And one more day of repeated blog posts. I look forward to sharing what happened over the weekend.

Have a blessed day!

Listen

I have mentioned many times that I love listening to God’s Word. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the two reasons that rise to the top are because I hear things that I don’t always read and because hearing God’s message is the way our biblical friends came to know God’s Word.

I currently have been listening to 1 & 2 Peter. I have enjoyed finding morsels of goodness through this audio version of the Bible. If you haven’t tried it, I would encourage you to do so.

I also enjoy listening to preaching on the radio. Yes, music is a passion, but there’s just something about hearing God’s messengers preach His Word as I drive about town.

I recently heard a message by Charles Stanley titled, “How to Listen to the Word of God.” Of course, it caught my attention and so I thought I would share his thoughts here. If you are new to reading my blog, please know that I rarely do this, but I felt Pastor Stanley’s words were far better than I could express. I pray you will enjoy this as much as I did.

“You must listen to God’s Word:

Eagerly (Nehemiah 8:1-2) – When you come to a worship service, ask God to speak to your heart.

Attentively (Nehemiah 8:3) – Your attention span is determined by your desire to know God and His will for your life.

Trustingly (Nehemiah 8:4-5) – Our world is unpredictable. We must place our faith in something that gives us assurance—and God’s Word is trustworthy.

Expectantly (Nehemiah 8:5) – In Nehemiah’s day, the people couldn’t understand the original languages of the scrolls. But they stood in anticipation of hearing God’s Word.

Prayerfully (Nehemiah 8:6) – The people bowed low and worshipped the Lord.

Patiently (Nehemiah 8:7) – The people listened for hours as God’s Word was read.

Humbly (Nehemiah 8:6) – The people fell on their faces in humility because of their ancestors’ sins, which had caused them to miss the Lord’s blessings.

Purposefully (Nehemiah 8:12-17) – They wanted to gain insight into the Law. Each time you come to church, ask God for insight about His character.

Happily – There was great joy when the people listened to the Law. You are responsible for your own attitude toward the church.

Repentantly (Nehemiah 9:1-3) – The people listened with repentant hearts. If the Lord brings something to your attention, don’t blame the preacher. Be honest with God about it.”[i]

You may or may not find anything in this list that sparks your interest, but I pray that being in God’s presence through His Word does. The next time you hear God’s Word spoken, I pray that you will be reminded of a few of these ideas.

When we listen to God’s message with eager, humble, expectant hearts, amazing things will begin to happen. I can’t wait to hear God’s Word again. Can you?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] “How to Listen to the Word of God,” Charles F. Stanley, intouch.org.