23/07/08

Are you listening?

1 Samuel 3:10 - And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

When we read about the Lord speaking to the great people in the Bible, most think there was something very special about those people therefore the Lord spoke to them alone.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ the only thing special, that is necessary for the Lord to speak to us is that we need to be God's children. The fact that we believe in Jesus Christ, we are confirmed as God's children and that makes us eligible for the Lord to speak to us.

In fact you and I will be surprised that there are many times the Lord has spoken to us and we have not heard Him. You would say when and how? In the start the Lord talks to us through His chosen ones, through our situations, when we read the Word of God, etc... But there will surely come a time when the Lord will speak to you in visions (not only when you are asleep but even when you are awake and with your eyes are wide open - also all visions may not be from the Lord, they need to be discerned) or even in audible voice.

I will like to give you an example of the first time when the Lord for shook me by speaking to me in an audible voice. I was hearing some worship songs on a MP3 player, then I met someone who gave me some commercial songs which I put in my MP3 player by deleting the worship songs. As I was hearing (I was in a very depressed situation at that time) I suddenly heard a previous devotional song playing in between and with very clear words saying 'you did not choose me, I chose you, you are mine'. At that time I did not even know it was a scripture. Then suddenly, the previous song again continues where it stopped and that was odd! Since being a technical person I thought about thins like memory buffers, and song segment markers etc... to explain this situation. But yet I felt some thing not normal here so I immediately deleted the songs and replaced them with the original worship songs that were there before. To my amazement, I heard these songs again and again for over 2 weeks and did not find those same words in the song I heard. I knew then that the Lord had spoken to me and that incident changed the direction and speed of my spiritual life.

Desire for the Lord to speak to you, incline your ears towards Him, keep silence in your hearts and you will surely hear Him.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You desire to speak to us and guide us through our situations. But the distractions, the commotions and the noise that is there within us keeps us from hearing your voice. Help me to focus myself, incline my ears and in silence to wait on You to speak to me. I make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

John 15:15-16
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends (associates); for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Matthew 10:26-27
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)