I will come closer to God to listen

From: January 17-23, 2006 Study: # 428

TOPIC: “I will come closer to God to listen” Ecclesiastes 5:1, 2 1 Samuel 9:5-10 1 Samuel 9: 5-10 In many occasions when we come close to the Lord it is because there is a problem, a situation, etc. All of us have come to the Lord for a reason. Saul was forced to come to the prophet because he had lost something; his father's donkeys were lost. Likewise we come to the Lord looking for something, but God caught us. God was waiting for Saul to anoint him as prince of Israel. 1 Samuel: 15-17 God gives us according to what He has planned for us. We seek God according to our necessity, but God doesn't move this way, but rather He gives us according to what He has for us. Let us examine how it is that we come close to God. God is constantly pursuing us because He wants to do well in us. He never stops communicating with those who seek Him every day. Perhaps we can seem strong, but at one point of our lives we are able to see how fragile we are. If God walks away from us we would live in shadows, in darkness. We sometimes act according to what there is inside of us or how we feel, and not by Gods will and this will bring great complications. When we arrive to Gods house we must guard our steps. These can be either lovely or despicable for Him; they will take us to the best or to the worst place. Men and woman who are wise will guard, take care, they watch every step, and they are careful where they go. We must have complete reverence in our lives when we say that we go to the House of God. We need to be careful how we approach Gods house while waiting for God to speak to us. Let us be wise according to God. We have been called to be princes, but instead we are looking for donkeys. What are we looking for when we come to God? Are we coming to seek this powerful God or are we looking for donkeys? We didn't come to look for mortal things but for God. When we arrive at God’s house we must arrive with reverence in everyway. How do you enter God’s house? Let us not enter Gods house making jokes or scoffing. We must get acquainted with our great and powerful God; we must seek to hear God’s voice speaking to us in His temple. Let us watch our steps, let us enter with great reverence when we arrive at Church. What reason can bring us to Gods temple if it’s not to love him, to live for Him, to adore Him and to serve Him? As the years go by some begin to lose God and the flesh begins growing in them taking domain and this brings shame for the rest of their lives. By

instinct, men like to hear about God, because they like spiritual things although they search for it in a mistaken way. They like to seek superficially, but not to sanctify themselves. For this reason, "what is religious" can be contrary for their salvation. As religious persons, for them there is no need for salvation by means of Jesus because they clinch on the works of charity that they do, etc, but we are only saved by means of Jesus, by means of His grace and of a personal relationship with God. No man can come to God if it is not through of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, it is necessary to understand that we come to Gods temple to seek Him. It seems that some people that come to Church cover their ears with their hands to not hear, because they feel retorted. When we start paying attention to the Word of God this begins to enter our ears, in our heart, in our mind and we begin to change. Some don't want to hear because what they hear hinders them, and then they know that they have to change that they must wake up from their dream. Let us watch our steps and come closer to hear what is necessary, we must hear to be able to examine ourselves. It is necessary to hear His Word and be willing to learn. Sometimes it is not so easy and not everyone is willing to listen. It is difficult to learn what God wants for us; and where God wants to lead us. It is difficult to walk with our own feet; this is why we must learn how to listen and be directed by Gods will. We will be accountable to God for every word that comes out of our mouth. What is said will be for right or for wrong. Men and women who know how to listen are the ones who know how to make their life right. We sometimes use the word for our own mischief because we were not prudent. Imprudent words bring much harm. When a person doesn’t want to listen that person will begin to bring many arguments and they rise as fierce animals and end up hating, rejecting, and filled with anger. The more we hurt the more we stay apart; the more we try to defend ourselves and contend we grow further. To listen is more comfortable. All things pass away and what could have been wonderful can be destroyed. Imprudent words can do a lot of damage. If we watch our steps we will come closer to God with an attitude of obedience. Those who are obedient know how to listen. The biggest difficulty is to be obedient and to listen. Those who never listen will never learn. We must not worry about being judged but to be obedient to the voice of God. Only those who are obedient can listen. We sometimes think that we can do so many things on our own, but how fragile and scarce we are struggling with our problems, how limited we are and how we lack of power. Then we hurry to Gods temple looking for donkeys and not God.

Sacrifices without obedience are fatuous. Let us get closer to listen rather than to make sacrifices. We sometimes make promises which we do not keep. So much wrong is done when we are not obedient and do not come closer to God to listen to Him. Saul went for one reason; to look for his father's donkeys and God was calling him to be prince. After all he was only interested in the donkeys, for this reason he had such a tragic death. When someone loves worldly thing he starts dying slowly and condemnation is behind that person’s ear. The more they walk away the colder they become. It is better for us to listen to God in the day of the warning, when God wants to speak. It is a great need for us to listen to God. We should love Him so much! God wanted Saul to become a prince and not to give him the donkeys. Let us not be in a hurry to open our mouth, it is better for us to listen to God because God is in Heavens and we are on Earth. Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 17:27 In speaking many words there is sin. Those who save their words have wisdom. The imprudent words destroy lives. It is better for us to arrive at God’s temple to listen to His Word. Let us obey. When we come close to God we have to refrain our language, because the God whom we serve is higher, but He is also on Earth listening to what we speak, and what we do. What will pursue us is what we did while hiding. Let us be wise people. When Saul listened to God everything went well, but when he stopped listening to God everything went wrong for him. Listening and being obedient must go together. Losing God’s voice because of laziness or for things that are worthless, it is better to die. When we are obedient and we begin to listen, God does great things. When God discarded Saul nobody could intercede for him. It is good for us to listen to Gods voice. For many it is hard or difficult to be obedient to God because they have personal goals. But, the man of God waits, and does not live desperately looking for donkeys. He wants to listen to Gods voice. Amen.