## Listening to God

## Mark 4:24

It is true that one of the keys to life and good relationships is effective communication. And for effective communication to occur, there must be effective listening. This is true not only in developing relationships with one another, but in our relationship with God as well.

Why do we study the Bible? Why do we pray? Why do we worship?

The process looks something like this:

- COMMUNICATION: Listening to God
- COMPREHENSION: Understanding what God says
- CONFIDENCE: Trusting in what God says
- CHANGE: Being transformed by what God says

Without this process of communication, there simply cannot be any real spiritual change in the life of man. Because of this, God is deeply concerned about how well we listen when we are listening.

I. The Importance Scripture Places on Listening to God

A. Have you ever noticed how often the Bible emphasizes the idea of listening?

B. It is a concept that is repeated over and over in a variety of ways.

C. This is obviously not without purpose.

1. The specific phrase "hear the Word of the Lord" occurs 24 times

2. We also find a number of comments like "Incline your ear," or "give ear" and similar expressions used in various ways to call man, and especially to God's people, to listen intently to God.

3. In the New Testament, the Lord warns us to consider carefully what you hear (Mk. 4:24) and how you hear (Lk. 8:18).

MARK 4:24 24 AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, TAKE HEED WHAT YE HEAR: WITH WHAT MEASURE YE METE, IT SHALL BE MEASURED TO YOU: AND UNTO YOU THAT HEAR SHALL MORE BE GIVEN. (KJV)

LUKE 8:18 18 TAKE HEED THEREFORE HOW YE HEAR: FOR WHOSOEVER HATH, TO HIM SHALL BE GIVEN; AND WHOSOEVER HATH NOT, FROM HIM SHALL BE TAKEN EVEN THAT WHICH HE SEEMETH TO HAVE. (KJV)

4. The words "to day, if ye will hear his voice," are found three times in Hebrews and once in the Old Testament (Heb. 3:7, 15; 4:7)

(PSA 95:7) "FOR HE IS OUR GOD; AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS HAND. TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE,"

5. Seven times, once in each of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 we read "He that hath an ear let him hear"

(MARK 4:9) "AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR."

(MARK 4:23) "IF ANY MAN HAVE EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR."

D. We find that often there are reasons that we do not hear or listen as we should.

1. Martha was too busy with other things.

2. Note the parable of the sower.

(MARK 4:18-19) "AND THESE ARE THEY WHICH ARE SOWN AMONG THORNS; SUCH AS HEAR THE WORD, AND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD, AND THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, AND THE LUSTS OF OTHER THINGS ENTERING IN, CHOKE THE WORD, AND IT BECOMETH UNFRUITFUL."

3. The lesson is obvious: We are to listen so we can learn to trust the Lord.

4. To fail to listen shows our determination to pursue life through our own resources and foolishness.

(JAMES 1:19) "WHEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, LET EVERY MAN BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH:"

(PROV 22:17-19) "BOW DOWN THINE EAR, AND HEAR THE WORDS OF THE WISE, AND APPLY THINE HEART UNTO MY KNOWLEDGE. {18} FOR IT IS A PLEASANT THING IF THOU KEEP THEM WITHIN THEE; THEY SHALL WITHAL BE FITTED IN THY LIPS. {19} THAT THY TRUST MAY BE IN THE LORD, I HAVE MADE KNOWN TO THEE THIS DAY, EVEN TO THEE."

II. The Instruction of Scripture on Listening to God

A. How God communicates should teach us something about how we should listen.

1. So How does God communicate, and how should we listen?

2. What do we need to do to be prepared to listen attentively and effectively?

B. God Communicates Through the Bible

1. The Bible is our index or guide for all the other ways God communicates.

2. If we are going to listen to God and discern His voice in the other avenues He uses, we must be listening to His Word, the Bible.

3. Of course, God communicates His Word in many ways: through those who teach it formally and informally as in counseling, in personal exhortation and encouragement, through song or music, through books, tapes, film, etc.

4. However, the primary method God has chosen, and that which is foundational to all the other ways God communicates in the church age, is the local assembly when the church is assembled together for the hearing of the Word.

5. Other things are involved, prayer, singing, praise, the Lord's table, but at the center is the proclamation of the Word

(1 TIM 4:11) "THESE THINGS COMMAND AND TEACH."

(1 TIM 4:13) "TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENDANCE TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE."

C. God Communicates Through the Holy Spirit

1. The Holy Spirit is our resident teacher.

(JOHN 16:13) "HOWBEIT 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 SHOW YOU THINGS TO COME."

2. One of His primary ministries today is that of communicating the Word.

3. To be able to listen to God, to comprehend truth, to worship the Lord, and to be transformed by the Word through faith in God, God has given us the Holy Spirit.

D. God Communicates Through the Events of Our Lives

1. Special Times of Worship (singing, praise, prayer, teaching, ordinances).

2. Blessings that reveal His love and grace.

3. Trials and Irritations that become tools to get our attention and build character, but only as we hear and learn to relate and rest in the promises and principles of Scripture.

E. God Communicates Through the People in Our Lives

1. The Bible is full of illustrations of how God uses people to communicate His love, mercy, and grace.

2. This comes in many forms: sometimes in the form of encouragement, sometimes in the form of godly example, and sometimes even in the form of rebuke.

(1 TH 5:11) "WHEREFORE COMFORT YOURSELVES TOGETHER, AND EDIFY ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS ALSO YE DO."

(PROV 27:17) "IRON SHARPENETH IRON; SO A MAN SHARPENETH THE COUNTENANCE OF HIS FRIEND."

(EPH 5:19-20) "SPEAKING TO YOURSELVES IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND MAKING MELODY IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD; {20} GIVING THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS UNTO GOD AND THE FATHER IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST;"

(GAL 6:1-2) "BRETHREN, IF A MAN BE OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, YE WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL, RESTORE SUCH AN ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED. {2} BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, AND SO FULFIL THE LAW OF CHRIST."

Concluding thoughts:

- As already pointed out, listening to God must involve God's Word and the Holy Spirit working together in the mind and heart of the believer.
- Even when God uses people and circumstances, we must always consider what God is saying to us in the light of His infallible Word.
- God never contradicts His Word.
- We must learn to examine everything in the light of the Holy Scripture.