John 10:3-5
“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 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.
Weapons of Mass Distraction
Luke 10:39-40 AMP
And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching. But Martha (overly occupied and too busy) was distracted with much serving.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God.”
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Competing voices.
Luke 14:18-20
“But they all was alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just go married, so I can’t come.’”
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Unprepared heart.
Matthew 13:19 MSG
When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart.
When God Speaks
1 Samuel 3:3-11
The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called; “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me. “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times. “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “ ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ ” And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.
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As we read His Word.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.
Psalm 119:147
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.
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As we cultivate His presence.
Genesis 3:8 NKJV
They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
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As we get planted in the Church.
Psalm 92:11-13
My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they grow like a cedar tree of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.