Hearing God's Voice # 4

In my earlier thought on Hearing God's Voice, I had shared a principle that hearing God shouldn't stop with us just hearing Him once, but that it's an ongoing process!
As long as He speaks, we need to be willing to listen!

Here's another small exhortation to re-inforce that thought.
Genesis 22:2 - "Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'."

God, who was so specific in calling Abraham by name in vs.1; and even more clearer in vs.2 about 'your son..' & then 'your only son' & then 'Isaac' & then yet again 'whom you love' ... and having mentioned the region of Moriah ... couldn't He have had just mentioned which mountain it should be?

Why tell him, '.. I will tell you about ..' it at a later stage??

I believe, generally speaking, God wants us to keep listening to Him.
Herein also is the fact, that God had other ideas in mind, and He ensured that Abraham had to keep listening ..
... and that is the fact, He was going to ask Abraham to stop killing his son (which might seem contradictory to what he was asked to do in the first place).

Are we willing to listen to Him?
Let's not quit listening to Him, as we might end up loosing something which we shouldn't be?
Let's not quit listening to Him, lest we don't receive or experience something which He wants us to!!

Let's listen and grow in our obedience to our Master.

TESTING GOD'S GUIDANCE / Hearing God's Voice-3

Hearing God is very subjective!
So, when we claim we have heard God, we need to be careful. Especially, when we say we have heard God on behalf of someone else.

I sincerely believe that HEARING GOD is like AN ART, which need to be learnt. We get better and better as we keep hearing and walking in obedience!
Remember, hearing God is not the END-ALL!
The next question is, SO WHAT have you done about it?

Since Hearing God is subjective, there are chances to mistake God's Voice.
John 10:3,4 - "My sheep listens to my voice ... they follow me, because they know my voice ... " (paraphrased)

Listen to this: it's the SHEEP, not the LAMB!
Sheep is a grown-up one; whereas the LAMB is a kid!
The Lambs are still prone to making mistakes.

Let me present to you 5 vital keys to TEST GOD'S GUIDANCE:
Whenever we feel that God has spoken to us, before we utter it out publicly and making a mess of it, check the following:

1) Check with the Bible
- God will not speak anything contradictory to that which He has already spoken.
If it is contradictory, then obviously it's not God - 100%
For eg: if there is an inner witness, that we shouldn't forgive somebody ... etc, etc...
2) Will it bring us one step closer to God?
- Will there be maturity in our walk with God, as a result of obeying such an inner conviction?
3) Does it bring freedom?
- Do we experience peace, joy and excitement about it?
4) Is it a blessing to all concerned and those around us?
- Will others be blessed as a result of our obedience?
5) Wait for confirmation
- Especially, if it's a major decision in life. God will bring in the confirmation that which we need.

Well, these questions have really helped me in deciding if it is God's will. But surely this is not an exhaustive list.
I'm sure there will be other things, which we all use as a plumbline to gauge for ourself.

If you do think of something which you use, please use the comments section to share with us those thoughts, so we may all benefit.
Would appreciate that.

May we all be pushed to hear God and obeying His voice.