By: Shirley Rosario
How does God speak to you? When God wants to speak to His children, He will find His unique way to talk to us. In the busyness of our lives, rushing to complete our daily to-do list, preparing ourselves for the following day, we may neglect to put God first in our lives and to live for Him. But God always finds ways to whisper in our ears and make us realize He is always with us and there for us.
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son, he created the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT)
Since creation, many people were able to hear the voice of God directly. This was the case for Adam, Eve, Moses, and others. However, God also spoke His word and brought revelation through the prophets. Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us God speaks to us through His son Jesus. He is the direct connection to the Father. When we begin to know Jesus, we have everything we need to be saved. Through reading the Bible, we start learning about the heart of God and His purpose in our lives. It is here that we turn to have a relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
When I started following Jesus, it was challenging for me to have a quiet time to read and meditate on the Word of God. It took me years to learn these disciplines. Usually, I read the Word to checkmark one of the items on my to-do list as a Christian. Despite this, I had learned that discipline and obedience to the Word of God changes you. Little by little, I got closer to my Heavenly Father, and I am finding His will in my life.
I think it is also important to create the discipline of listening to what He is speaking. Maybe you are asking yourself, why do I not hear the voice of God? Or, why doesn’t God speak to me anymore? Although I do not know your life, I know God is always there to listen. He is always there to receive your love. As a good Father, He wants us to be obedient to His Word and trust Him. Remember, not everyone who hears the message of salvation believes and is obedient to the Word. In the letter to the Romans, Paul wrote:
Our faith is very important in our daily walk with Jesus. As Paul said, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you are not taking time to study and meditate on God’s Word, it is almost impossible to know Him and grow in faith. According to the Webster dictionary, faith is defined as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God.” On the other hand, Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Both definitions are based on believing and trusting in God and His Word. I think the best way to learn from the Father is through His Word and spending quality time meditating about what God wants to teach us.
Like I mentioned before, it was challenging for me to wait to hear the voice of God. Every time I started reading my Bible, I felt tired and I wanted to do something else. I felt like God was speaking to me, and I did not like what He said through His Word. So many times, I closed the book, and I forgot about it. However, God was and is so good that He kept bringing me the same message. Over and over, God brought me to the message in John 8:31-47 where Jesus had a dispute about who God's true children were. I wanted to feel like I belonged to my Heavenly Father. I realized that I had to make a change in my spiritual life. The verse that spoke to me was John 8:47:
“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” John 8:47 (NIV)
It is easy to get distracted and forget about God’s place in our lives. God is our Heavenly Father; He wants us to abide and have a relationship with Him. He is always near us, but it comes down to us paying attention to His whisper in our lives. I encourage you today to find the way God speaks to you and to listen to His voice.
Friends! Jesus is the Good Shepherd who sacrificed His life for His sheep. He protects them and never abandons them because they belong to Him. In our lives, we are going to have many distractions, temptations, troubles, and sorrows, but remember to listen and hear His sweet voice calling you and leading you all the way through. Jesus said, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (John 10:10b). This is eternal life Jesus is offering; please do not let the enemy snatch you away from God! He is speaking and calling your name. Are you accepting the invitation to live a life for Christ?
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.” John 10:27-28 (NLT)
Heavenly Father, I pray for my friend who is reading this message today. If many questions are coming to their mind today, I pray that your Holy Spirit reveals the truth to them. I pray that they start walking and having a relationship with you, God. I pray that they will be able to hear the whisper of your voice through your Word. Holy Spirit, I pray that my friend receives an understanding of your Word. Jesus, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Help us to be closer to you by listening to the Father's instructions and will for our lives. I ask for all these things in your precious holy name, the name of Jesus. Amen!
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