There is something that makes this message different from others. We’re not trying to sell you anything; we just want to open doors. Yes, doors of forgiveness, happiness, salvation, life and love. The problem is that we don’t have a lot of space or time to bring to you a complete message.
It would be nice to elaborate more about this subject. Life is precious when we live in harmony with the laws established by our Creator. We like to spend our time talking about the only way we have for happiness. This is the way; a personal relationship with the One who has given us life.
We do not have much space and time for this short message, but you can find in the Bible the answer to the most important issues of your life. The Bible opens the door to happiness, security, salvation, life and love.
Perhaps you have already been tempted to read the Bible and found it very complicated. Try again. However, before you read, pray to God. It is very simple. For example you can say something like, “Lord, open my heart to understand your Holy Word!” Do it! The relief, the peace, the joy, the forgiveness that you need is at your disposition now.
Every day we repeat our requests and prayers. And we always want God to listen to us. We repeat our request once, twice, a dozen times if necessary, because we want answers. We repeat and insist before God.
Our problems and needs are urgent, they cannot wait. However, in this process we forget a fundamental step: if we want to be heard, we also need to hear, listen to God. But what is the meaning of hearing or listening to God?
Listening to God requires effort on our part but God can hear us, if he desires. He is Sovereign! For example, we have to believe that God loves us and wants to communicate with us. A prophet in the Bible tells us that “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
To listen to God we need to consistently read, study and meditate in His living Word, the Bible. Another biblical prophet named Isaiah cited God saying: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
To listen to God we have to regularly set aside time alone with God and give him our full attention. The Apostle Matthew tells us that Jesus “went into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23)
To listen to God we must open our hearts to God’s pointing finger of truth over our true selves. In the Bible there is a psalm that says: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Constantly God speaks through circumstances, people, and especially through His Word, the Bible. God says, for example, that our love for Him must be sincere. Listening to God is to listen carefully to others, considering that God may be using them to communicate his personal message to us. “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (Proverbs 13:10)
Listening to God is to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and responding to his guidance for our communication with others. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said.” (John 14:26)
He also tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. God tells us many things, but we speak so much that we cannot hear his voice. If you are not willing to listen to what God wants to say, there is no reason to expect God to hear what you want to tell him!
God speaks to us, He is not deaf or mute, he hears us and communicates with us. God shows us who he is and what he wants from us.
Today’s Reading: Philippians 4:13
Thanks to television, every day we have before our eyes, images of disasters that occur all over the world: Fires, floods, contempt for human life, accidents of all kinds, all kinds of crises of life.
We all have our crisis. And when these occur, we must decide immediately what to do. We need to act quickly to avoid greater evils.
However, our best efforts may fail and the crisis becomes a disaster. Do you know? Those who love God are not free of failure. God does not always free Christian of these ruinous situations. The important thing, however, is how the Christian faces crises of life. Is it hopeless? No!
The Bible contains words of hope to face times of crisis. We understand that tragedies are in the hands of God. He has a plan for our lives. We need to be calm and know that He is God. He is our security and hope in times of crisis.
