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Let the Holy Spirit of God lead you into all truth, as the Lord takes you by your right hand to the place where He wants you to be, even as you offer your body a a living sacrifice unto God, as we continue to meditate upon His word of promise – It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God, are upon it from the beginning of the year until the end. [Deuteronomy 11:12] In an evil and perverse generation, Noah found favor in the eyes of God to become rightly related to God, a relationship that was fractured by sin. [Genesis 6:8] And right relationship with God, is the key to being rightly related with everything else, and every one else in your life and mine.
Hearing & responding –> reverence:
In the life of Noah it was seen in his faith that comes in a person’ life by hearing the word of God. And it led to a reverence in him, that comes in you by receiving and responding to what you hear from God rightly. It becomes important for your future depends on it, even as Noah in reverent submission built ark that saved him and his house hold from death. It shows the truth that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. And the word of God tunes you to hear the voice of God.
Speak Lord, your servant is listening:
The boy Samuel, grew up in the temple of God, but initially did not know God .But the priest Eli was able to discern and guide him rightly when the Lord called him, and began to speak to him, when Samuel responded rightly, to say, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening’. [1 Samuel 3:8-10] And listening in the scriptural sense is listening in a manner that is attentive and obedient, in order to do what He says.
Obedience – the indicator:
Receiving & Responding Obedience is an indicator of how well you have heard what He has spoken to you. For, hearing without doing what it says, only indicates that you have not heard Him right. Noah became reverent and obedient as he received the word rightly, and respond, totally depending upon it for his life. It is seen in the scriptures. Even in the life of king Hezekiah who rightly received and responded to the promise of healing spoken by God, to see it come to pass, and his life was extended, as on the third day, being made well, he was in the house of God to worship Him. [2 Kings 20:5]
The obstacles:
1. A fattened heart:
For this people’s heart has become calloused, They hardly hear with their ears, And they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And turn, and I would heal them. [Matthew 13:15] Being unable to receive and respond rightly on hearing the word of God could be a problem of the heart, what is embedded in it, making it dull and unresponsive, when it comes to the things of God, when the ought to take first place in your life, that you may live. Being sharp in other aspects of your life, and stiff and unresponsive in church, not hearing the things of God, is a matter of the heart, that you cannot sort out by yourself, for it is what is defined as human depravity.
Christ – the true Light:
It is God who has to intervene, to do His work of grace in your heart, for He is the true Light; one that can penetrate even the most hardened heart. And it is because of what Christ has accomplished on the Cross that you and I are made righteous. And grace is more powerful than sin. Where sin increases grace abounds. And the heart of the matter is the heart, always, and especially when it comes to receiving and responding to God’s word;
The importance of the heart:
The longest distance when it comes to a person’s transformation is the what lies between his head and his heart it has been said, and rightly so. The very word ‘heart’ has the words ‘hear’ and ‘art’ combined in it, and through it a truth simple yet profound can be portrayed- It is, [a] you have to ‘hear’ with your heart, and,
[b] it is an ‘art’, to hear with your heart!
And the closer you come to Him, you will see that He speaks very little to you. Even a word from Him will be enough for you to receive what He wants to say to you, and respond tightly. And ultimately, as your relationship deepens, His very presence will speak volumes in your heart.
2. Itching ears:
Instead of desiring to hear what they need to hear in their situation, for it may confront them, for their good, people often want to be merely tickled, made pleasantly comfortable about themselves, lulled into deception , and worship many a time becomes merely entertainment instead of worship in spirit and truth. It is what the apostle warns against saying – For the time will come, when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. [2 Timothy 4:3,4] But God, like a good doctor wants to change and heal you. He will change a wrong attitude towards money, if it is found in you. It is why you need to seek first His kingdom, as you hear His word, and responding to it rightly will see all your needs being met by Him. He is a good parent. And will satisfy your need ,and not your lust or greed. He wants you to be blessed in His way; and it is the only right way.
HIS Word – your lamp & your light:
And may your prayer unto your Abba Father be, that He may give you a responsive heart, that leads you to a reverent submission, for His word is right, true, and helps you to live. May His word be a lamp unto your feet, a light unto your path that you may not lose your way, but be led in the path of righteousness, to live for His glory, even as we pray Father, Thank Thee for the word you have spoken today, that it may dwell in us, enlightening our hearts, and we may apply it in our lives, to live by it. Grant to us , we pray, hearts that receive and respond to Thy word rightly, in reverent obedience, that we may be blessed to be a blessing, for Your glory. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
