day 85: He who is of God hears

“He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47)

What? Have I read wrongly? No. Jesus is very clear and straight forward here. He is not speaking in parable. The audiences were the scribes and Pharisees of those days. They kept questioning Jesus but never heard what Jesus said. Their hearts and minds were filled with their own agenda. Then Jesus proclaimed this shocking statement. “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.”

It appeared that the audience became deaf to what Jesus said because they were too busy listening to their father (the devil)’s instructions. They were fully occupied and committed to do what the devil wanted them to do. They were obeying the devil and not obeying God. They trusted the devil and not God. In short, they were the sons of the devil, and not the sons of God.

Today, God speaks to us through His words in the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, through many means (signs, dreams, visions, wonders, third parties, messages, hymns and songs) including His still small voice in our hearts. Yet many Christians cannot hear. Why?

Is it because many are listening to the wrong source? To the wrong voice? Is it because they are too busy listening and obeying the devil instead of God? is it because they are not of God?

Frightening thoughts. I would urge churches to do a survey of all your members and find out how many hear God. Does the pastor hear God? I would also urge you to do your own assessment. Do you hear God? Do your children hear God?

During Jesus time, the people, including the disciples, did not have the Holy Spirit in them to lead them, to tell them what Jesus said and what that meant. The followers of Jesus did not have the Bible to guide them. But they had Jesus in the physical person in their midst. They had seen Him performing all sorts of miracles proving He is God. Yet they did not hear what He say and did not believe Him. Jesus said they did not hear because they were not of God.

There are people who are of God. They can hear God.

There are people who are not of God. They cannot hear God.

Which category are you in? Which category do you want to be?

My application: continue to seek God’s presence and learn to hear Him. Continue to read the Bible and hear God. Continue to give thanks and hear God. Continue to worship and hear God. Continue to pray and hear God. Continue to rest in God and hear God. Align my life values with that of God’s kingdom and hear God. Continue to encourage my family and friends to hear God with me. Continue to learn from the Holy Spirit to hear God.

AAA Jack

May 26 2009