Category Archives: Inner voice

Voices

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Do you hear voices….?  We all do!  All those thoughts and ideas that roll around in our minds, competing for first place, sometimes shouting, others whispering, making us the person we are at the moment …  Most importantly, in all the clamoring and cacophony, are you hearing God’s voice?  God’s voice needs to be the loudest ‘voice’ we hear.

How to really ‘hear’ God’s voice…that is really the question.

Create a place of stillness.  Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know Him.  He can’t be heard above the din of the world and the thoughts that go with living in it.  Quiet your mind and your heart.  How does that work?  I have a window in my study that my reading chair faces.  All I have to do is look up and out and there is a tree that personifies God’s creation.  Every season, spring, summer, winter, fall, it’s there.  A spirit of peace, calm, assurance, love, descends to my spot and I know He is God.

Cultivate an attitude of trust.  There is no way to hear God’s voice if we don’t trust that His voice is the only one we want to listen to.  Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust in Him with our whole heart.  (Not just a piece of it but every part of it.)  It goes on to say (my words) don’t trust your own understanding (thoughts).  Our culture teaches an attitude of independence that contradicts the dependence on God that allows us to totally trust Him.

Learn of Him.  Do you really know all there is to know about God and His Word?  Probably not!  None of us do.  I suspect that if you’re reading this you want to know more.  Psalm 32:8 tells us, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  Did you get that?  He wants to be our personal teacher.  Not only that, He already knows what we need to hear and learn.  Wow!  A personal, life coach!  All that’s required of us is to HEAR Him.

Pay attention!  Block that voice that says quit wasting your time on that stuff.  There’s a report that has to be written before the day is over.  There’s laundry, lawn mowing, dishes, dusting, and a zillion other chores and distractions.  Hebrews 2:1 tells us that we must pay closer attention to what we have heard (about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word).  If we don’t we’ll start drifting off.  We have to use all we have at our disposal to ensure that we are really listening.

It is totally possible and probable that you already know the sound of His voice.  Give it your total attention.  He wants you to hear Him.

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Abba, let me hear Your voice.  Let me know and trust You.  Take away outside influence and noise so that my attention can be totally on you!  Make it so in Jesus name.

alatsee-968598_960_720This beautiful song reflects this post beautifully.  Just click on the picture to listen.

 

 

This post is in support of Holley Gerth’s new study, https://player.vimeo.com/video/152491133“>You’re Already Amazing Life Growth Guide.  It will be released on March 1st.  Watch for the review!

Words

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Open Mouth

Have you have gotten caught up in the moment and said something you wish you hadn’t?  Are there times when you wish someone would put a bridle on your mouth and completely control your words?  Are there times when you wish you could sleep all day, hide, play computer games that take over your mind…? Then, guess what, that makes us all normal and still forgivable and lovable.  The real question is…How do we overcome these times?

First, we must realize we are as much an at fault sinner as the one we directed our words toward.  God knows that!  He knew when He breathed the Word.  The Bible is full of admonitions, both Old and New Testament, to guard our words.

Second, we must ask for forgiveness and then follow through with a change of heart.  I can get on my knees 50 times a day, some days 500, and ask for forgiveness but unless I decide, with God’s help, to change, the words are empty.

Then, and the hardest of all, is to ask for forgiveness from the one who has been harmed by the words.  Unlike God, they may choose to be unforgiving.  If that happens give it back to God and continue mending the relationship.

There is a delightful children’s song that says: Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.  Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.  For the Father up above is looking down in love.  Oh, be careful little mouth what you say.

Psalm 19:14  May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.

Heavenly Father, creator of all words and languages, Lord of my life, forgive me for words hastily spoken.  Control my words (and thoughts) toward or about others.  Let my life be acceptable to You.  Make it so!

Attention!

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How does God get your attention?  Does He quietly grab you in the calm of a new morning?  Does He speak through another person on a life issue?  Does He give you a ‘DeNozo’ (a tap on the head to say – – really?!)

Why does He need to get our attention?  In the day-to-day stuff of living we tend to start depending on ourselves to much and He needs to remind us who is really in control.  Through the phone ringing, dishes, laundry, taking the cat to the vet, mowing the lawn, waiting in line, daily issues He wants us to remember He is there.

So, then, how do we react?  Are we angry, irritated, grouchy, grumpy….  When these attention grabbing issues happen we often display whatever is in our hearts/minds at that point.  Proverbs 23:7 reminds us that what we think is who we are.  Jesus said in Luke 6:45 that a man speaks out of the nature of the heart.

Long Lines for the Bus

Do we consider these reminders of God’s control as a part of our daily joy?  James 1:2 says to consider it pure joy when we face trials of any kind.  Imagine what might happen if you’re having one of those days where the irritations start upon waking and just continue to pile up and you remember to ‘consider it pure joy’.  Would that change our behavior, demeanor, and attitude?  Hm-m-m-m-m–m-m

More than anything God wants us to become totally dependent on Him for every one of life’s issues.  He wants us to come to Him when we’re tired of the drama and the interruptions.  He is waiting to hear every good and bad part of our day.   He wants us!

Almighty, Most Holy Father,  my life is Yours.  I place all my good and bad in Your hands.  Take control of all today’s issues.  Let me find joy in everything that will happen.  Let me know Your Presence.  Keep me connected to You in every part of this day.  Make it so!

Staying Power

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Luke 15:4  “Remain in Me, and I in you.”  Remain, stay, abide, survive, (to) last.  These words reflect the power in the concept of this verse.  When I am connected to my Jesus, He is connected to me.  While I am waiting on Him, He is waiting with me.

A beautiful, old hymn says this very well:                                                         Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;                                                            The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.                                                   When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,                                                       Help of the helpless, O abide with me.                                                              I need Thy presence every passing hour;                                                         What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?                                     Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?                                             Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

Stay with God…through dishes, dust, and laundry…and watch the Spirit show up.                                                                                                           Stay with God…through hurts, losses, cruel words, and sadness of this world…and watch the Spirit show up.                                                            Stay with God…when there is not enough time to do it all…and watch the Spirit show up.                                                                                                 Stay with God…                                                                                       Heavenly, glorious Father, I want to stay with You no matter what.  Walk with me and teach me, guide me, forgive me, and make me more like You.  Make me aware of the Spirit throughout this day.  Keep me totally focused on You, my God and my King.  I lift this prayer in Jesus name…Make it so!

Peace

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I’ve really been spending a lot of time searching my heart for what God really wants of my life.  This has really caused me some restless nights and a lack of peace.  I have followed through with leaving my career as an educator, knowing He was very clearly speaking to me about this.  As for what’s next…I am still praying on that.  I know he will make it very clear when He’s ready and not until He’s ready.  I love you all and covet (I know I’m breaking one of the Commandments but I think He really understands this) your comments and prayers.  I am so blessed by you.In several of the churches I attended as a child (We moved a LOT!) the pastor would use the words of Philippians 4:7 (And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.) as a benediction. To this day, when I hear these words an indescribable blanket of peace settles over me. Paul uses these words to describe the blessing we receive when we rejoice in the Lord, are gentle in our relationships, give our worries to the Lord, pray and give thanks for everything. When we obey and give in, through, and too His Name, peace is indeed ours.

Ah, Lord, God, let the peace that escapes our understanding invade our lives today.  Let us see it, feel it, and show it to the world around us.  Make it so!