Youth Ministry

I don’t know many folks who would tell a friend, “I’m gonna call you..I’m gonna talk..but please don’t respond.” First of all, what kind of friendship is THAT? And would YOU want to be on the other end of the phone just listening, but not allowed the opportunity to respond? I don’t think so either.

How many times when in a pinch, between a rock and a hard place, in a situation when both decisions seem bad, when you’ve simply blown it, when looking for answers and direction, do you cry out to God something like this, “God help me!”

Yeah, me too.

And I believe that God hears all our prayers...in good times and of course when we have nowhere else to turn. He accepts and hears all our prayers. And He even answers them all too. Sometimes with the answer we want, sometimes with the answer we do not. But He hears and He answers. But how do we HEAR Him?

I believe there is a great number of people who have a “one-way” relationship with God...believers who say they “talk to God”…..but do they listen?? In our desire to receive clarity and direction and answers to our prayers, I think we often leave out a huge part of the equation: HIS RESPONSE, which is usually written in His Word.
Yes, as intuitive as it sounds, reading the Word is essential if one wants to “hear from God.” Many of the situations and things that we get ourselves into have happened in the past.

And the Bible is a great source to see what God says about such things.

When we go to God with our conversation, is it indeed a dialogue or does it sound more like a monologue? Do you do all the talking and no listening (or reading of His Word?) I’m convinced God is passionate about revealing His answers to our prayers. But I’m also convinced He has answered most of our questions already in
His Word. So let’s not give up praying..but let’s also not give up seeking His answers.

Austin