In a conversation with His disciples, Jesus challenged them, saying: “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” – Mark 4:24-25 (NLT)
James, the brother of Jesus, takes it one step further: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” – James 1:22-25 (NLT)
The degree with which we use the Truth we’ve heard, is the degree to which more will be given to us. The more one listens intently to the Word of God with spiritual perceptions, and applies it to their life, the more revelations of God they will experience. In contrast, those that are closed-minded to the Truth and unresponsive to apply God’s instructions to their life, will become more and more blind to spiritual revelations. Jesus goes on to boldly say that those that are set on not listening to the Truth, even the little spiritual perception that they have will be taken away from them.
In a world where so many voices are screaming for our attention, it’s going to take effort and a heart desire to follow Jesus with every part of us - to silence everything else around us to get to know His voice above all others. God always gives us choice… and while I believe He is always speaking; we can easily miss what He’s saying if our ears aren’t tuned to hear from Him. It’s our choice to pay attention to what He’s saying through His Word and by His Holy Spirit within us, but it’s also our choice whether or not we apply what He has said to our lives.
Let’s choose wisely. Let our ears decipher the falsities from the Truth, let our eyes see through illusions that appear to be holy but are off the mark from God’s Word. Let us pay attention to our surroundings and how we’re influenced by them and see if they line up with God’s best for us.
Responsive Prayer:
“Lord, give me ears to listen intently to all the ways You’re speaking to me. Holy Spirit help me to apply Your truth to my life. Lord, I thank You that Your Word promises that You will continue to reveal more to me, giving me a greater spiritual understanding of Who You are and the mystery of Your ways. I thank you Lord for loving me. In Jesus name, Amen.”
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