Good morning -
If God were to audibly speak to you, what would He say? I'm sure each of us would like to think it would be something pleasant, but what if it were not? Would we pay close attention if He pointed out areas of sin and disobedience?
Jeremiah the prophet was approached by a remnant of Jewish people left after King Nebuchadnezzar had taken the nation into captivity. They wanted to hear the Lord's word:
"Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, that the LORD your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do." (Jeremiah 42:2-3)
That's a pretty dangerous request! To ask God to reveal to us how we should live and what we should do involves a willingness to actually do what He says.
"Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you." Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the LORD your God will send you to us. "Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God." (Jeremiah 42:4-6)
The story has a sad ending because these very people failed to do as God instructed, in spite of their claims.
Several people came to Jesus during his earthly ministry and professed a desire to follow Him. Usually the terms were greater than they were willing to accept. They wanted to follow according to their own terms. It makes me uncomfortable to consider that the same might be true of me: that my discipleship is largely based upon my own terms (which would really not be discipleship at all).
Many if not most of us are eager to hear the voice of the Lord, but to truly hear is to heed. God's word to us is clear and complete in His written Word. The true test is not how much we understand and know, but what we do with what He says.
Seeking to walk according to what I've read and heard,
Pastor Steve
If God were to audibly speak to you, what would He say? I'm sure each of us would like to think it would be something pleasant, but what if it were not? Would we pay close attention if He pointed out areas of sin and disobedience?
Jeremiah the prophet was approached by a remnant of Jewish people left after King Nebuchadnezzar had taken the nation into captivity. They wanted to hear the Lord's word:
"Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, that the LORD your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do." (Jeremiah 42:2-3)
That's a pretty dangerous request! To ask God to reveal to us how we should live and what we should do involves a willingness to actually do what He says.
"Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you." Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the LORD your God will send you to us. "Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God." (Jeremiah 42:4-6)
The story has a sad ending because these very people failed to do as God instructed, in spite of their claims.
Several people came to Jesus during his earthly ministry and professed a desire to follow Him. Usually the terms were greater than they were willing to accept. They wanted to follow according to their own terms. It makes me uncomfortable to consider that the same might be true of me: that my discipleship is largely based upon my own terms (which would really not be discipleship at all).
Many if not most of us are eager to hear the voice of the Lord, but to truly hear is to heed. God's word to us is clear and complete in His written Word. The true test is not how much we understand and know, but what we do with what He says.
Seeking to walk according to what I've read and heard,
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:14 AM
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