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Benefit Of Listening And Obeying God

Several weeks ago, I was driving through town in my company work truck. I had come up to a four way stop sign intersection and made a complete stop. There was no one directly at any of the intersections, however, there was one truck coming down the road from my right side. This person had plenty of time to stop for the stop sign from where I saw him.

As I was about to pull out and cross the intersection, I felt God say to stay and not move. I could not understand why I should wait because I had the right-a-way and the truck had plenty of time to stop. But I chose to wait.

The truck ended up barreling through the intersection without even beginning to slow down at all. He was going at least 35-40 mph. Had I not listened and obeyed God, I would have been right in the middle of the intersection when he came through. I would have been hit very hard on the passenger side, most likely causing my truck to rollover, along with who knows how much more damage physically to me and the truck would have occurred.

This makes me think of something Jesus had said,

But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

Too often I hear God’s voice and don’t want to obey it. Or I know what His word says in the Bible, but do not follow it as I should. God does not speak to us unless it is for our benefit. He knows what is best for us and:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23

God will direct my steps if I allow Him to do so and there will be great benefits in doing so. He cares about my life each and every day.

I want to encourage you to listen to what God has to say and then obey it. He is interested in your day to day living.

Picture by John Matychuk under Unsplash

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1 Samuel 9:27 Stay To Hear

As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”–and the servant did so–“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.” 1 Samuel 9:27

Everyday people are extremely busy moving from one thing to the next from morning until night. In the busyness of life many people do not slow down to wait and be able to hear a needed message. Most feel that they already know all they need to know and keep on moving.

Samuel had a message from God for Saul. He told Saul to send his servant on ahead and to wait for that message.

In the same way the world is pushing forward and does not want to hear an important message, many believers are doing the same. There are times that God has a message for a believer, but is unable to give it, because the believer is not slowing down long enough to listen. He is busy living life or doing ministry or something else.

God sees the present and the future of everyone and everything. He knows what is best for each and every believer and is willing to share what is best with the believer.

Once in a while the believer must be willing to stop and listen to what God may have to say. It may come directly from God, His word or through some other person or media. Without stopping and waiting to listen, one will never hear the important message God has for him.

God is to be the Lord, Master, Commander of the believer. Every believer is to take his orders from God, so he must be willing to listen to what the orders are.

God is willing to speak to you. There will be times that He has a message specifically for you to direct your path.

Be willing to ask God if He has a message for you, then take time to stop and listen to what God may be trying to tell you. Set your agenda down and pick up God’s agenda for your life.

Until you stop and listen, you will never know what God has for you. You will be unable to learn to hear God’s voice speaking to you.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will stop moving to hear what God has to say; that you will open your ears and heart to hear God’s message to you; and that you will trust God’s message to you.

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1 Samuel 3:10 Are You Listening?

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10

No matter where a person goes there are people speaking. Voices can be heard in person or through electronic devices at all times around the clock.

Since there is so much noise going on, many people tune out many of those voices. Even though they are hearing, they are not listening to the voices. Ignoring the voices is the common action of most people. People will choose who or what they will listen to.

God had called to Samuel and Samuel heard and responded by saying that God could speak because he was listening.

Everyday people are listening to many different things. It can be listening to friends, family members, music, television and more. There is no place that a person can go without hearing something being said.

However, it is a choice as to what a person will listen to. Often people will listen to what is the loudest in their life and then follow that voice.

Believers are to be in tune with listening to God and what He has to say. It is God who is supposed to direct the lives of every believer, not the world.

Yet, many believers choose to listen to the world and follow its ways. Not listening to God appears to be easier, because His word often is against the sinful desires of mankind.

Instead of listening to the world, believers must be willing to listen for God’s voice. God is speaking and desires to tell people the plans He has for them. He will rarely shout, but will speak in a still, quiet voice that only those who are listening can really hear.

God has something to tell you. He loves to talk with you and direct your paths in His ways.

Take time to close out and ignore the many voices of the world and listen for God to speak. The more you are listening to and obeying God’s voice, the more you will hear God speak into your life.

Do not allow the voices of the world to control your way of living and drown out God’s voice in your life causing you to sin against God. Be the servant of God that He has called you to be and listen for His voice.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the voice of God in your life; that you will listen for God to speak; that you will obey all that God tells you to do; that God will give you discernment to know what voices are not His; and that you will be a servant of God.

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Exodus 35:1 What Is God Commanding?

Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do:” Exodus 35:1

In every location upon the earth and every day, all day, there are millions of people giving commands or rules for that day. Bosses, managers and other leaders are directing their workers on what needs to be accomplished and how it is to be done.

The majority of people will listen and follow the instructions with very few questions against it. Those who listen and follow will do well. Those who ignore the instructions will often fail and get into trouble.

Moses gathered everyone together and began to tell them what God had commanded them to do.

Although many people do not like to be told what to do, most accept it as part of their job or position in society. People realize that there does need to be someone leading and giving the commands as the final authority.

Many believers today will try and say that God does not command anymore, but that people are now under grace, not the Law. While it is true that believers are now under grace, God does still give many commands, some of which are found directly in the Bible.

God does command to obey His commands, to love everyone, to forgive others, to flee sin, to repent of all sin, to be His witness and much more. There are many commands on how to think, act and react in the Bible.

Along with all the commands in the Bible, God also gives individuals direct commands. Some of these may be to move to a new location, change or start a job, not do something, go a different direction, start some ministry position, and much more.

In order to obey His commands, one has to listen for God to speak and then obey them.

God has some specific commands that are directed only to you in addition to the general ones found throughout the Bible. Only God and you know what He is trying to tell you.

You have to be open to hearing what God has to tell you. And you have to be in the constant mode of listening for God to speak. Unlike with the Israelites, you do not have to be gathered together with others to hear God’s voice. He can speak to you wherever you are at any time day or night.

What is God telling you today?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will hear God speaking to you; that you will obey all of God’s commands to you; and that you will trust God with all of your heart, soul and mind.

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Exodus 6:9 Some Will Not Listen

Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Exodus 6:9

Hearing someone speak is something that is easy to do and most people will do it. Acting upon what they hear is completely different.

Truth of what to do can be told, but many will not act upon because of the situation that they are in or who the information is coming from. The greatest news can be given but will be rejected because of past or current troubles occurring. All that is seen is the immediate complications, rather than the truth.

Moses went and told all that God was going to do in removing them from Egypt. They would not listen to him because of all the discouragement and trouble they were in.

Of all the news that has ever been told, the gospel message of salvation is the greatest. It is a message that brings hope, healing and eternal life. It provides a purpose for this life that is greater than anything else.

While many will hear the gospel message and accept it, there are many who will also reject it. Very often their rejection is based on the circumstances of their life past and present.

Going through life, most people have lost all hope. Many have tried many different things to gain a hope and a purpose and those things failed them. They reject the idea that there may be something good out there for them and are unwilling to give Jesus a chance.

Just as Moses kept going forward with the message God gave him, believers are to continue speaking the gospel message to more people. As one rejects the message, the believer must turn to another and give the message again and again, never giving up as some will believe and the truth will be revealed in the end.

You have opportunities to tell people about Jesus. Some will accept and some will reject the message. This happened to Moses and it happened to Jesus and will happen to you also.

Do not get discouraged and quit passing on the message. Hold on to the truth God has given you and keep passing it on to others.

Trust in God’s message and that He will work on the hearts of people to hear it and act upon it as you continue to proclaim it.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will hear God’s message to the people; that you will proclaim God’s message of salvation to the people; and that the hearts of the people will turn to God.