God speaks, but do we hear?

Two friends and I were having a fellowship dinner this week and the subject of how to hear the voice of God was discussed. They asked how can they hear God's voice for themselves.

As I have testified many times about hearing God speak to me, these two friends asked me how to hear His voice and how do I know that it was Him speaking.

I pondered on the answer as I wanted to have something more biblical than just relating my experience. And God speaks again, PTL!

I read Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 and found some jewels:

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Many of us who have been praying often, have perhaps been praying "too much". We go to God and present our petitions and thanksgiving and then we say goodbye.... We "talk" a lot to Him but seldom give Him time to reply and then say that God did not answer our prayers.

Charles Spurgeon expressed this most appropriately - "Note well, that we must hear Jesus speak if expect Him to hear us speak. If we have no ear for Christ, He will have no ear for us."

What revelation from the Scripture and this saint. Indeed, if we are not prepared to listen to His voice, we will hear none.

So, dear beloved, I would leave this for us to ponder in solitude and in His presence....God speaks only when we desire to listen, it does not matter how He speaks, it matters only if we want to hear.

God bless.