I Know You Hear Me, But Are You Listening?

Sunday, our music minister talked about how they had gone to the prison the day before to witness to the inmates. He said that as they sang "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)" that you could tell on some of the men's faces that they knew what it meant to be free despite being in jail.

But what about the rest of us? "We make prisons for ourselves--we choose our own prisons. " Why do we do this? I know you hear me, but are you listening? Many of us aren't listening because if we were then we might realize that we'd have to change. God's grace opens up our ears to hear the Word and our eyes to see the Truth. A desire to hear comes from God.

Do you really want to hear from God?

You can hear from Him today. Pain generates a response of some kind--either internalize it or choose to better your life by letting God turn it into something beautiful. You don't want to listen? When you rebel against God, the only person you hurt is you and those who care about you. Why do so many of us want to hear a slanderous lie rather than the Truth? You do not have faith unless you are walking in it. This belief will affect/define/change your life! At some point you still stake your life on someone's word--the mechanic that says that your car is fixed, the airline pilot on the internet, etc... but why not stake your life on the Word of God, who cannot lie? If you build your life on anything other than the Bible, then the foundation will crumble when adversity comes.

Anything in your life that causes you to be afraid is NOT worth it! Fear is the opposite of Faith. If you approach life being afraid, then you are not walking in faith. You are not converted unless you've taken the plunge to follow Jesus. Conversion demands a radical changing that never stops. The Word of God can be offensive to someone who is not willing to listen and obey-->change. A relationship with Christ never stands still. If you are not changing, then you should question if you have a relationship with God at all. With Jesus, there is no "I know what's right, but..." The Truth does not change. You must take up your cross daily and follow Him--leaving all else behind. Either you are a child of God or a spawn of satan--those are your only two options. The Word of God cannot be conquered by the devices of men. Has the Word of God changed your life? Is it now? "Accept" is an intellectual term--you can accept that God exists or that Jesus died without having a relationship. Faith without works is dead. Your response to God's Word/conviction shows if you are living by Faith or unbelief. "Dead bones" won't respond.

Jesus says, "I am the Good Shepherd. I lay down My life for my sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My Voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd" (John 10:14-16 excerpts).

This is what our pastor preached on Sunday--changed lives and true belief/relationship. A true relationship with Jesus frees us from the prisons we have created. It frees us from our idols that have enslaved us! No matter our life circumstances, we can KNOW that we are free, that our chains are GONE because of the precious gift of Life that our great Savior gave when His innocent blood was spilt for us! I really love the verse in John because it shows that Jesus never gives up on His little ones--and that He is out gathering His little lost sheep together so that one day the fold will be complete. I'm so overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord that He opened my eyes and ears and granted me faith unto salvation--and I'm so very thankful that He is still working on me, changing me, and never giving up on me. And thankful that He is drawing my future brothers/sisters in Christ to Him now.

'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear

And Grace my fears relieved

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace