Do we really LISTEN to God?

  

Sharing some of God's Word here --  from LUKE chapter 2:   
I am adding in a bit... read my thoughts with the BLUE, and then read till the end..... 

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,^[a] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.    Walking blamelessly before the Lord -- can that be written about me?  What is being recorded within my 'book' with God at the moment?   What can be written about you?  

 ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
⁸ Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot   I am not positive, but he was chosen just by chance or "lot"....  what would of happened if another was chosen.  I guess, the words say he was chosen by "lot".....but, God orchestrated it.  Or so -- I believe.   I don't believe much is to chance anymore.  I have to believe that even though the enemy certainly seems to run free within our earth...that God is still on the throne and watches and uses his angels from heaven and hear on earth....to continue to speak to us and intercede for us.  I believe God's word when it says, "he wants not ONE to perish but have everlasting life."     to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John....So, what about having a visit from an angel?  Would you be afraid -- question it?  I believe I would, but I also believe the HOly Spirit in me would confirm quickly and I would have peace..... ¹⁴
 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. This is really significant -- as no one had the Holy Spirit yet... Jesus had not gone back to heaven ....  I read this today and read it over again.  And I thought about HOW many times I have read this scripture and not noticed that ....this baby had  HOLY Spirit within him in the womb ...no wonder he LEPT for joy when Mary visited.   ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”  John certainly had a purpose and a destiny --
¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ^{19  Now....} Here, Zechariah doubted and then questioned...and what happens?  God SHUT the mouth of Zechariah.  I thought about HOW many times I know that the LORD has asked me to SHUT my mouth but I didn't.  Or even how many times I know I was to speak but I did not.  And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹ And maybe...if God 'shushed' us a bit here and there -- some of us would be quicker to really LISTEN!   ....Just saying... 

Because we did not believe the words....Bren and I were talking about that...what part of 'the words' did we not believe?  
That God will come again? 
That sin is sin?  
That God would answer?  
That lusting within our hearts and head is just the same as breaking a marriage vow?  
That manipulating God's word to fill an agenda or 'prove' a point and not show love... is what we should be doing ?
What other words don't we believe?   
That cheating is OK, if you don't get caught?  
That cheating God of His tithe won't be that big of a deal?  
That cheating your income tax would be OK...cause You never really got the RIGHT tax break while you were working?  
That....
That...

Bren and I made a HUGE list....  so often, as we are JUST as guilty --- we have justified our actions based on what we felt GOD owed us -- not according to WHAT God did for us...

We were humbled....  we are humbled   and reminded - and praised God for our many years of being a 'shallow believer'....not because we are proud of this fact, but because HE extended His grace and mercy and waiting on us.  

Unfortunately....  we both agreed...time is short.  Our children and grandchild won't have the time to be 'stupid'.   And we thought about that -- there is no longer the luxury of being stupid.    And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. Visions....I believe these visions are JUST as frequent now -- but many don't see them, cause we don't want too. 

    xxx

 ⁶⁰ but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴ And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ ...... and his name was discussed -- THEN, Zachariah tried to write  to confirm his son's name, and when he did -- his voice returned...and the 9 months of silence SPOKE volumes......  

I believe our silence CAN speak volumes.  
When was the last time Your silence spoke GREAT truths about God?  
God does not need to be defended and when we are walking in and living within God's will ....HE will be there before us and behind us....and we won't have to explain anything...

..... We won't have to send text messages in ALL Capitals.....
.....or even pester our fellow peers......as God will do the rest.    We won't have to be the Holy Spirit of another;  and, we might have to delete our snap  chat account or even our Face Book account.  

We might even have to change something.  

 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah's Prophecy

⁶⁷ And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has visited and redeemed his people
⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
⁷⁴     that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
⁷⁵     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us^[h] from on high
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

It is certainly because of the GRACE of God and HIS mercy that --- John the Baptist came first and then...Jesus... 

I have been thinking about this all day and asking God as to WHAT I was to say and share.  

  How many times do we NOT listen and have excuses...and  put our own 'twist' on  the WHAT ...WHY and HOW.....  

I will stand accountable before God one day -- and have to answer for EACH and every word...every idle word, even  every word said in anger...and every word period.  

 Now, I believe that my relationship is strong with Jesus and when I face God, the 'list' will be accessible...but Jesus will stand up right then and there and say -- "she is covered".    

But this DOES NOT give me an excuse to do or say whatever I want, nor does it take me off the hook  to suffer the consequences of my words-- 

- but when the words come into fruition and God is glorified....it certainly reminds me -- I can listen to God and obey.  

I have NO idea of HOW  God is going to 'do it' - but I trust that we, God and I,  will have a conversation and talk... 

Today, I got to thinking -- 

Zachariah's voice box was silenced.  I am positive he spent the next 9 months in deeper prayer and conversation with the Lord.  I am positive that his wife probably  looked at him and questioned  and yet....maybe  she just enjoyed everything even more as she had a baby in her womb.  Then Mary visited and stayed for three months and she too was pregnant and it says in God's Word that the Holy Spirit was within Elizabeth ....as the HS was within the baby within.... and she spoke a blessing over Mary.   Now she was speaking -- for HIM.  

Our tongue has the power of life and death.  

What we say, brings life or death.  

We will be held accountable.  

Lord, I pray that always, my mouth speaks blessing ---

Lord, for YOU are my Savior and my best Friend.... show me where and if I have not been a faithful servant and have hurt or harmed another -- allow me the time and place to seek their forgiveness.  

Lord, for YOU are my Savior and my best Friend... when You have asked me to share a word of knowledge or a word of encouragement....and I did...  I thank you  for  blessing  it.  

  When there has been a 'hard' word because You orchestrated a divine appointment ....for those times...I thank you,  but I need you to cover them.   I am not asking for you to make everything better - as if someone is upset with me, I won't be ruled by emotions and feelings but....I do wish to do your will.  And I pray the enemy won't use it to hurt and hold them from getting a blessing. 

 The enemy wants to use it to hurt and harm and set another BACK....   so, I will ask  you to protect  their mouths until they are ready to SEE YOU in it...and I will ask You to speak to them...show them.... where YOU are within this.   Remind them ....that sometimes...YOU say "no".  

 And I ask You Father to  protect me, as I have stated and told you -- I would never want to be a stumbling block for anyone's faith and journey.  Lord....I need  You to fight for me -- open the eyes and hearts of those  who don't 'get it' yet... and just show me -- if I need to do anything different or just be silent -- even for some time.  

Lord, You understand and realize my  request...   

Lord, for the Zachariah's close by -- may they see and understand YOUR will be done.  

Lord, for the Mary's --  who You have asked .....to trust You....may they truly trust You in a new way.  

Lord, for the husbands and wives that are barren right now -- and don't understand..... may they SEEK You and be satisfied in YOU for now.  Lord, I pray each finds You  and trusts You.  

Lord, for the one this eve, that just had to bury her son - comfort her and I pray that one day, when you bring her another little one .... she will indeed know, that You are the good good Father.  

Lord, for the one today that used words to hurt or harm another - may they seek YOU and seek Forgiveness.  Lord, may I not allow the hurt of it to stop me ....from being a servant to You.  I don't wish to be used by the enemy for anything....

Lord, you will do the judging and You will reign over all of heaven.  I pray that when I am there -- I will hear, "well done, by good and faithful daughter".  I am praying and believing.  

Amen.