LISTEN TO GOD

ANYTIME YOU STEP OUT IN FAITH AND TRY SOMETHING, A VOICE WITHIN YOU WILL WHISPER, ''YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND. YOU'RE NOT CAPABLE OF THIS. THOSE LITTLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU HAD BEFORE WERE PURE LUCK; YOU JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. NOW YOU'RE OVER YOUR HEAD.'' THAT VOICE WILL WAKEN YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SICK YOU TO YOUR STOMACH. YOU CAN HEAR IT IN EVERY BOARDROOM, LIVING ROOM AND PAVEMENT. IT'S THE VOICE OF FEAR, AND IT DOESN'T PLAY FAIR. IT PULLS THE FILE ON YOUR PAST FAILURES AND PREYS ON YOUR DEEPEST INSECURITIES. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER VOICE; GOD'S VOICE. IT SAYS: ''FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, YES, I WILL HELP YOU, I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND'' (ISAIAH 41:10). ATTUNING YOUR EARS TO GOD'S VOICE DOESN'T MEAN YOUR PROBLEMS ARE AUTOMATICALLY SOLVED OR THAT THE OTHER VOICE JUST FADES AWAY. NO, ITS MORE LIKE HAVING AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION WITH A CLOSE FRIEND IN A NOISY, CROWDED PLACE. THERE MAY BE OTHER VOICES AROUND YOU BUT YOU DON'T HEAR THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE SO FOCUSED ON WHAT YOUR FRIEND IS SAYING. THAT'S HOW IT IS WITH GOD'S VOICE. WHETHER HE SPEAKS TO YOU THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES, THROUGH A FRIEND, OR THROUGH YOUR LIFE'S CIRCUMSTANCES, HE'S ALWAYS COMMUNICATING WITH THE HEART THAT SEEKS HIM. HIS PROMISE TO YOU IS, ''YOUR EARS WILL HEAR A VOICE....SAYING, ''THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT.'' ONE WORD FROM GOD, JUST ONE, CAN CHANGE YOUR ENTIRE OUTLOOK. SO TODAY, TAKE TIME TO LISTEN TO GOD'S VOICE.