Monday, April 22, 2013

My Sheep Listen To My Voice



A friend posted today that she was a bit short on birdhouses for the growing population in her yard. She asked if anyone knew where to get some inexpensively. I read hear post and thought, “Gee, I’ve got several kits left over from working with our Cub Scouts. I could make her a couple and do it for free.” The price had already been paid (for the materials), as a friend has frequently said. So I let her know she could have them and then I went to work.

Do you feel at times that God isn’t listening to you or you sense that maybe you can’t hear from Him. There is so much information flying around today, especially in the electronic media and in forums like Facebook where I miss so much of what is said. I miss because I only check in infrequently and I don’t scan backwards for the hundreds of things that may have been said. I miss a lot there simply because I don’t take the time to listen (okay, read).

We have a God that wants us to bring our prayers of all sorts to Him and to entrust Him with them. We have a God who has promised to hear the prayers of those who seek Him. And we have been given, if you have trusted Christ for your salvation, the Holy Spirit to work inside us and even to bring our prayers to our Heavenly Father especially in those times when we don’t even know what to say.

Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We also know from Scripture that one way to hear from God is to get quiet before Him and to spend time in His Word. Today Sarah writes about our need to listen to our God.

Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (4/22)

Listen to Me continually. I have much to communicate to you, so many people and situations in need of prayer. I am training you to set your mind on Me more and more, tuning out distractions through the help of My Spirit.

Walk with Me in holy trust, responding to My initiatives rather than trying to make things fit your plans. I died to set you free, and that includes freedom from compulsive planning. When your mind spins with a multitude of thoughts, you cannot hear My voice. A mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control. Turn from this idolatry back to Me. Listen to Me and live abundantly!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

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