[Faith-talk] FW: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] It's not that complicated by Joyce Meyer

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: "Donna" <godsgirl54 at att.net>
To: <URCTCPrayerGroup2 at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] It's not that complicated by Joyce Meyer
Date: 
Fri, 9 Dec 2011 17:47:08 -0500

 
It's Not That Complicated
by Joyce Meyer 
It sounds like a pretty foundational point, but I believe there are many
who still question whether God really talks to people. And if He does, they
wonder:

  a.. Is God really involved in my life?
  b.. Does He really want to be involved in all the little details?
  c.. Does God only help out with big issues, not little ones?
Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Do you ever wonder if God
speaks to people? You'll be happy to know the answer is yes. But first let
me explain how distractions can hinder His voice.



Distractions That Drown Out God's Voice 
The world makes it easy for us to fill our ears with all kinds of things
that drown out the voice of God and push Him far, far into the background
of our lives. These distractions come in various forms, from the TV to the
radio.from food to hobbies. Even our family and church activities can
sometimes distract us or pull us away from the Lord.

However, the day comes when only God remains. Everything else in our
lives eventually passes away; and when it does, God will still be there.

The Word of God teaches that what is known about God is evident to all
because He has made Himself known in the inner consciousness of mankind
(see Romans 1:19-21). Each person will someday stand before Him and give an
account of his or her life (see Romans 14:10-12).

When people don't want to serve God with their lives and want to go their
own way, they find ways to hide from and ignore this instinctive inner
knowledge of their Creator who wants to talk to them and guide them in the
way they should go.

Satisfaction Guaranteed
" Through Christ, and the power of His Holy Spirit, God wants to speak to
you on a One-to-one basis every day. " Nothing can satisfy our longing for
God, except communion and fellowship with Him. Isaiah expressed well our
own hunger for God when he wrote, My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the
night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly (Isaiah 26:9). 

Hearing from God is vital to enjoying His eternal plan for our lives.
Listening to God is our decision; no one else can make it for us. God won't
force us to choose His will, but He will do everything He can to encourage
us to say yes to His ways.

This means God wants to be involved in even the smallest details of our
lives. His Word tells us to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will
direct our paths (see Proverbs 3:6). To acknowledge God is to care what He
thinks and to ask for His opinion.

Nobody Told Me
Even though I sincerely loved Jesus, I went to church for years without
knowing that God talks to people. I observed all the religious rules and
holidays...I went to church every Sunday. I was really doing all that I
knew to do at that time. But it wasn't enough to satisfy my longing for
God.

I could've spent every moment in church or in Bible study, but it
wouldn't have quenched the thirst I had for a deeper fellowship with the
Lord. I needed to talk to Him about my past and hear Him talk to me about
my future. But nobody taught me that God wants to talk directly to me. No
one offered a solution for the dissatisfied feelings I endured.

Through reading the Word, I learned that God does want to talk to us and
He does have a plan for our lives that will lead us to a place of peace and
contentment. 

Never hesitate to take what you think are small things to God; after all,
everything is small to God. 

Expect God to Speak to You 
When Jesus spoke in John 16:12-13, He was talking to men with whom He had
spent the previous three years. They had been with Him day and night, yet
He indicated that He had more to teach them. We would think that if Jesus
were with us personally for three years, day and night, we would have
learned all there is to know. 

But Jesus said to expect more because He will always have something to
say to us about new situations we are facing.

Expect to Hear God 
Through Christ, and the power of His Holy Spirit, God wants to speak to
you on a one-to-one basis every day. He wants to lead you to the good
things He has in store for you. 

Hearing God's voice throughout the day has become a natural way of life
for me since I received the fullness of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised
to send us. The Father will give His Spirit to all who ask (see Luke
11:13). The Holy Spirit will help us understand the Bible so we will know
how to apply its wisdom to our lives (see John 14:26). Each of us can hear
from God and be led by the Holy Spirit daily.

Listen to Everything 
Recently God told me that when we are unwilling to hear in one area, it
may render us unable to hear in other areas. Sometimes we choose to turn a
deaf ear to what we know the Lord is clearly saying to us. We only hear
what we want to hear; it's called "selective hearing." 

After a while, people think they can't hear from God anymore. But there
are lots of things God has already told them. they just haven't responded
to them yet. I have learned that the more quickly I do what the Lord tells
me to do, the more quickly He reveals the next step I'm supposed to take.

As you're spending time with Him, just listen. Don't just talk about what
you want or need. He will open up many issues if you will be still before
Him and simply listen





God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a
very present and well-proved help in trouble. Ps 46:1