always the answer to give to someone who is going through something.  Sometimes your ear is better than a scripture from the Bible.  Allow them to speak their true feelings without convicting them or giving your opinion. 

When someone shares issues with you, don’t be so quick to shoot them a scripture or send them a sermon note, thinking that is the answer, and walk away. There are times when we know what we should do, but the emotional pain and love for that person brings out our true feelings that need expressing.   Sometimes your ear is the answer for them to speak to without you giving your opinion on what they are saying.  Remember, there is way more to their story when someone tells you a little part of their issue.  Don’t be so quick to always give your opinion based on a five-minute conversation or a text message when there is a mountain of pain they are carrying.  Texting is cool, but sometimes people need to hear from you. 

Even Jesus Christ expressed his true feelings out loud to God, knowing the right thing to do. 

Luke 22:42-44 41: 41He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42Father if you are willing take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthen him.  

Don’t you think Jesus already knew that he had to continue with the mission given?  In all this, he still expresses his true feelings to God, knowing what he must do, and by this, God strengthens Jesus to continue with his mission. 

Commentary: Was Jesus trying to get out of his mission? It is never wrong to express our true feelings to God.  Jesus exposed his dread of the coming trials, but he also reaffirmed his commitment to do what God wanted.  The cup he spoke meant the temple agony he knew he would endure-not only the horror of the crucifixion but, even worse, the total separation from God that he would have to experience in order to die for the world’s sins.    

Spiritual Training 1 Samuel 3:1-5

Posted: January 7, 2017 in 1 Sameul, Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

The Lord Calls Samuel

   1 Samuel 3:1-5 1The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

     2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4Then the LORD called Samuel.

     Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

     But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 

Although God had spoken directly and audibly with Moses and Joshua, his word became rare during the three centuries of rule by judges. By Eli’s time, no prophets were speaking God’s messages to Israel. Why? Look at the attitude of Eli’s sons. They either refused to listen to God or allowed greed to get in the way of any communication with him.

Listening and responding is vital in a relationship with God. Although God does not always use the sound of a human voice, he always speaks clearly through his Word.

Lets Bring it Home: To receive his messages, we must be ready to listen and to act upon what he tells us. Like Samuel, be ready to say “Here I am” when God calls you to action.

Proverbs 12:15 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: December 12, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 12, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool seem right to him, but a wise man listen to advice.

Every fool thinks he is right. He cannot think otherwise. He thinks everyone else is wrong. A wise man learns to resent his own thoughts. He knows they are selfish, biased, and deceitful. Instead he listens attentively and submissively to the counsel of others, for he knows they are speaking with less selfishness, bias, and deceit than his heart thinks.

Man is corrupt from the inside out. His heart – the internal place of affections, motives, and choices – is the most corrupt part of all. The Bible declares the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, which indicts it horribly (Jer 17:9). Who can truly know the perverse nature of their heart? Not you, unless you believe the Bible.

By nature, you hate God, wisdom, correction, and those who correct you. By nature, you love yourself, presume you are right, and believe you do everything better than others.  The only reason you ever fail is someone else’s fault or bad circumstances. You have every base covered to continue believing you were and are always right. What folly!

To crawl out of this cesspool of human pride and rebellion, you must learn to mistrust, criticize, and resent your own thoughts. This is one of the toughest challenges of wisdom, for with powerful instincts and lusts you want to protect and follow your thoughts. It is the ultimate exercise in humility to admit your own error and accept another’s opinion.

The single best measure of wisdom is your ability to crush your own thoughts and receive instruction. This is the most common point made by Solomon throughout the book of Proverbs. He constantly appeals to his hearers to receive instruction, knowing that their hearts naturally rebel against any advice or ideas contrary to their own.

Each man must come to God and Scripture in total trust and submission. A holy esteem must be formed for every precept; a holy hatred must be cultivated for every contrary thought (Ps 119:128). Solomon wrote, “Trust in the lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Pr 3:5).  “Be not wise in thine own eyes” (Pr 3:7).

You must silence your screaming heart. Crave wisdom, and admit it is not in you by nature. Acknowledge that only God truly has real wisdom. Prove all things by Scripture (I Thess 5:21; Acts 17:11). Use a multitude of wise counselors for practical decisions (Pr 11:14; 15:22; 24:6). Keep your heart diligently and strictly (Pr 4:23; Is 8:20).

Daily choices bring your heart into play. Fools listen to their hearts; wise men consult God’s word. Fools reject others’ instruction and warnings; wise men love and seek them. Do not be content thinking you are right; make sure you are right by these two criteria.

Proverbs 01:23 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: October 1, 2014 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs, Proverbs 01, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

Today can be a turning point in your life. Lady Wisdom calls you to receive her free blessing of instruction. Honor, riches, peace, and life can be yours, if you will accept her reproving invitation and enjoy the feast she has prepared for those that want to be wise.

If you have turned toward wisdom, there is higher ground to which she calls you. You do not have all the wisdom you need. You are not yet perfect. A wise man will hear and increase learning, and he will attain unto wise counsels (Pr 1:5). Press forward for more!

Lady Wisdom cries for fools to end their foolish and destructive ways of living (Pr 1:20-22). How much more pain and trouble must you have, before you will appreciate her offer? If you slight her invitation, she will cause your worst nightmares to come to pass (Pr 29:1). She will bring distress and anguish upon you. Instead of helping in your time of need, she will laugh at you (Pr 1:24-32). Consider it soberly, for this is the certain truth.

Turning requires two things – stop moving in one direction and start moving in a new direction (Rom 12:1-2; I Thess 1:9). You end foolish habits and ways; you start forward in wise and righteous ways. You reject wrong training, traditions, and thoughts; you learn and obey truth and godliness. You cut out and kill things in your life she does not approve; you add approved things to replace them. You reject sin; you choose holiness.

Change can be difficult, and it takes conviction; but the little trouble in choosing to change is nothing compared to the trouble that is coming if you do not change. If former friends ridicule your new priorities, ignore and leave them. Let nothing hinder your turn.

Personified wisdom, the lady here, promises two things – she will personally give herself to you, and she will teach you an internal knowledge of her words and ways. If you accept her sincere invitation, she will respond with full affection to save and perfect you.

Yet beyond the figure of personification, you should see the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is filled with all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3; I Cor 1:30). He will pour out His Spirit to those who turn to Him, and He will teach them true wisdom (Eph 1:17-18; 3:14-19; Col 1:9-11; I Cor 2:6-16; John 14:15-27; I John 2:20).

But most men rush madly through life in ignorance, stubbornness, and rebellion; they suffer the consequences of dysfunctional and painful lives now and eternal judgment later. Why? Because they scorned the wisdom offered at various points in their lives, and God blinded their eyes so He might destroy them (Rom 1:18-32; II Thes 2:9-12).

What is a fool? He has a better idea; he protects his sins; he will not give up his habits; he keeps foolish friends; he feeds himself the foolishness of the world; he dislikes change. The Lord of wisdom crushes fools with frustrated souls, broken hearts, failed businesses, dysfunctional families, loveless marriages, bitter spirits, and hopeless lives. Fools laugh today at wisdom’s offer; but wisdom will laugh tomorrow at the fool’s painful calamity. Ah, Lord God, thou art very great, and man is so very foolish, proud, and stubborn!

The choice and its consequences are so clear. How could any man or woman even hesitate? How is it with you, reader? Do not rush through these words without fearing your future, hearing the sincere offer, and turning your heart completely to the Lord Jesus Christ and heavenly wisdom. The reward is incredible, but so is the punishment!

This proverb addresses those who fear the Lord, spiritual men. Though the rules of wisdom could benefit all men, only the righteous can hear and heed wisdom’s call. Only those turned by the Lord can truly turn from their folly and embrace wisdom. If you can consider it, the Lord has already turned your heart (Jer 31:18; Lam 5:21). Now turn!

Pursue wisdom. Buy it, and sell it not. Pray for it. Practice it. Reject foolish friends. Hate your sinful ways. Love truth. Despise the world and its ideas. Choose righteousness. Cut off bad habits. Seek first the kingdom of God. Put your flesh to death.

Understand and appreciate conviction – it is God’s way of drawing you back to Him – and you should run with it as far and as fast as you can. If you resist His conviction long enough, He will leave you to your own thoughts and life, and you will think everything is fine, though it will be the most terrible of predicaments. Think Saul. Think Judas.

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you; it is His promise (Jas 4:8). Open the door, and the Lord Jesus will come in to fellowship with the truly repentant (Rev 3:19-20). Walking with God in heavenly wisdom and favor is a choice, and suffering the torments of a painful, God-forsaken life is the opposite choice.

Hear the prophet Isaiah warn the nation of Israel, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:  But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Is 1:18-20). Turn at God’s reproof today.