How can we create space in our life to listen more attentively to God’s voice?

[TangWeiPing]

Bread of Heaven/Word of Life/ Jesus is the word of God Isaiah 8:5-6: The LORD spoke to me again: “Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, Extended Explanation of the Verse: Isaiah 8:5 is brief but significant, marking a moment when God directly speaks to Isaiah once more. This verse introduces a continuation of God’s warning to Judah about their lack of faith and misplaced trust. The simplicity of the statement highlights the ongoing, active relationship between God and His prophet. It shows that God is not distant or silent but engaged in guiding His people, even when they fail to listen. This verse prepares the reader for what follows: a warning about Judah’s rejection of God’s provision and their preference for worldly solutions. Historical Context: This verse is set in a period of crisis for Judah. The kingdom faced threats from the northern kingdom of Israel and Syria, prompting King ### to seek an alliance with Assyria rather than trusting in God. Through Isaiah, God repeatedly warned Judah against such reliance on foreign powers. Isaiah 8:5 begins a section where God uses the imagery of rivers and waters to contrast the blessings of trusting Him with the dangers of rejecting His help. This verse reminds us that God’s word was given not just once, but repeatedly, reflecting His patience and desire for His people to return to Him. Theological Implications: God’s Faithfulness: The verse shows that God continues to speak, even when His people are stubborn or rebellious. God’s Desire for Relationship: By speaking directly to Isaiah, God demonstrates His personal involvement with His people and His desire to communicate with them. Responsibility to Listen: While God speaks, His people are responsible for listening and responding in faith. Literary Analysis: This verse serves as a transition, connecting God’s earlier warnings to what follows. The repetition of God speaking emphasizes the seriousness of His message. The phrase “The Lord spoke to me again” also sets the tone for God’s persistence in calling His people back to Himself. The simplicity of the language contrasts with the vivid imagery that follows in the subsequent verses. Relevant Biblical Cross-References: Hebrews 1:1-2: God has spoken to His people in many ways, culminating in Jesus Christ. Isaiah 1:18: An invitation to reason together with God, showing His willingness to engage His people. Exodus 34:6: A reminder of God’s patience and mercy as He reveals Himself to His people. Psalm 95:7-8: A call to listen to God’s voice and not harden our hearts. What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian Isaiah 8:5 reminds Christians that God is always speaking to His people through His word, the Bible, and through the Holy Spirit. It challenges us to remain attentive and open to His guidance, even when it challenges our comfort or plans. It also reassures us of God’s faithfulness, as He continues to reach out to us despite our failures. How This Verse Relates to a Loving God: This verse highlights God’s love through His persistence in speaking to His people. Even when they ignore Him or rebel, He does not give up on them. His willingness to speak again shows His patience and His deep desire for His people to hear and respond to Him. God’s love is not passive; it actively pursues His children. How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ: Isaiah 8:5 points to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s communication with His people: Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God speaks most clearly and powerfully, revealing His character, love, and plan for salvation (John 1:14, Hebrews 1:1-2). Just as God spoke repeatedly to His people through Isaiah, Jesus came to proclaim the kingdom of God and call people to repentance and faith. Questions for Reflection and Discussion: How can we create space in our life to listen more attentively to God’s voice? What does this verse teach us about God’s patience and persistence? How has God “spoken again” in our life, and how did we respond? How does knowing that God continues to speak through His word and Spirit encourage us in our faith? What steps can we take to align our heart with God’s message in Scripture? Isaiah 8:5 reminds us of God’s unwavering commitment to guide and warn His people. It calls us to listen with open hearts, trust in His wisdom, and ultimately find our hope in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Prayer for Hebrews 1:2: Our prayer: Thank You for Jesus, and thank You, Father, that through Him we may approach Your throne of grace. Thank You that through Him we may know more of You, and how we praise and thank You that by faith in His sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection we have been made alive in Christ, and brought into the family of God. May our life be honouring to You, in thought, word, deed, and motive, and may we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, with every passing day. In His name we pray, AMEN.

 

[Articles]

What a beautiful and profound question—how can we create space in our lives to listen more attentively to God’s voice? The passage you’ve shared from Isaiah 8:5-6 is a powerful reminder of God’s persistent desire to speak to His people, even when they turn away. The Lord spoke to Isaiah *again*, showing His unwavering commitment to communicate with those who will listen. Yet, as the verse reveals, the people of Judah rejected the "gently flowing waters of Shiloah"—a symbol of God’s quiet, life-giving provision—and instead rejoiced in worldly alliances that led to their downfall. This is a stark warning for us today. How often do we drown out the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit with the noise of our own plans, distractions, or even sinful pursuits? How often do we seek comfort in the "Rezins and Remaliahs" of this world—whether it be relationships, careers, entertainment, or idols—rather than resting in the living water Christ offers?

The answer to hearing God more clearly begins with repentance and surrender. We must first acknowledge the ways we’ve silenced His voice, whether through disobedience, unbelief, or simply failing to prioritize time with Him. Jesus tells us in John 10:27, *"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."* If we struggle to hear Him, we must ask: Are we truly His sheep? Are we following closely, or have we wandered into pastures of our own making?

To create space for God’s voice, we must intentionally carve out time for solitude, Scripture, and prayer. Jesus Himself modeled this for us. Mark 1:35 says, *"Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there."* If the Son of God needed dedicated time with the Father, how much more do we? This isn’t about legalism—it’s about love. When we love someone, we make time for them. We listen. We prioritize their voice above all others.

We also must examine what we’re filling our minds and hearts with. Colossians 3:2 instructs us, *"Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth."* If our lives are saturated with secular media, ungodly relationships, or endless busyness, we will struggle to discern the Lord’s voice. Instead, we should immerse ourselves in His Word, which is *"living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword"* (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible is God’s primary way of speaking to us, and we neglect it to our own spiritual starvation.

Another critical aspect is obedience. James 1:22 warns, *"Be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves."* If we hear God’s voice but refuse to obey, our hearts grow hard, and His voice becomes fainter to us. Obedience keeps our spiritual ears attuned to Him. It’s like tuning an instrument—the more we align with His will, the clearer His direction becomes.

Lastly, we must cultivate a posture of humility and dependence. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, *"Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."* When we stop relying on our own wisdom and instead seek His, we position ourselves to hear Him more clearly. This means laying down our agendas, our pride, and even our fears at His feet.

Let us also remember that God speaks in various ways—through His Word, through the Holy Spirit’s promptings, through godly counsel, through circumstances, and even through creation (Psalm 19:1). But we must test every voice we hear against Scripture, for Satan is a deceiver who can mimic truth (1 John 4:1). If what we’re hearing doesn’t align with God’s Word, it’s not from Him.

Now, let us pray together for hearts that are tender and ears that are open to the Lord’s voice:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging that we often fill our lives with noise and distractions that drown out Your voice. Lord, forgive us for the times we’ve turned to the "Rezins and Remaliahs" of this world—whether it be sin, idols, or our own self-sufficiency—instead of trusting in Your gently flowing waters of life. We repent for the ways we’ve hardened our hearts and ignored Your promptings.

Father, we ask You to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 51:10). Teach us to be still and know that You are God (Psalm 46:10). Help us to carve out sacred space in our lives where we can meet with You daily, free from the clamor of the world. Give us a hunger for Your Word, that we may feast on it as our daily bread (Matthew 4:4). Open our eyes to see the truths of Scripture, and open our ears to hear Your Spirit speaking to us.

Lord, we surrender our plans, our fears, and our desires to You. Align our hearts with Your will, that we may walk in obedience and grow in intimacy with You. Remove anything in our lives that hinders our ability to hear You clearly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth (John 16:13).

We thank You, Father, that You are not a distant God but One who speaks to Your children. You are the Good Shepherd who calls His sheep by name, and we long to hear Your voice above all others. Draw us closer to You, Lord, and let our lives be a testament to Your faithfulness.

We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). It is only through Him that we have access to You, and it is only in His name that we can be saved. May we never take for granted the privilege of coming before Your throne of grace. Strengthen our faith, Lord, and let us walk in the assurance that You are always speaking—we simply need to listen.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

I've been reflecting on your question and the passage from Isaiah 8:5-6. It's a powerful reminder of God's persistent desire to communicate with us, even when we turn away. In our busy lives, it can be challenging to create space to listen attentively to God's voice. But just as the people of Judah rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah, we too can miss out on God's quiet, life-giving provision if we fill our lives with noise and distractions.

One practical step we can take is to set aside dedicated time each day for silence and solitude. This doesn't have to be a long period; even a few minutes can make a difference. During this time, we can quiet our hearts and minds, allowing God's voice to speak to us. We can also use this time to read Scripture, pray, and simply be present with God.

Another important aspect is to cultivate a posture of humility and dependence. When we stop relying on our own wisdom and instead seek God's, we position ourselves to hear Him more clearly. This means laying down our agendas, our pride, and even our fears at His feet.

Let's also remember that God speaks to us in various ways - through His Word, through the Holy Spirit's promptings, through godly counsel, through circumstances, and even through creation. But we must test every voice we hear against Scripture, for Satan is a deceiver who can mimic truth.

Finally, let's ask God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Teach us to be still and know that He is God. Help us to carve out sacred space in our lives where we can meet with Him daily, free from the clamor of the world. Give us a hunger for Your Word, that we may feast on it as our daily bread.

Let's pray together for hearts that are tender and ears that are open to the Lord's voice.

 

[Naliogate]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[The Encourager]

I prayed that God in Jesus' name will answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God Loves You. Thank You Jesus!!!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. Bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God solution focused heart, mind, spirit, and attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach.

Healed Spirit Soul And Body​

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Cinu]

Lord, we pray for this prayer and family for blessings healing and salvation. Heal and bless. May their lives be a praise and glory unto thee.
Come to the Lord's holy presence. Seek him with all your heart. Cling to his Word and meditate on it moment by moment by positive thoughts and joy in the heart (James 1:2-4), knowing that the Lord is good and to him be all the praise. Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Even though life may feel hard, the Lord's hand will be on you, and he will answer in his time. I am praying for you. Amen.

Some resources that might help.

Needs: - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19(KJV)

Salvation: - So they said "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved you and your household." Acts 16:31(NKJV)

Healing: - But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5(NKJV)

Fulfillment by the Holy Spirit: - Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6(KJV)

Persecutions: - But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Luke 6:27-28(KJV)

Help in Prayer

Dwelling and Thriving in God’s grace where everything happens for good (Romans 8:28)

Pray that the Lord may open the eyes of the nations affected by coronavirus (Specifically forces against God’s people)

sermons

Be a Prayer Warrior: “Praying for others”