Do you have ears to hear? Are you having trouble hearing? I recently got hearing aids since I just couldn’t hear people across the room speaking to me. After a couple of hearing tests confirmed that I had hearing loss, I agreed, it’s time. Have I entered the old folks age group? As long as I have ears…and now hearing aids…I can hear. But am I listening? Those words of Jesus were recorded several times in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as well as in Revelation. As we know, ears are essential part of our head—sticking out there on each side and created by Jesus Himself to catch sounds and guide them into the inner ear where they are processed and transmitted into the brain. If everything works correctly, we hear and identify sounds, words, and even music. Ears are marvelous—especially when they function the way in which God intended. It takes an intentional effort to “listen and understand” as Jesus suggested. In Revelation He is more specific, “anyone…must listen to the Spirit and understand….”
Anyone with ears to hear should
listen and understand! Matthew
11:15
"Anyone with ears to hear must
listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches." Revelation 3:22
Are you willing to focus on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to perceive what they are really saying? Even though they have ears, some people prefer not to listen to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. I was really surprised recently when a friend said that she wasn’t sure she believed that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Hmmm? What? How can you not believe? It takes faith. That faith and trust in Jesus results in a great calm. I like that. That peace and calmness is one of the greatest parts of knowing Jesus now. Read more of each chapter listed below for the whole story.
Jesus responded, "Why are you
afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and
waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26.JPG)
The calm Sea of Galilee
Israel
Jesus immediately reached out and
grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did
you doubt me?" Matthew
14:31
In a
conversation with Martha just before He raised her brother Lazarus from the
dead, Jesus spoke about Himself being the resurrection.
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection
and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. John 11:25 (Underlined for
emphasis.)
There we have it—Jesus is the resurrection. But even some of the disciples refused to believe when they just heard from an eyewitness, Mary Magdalene, about Jesus’ resurrection. They had to see for themselves. Do we have to see Jesus for ourselves to believe? When we see Him face to face, it may be too late to make that decision. Decide today. Choose Jesus and thus eternal life with Him or reject Jesus and face eternity without Him—in darkness. Have ears to hear and eyes to see Him…now. The choice is yours.
Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the LORD. Proverbs 20:12
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Matthew 13:43
Meditate. Use your ears to listen to God's Word.
Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing Yourself to us—for telling us You are the resurrection and the life. I love that even with a little faith, we can have the peace and calm that You offered those disciples on the stormy Sea of Galilee. No storm—just calm.
Verse of Salvation ~ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:16
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
There is a time for everything. As it is written in Ecclesiastes, there is a time to plant and a time to harvest (Eccl. 3:2). It is planting time and the local nurseries are busy selling flowers and vegetables. I’m looking forward especially to growing a few squash, cucumbers, lettuce, and edible nasturtium flowers in my garden.
Can
we actually plant righteousness as written in Hosea? Are those big seeds…or very
tiny ones like chamomile? Those are very miniscule seeds that grow into nice
flowers that are especially good for tea. I would think that “seeds of righteousness”
would be a variety of sizes—not just one size fits all. The crop of love would
suite the person harvesting. Sometime a little love goes a long-ways—but it is
well known that everyone NEEDS love. Without love we wither away—and people
actually get cranky, bitter, and evil.
I said, 'Plant the good seeds of
righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of
your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower
righteousness upon you.' Hosea
10:12
Plant your
seeds of love—even if you don’t have a garden in your backyard.
All scripture quoted from the New Living
Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004,
2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers
Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M. Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories
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