Do You Have a Listening Heart and Ears?

I appreciate your coming to read and study the Word of God with us today. I pray that you will glean His Words of truth from our study and thus gain a fuller and richer life in the Lord. Holy Spirit, speak. Eric

A critical component of faith and discipleship is having a heart that is open to God's guidance and wisdom. The question we will mainly be focusing on today is: How do we receive God's guidance and wisdom?

The prophet Jeremiah was known as the 'weeping prophet.' He was sent to Judah to warn them to turn from their sins and wicked ways or face the judgment of God. Jeremiah 6:10 reveals the isolation and frustration Jeremiah was feeling because of the spiritual blindness of the people. "To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the Word of the Lord has become offensive to them. They find no pleasure in it.”

Asking the question, "Who will listen to me?" indicates "widespread apathy and a deep-seated spiritual deafness. The prophet was speaking on God's behalf however, when he expressed, 'their ears are closed,' it reflected a hardened heart and a refusal to obey. The phrase, 'they find no pleasure in it' (The Word of the Lord), suggests a preference for worldly pleasures over divine truth. This condition is a warning to all believers about the dangers of becoming desensitized to God's voice." (Bible Hub Study Bible).

How so we receive God's wisdom and guidance? We need to cultivate a listening heart, attuned to the voice of God, which we can hear through Scripture, prayer and the Holy Spirit's leading.

Romans 10:17 reveals that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. 'Hearing' akoes (the act or sense of the thing heard) "weaves through the New Testament as a thread linking the living voice (Word) of God to the human heart." (Bible Hub Topical Lexicon). 2 Timothy 3:16 reads, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction and for training in righteousness." The Scripture is the Word of God, in other words, the Scripture is the voice of God.

Time and time again, we read in Scripture, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." This phrase is a call to attention emphasizing the importance of what is being or has been spoken. It conveys that you need to be spiritually receptive because what was spoken is significant. 'Let him hear' denotes not to just hear, but to understand and then to act upon the message. "It indicates a deeper level of listening that goes beyond auditory reception to comprehension and obedience."(Bible Hub Study Bible). We all need to read the Word of God with discernment and responsiveness to spiritual truths.

When Moses was delivering his final speeches before the Israelites crossed the Jordan to enter the Promised Land, he spoke these words concerning the Lord's command to them, Deuteronomy 32:47, "For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess." Then, we read in John 6:63 that Jesus spoke these words to the disciples, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."

The Words of God are informative and transformative because they are life! Through the Word, mature believers "have senses trained to distinguish good from evil. Discernment develops from a practice of listening to God's voice." (Bible Hub Topical Encyclopedia).

Hearing God's voice provides believers with divine guidance and direction. Proverbs 3:6 reveals, "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."

As we stated earlier, we receive God's guidance and wisdom through cultivating a listening heart attuned to God's voice which we hear through His Word, prayer and the Holy Spirit. Let's look at Isaiah 50:4b and 5a, "he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear..." "God is intimately involved in helping us to listen and the Holy Spirit enables us to listen to God productively!" (gingerharrington.com). The Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Word, through our thoughts and through our spirits. The Holy Spirit often speaks through a still small voice. Always make sure the thoughts you have or receive lines up with the Word of God. The Lord never goes against His Word. I have counseled many when they have had to make serious decisions. My counsel is, to 'follow peace.' Psalm 85:8 (BSB) reveals, "I will listen to what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people and his saints..."

As believers, we have been instructed in the Word of God to 'pray without ceasing.' (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This means we need to establish an "ongoing persistent and habitual practice of prayer. It suggests having a continual awareness of God's presence and a constant reliance on Him throughout the day." (Bible Hub Topical Lexicon). So, as believers we should develop an attitude of prayer that permeates every part of our day.

If you have let your prayer life slip, I encourage you strongly, to develop a dynamic daily discipline of communing with the Father. Did you notice? I wrote,'communing' with the Father. To 'pray' is to commune. To commune is to talk over or discuss, or to exchange feelings or thoughts.

For many, prayer has turned into a five minute encounter of asking that He meet all our needs, that He blesses us with more, that He ministers to our sick friends and families and that He gives us the wisdom we need - then, we rush along into our daily activities. What kind of communing or conversation is that? It isn't! That is definitely a one sided 'pouring out' of what we want Him to do for us! If we are going to have meaningful prayers and communion with the Lord, we have to determine that we will intentionally quiet our hearts and mind, worship Him, present out needs, and listen to hear God's voice. We need to shift our focus to being attentive to the Holy Spirit's prompting rather than only speaking our requests, thoughts, praises or needs. We must set aside distractions, meditate on Scripture and humbly wait for God to communicate through His Word or speak through His Spirit. We have to assume a posture of expectancy and stillness, trusting and believing that God will respond.

Hear God's heart in these following verses. "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37:7a). "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go..." (Psalm 32:8). James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given to him." When we ask for wisdom though, we must listen for His response! "If you do all the talking when you pray, how will you ever hear God's answers?" (A.W. Tozer).

1 Kings 19 recounts a time when Elijah was afraid for his life, because of threats from Jezebel. He was hiding in a cave when God spoke to Him. The Lord passed by and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces. After the wind, an earthquake, then a fire came but the Lord was not in the wind, earthquake or fire. However, after the fire came the sound of a still small voice. The Lord instructed Elijah to go back and appoint Kings and a prophet to take his place. God is interested in every aspect of your life. He desires that we call on Him. He answers. (Jeremiah 33:3). He has a wonderful plan for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11). In Isaiah 30:21 we see that He wants to direct you in the way you should go, "whether you turn to the right or to the left your ears will hear this command behind you, “This is the way walk in it." Praise God!

John 14:16 and 17 reveals we have been given an Advocate, Intercessor, Consoler, Comforter and Helper - the Paraclete or Holy Spirit, who is with us forever. The Holy Spirit speaks to and through us (by giving us words). He also teaches us. (Acts 4:31; 1 Corinthians 2:13). We will only learn or be ministered to if we listen.

"Discerning God's voice is integral to spiritual growth and maturity. Discernment develops from a practice of listening to God's voice," (Bible Hub Study Bible), which occurs most commonly through our reading and meditating on the Scriptures.

Discerning and responding to God's voice is essential for guidance and obedience.

We, as His followers, are expected to recognize His voice. (John 10:27).

Do you recognize His voice?

Do you afford Him an opportunity to speak?

Early in my ministry, I practiced an exercise that helped me learn to carry on a conversation or commune with God. I went to a place where I could be alone. I placed two chairs facing each other. I sat on one chair and with my spiritual imagination invited God to sit in the other. This reminded me to give an opportunity to fellowship and have a conversation with God during my prayer time. Remember, God is listening, but He also wants to speak.

Spend time being still before Him.

Spend time in silence listening for His voice.

Use the Scriptures as your guide. He will never go against His Word.

You listen.

He will speak.

Isaiah 55:3, "Incline your ear, and come to me; hear that your soul may live."

All Scripture is taken from the English Standard Version.