Christian Devotionals
Listen To God

Listen to God (1)
"...Your ears will hear a voice...saying, 'This is the way..." Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Any time you step out in faith and try something, a voice within you will whisper, "You must be out of your mind. You're not capable of this. Those little accomplishments you had before were pure luck; you just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Now you're in over your head." That voice will waken you in the middle of the night, sick to your stomach. You can hear it in every boardroom, living room and pavement. It's the voice of fear, and it doesn't play fair. It pulls the file on your past failures and preys on your deepest insecurities.

But there's another voice; God's! It says: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Isa 41:10 NKJV). Attuning your ears to God's voice doesn't mean your problems are automatically solved or that the other voice just fades away. No, it's more like having an intimate conversation with a close friend in a noisy, crowded place. There may be other voices around you but you don't hear them because you're so focused on what your friend is saying. That's how it is with God's voice. Whether He speaks to you through the Scriptures, through a friend, or through your life's circumstances, He's always communicating with the heart that seeks Him. His promise to you is, "Your ears will hear a voice...saying, "This is the way; walk in it.'" One word from God, just one, can change your entire outlook. So today, take time to listen to God's voice.

Listen to God (2)
"Fear not, for I am with you..." Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

To be successful in anything God calls you to do, you must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit within you and learn to recognize when He speaks to you through the Scriptures.

When the pressure is on and you're tempted to move too quickly you'll hear His voice saying: "...You shall not go out with haste...for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isa 52:12 NKJV). God's got you covered; front and back. How good is that? When you're about to make a wrong turn or a bad decision He will remind you, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Pr 16:9 NIV). When you don't have the ways and means to get the job done His voice will whisper: "The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail" (Isa 58:11 NKJV). You have an unfailing supply. When you run out of answers and don't know what to do He will reassure you: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you" (Ps 32:8 NIV). When the load becomes too heavy to carry you'll hear His voice saying, "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall" (Ps 55:22 NIV).

Hearing God's voice may mean you have to sacrifice lesser things and tune out other voices, but you must do it. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than learning to recognize God's voice when He speaks to you.