Tue, May 26, 2009
Quick - Listen!
“Write this down!” Take note, this is important.
Have you ever been in the woods when suddenly you exclaim, “Quick - Listen!”? All of your energy and focus goes to your ears - listening - engaged, focused attention for the smallest detail of noise.
We have so many voices speaking to us that “listening” has become a lost art. Go into your teenagers room - they will have the TV on, while they’re working on the computer, with ear plugs listening to their latest download from Itunes, while texting their friends on their phone.
God will not interrupt your Ipod to speak with you.
I. Quick to Listen. To listen means to comprehend, perceive, understand, and consider. Faith doesn’t happen without “hearing”. How do we “hear” the Word of God? Few people actually practice the art of listening. Listening requires focus.
There are three types of listening that people commonly practice: 1). Combative - The listener is only looking for an opening to interject their argument. 2). Attentive - The listener hears and even feels what they are hearing but remains passive in communication. He reflects but doesn’t apply what he has heard. 3). Active - The listener not only hears but actually engages, restates, and applies what they’ve heard into their lives .
II. Slow to Speak. Most people engage their tongue too quickly. Solomon advised, “The fool seems wise with his mouth shut.” (Proverbs 17:28) The tongue is the source of ALL of our evil. The words of our mouth has the power of life and death. If we realized the true results of our speech we would be very careful to say anything at all. It is with three words that we are saved, the confession that “Jesus is Lord.” Those three words have the power to transform our eternal destiny. If any of our words matter than ALL of our words matter.
A great warrior named Jephthah is a man who spoke rash words that resulted in the death of his daughter. God did not inspire him to speak such vain and foolish words they were his idea. Fathers, we must be very careful with the words that we “spout off” because they will have an impact on our families.
III. Slow to become Angry. For more information on this read, “The Four Faces of Anger.”
How have you isolated yourself from the legion of voices that are airing their words? What steps are taking to actively listen to God’s Word?
Have you ever been in the woods when suddenly you exclaim, “Quick - Listen!”? All of your energy and focus goes to your ears - listening - engaged, focused attention for the smallest detail of noise.
We have so many voices speaking to us that “listening” has become a lost art. Go into your teenagers room - they will have the TV on, while they’re working on the computer, with ear plugs listening to their latest download from Itunes, while texting their friends on their phone.
God will not interrupt your Ipod to speak with you.
I. Quick to Listen. To listen means to comprehend, perceive, understand, and consider. Faith doesn’t happen without “hearing”. How do we “hear” the Word of God? Few people actually practice the art of listening. Listening requires focus.
There are three types of listening that people commonly practice: 1). Combative - The listener is only looking for an opening to interject their argument. 2). Attentive - The listener hears and even feels what they are hearing but remains passive in communication. He reflects but doesn’t apply what he has heard. 3). Active - The listener not only hears but actually engages, restates, and applies what they’ve heard into their lives .
II. Slow to Speak. Most people engage their tongue too quickly. Solomon advised, “The fool seems wise with his mouth shut.” (Proverbs 17:28) The tongue is the source of ALL of our evil. The words of our mouth has the power of life and death. If we realized the true results of our speech we would be very careful to say anything at all. It is with three words that we are saved, the confession that “Jesus is Lord.” Those three words have the power to transform our eternal destiny. If any of our words matter than ALL of our words matter.
A great warrior named Jephthah is a man who spoke rash words that resulted in the death of his daughter. God did not inspire him to speak such vain and foolish words they were his idea. Fathers, we must be very careful with the words that we “spout off” because they will have an impact on our families.
III. Slow to become Angry. For more information on this read, “The Four Faces of Anger.”
How have you isolated yourself from the legion of voices that are airing their words? What steps are taking to actively listen to God’s Word?
Proverbs 17:28, Romans 10:17, James 1:19, James 1:22 and James 3:8
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