A man drove out of a Builders Supply Yard after purchasing a large tub of creosote and an over-sized piece of ply wood, which proved difficult to fit comfortably in his van. For the short journey he had to make, he judged his purchases would be safe. Driving to his destination he heard a thud from the rear of his vehicle. His reasoning told him the thud was just his purchases moving around in transportation, so he ignored it. The “still, small voice” said, “Pull over!” He did not. When he reached his destination he discovered his tub of creosote was missing. The thud he had heard earlier was it’s departure from his van to the road! He realised if he had pulled over earlier when the Holy Spirit prompted him, he could have recovered his missing goods.
Listen to the whispers of Jesus. I need to learn to hear God in the ordinary situations of my life and respond. Indeed!…it is a learning process. The timing of God is immaculate. God is not in time, time is in God.
If I do not learn to hear and respond to God in the ordinary, who am I hearing in the extraordinary? There are so many voices in this world. Some even masquerade with a cloak of “Thus says the Lord….” but the Holy Spirit of God only witnesses to truth and will quicken my spirit when God is speaking directly to me.
We often refer to the PROCESS that we each find ourself in as the individual circumstances that God is using to bring us to all truth, the manifestation of the sons of God, full stature. A good craftsman is meticulous in his workmanship. God is our Craftsman and He is not a messy worker. God brings challenges to us in our daily lives. Some think that because they hear the voice of God that their lives are “in order.” However, God is in all and in His grace, He meets us in permission, where we are. The purpose of the “still, small voice” is to usher us into another dimension.
When I hear God’s voice it is not necessarily because I am super-sensitive spiritually. It is His grace towards me, He loves me! It is His nature to bless me, but what God blesses He does not necessarily sanction. I cannot bear testimony of my own obedience or judge where I am in God in my circumstances. God is my Judge. He sees my heart.
We can justify what we believe from scripture with wrong motives in order to justify ourselves. The danger in ministry today is that because God uses people and blesses them, some take this as an indication that theirs is an orderly life – not so…God once spoke through a donkey as in the account of Balaam’s ass.
Last week we shared the scripture in 2 Peter 1:19 declaring we have a more sure word of prophecy than the audible voice on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Daystar arising in our hearts, which is “Christ in me!” God has given each of us a window in time to live our lives to the glory of God. He is bringing us closer to Him building “..line upon line, precept upon precept,” – this is the PROCESS and the will of God for my life.
The “process” involves much inter-action with others. Our will arises daily and is often in opposition to others. When I confront the pride in a man, all hell can be released in whatever measure, but when I operate in humility, the Kingdom of Heaven is released. The Holy Spirit resonates to humility and all discord is hushed.
It is interesting to note that in music, nothing can be added to discord to improve it. Something has to shift to bring harmony – so it is in the natural! Selah.
In the PROCESS of my life I must see that it is my responsibility to “get right” with God. I am not commissioned to “put others right.” God is training us in stewardship, purging out the leven of pride in our lives, training us in responsibility to bring us to a place in His divine plan and purpose, that our lives will demonstrate the life and authority of Jesus Christ.
