Hearing God's Voice

"Love the LORD your God, listen to His voice,

and hold fast to Him."

Deuteronomy 30:20 (NIV)

My son listens to political talk radio on his commute to work. Recently he mentioned that the message is so depressing, he decided to switch to a different station. Now he's listening to sports talk, and the hosts are funny. He's listening to a different voice.

What voices are we listening to?

The LORD instructed Moses to send twelve men to explore the land of Canaan, which He was giving to the Israelites. After forty days of exploration, they reported to the people and showed them the land's fruit. Ten of them spread a bad report about the land. Rather than listening to Caleb and Joshua, the Israelites wept and grumbled against Moses and Aaron. Because of their sin, God did not allow Israel to enter the land for 40 years. All over the age of twenty who grumbled against the LORD died in the desert. The men who spread the bad report died of a plague. Only Caleb and Joshua survived.

Before Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, Moses exhorted them to "love the LORD their God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him."

In our generation, there are voices of fear, doubt, discouragement, and deception that attempt to drown out the Voice of Truth. Let's pray that our descendants will hear God's voice over our culture's powerful and influential voices such as the media and entertainment industry.

Pray for our children and grandchildren:

• Trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
• Develop discipline of prayer and time in God's Word - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6. "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." Psalm 119: 15-16
• Develop sensitivity to the Spirit of God - "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things ad will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26
• Receive godly, wise counsel - "My son pay attention to wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge." Proverbs 5: 1-2
• Obey God - "I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands." Psalm 119: 60
• Choose activities wisely - "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

All Scriptures NIV.