Hearing Vs. Listening

James 1:22-24 MSG

22-24 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

Mark 4:23-25 NLT

23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given[a]—and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

Psalm 116:1–2 

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned (inclined) his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

God is a listener, so we speak to Him. 

God is a Speaker, so we listen to Him

Lily Tomlin - “If you tell people you talk to God, they’ll think you’re spiritual. If you tell people that God talks to you, they’ll think you’re crazy.” Granted, many crazy things have been done by people who said, “God told me to do it.” 

  Adam McHugh - “The universe crackles with the sound of God’s voice. A listening, conversational relationship with God should be the most natural thing in the world.” 

John 10:1-5

 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

John 10:6 

Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

How does God speak?

1. The Bible

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousnes

2. People

Speaks to us through Shepherds 

-       Jeremiah 3:15

Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

Speaks to us through sheep 

3. Circumstances

4. Impressions

John 14:26

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 16:33

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

 5. Visions and Dreams

Joel 2:28

 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”