The world is noisy. And family, friends, co-workers, fellow students, bosses, media, entertainment, etc., etc., etc. have a lot to say, not all of which is helpful (but some is). Some of which is wrong. Some of which is evil.
Some of these sources are from the world, and are not of God.
They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5).
We have to be careful who and what we listen to. What we heed. What we act on. What we obey.
Take care how you listen (Luke 8:18).
Listen to Me! Listen to God’s Son!
Oh that My people would listen to Me! (Psalm 81:13)
This is My Son, My chosen One; listen to Him! (Luke 9:35)
How to Listen
We are to hear with a good and honest heart.
Hear the word in a honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15).
Let these words sink into your ears (Luke 9:44).
Hear and Believe
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life (John 5:24).
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13)
Hear and Obey
Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24).
Some cannot hear. Some hear and reject.
Pharisees, scribes, chief priests, Herodians listened, plotted, and tried to catch Him, trap Him, in something He said so they might accuse Him, might destroy Him (Luke 11:54, Luke 20:20, Mark 3:6, Mark 12:13).
Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him (Luke 16:14).
For the time will cone when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Self-Assessment
How good are we at listening to the Lord?
Do we know how to discern truth from error?
How well do we know what God says to us?
Do we know who and what to listen to… and who and what to ignore?
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Father, please help us long for Your word, study Your word, and apply Your word to our lives. Please help us distinguish truth from error. Please help us obey You.
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I had a glitch with emailing last week’s blog. Here it is: Everywhere I Look.
