My people must learn to listen to ME and obey, even to MY still small voice, for this year will be startling in many ways!
“Please, Lord,” I prayed, “will YOU show me what YOU are saying?” Jesus did show me and it was another hard lesson. HE showed me that I myself was not listening enough because the daily demands screamed to be done. Whenever there is illness or geriatric feebleness in a home, it dominates everything! Emergencies come and go but for the caregiver it lingers, at least it does so for me. I broke out in shingles again and I ended up with a painful ear infection to welcome the new year!
I had plenty of sleepless hours to be still and to listen. The Lord showed me that I fall back into my old patterns of self-neglect whenever things get rough. We cannot love others unless we love ourselves also; we cannot give adequate care to others unless we look out for ourselves also!
There is a fine line between unselfishness and self-abuse, even if it is done in the Name of the Lord! I had to do what I have done so very often during my long and turbulent life. I had to confess my mistaken ideas and my own unbelief that Jesus loves me as much as HE loves those around me, and I had to ask for forgiveness because I treated one of God’s children neglectfully – myself! You see, it always starts the same way. We get so busy and overwhelmed by daily demands we do not take time to listen to God’s still small voice and so HE has to get louder and louder and finally use thunder and lightning to get our attention.
You say to me that you do not talk and listen to God as I do, you might not even believe in such “personal” talk between the Almighty God and an individual human being? You listen to the Lord by the WORD, written in the Bible, through your preachers or the daily devotion texts given to you, yes, even through nature! All of these are good communication channels, but let us look at that sensitive issue amongst Evangelicals who argue for or against it and some declare it as a big self-delusion!
We all start as babes in Christ. Every good parent desires to teach even a small infant to speak simple meaningful words like “Mama”, “Dada”, etc., etc. But, even before a baby says the first word, it learns to recognize his parents’ voices. The face lights up when Mom or Dad bends over the crib and speaks.
First, we teach children to speak but next we teach them to listen! Nobody will argue that we all are allowed to pray and talk to God, but perhaps we are not teaching good listening skills, which are of utmost importance! Any little kid has to learn to listen to his parents first; even little animals know that. One warning sound from a mother hen and her little chicks run for shelter under her wings. Unless the running tyke stops when you shout at him to do so, there could be a horrible accident and a gravestone in place of a future adult child!
I believe when Jesus mourned over Jerusalem and said, “Oh, if you would only listen.” HE meant true listening, which obeys! Jesus came to our earth to become the audible WORD of God (John 1:14) HE gave us clear teachings about who would hear HIS voice. (Read John 10:3, 16, 27.) Notice, too, that HIS sheep at the time of HIS earthly presence (who were then in HIS fold) heard HIS voice. Other sheep (of another time or place) would hear HIS voice also, according to John 10:16.
“Everyone that is of the truth heareth MY voice,” Christ said boldly to Pilate, shortly before HE went back home to HIS Father in Heaven. (John 18:37)
There are so many texts that give clear evidence that Jesus Christ has every intention of speaking to anyone who is willing to be one of HIS sheep and loves HIM. However, there are many voices in the world. (1 Corinthians 14:10) How can we distinguish God’s voice from all the others? To know the Shepherd’s voice, we must be willing to stay in HIS presence and be willing to be led by HIM. We also must know HIS favorite way of speaking! What is it? (Please, read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19: 9-12.)
Elijah was ready for a great and new revelation of HIS God; he was ready for storm, earthquake and fire to teach that wicked leadership and all of Israel a mighty lesson. But as things turned out, Elijah, a servant of the living God, had to learn a big lesson himself. God was not in any of the things Elijah thought that were needed for the big crisis of his day – God was only in “a still small voice.” When will we ever learn that God loves to use a butterfly wing, the cry of a newborn baby in Bethlehem, and the shy obedience of a confused child of God to do HIS mightiest things?
If you desire to communicate with the Lord on an intimate personal level, ask yourself three questions:
Are you following the Shepherd or do you want to go your own way? Only if you are willing to let God lead you all the way will you be able to hear HIM.
Did you ask Jesus to speak to you in your spirit? Remember that we ask to receive and if you haven’t received, could it be because you have not asked? (See John 16:23-24.)
Are you willing to set some time aside to “listen”? It takes time to learn a new communication skill and you need to ask Jesus to teach you to recognize HIS voice while other voices are hushed (1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Peter 3:4)
Once you learn to “hear” HIM more clearly, you will be able to converse with HIM anywhere, at any time.
Why is it important that God’s people learn to “listen” and obey better? In my SAIL Letter for February 1, I give you some important details about this coming year. I cannot speak up in this ministry letter; we created SAIL as a means to be free to speak up! I pray that the Lord will provide for that service; we operate on a shoestring! If the Lord speaks to you to either give a few gift subscriptions to your friends or subscribe yourself, please listen and obey. You know our principles: We are not into profits, but we also never go into debts! We stop what we cannot afford to do!
Folks, we are going into very stormy times for our nation and the rest of this turbulent world. It is time to wake up and “listen” to God’s directions, not only for our Nation’s future but for our personal protection and safety. It is time to make first things FIRST! Our Shepherd is more than able and willing to take care of anyone of HIS flock, be it a lamb or an old slow-moving sheep, like Betty and myself! HE will lead us safely home – and we shall be in HIS presence forever!
Amen,
Grandma Hansi
This newsletter can be found on our website: www.hansiministries.org and on the Hansi-SAIL website: www.hansisail.com. Please help us spread the Good News
HANSI MINISTRIES • P.O. BOX 5471 • KAILUA-KONA, HI
96745
e-mail: hansiministries@hawaii.rr.com • web:
www.hansiministries.org
OUR UKRAINE PROJECT
Thank you for responding to our Ukraine project. We give you again the address to mail your items:
Darlene Wendell
12226 Woodcrest Dr.
Dunlap, IL 61525
Her telephone number is (309) 243-1267
I, again, give you my urgent request to send only gently used clothing and shoes, and foremost for children! It costs us much to ship it over there so we must be selective. However, if we think it is too well-worn, we still “use” it and it goes to some American organization who helps the needy in the USA.
May the Lord bless and reward you for any help you can give to us, even as a donation to pay for the shipping. Foremost, pray the shipments through to the place where it is distributed! Let’s all serve HIM joyfully!
Grandma Hansi and her helpers!
Dear Reader:
You may subscribe to our SAIL letter anytime you wish. The monthly charge is $3.00. We send out two letters per month.
Checks must be made payable to Hansi SAIL. As we receive your payment we’ll send the current issue.
Please note: These payments are NOT tax-deductible.
Shalom-Aloha,
Hansi
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