Listen and Hear
Deuteronomy 31:10-13 & 15-16
“And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 11When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
15And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. 16And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.”
God told His people—the Israelites—to read the law He had given Moses. All the men, women, children and even the “stranger that is within thy gate” (verse 12) were to congregate in a place where God chose. At that time the law was to be read out loud to everyone. God told Moses to instruct the people to do this at the end of every seven years. The purpose: “that they may hear,…learn, and fear the Lord…and observe to do all the words of this law…” (verse 12). Additionally, their children would “hear and learn to fear the Lord” (verse 13).
There is only one occasion in the entire Bible where we see this command to gather the people to hear the law being done. Perhaps it was done every seven years, but there is not a written record of it in the Bible. The one occasion was in Nehemiah 8-9. Not only was God’s Word read, but a great revival ensued.
Today in churches all over the world, God’s Word is read weekly—at the end of every seven days. Moreover we have access to God’s Word at all times—night or day. At least this is true in the free world. Many, including myself, carry our phones with us all the time and God’s Word is on that phone. Often I listen to God’s Word for hours. What an awesome blessing to live in this time and place. Yet, the question is, do we take full advantage of this? Do we open the Bible app or the Bible in our home and read it, and study it. Do we allow it to spiritually revive us? Or are we more absorbed in our everyday lives and forget what is most important—our relationship with our Savior?
If we want the Lord to speak to us, it is imperative we listen to what He has already spoke. There are rich truths in God’s Word. There are practical everyday words of wisdom. There are examples of how God met people in their time of need from which we can gain understanding and discover what God will do for us. How foolish we are when we let the Bible sit unopened rather than pouring over it with an open and hungry mind and heart. Jesus says in Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Jeremiah also speaks of seeking God wholeheartedly in Jeremiah 29:13. The verse says: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” When we read the Bible, it indicates we are seeking God. My personal experience is when things are going awry, I am more motivated to seek God. This was also the case in Jeremiah’s day. For we read in verse 14 of chapter 29: “And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” The nation of Judah had been taken captive by the Babylonians 70 years prior. Now God was speaking about their deliverance. He was telling them His will for them was for their good. The oft quoted verse in Jeremiah 29:11 tells us this. God said: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Once again I refer to Hebrews 13:8. Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever.” And Paul again wrote in Romans 2:11: “For there is no respect of persons with God.” So what God did for others, He will do for you assuming You also seek Him wholeheartedly.
SIMPLY ASK GOD!
Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
Matthew 7:11
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
Matthew 18:19
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Luke 11:9-13
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
John 14:12-14
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
John 15:7
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
John 15:16
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
John 16:23-24
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
The fifteen verses above all include what Jesus said about how we as Christians should petition God in our prayers. There are other verses in the Old and New Testaments, but I’ve narrowed my study today to just Jesus’ words as recorded in the four Gospels. What a blessing that Jesus says we can and should ask God to help us. Matthew 7:7 is very straightforward regarding the concept of asking and receiving. Jesus simply says: “Ask, and it shall be given you…” The reason Jesus presents for God’s gracious gift of hearing us and granting our wishes is also made plain in that same chapter seven, just a few verses following. Jesus says in verse 11 that God the Father gives good gifts to those who ask because He is their Father. Fathers are like that, even the evil, wicked man generally is happy to give gifts to his child. How much more our loving heavenly Father gives to us when we are His child. Luke in his Gospel also refers to Jesus telling us to ask our heavenly Father and receive. Luke also mentions how God will give to His children gifts because of His love for them.
There are parameters to asking however. The first has already been mentioned though not directly. Not just anyone can expect to receive from God when they ask. God must be their Father and that comes about when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Additional parameters to receiving when we ask are evident when reading through the verses above.
Matthew 18:19 speaks of petitioning God our Father in a corporate setting or with just one other person. Agreeing in prayer with another Christian or with a group of Christians is vital. Of course, God hears when we pray alone. We are instructed to pray 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to “pray without ceasing”. This is speaking of individual rather than corporate prayer. Yet Jesus specifically says to agree in pray with other Christians. So when we have a need about which we want to hear from God, we can share that need with others and agree in prayer regarding that issue. How wonderful God instructs us to pray together for we can receive comfort from each other and praise the Lord together when we see God answering our prayer.
John’s Gospel speaks of additional conditions upon which our receiving when we ask as based. The passage in John 14 mentions the importance of believing in Jesus. Further, Jesus says those who believe on Him will do greater works than even He has done. This is a peculiar verse. How can anyone do something “greater than Jesus?” One point is that Jesus, while on earth, was in only in one place at a time. We who believe Him are all over the world now. So, there are many of us through whom God can minister. But even more important, I believe, is the fact that Jesus says the greater works will happen “because I go unto my father” (John 14:12). And why is Jesus going away important? Jesus tells us in John 16:7 that it is “expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” What happened when the Comforter came? Believers were “baptized with the Holy Ghost” just as John the Baptist had said would happen. Acts 2 details this initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost and the resulting power of God is seen throughout the book of Acts. We read what Jesus had to say about this in Acts 1:4-5 & 8. It reads: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence… 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” So one very important condition of our prayers being answered is believing on Jesus.
Another condition involves our “abiding” in Jesus and His “words” abiding in us. This is mentioned in John 15:7. We cannot expect to have God’s favor and his ear if we are not listening to Jesus by reading and studying His Word and doing what He tells us to do. Christianitypath.com explains John 15:7 this way:
“John 15:7 carries an important message about our relationship with Jesus and the foundation of our spiritual lives. The passage teaches us about the concept of abiding, which means to stay connected and remain in close relationship with Him. When we think about the idea of abiding in Christ, we are invited to see our faith as a living relationship rather than just a set of rules or rituals.
It is a reminder that our prayers can be powerful and effective when we are anchored in Him. When we invite His words into our lives, they shape our thoughts, desires, and actions. This deep connection enables us to ask for what we truly need. But this is not a blank check for any wild wish we might have. Instead, it reflects our alignment and desire for God’s will. So, when we ask for things that are in accordance with His teachings and His purpose for our lives, we can have confidence that those prayers will be answered.”
Another condition or parameter of answered prayer involves being chosen. John 15:16 tells us Jesus choses us and ordains us. We then bring forth fruit that remains. Because of this, “whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” What a wonderful promise!
Finally, in John 16:23 and 24 we are told to ask in Jesus name. Thus, we as Christians habitually end our prayers with: “in Jesus name, Amen.”
ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
Lord, I thank You for hearing and answering prayer. Yesterday something interesting happened. I took my book to the radio station—WMST. When I spoke to Dan Manley day before yesterday, he said just bring my book down and leave it with the person at the front office. Manley said he would speed read my book and get back with me if they decided I could be interviewed on the program. But when I walked into WMST, there was no one sitting behind the desk at the front office. I therefore proceeded to the next office where a guy was sitting with huge headphones over his ears and a mic close to his lips. He looked over at me and said hello. Interestingly, he was not speaking into the mic. There was something being broadcast at the moment that was obviously pre-recorded. So when the man turned towards me, I introduced myself and told him I had just come to drop off my book. It turned out I was speaking to Manley. How amazing he was available just then. And he took my book, opened it briefly and said: “We’ll get you on the show. I will be calling you soon.” I was so amazed. God had orchestrated my coming at the just perfect moment when no one was at the front office to take my book and Manley was not busy talking in the mic at the second office. Thank You Lord!
Please orchestrate my day today as well. I love You Lord.