HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-06-05, Page 11By Pastor John KuperusBlyth Christian Reformed ChurchMy wife complains now and thenthat she feels like she is talking to a
wall, because either I or our children
are not listening. She calls us to come
to the dinner table and no one comes.
Or she explains where our shoes need
to go and they do not end up in the
proper place. She will ask on
different occasions, “Is anyone
listening to me?”
Listening is a problem in homes
and in corporations. God has a
problem with his children not
listening too. God speaks through the
prophet Ezekiel and says, “They have
eyes to see but do not see and ears to
hear but do not hear, for they are a
rebellious people” (12:2).
Mark has recorded the words of
Jesus saying, “They may be ever
seeing but perceiving, and ever
hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be
forgiven!” (4:12).
What needs to be done about our
hearing problem?
God gives us an example of
someone who had trouble hearing, his
name was Samuel. Samuel’s mom,
we are told, was unable to have
children. She pleaded with God for
years. If God gave her a son, she
promised to give her son back to the
Lord. God answered her prayer and
gave her a son and she kept her word
and gave the child to the Lord. She
did this by bringing her son, Samuel,
to the temple. At the temple, Samuel
was under Eli the priest.
Eli taught Samuel to do all the
things the priests do. He would have
learned how to read the Torah and to
pray. He would have learned how to
perform sacrifices of grain, bulls and
goats. He would have learned how to
do the ceremonial washings. He
would have learned about what foods
could and could not be eaten.
Samuel, who “grew up in the
presence of the Lord,” grew “in
stature and in favour with the Lord,”
and “ministered before the Lord” (I
Samuel 2:21, 26; 3:1).
Then we read “Now Samuel did not
yet know the Lord: The word of the
Lord had not yet been revealed to
him.”
Here we hear a problem that existed
long ago and continues to exist to this
day.
The voice of God pierces the
silence one night for Samuel. Eli had
not taught him how to know God. He
did not tutor him to listen to the voice
of God. Samuel had trouble hearing
the voice of God.
Three times God calls and Samuel
mistakes the voice to be Eli’s.Finally
it is Eli who figures out what is
happening. Eli instructs Samuel to
say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is
listening” (I Samuel 3:9).
Suddenly the work in the temple
took on new meaning for Samuel.
God was not some invisible force out
there but was a person with a voice
who wanted to communicate with
him.
What we learn from this story is
Samuel gave God permission to
speak. Samuel was open to hearing
the voice of the Lord.
One of the great problems we have
today is we are not at a place to hear
God speak. Our schedules are packed
full with all the things that keep us
busy. Our bodies are full from all we
eat. If we want to hear God speak to
us, then we need to be hungry to hear
him speak to us.
One place to hear him is in reading
our Bibles. Another place to hear God
is in church.
Do you ever have God call you in
an audible voice? Would you like
God to speak to you in direct
conversation? On rare occasions I hear God’svoice speak to my mind. In my walkwith God, there are scripture verses
that jump out at me. Sometimes I find
myself wrestling with thoughts in the
evening and in the morning there is
clarity as to what I ought to do.
Sometimes I find God puts a person
in my path to point me in the way I
am to go.
So if we want to hear God’s voice,
we need to be open to hear from him,
we need to seek him with all our
hearts.
The third point if we want to hear
from God, is that we need to have our
sins dealt with. If we are doing
something wrong, then we need to
confess it to God and be forgiven.
One of the challenges is that we do
not always see the dirt. That is why it
is important to come before God and
ask to be washed in the blood of Jesus
Christ on a daily basis.
Friends, we like to be heard. We
appreciate having friends who have
listening ears. How can we improve
our hearing? We need to remember
that God has given us two ears and
one mouth. I believe this was
intentional. Listening is very
important to make our lives smoother.
What are some of the obstacles to
listening? First, do we know God?
Are we giving him permission tospeak? Or are we going 140kilometres an hour and because of thespeed we cannot hear. If that is the
case, then we simply need to slow
down.
Second, are we hungry to hear the
important voices that are speaking to
us? Are we tuned in?
Third, we do not hear because there
are issues between us and significant
others. The hurts and pains that are
not resolved cloud our relationships
and break down communication. If
we want to improve our hearing, we
have to seek forgiveness or forgive
others to remove the walls that exist.
Fourth, we need to discern what
voices are speaking to us. We need to
be perceptive about who speaks to us.
Voices we hear are our own voice, the
voices of others, the voice of the devil
and the voice of God.
Friends, Jesus says to us, “I am the
good shepherd (John 10:11) and my
sheep listen to my voice; I know
them, and they follow me” (vs. 27).
God wants to speak to us and listen
to us. Do we want to hear from God?
Do we give him permission to speak
to us? Do we have any obstacles that
are hindering our communication?
Are we willing to obey once we hear
the voice?
We can save ourselves a lot of
heartache and waste if we listen toothers and to God. We can saveourselves a lot of frustration andmiscommunication if we would
listen.
Are you listening?
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2008. PAGE 11. From the Minister’s StudyHow can you be a better listener?
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Sunday, June 8
All Welcome
There in no service at Blyth United but
everyone is invited to Camp Menesetung
for the Sunday School’s
Annual Awards Sunday and potluck lunch.
Call Lorna Fraser for details
at 519-523-9687.
Camp
Menesetung
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
Noon Potluck Fellowship Meal
Student Pastor John Schwartzentruber
519-887-6388 ~ Everyone Welcome
Worship with us at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
Sunday, June 8
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, June 8
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY
Join us June 1st for...
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship
7:30 p.m.
Corporate Prayer Service
Upcoming Event...
Saturday, June 21
9 am - 12 noon
“Crown Financial Seminar”
Debt management & preparing
for future economic times.
Everyone Welcome!getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
June 8: Matthew 5:38ff
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
“The
Priority of
Absorption,
Assistance,
and Agape”
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, June 8th
Brussels Public School
10:30 am and 6:30 pm
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Parish of New Beginnings
Morning Prayer - Sunday, June 8
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JUNE 8TH
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service