1 Samuel 3:8-10, “God called again, “Samuel!” – the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, “Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.” That’s when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, “Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, God. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” Samuel returned to his bed. Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (MSG)
It was a time right at the beginning of Samuel's life as he is a young man staying with the priest, Eli. And it says this, “God called again, “Samuel!” – the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, “Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.” That’s when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, “Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, God. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” Samuel returned to his bed. Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (MSG)
See, God wanted to talk to Samuel, but He had a little difficulty getting the call through. He had to dial three times after all. Likewise, God has some things He'd like to say to you about your future, your pain, your questions, the decisions you need to make, maybe the struggle you're going through. But maybe there's just a one-way phone most of the time. Oh, you're calling God whenever you feel like it (or feel you need to). You're talking about whatever is on your mind. But maybe you're not allowing much opportunity for God to whisper something to your soul.
In a nutshell: He Wants Prayer To Be Dialogue, Not Monologue.
The dangerous problem is that we unfortunately rewrite this verse to read, "Listen Lord. Your servant is speaking." And He does. He listens. We initiate a call to God, we say what we want to say, He listens then we hang up. And the less we listen, the more we miss out on what God wants to tell us.
Jeremiah 33:2-3, “This is God’s Message…’Call to Me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” (MSG)
But unfortunate for us, we call God; tell Him what we want to then hang up! He never gets the opportunity to speak back!
Instead, we call God and say, “Lord, help me meet the mortgage this month; how am I going to pay tuition at these new rates; how am I supposed to put these 3 children through college when they’re stair-steps in age; what am I going to do when this last check runs out? Lord, my marriage is letting go of the last string it had to hold onto, what now? Lord, I went to the doctor for that, and now they say I’ve got this too, what’s going on? God, I give my tithe, and my financial future is looking more and more empty. God, I can’t get this weight off; God I’m tired of being single; God when will I have a baby? God, will I ever get this promotion? When can I open the church, start the business, have peace of mind?!” We talk to God only to tell Him to, “fix it God; heal it God; save it God; deliver it God; promote it God; protect it God; provide for it God; send him/her God; close that door God; open that door God; forgive me God; punish them God…” And our ‘to-do-list’ for God goes on and on and on!
But when do we take the deliberate, undisturbed time to listen to God?
Samuel said, “…Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (MSG)
Are you just as ready to listen? The word ‘ready’ is defined as ‘prepared for an activity or situation; made suitable and available for immediate use; easily obtained; within reach; willing to do or having a desire for; quick; prompt; prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action’. So, are you ready to listen? Have you entered into prayer prepared to listen to God? Are you within reach of God’s voice, or is His voice muffled by all the other voices vying for your attention? Do you even have a desire to hear God speak? Are you mentally, physically and spiritually prepared for an experience with God? Are you ready, quick and prompt, or are you hesitating, procrastinating, dragging, slothful, lazy in your approach to God? Have you made yourself suitable and available for God’s immediate use when He talks to you and tells you what He wants you to do? Listen to Samuel again: “The Lord then stood beside Samuel and called out as He had done before, “Samuel, Samuel!” “I’m listening,” Samuel answered. “What do You want me to do?” (vs.10 CEV) Is that your response to God? Or do you end your prayer with, “God, here’s what I want You to do!” There's a difference you know?
People of God, you give your ear to many people throughout the day: Your spouse; your children; your family; your friends; your coworkers; your bosses; your church family; the news; sports; even the latest gossip …so are you giving your ear to God as much as you're giving to everything and everyone else? Does He have your undivided attention? Do you take time to hear His voice?
Just imagine the great things God wants to say to you, but you won’t listen. You have a one-way calling system…you talk to God, He listens to you, you hang up! But what happens when you install a new, two-way calling system?
God is about to tell Samuel about something Big He’s getting ready to do in Israel, and when it is heard, it will shock people, shake people and get everyone’s attention! And all Samuel has to do is listen carefully! Samuel is getting insider information because he’s attentive enough to listen…are you? I mean, this is about to be some exciting news! Likewise, God wants to show you some amazing things, but you have to stop talking long enough to hear Him say them! Samuel let’s God know, “I’m listening, I’m paying attention, speak Lord, talk to me, share with me the great things You’re about to do!” Have you positioned yourself in like manner?
LISTEN: When you pray about something, allow some silent time at the beginning and at the end. Allow a space where God can call to you. You won't always hear an audible voice like Samuel; that's not needed so much today when God lives inside His children through the Holy Spirit. But He'll speak to you as you meditate on a verse of Scripture. He'll light up your situation suddenly with a personal application of those words or maybe as you're praying. I tend to trust the ideas or the insights that come into my heart/mind while I'm talking to God about an issue, when I've turned off everything else, not looking at my cell phone, not responding to texts, not listening to the radio, not watching TV, nothing else around, and I'm just listening to God solo - to let Him say something to my soul. I can trust pretty much what I hear then, and so can you.
As children of God, we need to listen for what God tells us to do concerning our family, health, finances, schooling, church, personal salvation, deliverance. You need to hear what He has to tell you about raising sons and daughters, about loving your own, one wife or husband. You need to hear what He has to tell you about being effective in your church, your community or even as you rise on the corporate ladder. You need to hear what He has to tell you to tell another brother or sister, as iron still sharpens iron. You have to hear what He has to tell you about leading and following; spear-heading; working solo and as a part of the team. You have to hear what God needs to tell you about your ministry, anointing, and gifts. You have to hear God’s instructions concerning your every assignment, the ones to take and the ones to leave alone. You have to hear God clearly say, ‘she’s the one!’ You have to hear God say, ‘save this; spend that; invest there.’
You will never be a person with an effective vision who has impaired hearing to God’s voice!
You Need To Hear God When He Tells You, ‘Sign That Contract; Get Out Of That Contract; Lay Hands On That Building; Go To That Dealership; That’s The School; That’s The Job; Go To This Doctor; See That Specialist; Start Now; Stop Now; Wait Now; Not Now.’
John 10:27, “…My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow Me…” (MSG) Do you recognize God’s voice? Do you know God’s voice? Do you follow God’s voice? The word ‘recognize’ is defined as, ‘to identify; to acknowledge the validity and legality of; to show official appreciation of.” Its Latin Origin ‘recognoscere’, from ‘cognoscere’ literally means ‘to learn.’ You need to learn how to recognize God’s voice, and the best way to do that is to make it a daily habit of listening to it!
Listen, communication with God has to become as vital to you as breathing. Not just talking to Him, but listening to Him. What does He want you to do? Where does He want you to go? Who does He want you to take? When are you supposed to go? How are you supposed to go? God desires to give you guidance and direction, but you have to listen first! Imagine if you listened to God the way you listen to your GPS on your cell phone or the Navigator in your vehicle when you’re trying to figure out where you’re going or where you are. You pay attention to every detail, you turn down the radio just in case there’s an unforeseen turn up ahead…but when God speaks, we have selective hearing! Many would still have their homes; cars; money and virginity...had they waited to hear God speak.
Listen: I know the frustration of just receiving information without being able to send any, and so does God. If your heaven-link phone has only been calling out, why not try Samuel's prayer every new day, "Speak Lord. Your servant is listening." It's important that God receives calls from you; it's much more important that you get those calls from God!
“Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue; God’s voice is its most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of the assurance that He will listen to mine.” (Andy Murray)
“Prayer is not the answer. God is the answer. Prayer is the vehicle by which we reach God.” (Greg Laurie)
Blessings
J.P. Olson
Join us tonight in our Tuesday Night Bible Study. The Bible Study conference call has become a gathering place to meet in God's presence on Tuesday evenings, where we are fed the Word of God. It helps to sustain us through the week for our weak days. You are welcome to join us. Jackie Trought has been our Bible Study teacher for the month of March. I tell you if you missed any of her teachings you should try and join us tonight where she teaches as well as ignite the fire with the Word of God. (CST) Tues. 7:00 PM- 8:00 PM. Call toll free 1-302-202-1106, access conference code, 738510 for U.S. & Canada or Call 800-780-8834 Access Code: 2065345.
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