1.17.10 "Prepare to Hear from God"

"Prepare to Hear from God"

Genesis 35:1-36:43
Matthew 12:1-21
Psalm 15:1-5
Proverbs 3:21-26

What is God telling you to do?

How easy is it to answer that question? It will be different for each one of us. So often I hear the answer. "I think he wants me to..." or, it's "I don't know. I can't tell if it's God or just me." At times I've used those same answers myself.

What's with that? Do you think it's God's desire that we feel the need to decipher signs and circumstances to find his will?

We have a dilemma. We need to Live the DREAM. At the hub of the Balanced Christian Life is the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. True worship is obedience. Obedience to what? Obedience to what God is telling me to do. What's he telling me to do? "I don't know. I can't tell if it's God or just me..."

In today's reading, the Lord calls Jacob to a place where he desires to talk to him.

"Move on to Bethel now, and settle there,' God said to Jacob, 'and build an altar to worship me - the God who appeared to you when you fled from you brother Esau.' So Jacob instructed all those in his household to destroy the idols they had brought with them, and to wash themselves and to put on fresh clothing. 'For we are going to Bethel,' he told them, 'and I will build an altar there...' Upon Jacob's arrival at Bethel, en route from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him once again and blessed him." Gen 35:1-3,9

Take note of what Jacob did to prepare himself and his people to hear from God. They got rid of their idols and put on fresh clothes.

We live in a day and age of God's mercy and grace. However, I think many have tainted their relationship with the Lord because of a misunderstanding of what that means. I mentioned yesterday about "adding" Jesus to your life instead of "giving" him your life. What this looks like in practical terms is God's people walking around in dirty clothes and arms full of idols and wondering if the voice they're hearing is "God or me".

The difficulty in hearing his voice is not because he is not speaking. It's not because he doesn't want to speak. It's most often because I've not prepared myself to hear from him. I've allowed the noise of this world to drown out His voice. I've been close enough to sin to dirty my clothes.

Sleeping too long can be an idol. My comfort clouds my ears from his voice. Getting to bed earlier so I can get up earlier is a way that I can prepare myself to hear his voice. Limiting worldly influence is a huge part of it as well. If I spend all my time listening to news & commentary, I will begin to subtly develop a belief system based on the politics of man rather than scriptural principles.

So many times individuals have come to me not knowing the voice of God and not knowing what to do. My usual question to them is, "What's the last thing you KNOW he told you to do?" Usually there's an answer. Often it's something seemingly small and insignificant. "Then go there and do it."

We can't take a shortcut around this 'obedience' thing. We must obey to be his people. We must be able to hear his voice. Therefore, we must set aside idols, put on fresh clothes, and prepare to hear from him. It's HIS desire to speak to us.

A common misinterpretation is that we need to be "good enough" to meet with God. That's not correct. It's impossible for anyone to be "good enough", so there's no sense in that. We must simply be prepared. We need to consecrate ourselves. Be set apart. Be quiet.

Prepare to meet with God.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


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