I Samuel 15:2, 3
We live in a society where there is constant noise. It could be a jet flying over, a jackhammer breaking up the street, or a cement mixer pouring concrete. It simply is noise. At night when there is stillness and a strange noise occurs, people get real quiet because they want to listen so they can determine what kind of noise it is. How do you respond to a noise or to a voice when you cannot tell from whence it is coming? How do you react if you know whose voice it is? Just think about the two questions that I just asked while I elaborate upon a little bit of history from the first book of Samuel, which recorded the birth, dedication and the call of Samuel.
The lesson is on obedience. "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King." I Samuel 15:22, 23
"Responding To What You Hear." What does this mean? The definition of the word respond means "to answer," "to reply," or "to react." Please note that we respond according to our mentality. Responses generally emanate from our attitudinal position. Believe it or not, this is how we function in our Spiritual thought pattern. The Scriptures state in Proverbs 23:7a, "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he..." If you are thinking positive or negative in your hearts, that is how you will respond to what you hear.
Be it remembered that obedience brings about a life of joy and happiness. Disobedience brings about sorrow, rejection and death. How will you respond to the voice of God? Will it be negative, passive, or positive? Can you say today that when He calls me I will answer because I'll be somewhere listening for my name.
excerpt from the book "By the Foolishness of Preaching" by the Reverend Dr. Grace Ruth Batten, DD
We live in a society where there is constant noise. It could be a jet flying over, a jackhammer breaking up the street, or a cement mixer pouring concrete. It simply is noise. At night when there is stillness and a strange noise occurs, people get real quiet because they want to listen so they can determine what kind of noise it is. How do you respond to a noise or to a voice when you cannot tell from whence it is coming? How do you react if you know whose voice it is? Just think about the two questions that I just asked while I elaborate upon a little bit of history from the first book of Samuel, which recorded the birth, dedication and the call of Samuel.
The lesson is on obedience. "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King." I Samuel 15:22, 23
"Responding To What You Hear." What does this mean? The definition of the word respond means "to answer," "to reply," or "to react." Please note that we respond according to our mentality. Responses generally emanate from our attitudinal position. Believe it or not, this is how we function in our Spiritual thought pattern. The Scriptures state in Proverbs 23:7a, "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he..." If you are thinking positive or negative in your hearts, that is how you will respond to what you hear.
Be it remembered that obedience brings about a life of joy and happiness. Disobedience brings about sorrow, rejection and death. How will you respond to the voice of God? Will it be negative, passive, or positive? Can you say today that when He calls me I will answer because I'll be somewhere listening for my name.
excerpt from the book "By the Foolishness of Preaching" by the Reverend Dr. Grace Ruth Batten, DD
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