Pride, humility

[K2K]

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

Jesus Christ is called the Word of God because He has the words of God which the Spirit of God takes from Him and gives them to us. He, as God, is always around and has always been around. All things were created through Him., so He is sooooo much smart than we are, and He is just standing there waiting for you to hear His voice and open up to Him.

Considering all that, why don't we open up to His voice and listen to Him?

Then answer is our pride!!!!

Someone might think that there are people not aware of Jesus Christ and who He is. Of course that is not the case because He is standing there knocking with His voice, and that is not to mention that angels that serve Him also have told the whole world.

So then, our pride is the only thing keeping us from listening to the Lord!!

It might show up by someone telling themselves that they have sinned so God won't talk to them, but that too is pride. Who are you to decided not to listen to Him? You must think pretty highly of yourself to think that you don't have to listen to the King of kings and Lord or lords?

But we to think very highly of ourselves.

So what about humility. Well it doesn't take much humility to consider that God is perhaps smarter than you!

If you think that at all you are going to start turning to Him for answers and help, and He is there. He always has been. And He answers you, but will you believe that?

Belief is a choice. You simply choose to not think you are smarter than God, which results in you seeking Him, and all those who seek find.

In the Bible we see that Moses was a very humble man and also that Moses heard from the Lord a lot. My friends, there is a direct connection between your pride and humility and the number of times you seek the Lord and choose to believe in Him!

 

[YeshuaisFaithful]

Someone said to me that it does say 'my sheep hear my voice', but when we are new believers we are babies, ie lambs....we need to learn to hear and feed on Gods word.

Some people also do not hear an actual voice.

 

[Halbhh]

Yes, that's right. And also very few have auditory hearing I think, though more have dreams or visions perhaps. When He spoke of 'hearing', He means...with true listening to the eternal Words He has said for all of us to hear.

True listening is an act of faith. But not all will have faith (or listening).

Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'

Our Lord is literally talking about His words He was saying at that time -- eternal truths for all of us to listen to, which we have in the gospels today.

They are literally forever Truths -- Words that cannot be replaced or made better --

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.



But to believe, a person must listen and hear His words to us --

24The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
John 10 NIV


Some had heard Him in person and did not believe. He is saying that those that hear His words -- the many things He said, which we have now in the gospel accounts -- those Words -- that His sheep would hear the Words He said, and would believe.

So, for example: His sheep will hear --

John 13:34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another.

They truly listen, and hear, and then follow His words, and do as He says (aim to do, often do, sometimes fail, but generally are following, instead of ignoring).

In contrast someone that does not believe will see "love one another" as only optional -- perhaps some that don't hear think this is just a good thing or ideal, but not a central command crucial to being Christian -- so some (in churches) might for instance love a circle of friends, and ignore others. They have some they love, and not others....

They don't hear, because they don't listen or don't believe, so they won't do as He says to us to do, in His Words.

But to truly listen, we are affected, and it increases our faith.