Interesting Green: Reflection - Spiritual Habits

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 12, "Hearing God Afresh", Question 1, Page 77.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012

PHOTO: Read John 10. What do you think Jesus meant when He said that His sheep know His voice (John 10:4) and listen to His voice (John 10:3)?
"'His sheep know His voice' (John 10:4) means 'Those who belong to God recognize the voice of God. But, like sheep from a foreign flock, those who belong to the Devil don't respond when called by Christ.'"

"'His sheep listen to His voice' (John 10:3) means, 'the elect are enabled by God to hear the truth, the true shepherd (Jesus), when the gospel is preached.'"

What is the connection between the two ideas?
There is a deeper challenge when it comes to hearing God. It has to do with our spiritual ears. A man was sharing with a friend how he was deaf in one ear, and asked him to sit next to his good ear so that he could hear him. He quipped that he turned his deaf ear towards his wife whenever he did not want to hear her nagging.

Could the problem (not hearing God) be that we turn a deaf ear to God? But in Jonah and the fish, disobedience is no match to God's persistence in hearing and doing His messages.

We need God's grace to have spiritual ears that can hear Him speaking. We read in Psalm 40:6, "You have dug our two ears for me" (GOD'S WORD). The idea here is that God fashions and creates spiritual ears that can listen to Him. Without this, we will be deaf to God.

Our ears also need regular awakening by God. "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears" (Isaiah 50:4-5). This is a wonderful experience as we are greeted by the Lord every morning. Just as our eyes open to the world when we wake up, our ears are also opened to hear the word from God. When we open the Bible to read, our opened ears are ready to hear what God wants to teach or show us.

The connection between the two ideas is this: We need God to provide us with the spiritual ears to listen to Him through the reading of the Bible.

What are the personal implications for you?
The sheep among all those goats will hear the voice of the Master in the preaching of the gospel. That means we will hear the voice.

The voice of Jesus is the word of the gospel or the word of God more generally in Scripture, accompanied by the work of the Spirit of God that enables us to recognize in the Scripture, or in the gospel, the very call of Jesus on our lives.

The Hebrew word that is translated "like one being instructed" is limmud, which can be translated "disciple" as in Isaiah 8:16 ("seal up God's instruction among my disciples"). In other words, discipleship is possible only when our ears are opened by God and remain open to hear Him. Thus Jesus exhorts us, "consider carefully how you listen" (Luke 8:18). This means at least two things. Firstly, take care that we listen to God - through careful and prayerful reading of His Word. Secondly, make sure we obey God when He speaks to us.

Disobedience dulls our spiritual ears but obedience sharpens them. Age dulls our physical ears, but our spiritual hearing should remain keen. So then, how is our hearing?
Picture posted by Christina Miller, CBMC Nederland
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Read John 10. What do you think Jesus meant when He said that His sheep know His voice (John 10:4) and listen to His voice (John 10:3)? What is the connection between the two ideas? What are the personal implications for you?

Read John 10. What do you think Jesus meant when He said that His sheep know His voice (John 10:4) and listen to His voice (John 10:3)?
"'His sheep know His voice' (John 10:4) means 'Those who belong to God recognize the voice of God. But, like sheep from a foreign flock, those who belong to the Devil don't respond when called by Christ.'" [2]

PHOTO: "'His sheep know His voice' (John 10:4) means 'Those who belong to God recognize the voice of God. But, like sheep from a foreign flock, those who belong to the Devil don't respond when called by Christ.'"
Picture posted by Freepik Company S.L.
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https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/little-girl-folded-her-hand-with-praying_3874418.htm

"'His sheep listen to His voice' (John 10:3) means, 'the elect are enabled by God to hear the truth, the true shepherd (Jesus), when the gospel is preached.'" [3]

PHOTO: "'His sheep listen to His voice' (John 10:3) means, 'the elect are enabled by God to hear the truth, the true shepherd (Jesus), when the gospel is preached.'"
Picture posted by Design Pics - Mature Christian woman studying her Bible in a city park setting beside a lake; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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https://dissolve.com/stock-photo/Mature-Christian-woman-studying-Bible-city-park-setting-royalty-free-image/101-D869-8-283

What is the connection between the two ideas? [1]
There is a deeper challenge when it comes to hearing God. It has to do with our spiritual ears. A man was sharing with a friend how he was deaf in one ear, and asked him to sit next to his good ear so that he could hear him. He quipped that he turned his deaf ear towards his wife whenever he did not want to hear her nagging.

PHOTO: There is a deeper challenge when it comes to hearing God. It has to do with our spiritual ears.
Picture posted by Rod Anderson, CP Cartoonist
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrd3yMqBQEszOHvCrt_0xtVfUkcsKymLOQ4bNU3oJ5KeMbUTsHmsHQIdNUgnIPUb5pKgzoiQPR0FHKG2p03djvwtg6vrs1JMGKzFzdfIXhGjhN26QXhOQekst9gRsKKi5Ygbb7l9-Sps/s1600/176934.jpg
https://cdn.christianpost.com/files/original/thumbnail/17/69/176934.jpg
https://www.christianpost.com/news/are-you-trying-to-hear-gods-voice.html

Could the problem (not hearing God) be that we turn a deaf ear to God? But in Jonah and the fish, disobedience is no match to God's persistence in hearing and doing His messages.

PHOTO: Could the problem (not hearing God) be that we turn a deaf ear to God?
Picture posted by wallup.net
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https://wallup.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/28/961605-fantasy-original-girl-woman-character-long-hair-beautiful-dress-748x1097.jpg - (961605.png)
https://wallup.net/fantasy-original-girl-woman-character-long-hair-beautiful-dress/

We need God's grace to have spiritual ears that can hear Him speaking. We read in Psalm 40:6, "You have dug our two ears for me" (GOD'S WORD). The idea here is that God fashions and creates spiritual ears that can listen to Him. Without this, we will be deaf to God.

PHOTO: We need God's grace to have spiritual ears that can hear Him speaking. We read in Psalm 40:6, "You have dug our two ears for me" (GOD'S WORD). The idea here is that God fashions and creates spiritual ears that can listen to Him. Without this, we will be deaf to God.
Picture posted by Michael Jeshurun on 17 July 2020 - THE ABILITY TO HEAR AUDIBLY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND SPIRITUALLY
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlVZwUhvt2GTLaVVpgYJAAaWwhrmtkem1pacW8Hf_oAYtJk24l5NQrFB46av_5BKDKE_GZkb5WIGJewNEw2NZ4tb9U899vw5ApO7aI9cviLBsGm5bAuBpzAavy8SfOKJyihelv24twdQ/s1600/ears-to-hear.jpg
https://michaeljeshurun.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/ears-to-hear.jpg
https://michaeljeshurun.wordpress.com/tag/my-sheep-hear-my-voice/

Our ears also need regular awakening by God. "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears" (Isaiah 50:4-5). This is a wonderful experience as we are greeted by the Lord every morning. Just as our eyes open to the world when we wake up, our ears are also opened to hear the word from God. When we open the Bible to read, our opened ears are ready to hear what God wants to teach or show us.

PHOTO: This is a wonderful experience as we are greeted by the Lord every morning. Just as our eyes open to the world when we wake up, our ears are also opened to hear the word from God. When we open the Bible to read, our opened ears are ready to hear what God wants to teach or show us.
Painting by Francois uploaded on 27 June 2014 - The Joy of life
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4b_U_1Voy1xptZphaBQsNR0arZtNvcfFTJXRrPW6iotXl-dD34ktaXg_sjffkiyGDHW_9JA22VH_YWogYLBU-dMKPE8iVDk6pBKL1LqRQr4SzqbE2YA2onPBGPwxrzXQKcDJkBh9KIo/s1600/the-joy-of-life-douglas-girard.jpg
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/the-joy-of-life-douglas-girard.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/817544138599795993/

The connection between the two ideas is this: We need God to provide us with the spiritual ears to listen to Him through the reading of the Bible.

What are the personal implications for you?
The sheep among all those goats will hear the voice of the Master in the preaching of the gospel. That means we will hear the voice.

The voice of Jesus is the word of the gospel or the word of God more generally in Scripture, accompanied by the work of the Spirit of God that enables us to recognize in the Scripture, or in the gospel, the very call of Jesus on our lives. [2]

PHOTO: The sheep among all those goats will hear the voice of the Master in the preaching of the gospel. That means we will hear the voice.
Picture posted by Precious Moments, Religious Organization on 27 May 2018 ·
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The Hebrew word that is translated "like one being instructed" is limmud, which can be translated "disciple" as in Isaiah 8:16 ("seal up God's instruction among my disciples"). In other words, discipleship is possible only when our ears are opened by God and remain open to hear Him. Thus Jesus exhorts us, "consider carefully how you listen" (Luke 8:18). This means at least two things. Firstly, take care that we listen to God - through careful and prayerful reading of His Word. Secondly, make sure we obey God when He speaks to us.

PHOTO: Discipleship is possible only when our ears are opened by God and remain open to hear Him. This means at least two things. Firstly, take care that we listen to God - through careful and prayerful reading of His Word. Secondly, make sure we obey God when He speaks to us.
Picture posted by Design Pics
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https://dissolve.com/stock-photo/Woman-Reads-royalty-free-image/101-D869-111-287

Disobedience dulls our spiritual ears but obedience sharpens them. Age dulls our physical ears, but our spiritual hearing should remain keen. So then, how is our hearing?

PHOTO: Disobedience dulls our spiritual ears but obedience sharpens them. Age dulls our physical ears, but our spiritual hearing should remain keen.
Picture posted by design-kmv.ru - Digital Painting by Ana Fagarazzi
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PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we learn that Jesus’ sheep know His voice means 'Those who belong to God recognize the voice of God. But, like sheep from a foreign flock, those who belong to the Devil don't respond when called by Christ.' 'His sheep listen to His voice' means 'the elect are enabled by God to hear the truth, the true shepherd (Jesus), when the gospel is preached.'

Lord, we need Your grace to have spiritual ears that can hear You speaking. You fashions and creates spiritual ears that can listen to You. Without this, we will be deaf to You. Please open our ears regularly to hear the word from You. Help us when we open the Bible to read, our opened ears are ready to hear what You want to teach or show us. We need You to provide us with the spiritual ears to listen to You through the reading of the Bible.

Discipleship is possible only when our ears are opened by God and remain open to hear Him. Help us to take care that we listen to God - through careful and prayerful reading of His Word. Help us to obey God when He speaks to us.

Prevent us from being disobedient because it dulls our spiritual ears. Help us to be obedient to Your word as it will sharpens our spiritual ears even though our physical ears are dull by our old age. We pray that our spiritual hearing continue to remain keen to Your voice.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
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Reflection - Spiritual Habits - Hearing God Afresh
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 12, "Hearing God Afresh", Question 1, Page 77.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012

Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html

"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html

"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html

"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html

Reference

[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART II: SPIRITUAL HABITS, Chapter 12, "Hearing God Afresh", Page 73-76.

[2] BibleRef.com, ministry of Got Questions, What does John 10:4 mean?, https://www.bibleref.com/John/10/John-10-4.html

[3] John Piper, Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org, Jesus’s Sheep Hear His Voice — What’s That Mean?, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/jesuss-sheep-hear-his-voice-whats-that-mean

New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Isaiah 8:16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+8%3A16&version=NIV

Isaiah 50:4-5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+50%3A4-5&version=NIV

John 10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10&version=NIV

John 10:3 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A3&version=NIV

John 10:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A4&version=NIV

Luke 8:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A18&version=NIV

Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV

Psalm 40:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+40%3A6&version=NIV