John 8:39-47 is a difficult passage to read for me. This passage is titled “You Are of Your Father the Devil” in my ESV Bible. The Pharisees start by letting know that they are of Abraham’s lineage and Jesus quickly gives them the “and” as he informs them that they are not doing the works of/as Abraham. They then change and say they are of God and again Jesus debunks that by saying if they were of God they would love as God loves and would not be condemning Him as He was sent by God.

I am quickly put in my place as I read, for am I acting as the Pharisees and claiming to be something I am not? Am I out in this world working for me and doing my own thing all the while claiming to be of God or descendant of Abraham and that somehow makes it all okay? This is what it is that makes it difficult to read this passage. Then, I read the first part of verse 47 and it all comes together for me.

“⁴⁷Whoever is of God hears the words of God.” – John 8:47 (ESV)

Now I see. When I am listening to the Word of God, I am able to hear and take action that He has in store for me. I live my life as God intends when I am hearing Him.

“⁴²Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I cam not of my own accord, by the sent me.’” – John 8:42 (ESV)

As I hear the words of God, I am given direction to do His work and that work starts with love. I to love all, regardless of circumstances or any other items that are presented, I am to love with the love of God. And that really starts with loving Jesus and the salvation He provided for me and everyone else to receive as His gift.

Hearing the words of God allow me to take the action that He has in store for me. I hear the words of God to do the works of God.

When you think about where you actions come from, are you hearing the words of God? Are you taking the actions that God has in store for you? Are you hearing the words of God to do the works of God?

“¹⁵He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” – Matthew 11:15 (ESV)

This seems like such a simple verse and may not be very specific, until you look at it in the context of the passage. John the Baptist had sent some of his disciples to look into Jesus. They had come to find out if He was indeed the Christ. Jesus entertained their questions and then proceeded to speak of the greatness of John the Baptist.

“¹⁰This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your fae, who will prepare your way before you,’” – Matthew 11:10 (ESV)

Jesus makes it very clear to those that are listening that John was the one who came before and paved the way for Him. John was the messenger of Christ and therefore was and should be considered a great man.

“¹¹Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” – Matthew 11:11 (ESV)

So, of those that are born here on earth, John is the greatest of them. That is some kind of recognition that Jesus heaps on the man. But, Jesus speaks of those that are even greater than John the Baptist. Those that are in heaven at the time are greater, and those that come to heaven after, are greater. They have “actually entered the kingdom (in its new covenant reality) and become partakers in the new covenant through he blood of Christ” (ESV Commentary).

I have the chance to be greater than even John the Baptist, thanks to the blood of Jesus Christ. It is up to me to open my ears and hear the message of Christ, realize, and act on the commands he gives to me. I have to look at what Christ wants of me and not what the world expects.

If I spend my time looking out for my reputation in the world, I will fail in the eyes of God. The reality is that the world is not ready for me just as they were not ready for John the Baptist or Jesus Christ.

“¹⁸For John cam neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” – Matthew 11:18-19 (ESV)

When I am aligned with God, I am great, even greater than John the Baptist. The key is to be aligned with God and not anywhere else. Open your ears Trevor and hear how great you are in the eyes of God.

Where are you putting your time and effort? Are you aware of the greatness that you can have through your obedience to God? How great will you be when you open your ears to hear of the greatness that God has for you?

I have the unique opportunity to speak directly with God. Although, I will say that opportunity is not just for me. We all have the opportunity to speak directly with God. Thanks to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the veil was torn and thereby giving all access to God.

“¹⁷For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” – Isaiah 65:17 (ESV)

God has created a new way of doing things and therefore we all are given access to Him. And now that access to Him is there for all, we must take advantage of the opportunity. We have the chance to speak directly with Him and He want to hear from us.

“²⁴Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24 (ESV)

When was the last time you went to speak and everyone was speaking to you before you could get anything out? When was the last time those listening were on the edge of their seat soaking in everything you say? That is God for me at all times. He is always waiting for me to speak with Him and even before I say anything, He has indicated to me to continue speaking and when I do, He is listening intently to guide me as I go.

My relationship with God is one of a child to a parent. The child goes to the parent seeking for and knowing that the parent is to listen and provide advise as they go through life. God does the same for me as my mother did when I was that child. I come to God and speak with Him, He knows I am there and drops what He is doing to turn His attention to me. He hears what I am saying, although He already knew what I was going to say, and He then provides the guidance I need at the time.

My opportunity to speak directly with God was made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the tearing of the veil that separated the people from God. I can now speak with Him on my own and whenever I feel the need. I look for the answers from Him and He is ready to provide even before I come. The best part is that He wants me to come to Him even He could just grant me what I want without hearing from me directly. I get to speak to Him and He devotes His time to me and for that I am eternally grateful.

Have you taken the chance to speak directly with God? If not, what are you waiting for? God has provided the opportunity for us to speak and when we do He will listen, will you speak with Him?

“¹⁸In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.” – Isaiah 29:18 (ESV)

When you read this verse alone, I get the sense that God will make sure that even if you are deaf, you will be presented with God’s Word and will be able to hear. What a great thing to know that one will not be left out just because of their physical limitation. I am proud that God has every intention to give everyone the opportunity to follow Him.

“¹¹And the vision of all this has become to you like the word of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying ‘Read this’, he says ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ ¹²And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, ‘Read this,” he says, ‘I cannot read.’” – Isaiah 29:11-12 (ESV)

I see that above, two are given the opportunity to hear the words of the book and they choose not to, both making an excuse, sealed book and cannot read. I wonder what would have become of the Ethiopian man had he taken the same approach when reading Isaiah himself.

“³⁰So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ³¹And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ “and he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” – Acts 8:30-31 (ESV)

The Ethiopian man did not make excuses and took the chance he had to hear and seized it by inviting Philip to join him and help. He heard and received and was baptized. The two men described in the verses from Isaiah took to excuses and did not put forth any effort at all to hear, thereby choosing to avoid hearing all together.

I know that I am still learning to hear and have at times made the excuse that something is in my way. I must remember to seize every opportunity to hear from God. I will not make excuses, I will hear.

If I don’t choose to hear, God will make sure that I do when He comes again. For “even the deaf shall hear” as noted in verse 18 above.

When you are presented with the opportunity to hear, what excuses are you making? Are you seizing the opportunity to hear? Are you aware that all will hear?

I know that I am taking in a great deal of information daily. As I continue with my lifelong learning, I cannot help but to take it all in. The one thing that I have to remember is that there is also a lot of false and misleading information out there that can overshadow what is right and true.

“¹⁷Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, ¹⁸for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. ¹⁹That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to your today, even to you.” – Proverbs 22:17-19 (ESV)

I have a compass that keeps me going in the right and true directions and that is where I should put my efforts and test everything against. God’s Word.

Each morning I look into God’s Word and here is where I find the truths that I apply to my life. When I am getting information from the source of good, GOD, I can find peace that what I am pouring over and into me will be that of the highest quality and the rightest of rights and the truest of truths.

Here is where it gets a bit tricky. I have to make sure that what I see, read, and hear from the world is right and true as well. I know that what I get from God’s Word is of the highest quality, but the what I get from the world leaves a lot out. I have to take what I consume from the world and apply it to the standard that I have learned from God’s Word. That which measures up, I should be using as that which is good. If it does not match up, I have to dig deeper to be sure that I am getting what I should be from it and not just taking it in or dismissing it all together.

It is up to me to sift out all of that which does not align with God’s Word. Not so much to ignore it, but to know that it is not right and true. I have to be able to talk to it and how it does not measure up to the highest quality of right and true. It is my duty to have knowledge of it, I should simply not be applying it. When there is that which is contrary to God, I am bound to knowing the evils that are against me and understand how to stand against them.

I am tasked with doing the will of God in my life. In order to do that, I should be listening for what is right and true. That which is right and true comes from the Lord and when I am immersed in His Word, I “hear the words of the wise”.

How much of what you hear are you taking immediately as though it is right? Are you looking for what is really right and true as you compare it to God’s Word? What would change if you listened to God and were to “hear the words of the wise”?

Notice the first word in the title, repent. God knows that I am a sinner, as I should know as well (and do). With that said, it is my responsibility to repent of those sins, whether I am fully aware of them or not.

“⁶Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” – Psalm 51:6 (ESV)

When I come to Him with repentance, He is delighted and excited to commune with me. I have a duty to take the opportunity to commune back with Him. He is the reason for my existence, and the author of my actions. Without communion with Him, I may as well not exist as my actions are not in tune with His desires for me.

Once I have placed myself in a position of repentance, I am now able to hear what it is he has for me.

“⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.” – Psalm 51:8 (ESV)

And what is it that He wants for me, “joy and gladness”. What a wonderful thing for God to present to me. He wants for me to have “joy and gladness” in my life and heart. Before I am able to “hear joy and gladness” I have to place myself in the right state of mind, body, heart, and soul. How is it that I get there but by repentance.

Now that I am able to hear what God has for me, I am tasked with listening, as He breaks me down into something new again.

“¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” – Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV)

My willingness to be made new again can only be realized as I break down all of the old in my life. That old begins with repentance. Once I have repented, I have the openness to “hear joy and gladness” coming from God as our relationship is renewed. And now that our relationship is renewed, God will take and make me new again.

I am glad that I can follow this process daily and be renewed. I have a God that understands my humanness and as such looks for the chance to renew me, but it all begins with me and my repentance of the sin that has separated the us through whatever time it happens to be. I have to remember that the sin I have is known and may not be known, and as such I repent each day. That repentance allows my hearing and listening to God’s renewal of all of me.

What sin is getting in the way of your renewal from God, are you even aware it is there? When was the last time you repented of all sin, even that which you were not aware? How do you think the feeling of renewal will feel that come from God once you have repented and “hear joy and gladness”?

I think about the title I just wrote for my study this morning and it is the “earnest prayer” that stands out to me. In May 2018 I was led to the below passage as I studied the word “seek” and in that study I was reminded of these points.

God has things for us to do, and they are all action items:

1. Humble yourself – have a change of heart
2. Pray – speak with God
3. Seek the Face of God – earnestly look for Him
4. Turn from sin – consciously avoid sin

Now I as I read and study the word “hear” I see a deeper look into how I defined points 2 and 3 as “speak with God” and “earnestly look for Him”.

“¹⁴if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

God says here to pray and seek His face and He will hear and forgive and heal.

How can I not want that for myself, and the actions are so simple, earnestly look for and speak with Him. I only have to genuinely want to engage with God and when I do He will hear me and come to me.

I have to be careful with my expectations though. God will come when my requests are earnest and genuine. I can simply go through the motions and expect God to be there but in reality, He will come when I lean on Him with earnest. I have to fully submit and seek Him. I cannot be the one that shows at church on Sunday morning so others can see me. I have to be there when no one but He is watching. Whether anyone but God sees or hears us is inconsequential. God will hear our earnest prayer and will come.

What is it that you will do to have God come to you? Are your prayers genuine? Will you earnestly seek God so that He will hear and come?

“³Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁴Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” – Deuteronomy 6:3-4 (ESV)

I have to think about all of the times that I have simply heard the noise coming from someone and not really paid attention to do that which they were asking or indicating. I specifically think back to my childhood and all of the disobedience that came as a result of my ignoring the wisdom of my parents. They would say not to do something and I would do it anyway which led to, at minimum, punishment for disobedience.

I read and study the words of Moses here and realize that obedience is not just hearing the noise, but listening to the wisdom of those with experience. They have been through it before and they speak with understanding. Not just of the event, but of the consequences that come with doing.

There are things that are good to learn on our own, and frankly, it is good to experience adversity and difficulty. But why set ourselves up to fail and experience heavy difficulty, when following those that have already experienced and learning from their mistakes.

In the passage where these verses are found, Moses is reviewing again the greatest commandment:

“⁵You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all you might.” – Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV)

This commandment is not just about loving the Lord, but as noted in verses 4 and 5, it is about hearing and obeying. And the only way to truly hear and obey is to deeply listen, understand and act on what is being said.

I have heard the Word of the Lord for almost 50 years and when I take a look, I ask myself, have I been listening? Have I been understanding? Have I been acting?

The reality is that only in some areas and at some times have I been, and others I have not. And when being honest with myself, this is why I continue having those times of deep struggle. When I avoid listening, understanding, and acting, I am subject to the consequences that God was directing me away from.

When you really take stock in your life, have you heard those around you that were speaking from experience? Have you been listening, understanding, and acting on the commandments of God? Are you in a place to hear and do as God commands to avoid the consequences He already knows are there?

“⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” – 1 John 5:5 & 1-4 (ESV)

I know, I quoted the above out of order from what John wrote. Forgive me. I am in need of understanding. As I read the passage, and studied, to me the question helped me to gain the understanding of the passage.

I am one “who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” and “who believe that Jesus is the Christ”. Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. I have that part licked and therefore am well on my way to overcoming the world. But there is more to it than that.

As I do believe, I must act on that belief and that is where the obedience comes. Obedience begins with loving of God and that extends to those that are also believers that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. And when I have acted on that love, I will obey the commandments of God and as such will also love everyone. And that is the example of Christ in the world.

By obeying the commandments of God, loving everyone, and loving God, I am fully vesting in the family of God and by extension have been born of God. Now that I have found myself to be born of God, I have and will overcome the world.

I am not a theologian, and certainly not someone who knows everything. But, as noted in my NIV bible commentary for verse 4: “Genuine Christians are not defeated by the world’s hostility or compelled by it to turn from Christ.” I believe I am a “Genuine Christian” and as such my obedience to God’s Commandments allows me to overcome this world.

What is your picture of overcoming the world? Are you living the life of someone in the family of God? What if you were to put all of your obedience in God, how would it feel knowing that you would be able to overcome the world?

“¹⁷Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for ath would be of no advantage to you.” – Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Once again I am amazed by the power of God. I have studied this verse at least 2 other times over the past few years. Each time, God reveals to me another bit or more insight into what it means to be His.

I have had some leaders in my christian life who exemplified that discussed in this verse. Two men I specifically think of were deacons in the church, taught me in Sunday school, and were there when needed for my family.

The interesting thing about them was that by the world standard, they were not great men. They were not captains of industry or tech moguls. They did not live in expensive gated communities. They weren’t in or on the news. They were a school teacher and a construction worker. They were fathers and husbands. They were modest and caring for those around them. They knew the example they were responsible for with boys and men just like me.

As I grew in the church, I, sometimes without even knowing, lived the example they gave and followed in that example. I taught Sunday school, sang in the praise team, coached my kids sports, became a deacon of the church and sat next to them as a leader myself.

I can say that without their Christ-like example, I am not sure that is where I would have made it to. I am not saying that I was headed down a wrong path in life, but I am saying that I may not have made it to the leadership role they gave the example.

These men did all of this with only one thing in mind and that was to be the example of Christ each day in all they did. I have no doubt that had they wanted to be the elite of the elite they would have had no trouble reaching that goal, but their task here in this world was focused on Christ and that is what they did. Without complaining, without regret, these men followed Christ for me to see and follow myself.

Do you have someone in your life that is the example of Christ? What is it about them that influenced you? Are you seeking the example of the leaders in your life with Christ?