Listen Closely

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)

“I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Verse of the day: Psalm 27:14

14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage;Yes, wait for the Lord.

Today’s reading: Isaiah 53-55; 2 Thessalonians 1

Listen Closely

Isaiah 55:2-”Why spend your money on something that is not real food? Why work for something that doesn’t really satisfy you? Listen closely to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the food that satisfies your soul. “(ICB)

Lunch time is a hard time to get anywhere in a hurry in our town. People eat out a great deal. It seems they all have their top two or three places to dine. Being ‘full’ is equated with being satisfied. Did you know there are some folks, because of certain conditions, who have reached a point they cannot taste much of anything? They have to learn to eat to live and not to live to eat because they will get no satisfaction from the flavor of food. Their only satisfaction from food, if any, is the feeling of being ’full’.

God tells us all to ‘listen closely or carefully’ in Isaiah 55:2 so that we will be satisfied in our souls.

The results of soul dissatisfaction can be seen everywhere we look in our world today. From obsession to obsession-fast foot to fast cars to fast money-fast this, fast that. The quicker things happen, the quicker the dissatisfaction is realized.

The mission before us is to be a voice for God in Christ. The loudest and clearest message we can carry is the message of a satisfied life-a life lived in quiet joy and peace lived with honor in truth.

So, God tells us, “Listen carefully, listen closely and you will find what really satisfies and delights your soul”.

The battle is for our hearing. The enemy does all he can-all-to dampen and block the voice of God-to keep us from hearing what God has to say.

Today, the world tells us we are crazy for even thinking we can hear God speak. I heard that argument yesterday on a talk show.

Block out the craziness of the world. God does speak to each of us who belongs to Him. We must train our hearts to listen closely. It starts privately in intimate times with Him and then we learn to carry that conscious attention out in the world and this is where soul satisfaction takes away our need for more ’stuff’ from the world.

No, it is not simple-nothing this important can ever be simple. It is hard but if we listen, we can hear Jesus say, “Fear not, I am with you until the end...”(Matthew 28:20)

Tell God you want to take the challenge to listen.

...because He loves you, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

All the perfect things come from You, Oh God. Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my heart. Let me hear You all day today. Forgive me for listening to the world. Deliver me from evil.

My God who speaks clearly,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen