Listen Up!

John 10v3-5 NLT
v3"The Gate keeper opens the gate for Him,and the sheep recognize His voice and they come to Him.He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out"
v4"After He gathers His own flock He walks ahead of them, and they follow Him because they know His voice."
v5"They won't follow a stranger ,they will RUN from him because they don't know his voice."

Oh how I fail to listen so many times. I have a busy mind and in my business when someone is talking I often drift for a few moments and then realize I was not really listening and may have just missed and important part of the talk. I could blame it on ADHD ,but, truth is I just do not listen well. It is something I am working hard to improve. When someone is talking to me or at a lecture (I am worst at a lecture) I  try to keep my eyes glued on the speaker. Ask questions and really fully engage. I must say this does help.
 
When listening to God I get a bit stumped. I truly wish many a time He would open the clouds and just say Tammy listen up this is for and I promise then I would hear every word! But, He does not work that way. He tells us in John 10 that If we have accepted Him as savior we are His sheep and He is the great Shepherd . We will know His voice and follow Him. It also tells us we will Run from the voice we do not know. So with that said I believe we clouded our minds with many voices that are around us every day. But, truth be told we don't really listen to Gods voice very much at all. How often are you in His word reading His words? How often to you fellowship with other believers and discuss Gods word?  How often do you go to church where you can hear from the under Shepard (Pastor) for what God has to say? Do you do any of these more than listening to other voices. If we don't spend time with our God it will be harder and harder to recognize His voice . We will not let Him lead we will let the other thoughts lead and we will stray and become lost. Those times we are lost and out of His fold are unpleasant times and His voice is so hard to find. These are the times we must give our selves a wake up knock in the head. You know like the old commercial when they say "I should have had a V8" Instead it is I should have been listening to God . Great thing though God has been there waiting and looking for you. So pick up His word,Pray,talk to a woman you know listens to her shepherds voice and tune back in. So stay glued to your speaker (God),ask questions and fully engage! Because I promise you when you know Him , His voice is much clearer. He won't yell from the clouds,but He will speak to your heart!

John 8v47 NLT
"Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God . But you don't listen because you don't belong to God"

Listen Gladly Chicks
Tammy