Bible Ballistics: BBs #542   Am I Listening???

 

“The fear of the LORD

is the beginning of knowledge:

but fools

despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son,

hear the instruction of thy father,

and forsake not

the law of thy mother:

9 For they shall be an ornament of grace

unto thy head,

and chains

about thy neck.”  Proverbs 1:7-9

Proverbs is one of the books of ‘poetry’ and is also referred to as ‘wisdom’ literature; and here we see wisdom proclaimed in the first chapter. The question is, ‘will we listen and heed the message’?  Or will we neglect truth to our own detriment?  I pray that today we will determine to listen to God’s voice (via His Spirit) and refuse the other voices that clamor for our time, attention and devotion!

“Come, ye children,

hearken unto me:

I will teach you

the fear of the LORD.”  Psalm 34:11

We live in a “self-sufficient” culture—I can take care of myself!  I can make my own way!  I can pull myself up by my own ‘boot straps’: but the point is, we are not able to care for ourselves, and we certainly can’t save ourselves—only Jesus can do that for those who come to HIM His way!  Yet we must have ears to hear and a heart willing to seek God and hear His direction.

“No man can come to me,

except the Father

which hath sent me

draw him:

and I will raise him up

at the last day.”  John 6:44

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”   John 14:6

God has made provision for our salvation, but we must hear His voice, and receive His grace, through faith in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection “for our sin”!  And when we come to Jesus, He will transform our lives and impart to us His indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and direct our steps—and we must never quench His work in our hearts and lives.  Yet we often do, by our willful neglect of our relationship with HIM!  I pray that this will remind us to draw near to HIM, that we might come to know Him intimately and grow in our confidence that HE IS ever working to make me/you more like Jesus.

“And he that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession

for the saints

according to the will of God.

28 And we knowthat all things

work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

 to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.”  Romans 8:27-29

Jesus The Son, God The Father, and the precious Holy Spirit are ever at work in us—it’s our job to yield to His work in us.  May we ever turn our ears, our hearts and our minds to hear and know all that Jesus has called and will equip us to be!  He is ever faithful!

“My sheep

hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them

eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man

pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father,

which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:27-30

We have a Father who loves us, A Savior and Redeemer who loves us and gave Himself for us!  Are you hearing from HIM?  To whom and what are you yielding?  Give it all to Jesus, He’s worthy of our trust, may we say with Paul:

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

 yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”   Galatians 2:20.

Amen!!!