A Stranger’s Voice
I volunteer at Battleground Skate House, it is an indoor skate park ministry in my community. They open the door on Tuesday night for skate church. The skaters can skate for free if that stay for the sharing of the gospel (10-15 minutes) and a short bible study (15-20 minutes).
I was leading one of these bible studies and heard a profound statement for a thirteen-year-old that blow in away. This young man is saved and does have a relation with Jesus but wow what wisdom. I have been thinking about it all week.
We were reading out fo John 10 where Jesus was talking with his disciples.
1″Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
John 10:1-6 ESV
We talked about how Jesus is our good shepherd and we are His sheep. I told them how God speaks through our thought the same way we might hear our mother voice when we are about to do something she would not like. If we accept Jesus as our savior that the Holy Spirit will speak to our spirit and lead us into all righteousness. This still small voice will sound like your voice.
We talked about how when we know his voice that we will not be swayed by another person opinions. That in today society there are many different opinions on what is right or true. Jesus will lead us into all truths and we will not be swayed because we know His voice and the voice of a stranger we will not follow.
All the young men we paying close attention and was engaged thought the whole talk. I asked if there was any prayer request, so we could pray and they could skate/ride. This young man asks to share before we pray, I wish I have it recorded but I will try to give it to you how I heard it.
If we don’t have a relationship or know Jesus then we will not know or rencognize His voice. So when He does speak to us it will be a stranger‘s voice to us. We wont be able to lead by Him.
I told this young man that there are many believers that have been in the church for years that does have that revelation. That the only way to be able to really hear God’s voice is to have a relationship with Him.
I work in a public school with lots of families in the building all day. It still surprises me when a baby/little kid is crying down the hall and a couple of mothers look at each other and say, “That not mine”. They know the voice of their children like the child know their mother’s voice because of relationship. Everything God does in the scriptures is for relationship, even giving of His own Son.
We can have knowledge of celebrities and pro athletes we may know seemingly personal and intimate knowledge of the lives and stats, but we don’t “know” them. Just having a knowledge of God/Jesus is enough to have a relationship with Him.
“”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
The word “knew” at the end of these verses is the Greek word for intimate relationship like the level of a man and woman in a marriage. A marriage will never last if there is not good communication and time spent with one another.
Developing a strong relationship with God is the most important relationship you can peruse. You do this by spending time with Him, reading His word (Bible), talking with Him (praying) and spending time with other that know Him.
Application
- Can you recognized the Good Voice for all the other voices?
- Commit to have a relationship with Him
- Choose to cultivate a relationship by spending time with Him