Are You Listening?

John 10:12, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me."

Are you familiar with sheep and their shepherd? I have heard many times how each shepherd's sheep distinctly know his voice. Even if sheep are mixed up in two herds, when the ones hear their shepherd, they go with him. 

God compares us to sheep in the Bible many times. (Partly I think because sheep aren't really the most intelligent animals). LOL I mean that in the nicest way.

It's my belief that God wants us to be like sheep in how we follow Him. We tend to do things on our own. We think we've got life by the reigns and we can handle whatever comes to us.

Let me just enlighten you for a second. The void that you feel in your heart... you know, the one you try to fill with everything BUT God? Yeah, it was meant FOR God.

If you will take the time to allow Him to fill that voice, and listen your life will change. He wants to be your Shepherd. He wants to talk to you, walk with you, and help you through life.

The key is... you have to listen!

I listen to God by reading my Bible, reading devotionals, and just being quiet and listening.

Anyone who knows me personally knows I struggle with being quiet! LOL I'm just being honest.

So, that's not a trait I was born with. I have to MAKE myself be quiet to listen.

God speaks in different ways to us. It is not going to look the same for all of us.

I am doing Priscilla Shirer's Bible study "Discerning the Voice of God". There are many many distractions and things that can cause us to be not sure if what we hear actually is God. 

She's come up with the 5 M's.These are ways to know for sure if it's God speaking to you.

1. Look for the message of the Spirit. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Don't just casually ask God for guidance. Consciously turn your attention inward to see if what you are sensing carries the weight of God or if it is the unsure, unsteady voice of your own conscience.
2. Live in the mode of prayer. Submit what you hear back to God in prayer. Throughout your day, when the issue comes into your mind, don't spend time worrying; spend time handing the issue over to God.
3. Search out the model of Scripture. Carefully consider the Scriptures. Does what you think you're hearing in any way contradict the character of God or the Word of God?
4. Submit to the ministry of Eli. Seek the counsel of a wise, more mature believer who can discern God's leading in his or her own life.
5. Expect the mercy of confirmation. Ask the Lord for confirmation. God desires for you to know His will. He's not hiding it from you.

Will you try to follow these and listen for God's voice in your life? You can't have a relationship that is only one communicating. You've probably gotten your prayer life down. So you talk to Him... but are you letting Him talk to you?

I pray that this helps someone slow down and listen.

God bless you today and always!