LISTEN TO GOD

It is not the nature of Man to readily and naturally submit themselves to another’s authority.  We like to call the shots.  But sometimes this independence goes beyond refusing to submit to other people and includes rebellion against the Lord God.  Yet the Sovereign God of the universe reveals himself to all people and holds us accountable for submitting to him as Lord.

God has used many ways to reveal himself.  Through:

Creation: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”  Romans 1:20

Dreams and visions: “he (God) said, ‘Listen to my words:  When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.’  Numbers 12:6

Unusual natural phenomena: “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.  Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.”

Exodus 3:2

Prophets: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,” Hebrews 1:1

Scriptures: “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

The ultimate revelation of God is in His Son Jesus Christ.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”  John 1:1-5

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14

“…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”  Hebrews 1:2-3

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’  Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’.” John 14:8-9

God called to Job out of a storm (Job 38:1); He spoke to Elijah in a whisper (1 Kings 19:9-13).  When David was out of fellowship with God, God spoke to him through the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1-14).  There are many ways God can speak to us, but we need to be listening for his voice. There are many things in our lives that we cannot know or understand that are known only to God.  It is important to remember that God is in charge and to submit to His will at all times.

A personal intimate relationship with God is the most important thing in this lifetime.  It can be ours by repenting of our sins, believing that Jesus is God’s Son who made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and allowing God’s Holy Spirit to come and dwell in us and lead us to live a righteous life.