Preacher's Pulpit Series #3

Preacher’s Pulpit

Feb. 17, 2012

 

                Comrades, greetings in the name of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.  Hearing God:  How can one hear God amidst all the noise we are surrounded with today?  Even in New Testament times there were instances where God spoke in a quite distinguishable voice.  Some wonder why He doesn’t do that today.  The answer can be found in the Gospel of John 16:12-15 “12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come , he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear , that shall he speak : and he will shew you things to come .14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I , that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”    After Jesus went to be with the Father He sent us the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts in a soft still voice.  The Holy Spirit is the comforter.  The Holy Spirit teaches us all truth because He only speaks what He hears from the Father.  The trouble is that we live in such a noisy world that we can’t hear.   All the things that we think we can’t live without such as computers, cell phones, televisions, DVRs, DVDs, radios, etc.   Let me give you an example:  for the last year I have been living on 1.5 acres of land in Cottonton, AL in a RV.  I feel that I am so far removed from what we call civilization that even my address is 0 Old Store Rd.  That’s the end of the line if there ever was one!  This would be the perfect opportunity for any Christian that wanted to hear from God.  There is no noise out hear whatsoever except for the occasional animal passing by or someone target practicing.  So what do I do?  I go and get a satellite hookup so I can watch TV! (Oh well, God, I will talk to you later.)  Know what I mean?  An interesting thing happened the other day when all those storms passed through the area.  There was a huge old tree with a trunk that  was at least twenty-four inches in diameter nearby and that tree, being rotted, blew over and fell right on my satellite dish!  Do you think that God might have wanted to talk to me in a real bad way?  So being the mighty Christian that I am, I called the satellite company and had it replaced before I even thought about God.  Sad, huh?  We need to start being more sensitive to what God is trying to say to us because He won’t try to shout over our TVs or music.  In the Old Testament God would not shout over all the noise of our busy lives.  Look at 1Kings 19:11-13   “11 And he said , Go forth , and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by , and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” Let me encourage you to start taking time out of your busy day and just be still and listen for that small still voice of the Holy Spirit.  You will be glad you did!  Need direction?  Listen!  Need an answer?  Listen!  Need comfort?  Listen!  Need hope?  Listen!  Need love?  Listen!  May the Lord bless you and keep you in his hands till we meet again.

                                                                                                                                Chaplain King