Category Archives: Listening

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ASK IT AGAIN

ZECHARIAH 4:12

“And I responded the second time and said to him, ‘What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?’”

Children can wear you out asking questions. Go to a preschool classroom full of 3 and 4-year-olds. Wow! Pastor Carl, why do ducks have webbed feet? Pastor Carl, where does the sun go at night? Pastor Carl,…? You see what I mean. They are inquisitive and want answers. If they don’t get an answer the first time, they will ask it again and again.

Zechariah has now asked the angel three times about these olive trees or branches. He still hasn’t gotten an answer (we’ll see that in a couple of days). He wants to know what all this means. He wants to make sure he understands exactly what it means. Why? Because he knows he must tell the people what God has shown him.

APPLICATION

God’s Word has all the answers to every question we have. You just have to look for it. That may mean digging it out yourself. It may mean going to someone you trust and asking them. Listen to Paul in his letter to the Romans. Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

I really like Psalm 19:9-10. “9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.” Isn’t that awesome? And so is the study of His Word.

Let me challenge you this week to do a deep dive into the Word. You may have a pressing question you want answered. Maybe there’s a word you have been meaning to study more about. Take the time. Turn off the TV and let God speak to you. He will not withhold His wisdom from those who seek it.

Oh Lord, I want to know You more. I want to know more of Your Word.

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Abiding, Bible, Hearing, Listening, Scripture, Speech, Testimony

ALSO

ZECHARIAH 4:8

“Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying,”

In this world of multi-media, we can get lost in messages and texts. I send a lot of emails. Usually, they are to groups of people I have saved in a distribution list. But occasionally I will need to send an email to just one person. I will type it, check it and hit send only to realize I needed to add something to the message. Now, I have to send another message.

The angel has been delivering God’s message to Zechariah, but now in today’s verse we see the Lord talking directly to Zechariah. I love the word “also.” In the Hebrew it is much stronger than that. It is an emphatic word. It is a strong word. It’s kind of like “And furthermore.” God is driving the point home. He has been watching and listening to the angel’s conversation with Zechariah and adds to it.

APPLICATION

The point for us? God is not done talking to us. He has more to say – if we will just listen. In Luke 9:44, Jesus called the disciples close and said, “‘Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’” Have you heard the Lord tell you to “listen carefully”? He just may have a message for you.

The last couple of days I have been at a Pastors’ Conference. We have had some incredible pre-session prayer times. Each day as I walked the room and prayed over the table and chairs, God has given me words for that day. How did I hear those words? I was listening. He did not speak audibly to me. He spoke through His Spirit, but the words were as clear as a bell.

Today God may tap you on the shoulder and say, “Listen up. I have a message for you.” Get still somewhere and just listen. Try it for one minute. Then try it for two minutes. If you keep practicing this, you will want to add minutes so you can hear more from Him. God had more to say to Zechariah. He has more to say to us. Listen!

Here I am, Lord. I am listening. Speak to me.

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Admonished, Advice, Angels, Bible, Commands, Eternity, Following, God's Will, Hearing, Listening, Obedience, Scripture

ADMONISHED

ZECHARIAH 3:6

“And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying,”

This time of the year here in the U.S. there are a lot of graduation ceremonies. At most high school and college graduations there will be a speaker, an invited guest. This person may be an alum, a celebrity, a politician or an educator. The purpose of this person’s speech is to admonish, to exhort, to challenge and to remind the students of their responsibilities that lie ahead. I have a granddaughter graduating this year from high school. I am sure she will hear such a speech.

You may question why I would do a devotional on such an insignificant verse. Really? Is any verse insignificant if it is inspired by God? I don’t think so. Look at the verse. The “angel of the Lord” is considered by many to be Jesus Christ who appears throughout the Old Testament. He is reminding Joshua of what is about to come. In the next four verses we will see what He says. This admonishment wasn’t cruel or harsh. It was just a firm reminder.

APPLICATION

I usually see “admonishments” in a negative way. Maybe that’s because I have actually received a lot of those. But an admonishment is not meant to be negative if it comes from the Lord. Remember, His desire is to always draw you to Him. He is not trying to scare you away. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”

I don’t want to react to God’s voice like a feral cat that runs away if you try to approach. I want to be like the family dog that runs to the door to greet you when they hear your car pull into the driveway. They can’t wait to see you. That’s exactly how I want to react when God admonishes me. He may just want to remind me of my purpose or to tell me He loves me.

When God speaks to you, how do you react? Well, Carl, I haven’t heard God speak to me? Oh, you are missing out. Get alone with Him and ask Him to talk to you. You’ve got to listen, though. You’ve got to get quiet and wait. You have to tune your ear to His voice. Then when He does speak you can recognize it. And then hang on. His words of admonishment will be welcomed then.

Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus. Speak that my soul may hear.

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Abiding, Angels, Authority, Awe, Bible, Encouragement, Fear, Hearing, Listening, Scripture

WHO IS THAT MAN?

ZECHARIAH 1:8

“I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel, and white horses behind him.” 

Have you ever been out at night and saw someone in the distance that you could not quite make out? I know I’ve done that several times. It usually doesn’t bother me if I’m with someone else or it’s in a place that I know. But if that happens when I’m alone or in an uncertain area, I can get a little concerned. I may even holler at the person to identify themselves. I am sure you’ve been there.

Zechariah sees a man riding a red horse and he was among the myrtle trees. Many scholars speculate who this man may be. Was it Michael, the archangel? Was it just an angel? Was it Jesus? We don’t know for certain since he does not identify himself by name. But we know one thing. He was in charge of those who rode behind him. We will see him over the next several verses. He has a message for Zechariah.

APPLICATION

What would you do if an angel or the Lord appeared before you? Well, Carl, I would probably run away terrified. Really? I have to believe if the Lord sent an angel to me or if He Himself appeared, I would know it. I would want to be in His presence.

Remember Paul’s experience? Acts 9:5-6 reads, “5 And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.’”

Whenever an angel or the Lord appears, they bring a message. Sometimes it is a message of judgment. Sometimes it is a message of direction. God is still delivering His message. It comes in the form of a book – the Bible. In its pages are all the messages from Him you need to hear. We don’t need an angel to appear to us. We just need to spend more time reading and listening.

As I have spent more and more time in the Word, He has revealed more and more of Himself to me. His Word is inexhaustible. It will never get old. Take some time today and dig in deeper to this verse. Dissect it. Tear it apart and put it back together again. Most importantly, listen to the Lord as He speaks to you, just like that man who appeared to Zechariah.

Lord God, I do not have to wonder who You are. You have shown Yourself to me time and time again through Your Word.

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JUST GOD’S WORDS

HAGGAI 2:2

 “‘Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,’”

There’s a game I used to play a lot with children. You line the kids up and then give the first one in the line a message to pass down the line. The message should be clear but perhaps a little challenging. Let the children pass it down the line very quietly so only the person they are talking to can hear it. The only rule is they can only tell it once to the person they are passing it to. At the end of the line the last child will say what they heard out loud. Normally, the last message is nothing like the one you told the first child. The game is called Rumors.

Haggai is not playing a game with the Israelites. God isn’t whispering in his ear and asking him to pass it along to see how wrong they can get it. No! God speaks clearly. His words are precise. He is giving Haggai a message to deliver to His people. Why? Well, we will see that in the coming days. Come back to this blog site and watch how God’s message can bring peace and comfort.

APPLICATION

When God speaks, we must share. His message to us is never meant just for us. Now, it may be a very personal message. But God wants His words known to the world. You may ask How do I know that it is God speaking to me? Simple. Does the message glorify Him? Does it agree with Scripture. You can be assured that any message you get from the devil will do neither.

What is the message God has given you? What! You haven’t heard from Him? Are you listening? You can’t hear God unless you have your ears tuned in to hear His voice. God normally isn’t going to shout it to you in claps of thunder. His message will come to you as you study His Word or meditate on a passage. Perhaps in the quietness of your prayer time He will speak.

Once you hear the message, though, tell everyone. They may think you are a little “off,” but that is okay. Tell them how God loves them. Tell them how they can experience that love. Tell them they have a Savior in Christ. You see, God is still proclaiming that message. We have work that needs to be done. Let’s go.

Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.

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WHO IS THAT AGAIN?

HAGGAI 1:7

“The LORD of armies says this: ‘Consider your ways!’”

As I have gotten older, I have noticed I don’t hear as clearly as I used to. In fact, my left ear has some hearing loss. I have also lost a lot of the higher frequencies. So, sometimes when I answer my cellphone, I have to ask the person again who it is. Excuse me, who did you say this is? That person will then repeat what they said, and I most likely will recognize who it is.

The LORD of armies, or LORD of hosts, repeats Himself here. He had just said these exact same words, “consider your ways.” Why would God repeat Himself? All throughout Scripture we see God do this. He wants to emphasize a point. Any good point is worth repeating, right? So, here is the Lord saying once again to the people to watch how they are stepping. He wants to make sure they get this message.

APPLICATION

Repetition is good. In the books we use in Every Man A Warrior, we repeat the skills over and over again. We know that most men need this kind of repetition for it to sink in. They need to hear the message over and over. It needs to become a sort of spiritual muscle memory, much like an athlete practices his swing or shot over and over until it becomes second nature.

However, we need to learn to listen to God the first time. He shouldn’t have to repeat Himself. If you are like me, however, I get so busy with my life that I don’t get quiet enough to hear Him sometimes. In Luke 9:44 Jesus told His disciples to “listen carefully.” He made a point to get their attention. He wanted them to hear clearly what He was about to tell them. He didn’t want any confusion to be had on their part.

Are you listening closely? Does God have to repeat Himself to you? Stop and get quiet. Listen for His voice. He is not speaking so you cannot hear Him. He doesn’t want you guessing it’s Him. Just ask Him to speak. Tune your ears to His frequency. Even though my physical hearing is not as good as it used to be, my spiritual hearing can get better and better as I listen for His voice. Join me.

I hear You, O God. I will follow Your voice wherever You lead.

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JUST BE QUIET

HABAKKUK 2:20

“‘But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.’”

As I read this verse a memory popped up in my head. Once I first came to Christ in 1977, I was 16 years old and hungry to know Him. My home church, Pelham First Baptist, used to leave the door open twenty-four hours a day to the prayer room. I can still see that room. It seemed to be seldom used (that is sad to think about), but I loved to go there to pray. It was a quiet place where I could hear God’s voice. I needed that place.

This verse today in Habakkuk is probably the key verse to the whole book. This is the central message of God to Habakkuk for His people. It’s as if the Lord is saying, “Get quiet and listen to me. I am still on the throne. No one has removed me. I know who you are and where you are. Do you trust me? Do you love me? Come to me now.”

APPLICATION

Are you hustling and bustling every day this time of the year. The holiday season seems to put people in a tizzy. They can’t seem to rest. Take a breath and look at this verse today. God is telling us to get quiet and listen. We seldom do much listening, do we? We are always talking or doing something.

Getting quiet is a skill you must develop. It does not come naturally for most people. But the benefits of listening to God are huge. You get to hear His voice. You get to rest in the bosom of the Father. You can hear your spirit connect with Him in an intimate relationship meant only for you. Don’t you want that?

I know I do. I want to know Him more. I need to get quiet more often. I need to hear my own heartbeat as it connects with His. Oh, how I long to hear His voice. And the beautiful thing is He wants that too. He wants to spend that kind of time with us. That’s the amazing God we love and serve.

Word of God speak. Speak to me. Let me get quiet and just listen.

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Answers, Bible, Hearing, Listening, Prayer, Scripture

WAKE UP!

HABAKKUK 2:19

“‘Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ to a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ That is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath at all inside it.’”

Have you ever tried to wake up someone from a dead sleep? You start out quietly whispering their name. Then you may touch them lightly and saying their name again. Finally, you are shoving and yelling, lol. I used to wake up my daughter with “earthquakes” in her bed. She could sleep so soundly.

God is mocking the false gods in this fifth and final woe He has spoken to Habakkuk. He says to try to wake them. Maybe they are asleep (wink/grin). They may look pretty dressed in their gold and silver, but they are breathless, lifeless, unresponsive.

APPLICATION

Aren’t you glad our God never sleeps and never slumbers (Psalm 121:4)? I don’t have to yell and scream to get His attention. In fact, He is always waiting to listen to me. I don’t mean He is at my beckon call and will just hop to it when I call His name. No, He is always listening and will answer according to His perfect will.

If you aren’t “getting God’s attention,” perhaps it’s because you are praying with the wrong motives or not according to His will. Our God wants to bless us. He can only do that as we seek Him. We may scream and shout until we are without voice. But all it takes to get God’s ear is to speak to Him with an open heart and willing spirit.

I am reminded of David’s Psalm 51. He cried out in verses 15-17, “15Lord, open my lips, so that my mouth may declare Your praise. 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.” Talk to Him today.

Thank You, Lord, for listening to me. Thank You that You are bending Your ear to hear my voice.

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RIGHT ON TIME, JUST IN TIME

HABAKKUK 2:3

“‘For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hurries toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it delays, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay long.’”

Aren’t you glad God is never late? I know! I know! We often think He is, don’t we? I can remember a few times in my life when I tried to hurry Him up. “Come on, God. Don’t you see me down here? When are you going to do something?” Don’t judge me. You have prayed the same thing, lol.

God tells Habakkuk that the vision He is receiving is for “the appointed time.” He doesn’t tell him when. He just reassures him that it 1) hurries toward the goal, 2) will not fail, 3) will certainly come, and 4) will not delay. Now, this is God speaking, so Habakkuk knows he can trust the message.

APPLICATION

God is always right on time. He is always just in time. He is always aware of the clock. He doesn’t always wait to the eleventh hour. Sometimes He reacts quickly. I have known prayers that were answered as soon as they were lifted up (or so it seemed). Other prayers were repeated for years until He answered.

Whether quick or delay, His answer will come. He promises that. I have shared several verses in the past about answered prayers. Let me encourage you to do a study on prayer through Scripture. Look up and read all the prayers that are recorded. It may surprise you to see how God worked in each and every situation.

How do you handle waiting? I am naturally a pretty impatient guy. I hate waiting at restaurants. I won’t stay if the wait is longer than ½ an hour. But God has taught me to wait on Him. I know all His messages in His Word are true. I know He is sending His Son to take us home. I will wait. How about you?

I will wait on You, Lord. You will accomplish Your work in due time – Your time.

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GOD’S MESSENGERS

HABAKKUK 1:6

“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that grim and impetuous people who march throughout the earth, to take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs.”

Sometimes we get our lessons from the strangest people or situations. I have been taught great truths from someone I met in an airport or maybe on the street. Hearing of their journey with Christ has given me new insight into mine. Hearing of their struggles with faith has taught me to trust more.

God is now telling Habakkuk what is going to happen (yesterday’s blog set this up, in case you missed it). God is going to use the Chaldeans to judge Israel. What!!! Why would God use such a “grim and impetuous people”? God’s instruments of judgment are not what we would choose, most His choice is always the perfect one.

APPLICATION

Who are what is God using right now in your life to teach you something? It doesn’t have to be a “Chaldean” like Habakkuk had to face. No, it could be the kind, elderly neighbor who just wants to talk. Your patience runs thin sometimes when you see them coming across the street. You know you are in for at least a thirty-minute conversation.

May I suggest that you take the time to listen. They may have something to say to you that you need to hear. God can use others around us to speak a message to us. Recently, a colleague of mine had that exact experience. Someone gave them a message they needed to hear which resulted in this person taking action, an action they had been pondering for some time.

I am thankful that we don’t get all our “sermons” on Sunday mornings. Many of them are spoken to us every day if we will just take the time to listen. So, are you listening? In your conversations, texts or emails today, look for that message you need to hear.

Father, I praise You for using others around me to speak to me. I want to hear Your voice no matter who it comes through.

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