TUNE YOUR EARS

by Barbara Chadwick

“I've found that listening to my drill instructors has given me a unique angle to look at following Christ. Just as I need to tune my ears to hear MY drill instructor's voice out of a crowd of yelling D.I.'s and obey him, we must listen for Christ's voice and learn to tune our ears to hear the Master - out of a host of voices blathering for our attention.” Kenneth Ryan Chadwick US Marine wrote to his parents during his Boot Camp training.

 Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. John 10:27

 The phone rang and when I answered a voice said,

“Hi, Grandma.” 
“Hello, How are you?”
“Well, I’m not doing so good right now.”
“Which grandson is this?”
“Michael.”
“What’s up?”
“I need your help.”
“I don’t know if you knew but I’m on vacation down here in Mexico, and some of us went out for a few drinks last night and we ended up in jail and I need your help.”
“Hold on I’m going to have you talk to your grandfather.”
As I handed the phone to my husband I said, “It’s Michael but it doesn’t sound like him.”
So my husband, Kenneth, took the phone.
“Hello.”
The person repeated his story.
Kenneth said, “What is your name?”
“Michael.”
“What is your full name?”
“Michael Chadwick.”
“You’re not my grandson.”
“What?”
“You’re not my grandson.” And Kenneth hung up.

 You see, he didn’t know Michael’s full name. He didn’t know that Michael doesn’t drink and He didn’t know that we, the grandparents, take a dim view of drinking.  He didn’t know that Michael loves his wife and wouldn’t go on vacation without her. And a biggie – he didn’t realize that we know the sound of Michael’s voice. We talk to him often.

“How can we know whether we’re hearing the voice of God?”

·         Scripture  All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may thoroughly equipped for every good work.  II Timothy 3:16-17

·         The Holy Spirit speaking to our heart  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10

·         The Prophetic (Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Personal Prophecy) Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. I Thessalonians 5:19-21

·         Godly Counsel   For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.  Proverbs 11:14

·         Confirmation  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  Matthew 18:16

·         The Peace of God  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15

·         Circumstance/Timing   After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them and because he was a tentmaker, as they were, he stayed and worked with them.  Acts 18:1-3 (This relationship between Paul, Aquila and Priscilla - which happened as a result of circumstances – became one of the most important strategic partnerships in the book of Acts.)”

(from Craig von Buseck, Ministries Director for CBN.com)

 

So talk to God often. (i.e. Pray) Read His word often. Know His teachings. And let us,  “tune our ears to hear the Master - out of a host of voices blathering for our attention.”