Monday, January 17, 2011

Has Seen Some Display of Power

When Patrick and I were first married, we lived in south Dallas, and I worked in the Lancaster claims office. Spring weather could be particularly brutal. There was one storm that brought tornadoes and baseball and softball sized hail. I remember the glass on cars was knocked out, and the cars looked like they had been beaten with a vengeance with a baseball bat. I was able to break away from working storm duty one day and made it to downtown Lancaster. I remember being so shocked by all the damage. A tornado had gone over downtown Lancaster removing every leaf possible of every single tree while leaving the trees where they were planted. There was no bark left on any of the trees either – bizarre. Then I saw a pine needle that had penetrated a sheet of metal – still can't explain that.

Psalm 29 talks about the voice of the Lord is powerful and majestic and can be seen in the strikes and flashes of lightning, the quakes in the desert and by stripping the forests bare. If His voice is that loud, why do so many people miss his voice?

Do you remember the commercial, "When E.F. Hutton speaks," everyone pauses, "everybody listens." Everyone would stop whatever they were doing to hear what he had to say.

When Elijah had slayed Jezebel's "prophets" after 100 of God's prophets were killed, Elijah ran for fear of his own life. He ran for 40 days and 40 nights. He went to where he knew he could find God, where he could hear God – Mount Horeb. There God displays himself in his power and might, but it wasn't until afterwards that Elijah heard God's voice.

Samuel in 1 Samuel 3 heard a still, quiet voice calling to him in the early morning hours when things were completely calm.

Do you want to hear from God during this fast? Do you really want to hear from God during this fast? Because if you hear from God then you become responsible for doing what He tells you to do. If you don't do it, you are being disobedient.

If you really want to hear from God:

  1. Be still. Stop your fighting and know He is God. Psalm 46:10
  2. Reconcile yourself to those with whom you have a disagreement (Matthew 25:21-28)
  3. Draw near to God. Elijah ran to Him. Are you going to places to hear God? Are you in a place in your life to hear from God? Are you with people in your life who will encourage you to hear God?
  4. Find some time to meditate and be quiet in God's presence. Samuel was in the early morning hours when he heard from God. AND LADIES, when He does talk to you – BELIEVE IT! DO WHAT HE LEADS YOU TO DO! Act in faith.
  5. Be silent and wait expectantly (Psalm 37:7).
  6. Meditate on God's Word (Psalm 1:2).

Based on personal experience, it can be a scary prospect to do what He leads you to do or say. God has laid things on my heart for different people that I should not have known, and He laid a message on my heart for that person. Sometimes He lays a person's name on your heart and mind – PICK UP THE COTTON-PICKIN' PHONE and call them. Sometimes He leads you to do something – GET OFF OF YOUR BEHIND AND DO IT!

I promise the more that you follow through on His directions, the more confident you will become in realizing it's His voice. Your confidence should never be in yourself, but rather the One who is working through you.

When God speaks, what will you do?

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