My question to all of you today is do you have a personal relationship with the Lord, so you can hear His voice? And I’m going to tell you something, this is the one major problem of most Christians around the world. They think they’re saved. They think they’re good Christians. They think that by doing this, this, this, and this, everything is okay. But they do not have any personal relationship with the Lord. They don’t hear the Lord’s voice. They don’t follow the Lord’s command. They don’t … they just read and do stuff religiously. And I can tell you, when you’re not in God’s Word and you don’t hear the voice of God, then you will be taken advantage sometimes by people of your own, your family, and church and friends.
These are the 600 men of David that almost misled him to do the wrong thing. It’s not the enemies of David, it was his own people using God’s name and God’s words. The people can come and tell you, “Thus says the Lord,” when they never heard from God. And unless you have a relationship with the Lord, you would not even know that it’s not God.
A pastor asked a church member at lunch what he thought the biggest problem in the church at large was – ignorance or apathy. The man replied; “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
Ephesians 5:8-10 KJV – “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
Our fictitious story makes a point, but the point is not fictitious at all. Many today have little or no interest in finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Yet the statement of Paul carries with it some lofty implications, including the fact that what is acceptable to the Lord is accessible information to us all. This also implies that there must be a common resource through which we can attain this much needed information. That source is the word of God.
It is true that God speaks to us directly today. He answers our prayers and directs our steps, and, for some, He speaks through dreams and visions. Still, we have to understand that all the things we think we hear from Him need to be confirmed by His word. Far too many today go by feelings and opinions, even when they contradict the word of God, and they wind up living and doing things outside of His will for their lives.
Matthew 6:33 KJV – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
How curious it is that we profess that God is omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing) and yet we don’t always ask what His will is before making major decisions. This is choosing to live in ignorance and apathy. God’s will and way is always better and more personally beneficial.
Joshua 1:8-9 KJV – “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Why settle for the opinions of friends and family or our own feelings when the Lord of all creation has promised good success and prosperity to those who observe to do all that is written in His word? That is not to say that God cannot use others to speak to us, but even their advice needs to have His Word as a filter.
What a sad reality it is when our daily routine consists of not knowing or caring what the will of the Lord is. Nothing is more important than finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Not knowing and not caring could be an indication of self-deception like the church at Laodicea:
Revelation 3:17 KJV – “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
If you feel adrift on the sea of life, get into God’s word and find out what He has to say to you. His word is more reliable than feelings and opinions, and the best thing about it is all of it is true!
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,
