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Many Voices

Jeremiah 7:23 (AMP) But this thing I did command them: ‘Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, so that it may be well with you.’ 

Many people want to hear God on the direction to go in life. Do we take a certain job? Do we enroll our kids in this school? Do we move to this city? As I see it, there are three voices speaking to us at all times. There is God’s, there is the devil’s and then there is ours. Which one will you listen to?

John 10:4-5, 10 (AMP) When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

The sheep are brought out in the presence of not just their shepherd. This let’s me know that the stranger does not need to be absent for me to know the voice of God. The stranger was present, not absent. They can lead us to food and drink also. What is the devil’s motive? To get us distracted, to get us in offense, to get us away from our purpose. When I read the parable of the sower, I can also see that the seed of the Word is planted even in the midst of satan (Mark 4:15). We have to get to know Christ to know the voice of God.

Looking at Jeremiah 7 again, verse 24 says, “But they did not obey Me or bend their ear [to hear Me], but followed the counsels and the stubbornness of their [own] evil heart (mind), and [they turned and] went backward instead of forward.” This reminded me of the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. Balaam was a prophet and the King of Moab called after him so that he could curse the Israelites. Each time Balaam was approached they offered more and more treasures. Balaam went to God on each occasion. The third time God told him to go. Why? It was in his heart that he wanted to go anyways. On the journey Balaam was riding a donkey. The donkey kept leaving the trail. Why? An angel was in the way. Balaam was beating the donkey each time and finally the donkey spoke. Talk about God making you listen. The donkey was trying to save Balaam’s life because the angel was sent to kill him. Balaam was not able to curse Israel, instead he blessed them at every turn. It no longer mattered about the silver and gold that had been offered to him. He had to follow the voice of God.

Isaiah 30:21 (AMP) Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Listening for His direction often comes in a still quietness within you. I have to go back to the Word. Is this going to line up with what Christ told us to do (John 15:12)? Is this going to glorify God (not me)? Is this going to benefit others? I recently came into a situation that required me to talk about someone that I have not had contact with in many years. The still voice in me has been nudging me to go see them. Why? We are called into the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). There is nothing in our lives to keep us from loving others. We cannot keep an account of all the wrongs they have done to not see them reconciled to Christ. How do I know that it is God? It is not something I would have chosen to do. I am making a step of obedience. Do I know what the outcome will be? It is beyond me. I can reason it away: “they have not asked me to come,” “they pulled through,” “what happens to them does not affect me.” That is not how Christ responds to us. Love always hopes.

Whose voice are you listening to today? God’s, ours or the devils? Many times we want to be selfish and that leads us to listen to the other to voices, ours and the devil’s. God’s is going to lead us to a life we could never have imagined for ourselves. I love how John talks about the Word (Christ): “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men (John 1:1-4).” Then in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.” I am going to keep listening out for the voice of my Shepherd (God).

Jehovah Nissi, our Banner, our Maker, we see You in Your Glory and Majesty. We call You Holy. Thank You for Your Son for being our Prince of Peace and and our Prince of Wholeness. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we know Your Voice. We are thankful for Your Word and the direction of Your Voice through all that You have given us. We repent for falling into the deception of selfishness, for listening to other voices including ourselves. We repent for the lure of the strangers voice to the things that look good, but truly are not for our benefit. We want to glorify You in all that we do and say. Thank You for seeking the best for us and others. You gave Your best when You sent Your Son. Let us remember what He left us to do, to go out and make disciples of Your ways. We surrender our hearts to You so that we can Love the way You Love. Grow that Love deeper withing us so that it is all that pours out of us. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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He Goes Before Us

Exodus 33:14 (NIV) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

This week I started reading Numbers. Basically, I was suppose to have read it last week, but I skipped it and read Deuteronomy instead. This week, as I was reading Numbers, I empathized with Moses in how his heart must have been in anguish. I identified with Caleb this time.

As I was telling my youth about reading Numbers, they were like, isn’t that just a census you are reading? I told them that is what I thought at first, as to why I fought reading it. I found out that they had heard the story of why the Israelites were not allowed into the promise land from the summary in Deuteronomy, but there is so much that we see in Numbers.

In Chapter 13 we see the twelve men sent from the twelve different tribes being sent out to look at the land. They even brought back a single cluster of grapes that took two men to carry! Verses 27-29 in the Message Translation: We went to the land to which you sent us and, oh! It does flow with milk and honey! Just look at this fruit! The only thing is that the people who live there are fierce, their cities are huge and well fortified. Worse yet, we saw descendants of the giant Anak. Amalekites are spread out in the Negev; Hittities, Jebusites, and Amorites hold the hill country; and the Canaanites are established on the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan.

This is my guy right here! Sometimes I feel like Caleb the cheer leader. In verse 30 (MSG), Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses and said, “Let’s go up and take the land – now. We can do it.”

Sometimes I feel like Caleb the cheer leader.

We read on how the other men carry on how much land it is. How much stronger the other inhabitants are. The whole community get in an uproar and cry all night long. Then they go back to wishing things were like the old ways. At least in Egypt they knew how to handle those challenges. They were slaves, but they were use to that kind of life.

This is what I think of when I hear believer’s complain about having to wear a mask because of COVID. I have to admit that it is uncomfortable. I have compassion for my husband that has to wear one all day long in his work environment. I have to wear one to enter the gym, to go grocery shopping, to drop off items at the post office, etc. What it has not stopped me from doing is showing love. I still make it a point to talk to that grocery clerk. I want to be aware of God moments even in the midst of my discomfort of wearing a mask. I often think, what can God do with this?

Numbers 14: 6-9 (MSG) Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephenneh, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes and addressed the assembled People of Isreal: “The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land – very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he’ll give it to us. Just don’t rebel against God! And don’t be afraid of those people. Why, we’ll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Do not be afraid of them!”

How do we rebel against God today? By not being where He told us to be, doing what He told us to do. Do you not think He knows that you are required to wear a mask now? I do understand the autistic and there are other medical reasons. I am not talking about that, I am talking about the mature in Christ. I am talking about how there is a watching world of unbelievers that need hope and they are watching how we walk.

Other than wearing a mask, let’s look at the fact that we are scared of the unknown because of living this way for so long. Maybe God has been urging you to get a job or even a better job. I was telling my youth that in order to have the type of life you want to live, you start acting like and preparing for it now. You want to be a successful person, you act like you are a successful person. You want to have your own home, drive a nice car, then start preparing now. Your life is only as small as your thought life brings it to be. You want to be seen as someone who can make good choices, stop ordering chicken nuggets and picking out the vegetable when you go out to eat! (OK, that might be a little pet peeve of mine).

Like Joshua and Caleb, I feel like people are about ready to throw stones at me. All I want to do is scream “stop your complaining!”

Numbers 14:11-12 (MSG) Just then the bright Glory of God appeared at the Tent of Meeting. Every Israelite saw it. God said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust Me? And with all these signs I’ve done among them! I’ve had enough – I’m going to hit them with a plague and kill them. But I’ll make you into a nation bigger and stronger than they ever were.”

I underlined the “how long refuse to trust Me.” This is what I hear when a believer complains. Of course we know that God does not kill them all. It is after this encounter that we find out that only Joshua and Caleb will be entering the Promised Land, but everyone one twenty and older would not. This is when God turns the camp around and makes them wander in the wilderness.

They had to wander forty more years in the dessert. We read in Joshua how they entered the land and victory after victory given to them. This is what I want you to get. The people that had inhabited the land that was promised to them had not changed, they had probably grown in numbers. Your surroundings are not going to change unless you start to act. God has made a promise to you, but you have to do your part. Stop hiding, stop complaining, stop lamenting on what was.

Balaam was summoned by Balak to curse the Israelite camp and bless his. Balaam could not keep himself from speaking God’s words only. He feared God, more than he feared displeasing Balak. It was Balaam who spoke this revelation found in Numbers 23:17-24 (taken from out of the Message Translation), “God is not a man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through? I was brought here to bless; and now he’s blessed – how can I change that?“

Stop waiting for God to change things. He can do so much more when we understand who He truly is! Watch your world change when you start walking out in confidence that He has already made the way. I understand there are giants out there, but like Caleb I am cheering you on! God is on our side, who can be against us!!