LISTEN WITH UNDERSTANDING:

NEHEMIAH 8:2 – AND EZRA THE PRIEST BROUGHT THE LAW BEFORE THE CONGREGATION BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, AND ALL THAT COULD HEAR WITH UNDERSTANDING…

SO WHEN WE LISTEN TO HEAR, WE CAN DO IT WITH UNDERSTANDING. TO UNDERSTAND, MEANS TO COMPREHAND OR DISCERN.

WE NEED TO LISTEN TO GOD:

GOD DOESN’T HIDE ANYTHING FROM US.

MARK 4:22-25 – FOR THERE IS NOTHING HID, WHICH SHALL NOT BE MANIFESTED; NEITHER WAS ANYTHING KEPT SECRET, BUT THAT IT SHOULD COME ABROAD.

IF ANY MAN HAVE EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR.

AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, TAKE HEED WHAT MEASURE YE MEET, IT SHALL BE MEASURED TO YOU: AND UNTO YOU THAT HEAR  SHALL MORE BE GIVEN.

FOR HE THAT HATH, TO HIM SHALL BE GIVEN: AND HE THAT HATH NOT, FROM HIM SHALL BE TAKEN EVEN THAT HE HATH.

GOD DESIRES FOR US TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY TO US.

THE ONLY WAY WE CAN HEAR FROM GOD IS TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN OUR SECRET PLACE, READ HIS WORD, AND MEDITATE ON IT, AND LISTEN FOR THAT STILL SMALL VOICE.

THE MORE WE HEAR FROM GOD, THE MORE WE WANT TO HEAR.

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL OPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OR COMPREHENSION OF WHAT HE IS TRYING TO GET ACROSS TO US IF WE WILL ONLY LISTEN.

I’M SURE THAT THOSE WHO HAD GOOD PARENTS: WISH THEY HAD LISTENED MORE TO THE ADVISE THEIR PARENTS GAVE THEM WHILE GROWING UP. WE WOULD HAVE MISSED SOME OF THE TROUBLES AND HEARTACHES WE WENT THROUGH, HAD WE LISTENED.

YOU ARE PROBABLY THINKING OF SOME OF THEM RIGHT NOW.

WELL, LISTENING TO WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVEN WHAT OUR PARENTS HAVE TO SAY.

HUMAN BEINGS CAN ONLY REALLY KNOW BY EXPERIENCE; BUT GOD KNOWS THE FRONT, BACK, AND IN-BETWEEN OF EVERYTHING.

HE IS OMNISCIENCE, ALL KNOWING: 

I JOHN 3:20b – GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART,  AND KNOWETH ALL THINGS.

GOD HAS FOREKNOWLEDGE:

ISAIAH 48:3,5 – I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS FROM THE BEGINNING; AND THEY WENT FORTH OUT OF MY MOUTH, AND I SHOWED THEM; I DID THEM SUDDENLY, AND THEY CAME TO PASS.

I HAVE EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING DECLARED IT TO THEE; BEFORE IT CAME TO PASS I SHOWED IT THEE: LEST THOU SHOULDEST SAY, MINE IDOL HATH DONE THEM, AND MINE GRAVEN IMAGE, AND MINE MOULTON IMAGE, HATH COMMANDED THEM.

GOD DESIRES US TO LISTEN TO HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE KNOWN TO US HIS PLANS FOR US. THE WORLD DOES NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS.

VERSE 17 – THUS SAYETH THE LORD, THY REDEEMER, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL; I AM THE LORD THY GOD WHICH TEACHETH THEE TO PROFIT (GAIN), WHICH LEADETH THEE BY THE WAY THAT THOU SHOULDEST GO. THIS IS JESUS SPEAKING THROUGH ISAIAH.

GOD WILL LISTEN TO US:

DAVID PRAYED TO GOD IN PSALM 4:1,3 – HEAR ME WHEN I CALL, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS: THOU HAST ENLARGED ME WHEN I WAS IN DISTRESS; HAVE MERCY ON ME, AND HEAR MY PRAYER.

BUT KNOW THAT THE LORD HATH SET APART HIM THAT IS GODLY FOR HIMSELF: THE LORD WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL UNTO HIM.

ISN’T IT WONDERFUL THAT THE SUPREME BEING, ALMIGHTY GOD, WILL LISTEN TO US WHEN WE CALL. DAVID IS SAYING, THE LORD HEARD HIM WHEN HE PRAYED, AND HAS RELIEVED HIM FROM HIS DISTRESS.