Listen to Him

Good Morning,

John 14:25-26 (NIV)
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

I think this comes today as a reminder that our prayer time and our Bible reading time doesn't end when we're done with our part...the praying and/or the reading. No, when we finish our time on our knees (or however we choose to pray) and when we have finished reading the section of Scripture that we've been led to or chosen, then, my friends, the truly important time has arrived.

Jesus tells us in these verses that God will send us a Counselor, the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name. And He, the Holy Spirit, will teach us and remind us of what Jesus said and how He lived while on this earth. It is extremely important for us to know and understand that in our prayer time and our reading time, we have begun the process of opening up our minds, hearts, and souls to the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we take the time to truly pray and to read the Bible, we're preparing ourselves to hearing the Counselor as He speaks into our lives concerning our prayers and what He would have us to learn from the Scripture we have just read.

This brings to the important point of this message today. When we have prayed and read, then we must wait, patiently, on the Counselor and for His input. It's this taking time part that many of us have a problem with, I'm afraid. Yes, we pray. Yes, we read. But when we're done with those activities, we get up, leave where we are, and get on with our day, or go to bed, or do something else. This is where we kind of lose the most important part of prayer and study. It's hearing from God that is truly important and that can make a huge difference in our lives. The Holy Spirit waits for us to finish what we're doing (prayer/reading) and then He will speak to us and teach us.

There's an old saying that goes, "Don't just sit there...DO something!" Well, I would say, when it comes to our prayer time and study time we ought to say, "Don't just do something...SIT there!" Yes, sit there and await God, the Holy Spirit, speaking into our lives.

Is it important? Yes, it is EXTREMELY important! It becomes more than just a little meaningful when we will "just sit there" and wait for God. It can become, very well may become, the most important time of our lives, the most meaningful part of our lives, the absolute best time in our lives. After all, think a minute here...how many people actually have the Creator of the universe taking the time to be with them, speak to them, comfort them, and teach them? The answer to that is...only those who have accepted Jesus Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior AND will take the time to await Him and to listen to Him.

Jesus gave us a promise in these short verses. I believe it. The Holy Spirit DOES exactly as Jesus said He would. It's up to us to be quiet and listen.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David