Picking up the call- in The Word – 8-26-13
God is calling... are you picking up?
The
voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the
Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah
40: 3
… at
the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz saying,” Go
and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off
your feet.” And he did so walking naked and barefoot. Then the Lord
said, “ just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot
three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, so
shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and
the Ethiopians as captives, young and old Naked and barefoot...
Isaiah 20 2-4
How much
does God have to do to get your attention? Will He make someone walk
naked before you to get a message across? Or will you take the time
to listen to His still small voice?
God
wants to speak to you today; right where you are He is calling, do
you hear His voice?
Why is
it we cannot hear the voice of God; here are a few reasons.
- We are distracted by the world of things and people around us at any given moment. We work, we play, we study and all of this is needed for our lives but we need to take time to set things aside and listen.
- Put those things aside that are hindering you and listen to His voice. What does God want to tell you today. 1 Peter 2:1
We
walk not by faith, but we walk the way the world leads us. 2
Corinthians 5:7 We need to walk by faith not by sight; our eyes both
physical and spiritual should be on the Lord and what He is going to
do today in our lives. Why do we let ourselves get caught up in the
way of the world? We pay more attention to the television shows, or
the radio news than we do to God's Word and the message He gives us
to walk in. This is not how it should be, we need to focus our eyes
on the Lord and follow Him. Set our eyes on things above, and think
on these things not on the things that we walk in daily. Jesus
walked in the world, but he did not walk of the world. If it is true
that we have Christ in our lives then we too must walk not according
to the world but according to the Word of God!John 1:1-13- We need to stay focused and keep our lives in order so that God will lead us to where He wants us to go, whom we need to talk with and where we need to go from there. Right now I am sitting at a coffee shop writing. A guy notices my typing speed and strikes up a conversation regarding that. I could have ignored him and been rude but instead I mentioned I was a writer and that's why I am typing so fast. This lead to discussion about his church's sermon yesterday which was on focusing on God's purpose from the sound of it. Funny, I am writing about getting our eyes on God, and His focus for us! Talk about the right topic. I don't know if I can continue writing here each week but if I do I will always try to make room for God's focus not just mine.
- We need to be open to what God wants us to talk about, and not just gab about the local teams and such.
- We need to let go of our interests and allow God to have input in our effect on other people's lives. He may have a word for you to share and you allowed your feelings of in-adequateness to stop you from blessing both of you.
- We need to not listen to our own lies about how rotten life is and focus on how good God wants it to be.
- We need to be ready instant in season and out of season. No one knows how short their lives are, we do not know who will walk out the door after talking to us and get shot, or hit by a car or commit suicide. There is no way we can know but God knows and if they cross our path we have the chance to influence them for Him. If we only listen to His nudges.
Some
days it seems we just need to get shaken up to get our attention off
of our own problems. Some days we need to wake up to the needs of
those around us, or the blessings that abound in our neighbor's house
and know that God is moving.
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Lets
work to get rid of the things that bind us, and throw off those
things that hold us back from doing what God has called each of us to
do. Lets find our purpose and walk in it!
Today my
daughter started University, my son started at a private school and I
am not teaching for the first school year in 17 years! I am seeking
the Lord for direction if there is another job for me but He just
keeps reminding me of the books He has given me to write. The list
grows daily so I will be reading and studying and writing as I go!
Look for new books to come!
I could
have chosen to lay around and eat bonbons all day, but I have decided
to follow Jesus!
When I
made the choice to follow Him I gave Him the controls over my life
and so I must seek Him for what I need, where I go, and what I do
before making choices. God is good and He will not leave me standing
here long before He will give me a new project.
He will
provide the words, and I provide the fingers. So as I sit here
writing and formulating the words with which to encourage you and I
also giving birth to new ideas for books to write! I am being
encouraged by the words that God is giving me as I write these words
for you today.
We never
know who we will effect with a kind word, a smile, or a response to a
question asked. It is important to reach out to the poor and give
them blessings; don't support their bad habits but bring them to
Christ's door that they may open it and learn to seek Him for their
needs.
This
week as we listen for His voice each day try to write your self a few
notes about what you think He wants you to do with what you see, and
what you hear. Then look back on Friday and see if you have responded
to the Holy Spirit as He draws you toward the direction and purpose
in your life.
Heavenly
father, help us to focus on our work of the week, both in the world
but not of the world. Help those we converse with know that we have
made You our CEO. Give us the words to speak and ears to hear what
you have told us as well. In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested
reading John 1:1-13, 2 Corinthians 5:1-21, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, 1
Timothy 3:1-16