ListenDaily – 20 May 2010: What?
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)
I love the guy who said that! I love that guy mostly because he's a lot like me.
I have friends who are suffering today, I'm sure you do too. And maybe you are suffering. Are we crying out to Jesus? If we are, are we believing He can or will help? The man who cried out to Jesus in this passage had just previously asked Jesus to help. "if" He could. Jesus replied 'If? What do you mean if?' Maybe this is a good place to start, or to take a next step. Figuring out if God will is one thing, His will takes many things into account and we only see our own little 'through a straw' view of any situation, while He sees everything.
But never doubt He can.
I know that saying "never do this" may be easier than it sounds. I also think it will be a great help if you separate the "can God" from the "will God" questions in your mind. If you believe He can, you might be more willing to ask, and more able to hear.
And more willing to hear.
Questions:
1. Do you think your believing affects your hearing?
2. Then could your hearing affect your believing?
3. Are you willing to keep listening?
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May we keep listening. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms."
Blaise Pascal
THE 1-2-3 CHALLENGE:
Starting today, and then first thing tomorrow morning, I challenge you to listen to God, with this five minute exercise:
1) Do this as soon as you wake up. Set your clock a few minutes early if that is what you need to get up ahead of the household noise. Lay your Bible by your bed as a reminder.
2) Go to the quietest place in your house, outside, your kitchen, your bathroom...wherever.
3) Pray for 1 minute that God would speak to you. Audibly, out loud, ask Him to remove Satan from your presence for this time. Ask Him to remove distractions and mental clutter. During this time, do not ask Him for anything else, do not thank Him for anything else, do not pray for anyone else (but please find another prayer time for all these things).
4) Open your Bible and read for 2 minutes. This is God talking to you through His Word. Listen to Him.
5) Close your Bible and be silent for 3 minutes. Listen for Him. He may come as a thought, a nudge, an idea. For a while, He may seem hard to hear. There is so much clutter in our minds! Keep listening.
This may seem difficult. You will hear every creaking tree branch. You will hear every barking dog. But like Elijah's time in the cave, God is not in the tree branch, God is not in the dog. Persevere. Listen for the gentle whisper
Questions:
1. Is control an issue for you?
2. In any specific areas of your life?
3. Might that affect your ability to hear God?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we persevere. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms."
Blaise Pascal
THE 1-2-3 CHALLENGE:
Starting today, and then first thing tomorrow morning, I challenge you to listen to God, with this five minute exercise:
1) Do this as soon as you wake up. Set your clock a few minutes early if that is what you need to get up ahead of the household noise. Lay your Bible by your bed as a reminder.
2) Go to the quietest place in your house, outside, your kitchen, your bathroom...wherever.
3) Pray for 1 minute that God would speak to you. Audibly, out loud, ask Him to remove Satan from your presence for this time. Ask Him to remove distractions and mental clutter. During this time, do not ask Him for anything else, do not thank Him for anything else, do not pray for anyone else (but please find another prayer time for all these things).
4) Open your Bible and read for 2 minutes. This is God talking to you through His Word. Listen to Him.
5) Close your Bible and be silent for 3 minutes. Listen for Him. He may come as a thought, a nudge, an idea. For a while, He may seem hard to hear. There is so much clutter in our minds! Keep listening.
This may seem difficult. You will hear every creaking tree branch. You will hear every barking dog. But like Elijah's time in the cave, God is not in the tree branch, God is not in the dog. Persevere. Listen for the gentle whisper
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