Having Trouble Hearing God's Voice?

I read of an elderly man who thought that his wife was going deaf. To test her hearing, he walked across the room, turned his back to his wife and said, "Can you hear me?" There was no response. So, he moved a little closer to her and repeated the question, "Can you hear me?" Again, there was no response. So, he moved a little closer so that he was standing near his wife and said, "Can you hear me now?" This time, he heard his wife say, "For the third time, I can hear you!" He thought that the hearing problem was his wife's, but it was really his problem.

If you have been having trouble hearing from God, consider moving closer to Him. Remember that God promised, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 5:8).

Intimacy

Here’s a simple thought for us to chew on for a few days ….

Many Christians have substituted familiarity
with God for intimacy with Him.

It's Time to Pick a Fight!

Ever since I was a child, Samson has always been one of my biblical heroes. To this day, I love reading in the book of Judges about Samson’s ability to catch his enemy off guard and totally annihilate them. Samson would seemingly appear out of nowhere and put the smackdown on the Philistines. It is evident that he loved to pick a fight with his enemy and bring about justice.

Why is this man still so significant in my life? Because like Samson, I am consumed with a desire to pick a fight on my enemy. I've had it. Enough is enough. I'm not going to sit back and watch this generation keep sinking lower and lower. I'm not going to complacently watch the enemy perpetuate his stronghold on our children. It's time to pick a fight.

Consider this:

"As Samson arrived at Lehi, the Philistines came shouting in triumph.
But the Spirit of the LORD powerfully took control of Samson,
and he snapped the ropes on his arms
as if they were burnt strands of flax, and they fell from his wrists."
Judges 15:14 (New Living Translation)

The key to our ability to change this generation is "... the Spirit of the Lord powerfully took control ..." The Spirit of God would come upon Samson from time-to-time for a specific task or feat. Here's the exciting part ... that same Spirit who came upon Samson now abides within us. (John 14:17). The Holy Spirit now has His permanent residence on the inside of us!

The Spirit of God will cause your limitations to fall off of you just as He did for Samson (Judges 15:14). The Spirit of God will give you creative ways of tormenting the enemy just as He did as Samson destroyed the Philistine's grain fields, vineyards, and olive trees with firetorch-bearing foxes. (Judges 15:4-5). The Spirit of God will have people asking in amazement who could have done such unbelievable damage to the enemy. (Judges 15:6).

Come on, stand up with me. It’s time to pick a fight. This generation has been held captive long enough. It is time to call upon the Spirit of God to rise up within us. We can't sit back any longer. Let’s see this be the generation that will seek His face. (Psalm 24:6).

The Privilege of Intimacy

I recently came across something that has really impacted my life. Let me share with you a thought from the July 4th entry of Andrew Murray's Daily Secrets of Christian Living ...

Have you ever thought what a wonderful privilege it is that everyone each day and each hour of the day has the liberty of asking God to meet Him in the inner chamber and to hear what He has to say? We should imagine that every Christian uses such a privilege gladly and faithfully.

"When thou prayest," says Jesus, "enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." That means two things. Shut the world out, withdraw from all worldly thoughts and occupations, and shut yourself in alone with God to pray to Him in secret. Let this be your chief object in prayer, to realize the presence of your heavenly Father. Let your watchword be: Alone with God.

There's nothing more that I can add to Murray's insight. Let's take advantage of that privilege.