Are You Listening?

by Tim Howard

My wife and I were out to breakfast not too long ago and the waitress who came to our table was bubbly, vibrant and very friendly. After a few moments of exchanging pleasantries, she asked us if we wanted some coffee and what we would like to order. Since I was hungry, I began to rattle of a list of several things. Midway through my request she interrupted me and said: “ I’m sorry, could you start again, I wasn’t practicing active listening.”

I can’t begin to tell you how hard the three of us laughed. I had never heard anyone say that out loud! A person may not be listening but he or she doesn’t outright say it to you!

At times we all have moments when we drift off. We may hear what someone says but aren’t necessarily paying attention. We don’t practice active listening – we consciously or unconsciously choose to turn our proverbial hearing aid off.

Francis A Schaeffer wrote a book titled “He Is There And He Is Not Silent” 

God isn’t silent and He really wants to talk with you! His preference is to talk ‘with’ you and not ‘at’ you because He’s genuinely interested in your feelings, your thoughts, your concerns and your words.

When you speak – He listens! When He speaks, He wants you to listen!

Jesus said: Matt. 4:4 … “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Having ears that actually hear and listen to God’s voice is crucial – if we want to experience true life.

God has given you His written ‘Word’ as an aid to help you learn how to hear His voice. When you read it and study it – your ears become attuned to His voice like antenna that locks into the right frequency.

He has also invited you to join with a church family of your choice each week to help assist you in hearing. When you set aside some time to meet with others – you practice active listening.

My mother use to say: “ I’m not talking to hear myself talk!” And neither is God. He want’s you Practice active listening. 

He has some great things to share with you. He wants to tell you how to face the challenges confronting your life. He wants to tell you how to dispel the confusion you are currently experiencing. He wants to tell you where to find life and purpose and He’s wanting to tell you why things keep falling apart and how you can make things last. He is speaking good news!

On one occasion a young boy named Samuel was learning to hear God speak to him and a wise priest told him this: The next time you sense the Lords presence say “Speak, your servant is listening.” Too often we are guilty of wanting Him to hears us and we say: “Listen my Lord, I am speaking.” It’s important to remember that it’s impossible to listen when you are talking!

When you speak to God – He listens!

When He speaks to you – do you listen?

Are you positioned to hear His voice?

Do you have a strategy to discover what He is saying, to you, right now?

Please Listen

by Tim Howard

Have you ever tried talking to someone who didn’t want to listen? This is often the case with my grandson Drew! When I try to help him with a problem, 99% of the time he makes it very clear he doesn’t need my assistance. “I’m just trying to help you,” I respond… “Please listen.” 

I’m sure a lot of parents and grandparents have similar experiences so I don’t feel totally weird or alone. At least that’s what I tell myself!

Jesus said: “Listen!” when He told a parable in Mark 4. He used this term because the story being told was very important. Pay attention, hear what is being spoken, don’t miss what I’m about to say because your vibrancy, growth and quality of life depend upon it.

He then goes on to talk about four responses people make to truth and what happens as a result. This narrative is found in Mark 4:1-24.

The first group Jesus identifies is those who don’t want to listen. They are ‘unreceptive’ to truth. I call them the ‘I couldn’t care less listener.’ When truth is spoken, it’s goes in one ear and right out the other. 

Unreceptive means to be closed-minded. This type of person makes no attempt to take truth in, reflect on it, understand it or accept it.  In doing so, a hardness of heart sets in. The soil of their lives becomes like ‘hardpan.’

LISTEN: You don’t want to be this type of person because little grows in hardpan soil. Hardheaded people and hardhearted people are impervious to input, resistant to truth and stuck in their ways.

The second group is those who respond with their emotions. They don’t listen with their mind but their feelings. Your emotions can be a wonderful asset to your life but they will not always guide you in making the best decisions.

LISTEN: You don’t want to be this type of person because you will become very shallow in your approach to life. When trouble comes, you will run. Maturity will elude you and growth will be stifled. 

A third group is those who offer a half-hearted response to truth. They listen but they aren’t really hearing. My wife says that about me! They get distracted!  Worries of life, the quest for more money and the desires for material things keep them from focusing.  

LISTEN: You don’t want to be this type of person because this type of listening acts likes weeds and chokes out the important things of life.

The last group Jesus mentions is those who are open and responsive. This type of person practices active listening, isn’t gullible but open, accepts truth, listens intently and plants truth in their heart. They also listen with the intent of obeying. The result: A great harvest of fruit. 

LISTEN: This is the type of person you want to be like because you will bear much fruit.

What kind of fruit can you expect? If you open God’s word to Galatians 5:22-23 you will find some fruit God mentions. Your love will grow stronger. Your joy will increase, peace will abide, kindness will overflow, patience will be demonstrated, Self-control will be experienced and a host of other things will grow. 

Jesus talked to a lot of people. Some wanted to listen, others wanted to argue and still others didn’t want to hear anything He had to say. Please Listen! Eternity is at stake and the quality of your life can increase. 

Listen

by Tim Howard

While growing up did you ever hear your parents or guardians say: “Do you think I’m talking to hear myself talk?” I sure did, on many occasions! The statement was voiced in the form of a question but when I tried to answer, I was told to be quiet…in not so many words. Now that I have more understanding, I realize they were making a statement and not asking for my opinion. They wanted me to “Listen”

God listens to us when we speak. Isn’t that amazing? He has called us into relationship: we speak and He listens; He speaks and we listen. This may seem obvious to some but this is the difference between Christianity and religion.

Christianity is a relationship! God calls us into a love relationship where we converse with him. It’s more than a monologue - It’s a dialogue! Religion on the other hand is about following the rules rather than cultivating a relationship. Go to church for an hour or so a week, read a few chapters in the Bible, do a daily devotional and make sure you do a couple of good deeds.  As good as these things are, God wants to have more. He desires a conversational relationship with you!  You speak and He listens.  He speaks and you listen.

God hears everything! You may say something in private like a politician but discover later that someone taped your words and everyone heard what you said. Even when you think no one heard, God hears.

God even hears what you say when you don’t say anything. After all, you don’t need words to speak. Sometimes your body language, your facial expressions and your actions speak volumes without the utterance of one word.

God hears everything you say even when you can’t hear him. If you ever pray to God in his Son’s name, and feel like no one is listening you need to know, he does hear. That’s one reason King David loved God. He said:  “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. “Psalm 116:1-2. I couldn’t agree more.

Since God created us in him image and since he listens to us, doesn’t it make sense that we should listen to him?

The word “listen” and its derivatives are used 338 times in the NIV Bible.  The word “hear” and its derivatives are used 982 times.  There is a lot of talking and listening going on in the Bible!  Interestingly the most common use of the word “listen” in the Bible is God telling us to listen. 

God speaks to us in a variety of ways, so whom should we listen to?

If you are a married man, I would suggest you listen to your wife. God speaks to us through people and he can use your mate to shape, adjust or encourage you. God speaks through experiences and circumstances. When something out of the ordinary happens to you don’t dismiss it as an aberration. God might be trying to get your attention because he wants to change something or strengthen something. Your conscience is another authority in your life. If it has been trained properly and you listen to it, your steps will be guarded from many stumbles.

Francis Scheaffer wrote a book called “He is there and He is not silent.”  He isn’t talking just to hear himself talk. I encourage you to “listen”