Dave’s Monday Blast – June 26, 2023
Last week we examined a passage from 1 Samuel 3:1 – 20 concerning the Lord’s call of Samuel as he served under Eli. This literal, verbal call gives us pause in our day and age and compels us to ask this question: Do you believe that God still speaks? As INTENTIONAL men of God we answer that question with a resounding YES!
Knowing that God does indeed clearly speak to His children we must, as a result, do three things: LISTEN – OBEY – WAIT. We ended our conversations last week with a simple set up for today: Listening to God is not a one-time event (remember the story of Samuel and Eli). We must continually keep His Word before us, or we’ll begin to listen to other voices. His voice always speaks absolute truth. Our adversary, the Devil, who wants us to be DECEIVED AND DESTROYED (2 Corinthians 10:3 – 5; John 10:10) uses a very different tactic, using many voices; all speaking words contrary to His Word.
In the early Genesis account of the fall of man, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Eve began to listen to another voice (Satan’s) and did not hold firmly to her Creator’s words. All Satan had to do was plant a single doubt about God’s integrity and offer Eve one appealing advantage of doing things her way, and she fell for it. He mentioned wisdom, but using her own reasoning, Eve added two more benefits to the temptation: the fruit is good for food and a delight to the eyes.
The schemes of the enemy have not changed since this first encounter in the Garden. He still whispers lies (or at times uses loud voices) and twists truth to convince us that:
a. God cannot be trusted because He does not tell us “all the truth”.
b. His ways are not the best. In every temptation, there is a deception about character and motive of God, plus an attractive promise of a better way.
This world is filled with voices that vie for our attention and influence our thoughts and actions. Throughout the day, consider the messages that are sent your way through the media and people. We consciously begin to compare them to what Scripture says about God and His ways.
Remembering what God says in the Bible is our safeguard against deception and temptation. Daily devotions won’t protect us if they’re forgotten during the day. Follow Christ’s example: be ready with truth in your mind and on your tongue whenever temptation strikes (Matthew 4:1 – 11). It is dangerous to refuse to listen or obey (Zechariah 7:11 – 13). If we do not listen…His voice will grow increasingly distant.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit in hearing from God:
He Teaches us all things (John 14:26)
He Reminds us of everything Jesus says to us (John 14:16)
He Testifies about Jesus (John 15:26)
He Guides us into all truth (John 16:13)
He Tells us what is yet to come (John 16:13)
Next week we will address this important question: How do I know if what I am hearing is from God?
