The Voice of God

 The Voice of God

“But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel did not obey me. So I gave them over with their own plans. If only my people would listen to me and Israel would follow my ways.” Psalm 81:11

How do we hear the voice of God?

I was listening to a Christian artist do a podcast recently. This man knew the highs of highs  and lows of lows and when asked his favorite song he said, “The Voice of God.” Out of all the songs that I know are so much more popular he named this one.  Hearing his story I began to understand that he had something so much deeper than popular worship songs he had an understanding about the heart of God. He understood that voice was louder than everything that continued to tell him the opposite. During the hight of his career one mistake he made resulted in his lowest time of his life. He said it was the worst day of his life. He mentioned someone in his life that taught him the love of Jesus and that was his grandma. But even as that day that he said was the worst he had to remember the voice of God. His grandmas taught him about faith but he had to learn how to listen to the voice of God. His voice never leaves.

The voice of the Creator is the same voice that saved us. 

Listening to the voice of God is that still small voice that leads us. The voice that spoke creation into place is the same voice that leads me when it becomes so hard to see beyond myself. That Holy voice of God cannot compete with anything that tries to attempt to drag me down. Not my anxiety. Not my doubt. Not my insecurities. 

God’s voice responds to everything that He speaks to. So why do I quiet that voice? Why do I choose not to listen to that voice? Because I forget. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19: 1-4

God can’t stop speaking it isn’t His nature. But it will take my ears tuning in to hear what He speaks. It is the only thing that will draw us back to Him. Even as He continues to speak and stand alone it is the remembrance my heart will have to choose to surrender to His voice. Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty…

Where do you need to respond to His voice? 

Father,

You are patiently waiting for us to respond to your voice. 

Give us respondent hearts for you Jesus.

Amen

 

Wait on the Lord

 Wait on the Lord

“Make your ways known to me, LORD; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth my salvation; I wait for you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5

In order for me to learn the Lord’s ways I must unlearn mine. The good news is that the Lord understands my waywardness in this process and is ready and willing to meet me every step of the way. What is even better is that God tells me that none of it is done on my own but only when I allow Him to do the work.

If it was just that easy. Once I make that decision to live in a way that is opposite of mine it will be daily asking the Lord, “Give me a lifestyle that reflects Jesus.” And the enemy will fight against this heart posture and remembrance of this every single day.

I will never forget when I began to grasp what it meant to live for Jesus. I was sleeping one night to encounter a nightmare so real it makes me shudder when I look back. My college days are full of times I know the Lord has graciously saved me from consequences I should have received. But as much as He has spared me from that “old life” it left marks that the enemy just loves to remind me of. And this particular nightmare had me as the star in the movie that played before my eyes in situations that I had put myself in and played out in a way that I couldn't dismiss. As much as I wanted to stop this bad movie I couldn’t.  Then came a voice. “Look at you. God could never forgive you.” Even as I was in my nightmare I knew that mocking voice wasn’t the voice of my Father. I sat up from that nightmare and said out loud, “I have been covered by Jesus you don’t own me I belong to Jesus.” That was the last time I had that nightmare but it wasn’t the last time the enemy tried to bring up my past. 

“Remember, LORD, your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, LORD.” Psalm 25:6-7

David remembered. God’s forgiveness is His Character. He forgives us because that is what His promise has been all along. He says, “I have removed your sin as far as the east from the west.” I have scattered it. That is what I heard today and I love that picture. Because so many times I want to gather all the wrongs and keep holding on them allowing that to direct the way I think. God tells me to release them. 

So what are you waiting for? Dependence on the Lord is relying on His compassion and faithful love to meet us in those very places the enemy is hoping we will hide away in.

Father,

Mercy is waiting and his name is Jesus. We deserve so much but you tell us it was taken care of when we began a new life in you Jesus. Nothing we could ever repay a free gift because of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Help us to release what is holding us back from knowing our freedom wasn’t based on what we have done. The cross was meant for us so that we can wait and see all that you have for us. Waiting upon you gives us freedom to live in a way that says, “ I trust you.” thank you Jesus..

 

Daily Trust

  Daily Trust

“I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.” Isaiah 43:2

 

God is assuring the Israelites that He has redeemed them and His Presence was with them.  They didn’t have the Living Spirit within them but God was guiding them, protecting them, leading them, and reminding them. We have the Living Spirit that empowers us to remember. He is with us. 

 I have such a hard time with the concept of receiving what I need daily. What is about the daily reminder that I can’t quite fully understand? Some days I am great at this and others it can sound like, “Are you sure Lord you are there because it feels so quiet.”  This life we are called to live isn’t easy. The waters, rivers, and fire sometimes can be felt within us. And no amount of praying that away will ever remove those feelings. That isn’t me remembering the resurrecting power within me. That is me allowing the feelings to be bigger than remembering my Waymaker. 

Have you ever thought about how what we call impossible is easy to God? I was reminded of this today. What I think is hard to walk in is the exact thing God is moving in in order for Him to show me that dependency. It is the voice of the Lord that calls me each day to wake up and remember that no matter what I can trust in God. I can choose to praise when things are before me that don’t seem to move. Resurrecting Power exists because I have been given the power to call upon the voice of the Lord that can cause my heart to remember. 

“Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears fruit each season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1:2-3

It is a choice everyday what I choose to worship. What I allow in my mind and heart will determine what flows out of me. Resurrection wasn’t just a one time thing, it is rising each day and remembering who I live for. I am a child of God. I have the same power that raised Christ from the dead living in me to accomplish whatever the Lord desires to do within me. The enemy doesn’t stand a chance with what God desires to do. I can choose to allow praise to be my weapon. 

The enemy wants me to delight in myself. He wants me dependent and looking within myself. I can hear his mocking voice, “Look at you again in that same place.” And the Lord reminds me to stay planted with Him. Father, I will trust in you with all my heart, mind and strength.” 

So where is the Lord asking you once again to trust Him?

Tell Him and He will meet you there. 

Father,

Thank you for daily providing what we need. Perfect submission is a heart posture of remembering and thanking you before the outcome. Seeking you Lord brings us reassurance and daily sustenance that we won’t receive anywhere else. Choosing to live our lives can bring us a source of peace that can’t be explained. Because of the difficulty we can continue to trust you because of your Faithfulness. You will never fail, Lord. Remind our hearts when we need this truth. 

Amen