Listening to God

Listening

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Seldom do we actually “hear with our ears” God speaking to us, yet He speaks constantly. We were spiritually hardwired to hear.

Why did Jesus teach in parables?

Text: Ezekiel 33:30-32, John12:27-30, Matthew 13:10-17

MT.13:10-17 Read in Passion translation.

Jn.12:27-30 They actually “heard” God speak. Look at their reaction. V.29
Jesus told them, God did not speak for His sake, but for theirs.
Yet they discounted God’s voice as “thunder, or an angel, but concluded it wasn’t for them.

It wasn’t that God didn’t speak clearly, or mumbled, or …

Someone call 911 - Why doesn’t someone call?
Studies have shown the larger the crowed, the less likely someone will call, or take it to heart.

Because they are in a crowd mindset – he’s talking to someone else.
Isn’t this a lot like Sunday morning service?

God speaks, but it is for someone else.

I think this is why in so many churches around the world, people go to church, but their lives are not changed.

When you hear someone whispering, isn’t our natural tendency to get quiet and lean towards them.

That’s what makes the difference for us to hear God’s voice.
When you want to hear, we lean in.

Rev.3:22. “He who has an ear, let him hear...” 7 Times!

Ez.33:30-32
Often, it’s just a subtle quiet voice that if you weren’t listening on purpose, you would have missed it.

A seemingly passing thought turns out to be Him.

Heb. 514 “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern …” NKJV
“by consistent use have trained themselves to distinguish ...” NIV
Our sensitivity to Him can be and should be trained and exercised.

2Cor 3:16 “when one turns to the Lord…. the veil is taken away.”
Note the sequence.