Today is the last night of my home group. For 6 weeks we have talked about engaging with God, hearing from Him. Listening. I love walking with people to help them hear from Him. Let’s be real. We all want to hear from God.

Last night an friend of many years went home to be with the Lord. A conversation occurs. Lord what is it you would say to me? To us? God wants to be involved in our lives, no matter the pain, no matter the joy. He is desirous of our lives and our future.

Tonight our group ends on this topic. Applying the hearing to doing.

There are often a few groups when it comes to God and hearing from Him. There are those that are saying they are not hearing. (Not true.) Those that hear and refuse. (Out of some emotion, whether, it be fear, anger or just being stubborn.) And those that hear and simply do. (Yay for you!)

Years ago, I became involved with a man from Africa. A powerful, humble man. He was black man living in a white man’s world. (His body had been burned as youth by white men who tortured him. He had every right to fearful, to be angry.) One night he was awakened by the Holy Spirit. “Get up and go see this man(A treasure merchant, he was a white man from Europe, know to be ruthless and dangerous.). Bring your youngest son with his portable piano. Sing to him.” “Uhhh…Lord it is 12:30 at night.” “He will be waiting.” My friend was aghast. The wealthiest man in the community. High above all the town. A large castle like mansion with walls and security and dogs. He woke his son, “tried” to explain to his wife. (How many of you are thinking this would be above your “pay grade”? Yet, aren’t you the one saying “for such a time as this.”? )They loaded the small portable piano and headed down the dark streets of the city. They headed up the hill side and came to the entrance. He spoke to the security guard. “Go in” is what he was told. (Guys -he was expected! Shades of Paul and Cornelias!) As he drove he saw the dark, quiet figures of the dogs and men with rifles. He parked the car and got out. The door was opened. They went in and were shown to this man’s bedroom. There on the the bed, coupled to machines and medical equipment, lay a man. My friend stopped seeing color and began seeing God. His son, sang to the man. My friend prayed. The Spirit of God invaded the room and they left. No money. A simple, “thank you for coming”.

What would you do? Would you go? Would you stay?

Matthew 7:24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.

Folks want to reduce everything to what is in the Bible. And honestly, if we did what was new covenant and did it ALL, we would be amazed. Healthy functioning church bodies, everywhere we go! That would be awesome. Working out our differences? That would be amazing!

Just hearing is only half the equation. Not answering or refusing God’s request? That has the potential to be downright dangerous.

The word of God is to bring us faith AND faithfulness. Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

God is always speaking. It is not what He said, but what He is saying now. For today. For you. That is the word we act upon. James encourage us to be doers of the word and not simply hearers.

The implementation of our now words from a NOW God in a now season will change the world we live in… NOW! Change how we live. How we love. (If you are not loving, interpreting scripture can easily become a nightmare.)

My friend who just passed on. He was a great example of one who listened and did what he heard. My friend in Africa. A few months later the deed to that large hillside property was signed over to him. That large property became his ministry outreach to the world. God spoke to him about the care. He implemented cost saving features. He found new ways to produce on that property. (For instance koi in the ponds.) God moved in response to these men and the words that they heard.

Isn’t it time? To break barriers. To shatter molds of iniquity and deception? To forgive and fore—get?

I have been in so many meetings where the barriers and walls of division came crashing down. (Yes, some went back up, but is that God or really the point?)Where breads of forgiveness and drinks of sacrifice came about, where communion among “warring factions” has changed an area, a region.

Yep, I am talking to you!

God is talking.

What will be your response?