Hearing God's Voice

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     I've been doing some zoom sessions with a group on Sunday mornings looking at the book "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby.  Henry talks a lot about how we can hear and know the voice of God.  He talks about how we can hear from God by the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, prayer, circumstances and through the church.  The key to the whole thing is that we work on building a strong, intimate relationship with God and stay near Him, so that we can hear Him.  There are no shortcuts to hearing from God.  I have to spend time with Him and in His Word and in prayer.
     In John 10:27 it says, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."  This passage also talks about how the sheep know the voice of the shepherd.  They know the voice of the shepherd because of their time spent with Him.  They know that the shepherd cares for them and protects them from harm.  The shepherd guides them in a loving way and goes before them.
    It is incredibly easy even as a believer to get your own will and God's confused.  Sometimes we want something so bad that we will convince ourselves that it is God speaking to us.  We have this amazing ability to deceive ourselves.  But, the first task of the believer in understanding God's will is to surrender your own will and make sure there is no selfish motives in what you are seeking.  God doesn't promise to bless your plans.  We are told in Matthew 6:33 

   "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you."

    There is a story that Jesus illustrates in Luke 22:24-27 where Jesus says,
 
   "And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded as the greatest. And He said to them "the Kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called "Benefactors",  But no so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.  For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves?  Is it no the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."

    Jesus told this to his disciples around the same time that he washed the disciples feet.  This was the act of the servant of the household.  None of the disciples volunteered to wash the other disciples feet, so Jesus did it himself.  He did this as an example that of the humble and servant like attitude we should have towards one another.  It is something that at the moment, the disciples were too proud to do themselves.  This to me is an illustration of what God has called us to do for each other.  God has called us to serve and we should be willing to make adjustments to our life to do so.  It may not be a position with a great title or lots of attention, but that is not the important thing.  The important thing is that we are faithful with whatever God has called us to do.

https://youtu.be/qAavZw5o20c

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