Summer Faves: Sounds of Summer (Hearing God’s Voice)

When you think about summer, What sound do you hear?

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:9-17(NIV)

9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;    they hardly hear with their ears,    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,    hear with their ears,    understand with their heartsand turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Understanding the to Hear

The Universal of the Message

It is the posture of our hearts that determines our ability to receive divine truth.

Spiritual

Our challenge is to  an inner sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, which will allow us to and God’s word in our lives.

The of the Holy Spirit

John 16:13 (NIV)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

to Hearing

Matthew 13:15(NIV)

For this people’s heart has become calloused;    they hardly hear with their ears,    and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes,    hear with their ears,    understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

of the World

Matthew 13:22 (NIV)

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

to the Call

a Listening Heart

on What We Hear

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Together, we can create an environment where God’s voice is heard clearly and His word is lived out powerfully. 

What are you hearing?

John 10:1-10 (NIV)

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Is what you are hearing leading to death or life?