Listen to God’s Voice – Morning Message by Kelly Grant – Jan. 10

Isaiah 43:1-7
Listen to God’s Voice!

God cannot help us unless we allow Him to! Yet – all too often many of us could be accused of trying to out-God God. We often believe that we know exactly what we want - what we need and the best way to get it. In fact, we get so busy doing what we do the way we do it, there is no opportunity for God to get into our lives at all! Are we really listening to his voice?

God will let you do whatever you want to do until you realize that God can do it better.

If you want to run the show, God will let you. If you want to pull all the strings, that's up to you. If you want to insist that what you are doing is the way it should be done, even when you are not getting anywhere, go right ahead. God will let you run yourself ragged, if you choose to. Unfortunately, you may not always be aware that you are in God's way. You think you are demonstrating your independence. You think that it is all up to you and that you must do it or it won't get done. God knows better! God knows that He cannot fail! However God has no need to prove to you what He can do.

How do you know when you are running your program rather than allowing God's divine plan to unfold? It's very simple! If you are struggling to make things happen and they are not happening, it's you, not God, running the show.

Listen to God’s Voice ~ don’t assume to know how it will sound ~ or for that matter in what shape or form it will arrive ~

A few yrs ago there was a story/joke traveling the internet – it is a great example A flood was coming and word was sent to evacuate. One farmer sat on his porch and told the rescue team. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." Soon the water rose and the farmer was forced to the second story of his house. The rescue boat came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God He'll save me." Soon the farmer was forced to the top of his roof. The rescue helicopter came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." The water rose and the farmer drowned. On his arrival in heaven he asked God, "Why didn't you save me? I waited for you but you never came." God replied. "Awe my son, I came three times."

Listen to God’s voice ~ and remember each day to put first things first .... it is a mandate for all of our lives. This principle encourages us to acknowledge, accept and embrace God first in all things that we do. First, inquire of God. Then, listen to God. When you hear God, respond. Then trust God to lead and guide you.

Listen to God’s voice (My Temple Testimony – Isaiah 43:1-5)

The book of Isaiah has special meaning to me. Two of the verses in that book were singled out/presented to me during a trip to Independence in June 2003. I had the opportunity to attend a conference at world church. The first morning, Sandy Jensen and I made plans to meet early so that we could sit together for the 8:30 devotionals and keynote speaker. As we headed toward the sanctuary Sam noticed a pile of papers on a chair – they were there for people to take as they headed inside ~ it was the agenda for the day. But people were so busy visiting as entered the sanctuary they were missing them. Sam grabbed the pile and handed me half and we stood at the entryway welcoming and distributing the day’s agenda.

The time flew by and we suddenly realized that time was approaching for the service to begin we quickly headed inside to find a seat. It was packed. Not a seat to be had. So Sam suggested we go up to the balcony. Today climbing stairs is almost impossible - but even back in ‘03 it was a very difficult task. But Sam assured that we would go as slow as needed and rest along the way. We eventually made it to the top and to our delight we discovered that there were many seats to choose from. We also discovered that the view was much better and more room to stretch out, plus the sound was great. We thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

The next day (Wednesday) Sam had an early morning class. So we were not going to meet prior to the 8:30 devotionals. I arrived to the temple early and decided to go in and sit down. As I headed in and started to pass the stairs – I stopped looked ahead... looked at the stairs ... looked up above... and said “Well God I enjoyed it so much yesterday morning, I am going to try the stairs again. Anyway being way up there is my way to be a little closer to You.” Now I could have had my pick of seats on the first floor because I was there quite early. But I felt very compelled to go up to the balcony. I started up the stairs and was just about at the landing - the midway point and was starting to wonder if I had made the wrong choice - as yet again I found the stairs very difficult. When I reached the landing I noticed what a appeared to be a piece of paper on the railing. There was absolutely nobody around except me... for whatever reason I was compelled to go and pick this piece of paper up. The paper in fact was this card which on the front reads “The lord says: I am with you.” Talk about goose bumps!!!

My eyes filled with tears and my heart with gratitude and I opened the card to take a further look to see what it was or whom it belonged to. Typed inside the card was Isaiah 43:1-5

I looked around again and still there was nobody there – Just me. I hung onto the card – which was completely blank – except the printed information. I continued up to the balcony, thinking I might find the owner of the card. But when I arrived I discovered that I was the only person up there.

I am not one to believe in coincidence ~ I believe things happen for a reason. I know that card and those words were meant for me. This trip turned out to be very memorable one - as I experienced many, as I call them, “God Winks”.

Listen ~ as I read Isaiah 43:1-7 ~ listen to God’s voice

Israel, the Lord who created you says, “Do not be afraid – I will save you.

I have called you by name – you are mine.

When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you.

When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you.

For I am the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you.

I will give up Egypt to set you free;

I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me and because I love you and give you honour.

Do not be afraid – I am with you! I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north and to the south, “Free my sons and daughters! Let them return from distant lands.

Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

Wow ~ there are some important points being made in this passage ~

One point is the encouragement for God's people not to fear what man or nature can do to them.

This is the command repeated in verse 1 and verse 5. God says “Do not be afraid”

What is it that moves God to help his people? Well we find the answer in Verse 4, when God says, "You are precious in my eyes . . . I love you." It is Love "God is love" and He fills us with his unconditional love

So, why did God bring into existence people whom he could regard as precious? Verse 7 states that answer very simply: God created us for his glory.

Now suppose for a moment you walk into the home of a person who just arrived from an extremely primitive part of the world. You notice he has a pan in the fireplace and is grumbling. He says, "It doesn't work." And you say, "What doesn't work?" "The water catcher. It doesn't work. There's a hole right up through the roof and it is open to let the rain in but it doesn't work." You would say to that person, "That's not a water catcher. It's a fireplace. You burn wood in there and the hole is for smoke to get out of the house. It's made to keep you warm not collect water."

I’m sure you will agree with me - when you know what something is for ~ you get more out of it. So it is with life. If we know what we were made for, our purpose for existing - then there is far greater hope of getting all out of life that is possible.

God created you. And he did so with a high and noble purpose in mind—that your utterly unique personality might reflect some feature of God's glory that no other person can. You are like a crystal, or a snowflake, designed and shaped like no other. And the reason you exist is to walk in the light of God's glory in such a way that its rays and colors will reflect off of you and cause others to admire God.

We glorify God's beauty and excellence by loving it and delighting in it. We glorify God's power by trusting him with all the hard and threatening things in our life. We glorify God's generosity, kindness and grace by overflowing with gratitude. And we glorify God's wisdom by obeying His counsel. This is love. And our God is a God of infinite love and He will share all that he is with us for our enjoyment and His glory.

But in order for this to be possible ~ you must listen to God’s voce!

Deep and lasting joy comes from being what we were created to be. And we were created to be mirrors of God's glory. My prayer for each of you this morning ~ is that ~ you listen to God’s voice ~and~ that you are able to glorify God by filling the earth with the light of His beauty by reflecting it to others. May God Bless You.