Can You Hear Me Now?: I Told You
#33 in the Series: Daddy, It's Me--Conversations of an Ordinary Person
with an Extraordinary Heavenly Father
Last winter while I
was having an amazing time of daily conversations with the Lord, suddenly it
stopped!
I had heard, via the
grapevine, that my mom had been in the hospital. At the time, I had a strong impression that I
should call her (Heavenly Father speaking through the Holy Spirit)…but I didn’t.
I put it off. A couple days
later, my earthly dad called me and told me the Lord told him that I needed to
call her. (My dad only calls me a few
times a year. He and mom are divorced.).
I still procrastinated until after noon. Only after I obeyed God’s clear direction were the lines of
communication opened once more.
Delayed obedience is
still disobedience and disobedience is the main cause of all sin. If we just look at the two greatest
commandments, we can see that failing to obey one or the other results in every
kind of sin.
“Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.””
Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
Sin breaks the line
of communication and the love relationship God wants to have with us. Take note as you read scripture how often God
addresses this with people. Here are just
a few examples:
“But if you do not obey the
Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as
it was against your ancestors.”
1 Samuel 12:15 NIV
“If anyone turns a deaf ear to
my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.”
Proverbs 28:9 NIV
“However, if you do not obey the
Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am
giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:”
Deuteronomy 28:15 NIV
When we
are disobedient, we can ask for forgiveness and the Lord will give it, but if
our lifestyle is one of disobedience, again, we may need to search our hearts
as to whether we truly believe God about our spiritual state and the remedy he
provided in the sacrificial death of Jesus.
When we
are a follower of Christ and he asks us to do something and we refuse or procrastinate, it
damages the relationship. Following
through, if possible, can restore the relationship. I have wondered what would have happened to
my ability to converse with the Lord, if I had not repented and followed
through on calling my mom. What if the
illness had led to her death and there was no way to follow through? I’m sure the devil would have used that to
bring guilt and shame and condemnation for a long time. Thank God, he knows best and is teaching me
the importance of obeying him…quickly.
Some opportunities do not present more than once.
How
about you? If you are not hearing from
God clearly or regularly, search your heart for an area of disobedience or
perhaps better, ask him. If you find
something or he reveals something, repent!
If you can remedy it, do it! He
is pursuing you with his love through his discipline.
“My son, do not despise the
Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines
those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
Proverbs 3:11-12 NIV
“Before I was afflicted I went
astray, but now I obey your word.”
Psalm 119:67 NIV
“But from everlasting to
everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness
with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to
obey his precepts.”
Psalm 103:17-18 NIV
“You are my friends if you do
what I command.”
John 15:14 NIV
“He replied, “Blessed rather are
those who hear the word of God and obey it.””
Luke 11:28 NIV
Just to
make it clear, when the lines are broken through disobedience, it is not God
giving us the silent treatment, rather it is our spiritual receiver that has
been clogged with guilt or condemnation or distraction or…? Repentance
cleanses us and gives us the ability to have ears that hear and eyes that
see.
“And now, (insert your name),
what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk
in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul,”
Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV
When we
obey we are on our way to new freedom for our mustang heart!
P.S. If
you are blessed by this blog, don’t forget to leave me a comment or send me an
email. Feel free to share it on your social media. If you
receive this in your email, you may need to visit the webpage (link is in the
footer) to find the share buttons. If you don’t receive it in your
email, sign up for auto delivery at the top right hand column of the
webpage. Be blessed today!
#33 in the Series: Daddy, It's Me--Conversations of an Ordinary Person
with an Extraordinary Heavenly Father
Last winter while I
was having an amazing time of daily conversations with the Lord, suddenly it
stopped!
I had heard, via the
grapevine, that my mom had been in the hospital. At the time, I had a strong impression that I
should call her (Heavenly Father speaking through the Holy Spirit)…but I didn’t.
I put it off. A couple days
later, my earthly dad called me and told me the Lord told him that I needed to
call her. (My dad only calls me a few
times a year. He and mom are divorced.).
I still procrastinated until after noon. Only after I obeyed God’s clear direction were the lines of
communication opened once more.
Delayed obedience is
still disobedience and disobedience is the main cause of all sin. If we just look at the two greatest
commandments, we can see that failing to obey one or the other results in every
kind of sin.
“Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.””
Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
Sin breaks the line
of communication and the love relationship God wants to have with us. Take note as you read scripture how often God
addresses this with people. Here are just
a few examples:
“But if you do not obey the
Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as
it was against your ancestors.”
1 Samuel 12:15 NIV
“If anyone turns a deaf ear to
my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.”
Proverbs 28:9 NIV
“However, if you do not obey the
Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am
giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:”
Deuteronomy 28:15 NIV
When we
are disobedient, we can ask for forgiveness and the Lord will give it, but if
our lifestyle is one of disobedience, again, we may need to search our hearts
as to whether we truly believe God about our spiritual state and the remedy he
provided in the sacrificial death of Jesus.
When we
are a follower of Christ and he asks us to do something and we refuse or procrastinate, it
damages the relationship. Following
through, if possible, can restore the relationship. I have wondered what would have happened to
my ability to converse with the Lord, if I had not repented and followed
through on calling my mom. What if the
illness had led to her death and there was no way to follow through? I’m sure the devil would have used that to
bring guilt and shame and condemnation for a long time. Thank God, he knows best and is teaching me
the importance of obeying him…quickly.
Some opportunities do not present more than once.
How
about you? If you are not hearing from
God clearly or regularly, search your heart for an area of disobedience or
perhaps better, ask him. If you find
something or he reveals something, repent!
If you can remedy it, do it! He
is pursuing you with his love through his discipline.
“My son, do not despise the
Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines
those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
Proverbs 3:11-12 NIV
“Before I was afflicted I went
astray, but now I obey your word.”
Psalm 119:67 NIV
“But from everlasting to
everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness
with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to
obey his precepts.”
Psalm 103:17-18 NIV
“You are my friends if you do
what I command.”
John 15:14 NIV
“He replied, “Blessed rather are
those who hear the word of God and obey it.””
Luke 11:28 NIV
Just to
make it clear, when the lines are broken through disobedience, it is not God
giving us the silent treatment, rather it is our spiritual receiver that has
been clogged with guilt or condemnation or distraction or…? Repentance
cleanses us and gives us the ability to have ears that hear and eyes that
see.
“And now, (insert your name),
what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk
in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul,”
Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV
When we
obey we are on our way to new freedom for our mustang heart!
P.S. If
you are blessed by this blog, don’t forget to leave me a comment or send me an
email. Feel free to share it on your social media. If you
receive this in your email, you may need to visit the webpage (link is in the
footer) to find the share buttons. If you don’t receive it in your
email, sign up for auto delivery at the top right hand column of the
webpage. Be blessed today!
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Teri