listen — CSF

*** The verses recited Sunday night are listed below.

The words and love of Jesus abiding within us, what does that look like? (John 15:7-9). Christ wants to move us, affect the way we think, affect the way we act and bring us in alignment with His will. God has spoken! We allow all sorts of other things to affect us, other people, our past, expectations, finances, the future, performance, parents, relationships, work, addictions, hobbies…fill in the blank. I know because I do it! He has spoken, can we allow His words to move us?

“Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.” James 1:22

The point isn’t “works”. The point is that He has spoken and we can listen! We can be part of His plan for humanity, which starts with us, right here, in that chair where you’re sitting. Your next task, decision, celebrations, hopes, tonight, next week, those things you struggle with, where you’re going, who and how you date, He has something to say to you. He has spoken.

If you’re new or reconnecting to Christ that means different things than if you’ve grown up in church you’re entire life. We’re all at different places but His word will speak life into all of us and meet us right where we are one GLORIOUS step at a time if we’re open to abiding in Him and His words in us.

Here’s the list of verses recited Sunday night for service during our “camp fire”. These are verses that have moved and shaped my life. They have spoken life into me. They have increased my capacity to see this world through God’s eyes, in a much more beautiful and meaningful way than I ever imagined. When I’m 50 I hope I’ll say the same thing all over again. They also tell a bit of a story: The supremacy of God, His will, my tendency to sin, a Savior enters this world, and convictions.

God has spoken and I hope each of us grows in our desire to listen. Simply listen to Him.

Gen 1: 1-31
Deuteronomy 6:5
Psalm 107:1
Eph 5:17
John 15:17
Ephesians 1:9
John 6:40
Rom 7:15 & 21
I Corinthians 6:18
Rom 3:23
Romans 6:1
John 1:1
John 3:16
II Corin 5:17
Hosea 6:6
James 1:22
I John 3:17
Proverbs 29:25
Phillipians 2:15
Phillipians 4:13
James 1:2
Luke 12:48

Listen. Ecclesiastes 5 – “Guard your steps…..LISTEN….” Is blocking out distractions as hard for you as it is for me in order to listen to Jesus? I can’t quiet my mind. It’s mental ping pong, back and forth, all over the place. It was about ministry, it was about Jesus, a person, a group, drifting here and there. Even the devil thinks *about* Jesus and *about* people, but I want to listen and let him speak truth into my life. I started praying when I tried to be quiet…praying isn’t bad right? But I wasn’t trying to pray, I just went into auto-pilot with quiet reflective time. I want to listen to the truth, life, and eternal joy that only Christ offers. I need to let HIM speak to me. He has something to say, his Word needs to infect my heart, his death needs to move my soul.

John 10:1-2 speaks of one sneaking in and another at the door.

The surprises are not Jesus. The surprises are not Jesus. The first word in Hebrew in that passage is repeated twice, an ancient way of calling attention. That’s translated ‘Verily, verily’ in the KJV, ‘truly’, and ‘surely’ in other versions. The thief comes in a surprise fashion, bringing special attention. We are sometimes grabbed by things that are special, different - novelties that set us or something apart. Novelties gain our attention and excite our passions for newness, freshness, and something different. When we’re bored or it’s not working any more, we can trade one novelty for another. Jesus transcends all novelty and feelings of newness and excitement. His powerful and perfect Love of “the world”, in which he means the totality of humanity, isn’t about novelty. Jesus is perfection and He stands alone, awaiting our attention and passion.

Jesus is the one at the door. He is simple, no surprises and nothing sneaky or novel. Can we listen to that eternally powerful message? Let us not await novel, new, fresh, man made ideas and visions – but the living, resurrected, right now, Jesus. Let Jesus take His only place, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords of our lives and our listening. Go do it.

Journal about it. Write about it. Reflect on scripture that speaks to this, read it again, pray about the scripture you read – allow God to speak to your heart and soul as the King of Kings. Write a poem about it. Go somewhere because of this and LISTEN. Someone reading this knows in their heart that they need, want, and desire God to speak. Join me in trying to reclaim the ability to listen.