Posts Tagged ‘ God’s will ’

Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening

October 31, 2009
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‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ I Samuel 3:9

Samuel was a young man in the service of God when God selected him to be the next judge of Israel and the “king maker”.  But before he would be any good to God he had to listen.  Once he did this he was ready to be God’s person.

That’s the way it is for us as well.  It is only when we listen that we can move into God’s service.  The problems we face in today’s world could be solved if men would listen.

We live in a world of spiritual stagnation.  We have stopped listening to God.  We come to church and go away unchanged.  Do we not realize that what is said in the services is God speaking to us?  When we read the Bible and sing songs and hear sermons, are they not God’s way of communicating with us?

Modern preachers are not spokesmen for God like the prophets of old but when they properly exegete the Word God is speaking.  Are we listening? It is not that God is dead or silent.  We are just not listening.

God is not without witness in our world.  His word is still living and active. (Hebrews 4:12)  The line to God is closed, not because God is not speaking, but because we are not listening.

God will speak to us in our worship this morning.  Will we listen?  God will not suddenly appear in our building today.  But you can be sure that he will speak to us.  Will we listen?

Be aware of God wanting to communicate with you today and open your ears to His voice.  Watch carefully the words of the songs.  Be attentive to the reading of the Word.  Find something in the sermon that God wants you to hear.  As we commune around the table, what is God saying to you?

IF the Lord wills…

October 18, 2009
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“If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:15

James is a practical man as he writes his book. If you want to get some practical advice for your daily living, read this little book. In the paragraph that contains the above verse, James has talked about making plans for the future. Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.

Most of us will make plans for the future and will expect to accomplish what we plan. Planning is certainly a legitimate activity. But why does James seem to downgrade it. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

There is more to the statement than meets the eye at first look. How true it is that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. We are not even sure what will happen today. Tomorrow may never come for us. You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

It is not that James doesn’t want us to plan for tomorrow. It is not that he forbids advanced planning. What he really wants is for us to realize that tomorrow is the Lord’s and we must never make plans without Him in mind. You ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Making plans for tomorrow or next week or next year is only as secure as our plans for including God in them. Any success that we might have tomorrow will depend on whether the Lord gives us tomorrow. If tomorrow never comes then what? Will we be in relationship with Jesus that will sustain us if tomorrow never comes. Planning with God in mind just makes sense in our world of insecurity and uncertainness. It is good and right to say we will do this and that tomorrow IF THE LORD WILL.

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