1 Thessalonians 4:16 NIV
[16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
When God decides to end time as we know it and call all people who ever lived from Adam and Eve to Adolf Hitler to Prince and Michael Jackson to Ruth in the Bible to Barack Obama to Beyoncé to all of us into judgment, everyone will hear HIS HEAVENLY TRUMPET CALL!
Psalm 85:8 NLT
[8] I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones. But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Mark 4:9 NIV
[9] Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Jesus often would end a parable with “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” He said this because He knew the pride in men that prevented them from really hearing His eternal message to all people. God’s Word when read or spoken out loud should silence everyone in listening range with awe and respect. The Words of God are the eternal direction in guiding one closer to God and Eternal life.
HOW WELL DO YOU REALLY LISTEN?
William Wordsworth, in his poem “The Excursion,” talked about meeting a small boy holding to his ear a seashell “to which, in silence hushed, his very soul listened intensely.” Even though the boy lived far from the sea, as he listened he “heard murmurings” which “expressed mysterious union” with the ocean. As a result “his countenance soon brightened with joy.” Getting some boys to listen to anything, whether intensely or otherwise, is a challenge. Activity, rather than contemplation, is their rhythm. And yet if they could be persuaded to, as the railway crossing signs command, “Stop, Look, Listen,” they would be surprised by what they heard.
Men, like small boys, also find it hard to stop, look, and listen. We don’t like to stop what we’re doing—we think it wastes time. We don’t find it necessary to look—we think we already know. We find it difficult to listen because as another speaks, we are formulating a rebuttal. But failure to listen intensely can mean missing the message entirely, or it can lead to hearing the message only partially. To miss the message entirely means living in ignorance; to grasp it only partially can mean living with confusion.
The psalm writer, on the other hand, had decided to “listen carefully to what the Lord is saying,” because he had learned that the Lord “speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones” (Psalm 85:8 NLT). In those days, the Lord spoke directly and powerfully through the prophets who had responded to his call to “listen carefully” to the message God was delivering to them. Then they had to get the message across. But it was a difficult task. The people either didn’t listen or they listened only halfheartedly, and they ignored the warnings, predictions, pleadings, and promises of the prophets. Because they did so, disaster overtook them. They had lived in such turmoil that their question to God was, “Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to distant generations?” (Psalm 85:5 NLT). Those who had taken the trouble to listen had learned that God’s “salvation is near to those who honor him” (Psalm 85:9 NLT). They knew about unfailing love, truth, righteousness, and peace—”the amazing blessings” (Psalm 85:1 NLT) which the Lord delighted to pour out on his people. But they also knew better than “to return to their foolish ways” (Psalm 85:8 NLT).
Men today have the Bible, Godly men who preach God’s Word with Faith, and gifted authors speaking God’s message. An amazing book our church is reading together is Money Is The Answer For Everything, by Joe Willis, the Evangelist of the Sydney International Christian Church! It really teaches about it’s all about our heart toward God and His will. If these men will try listening attentively to what God is saying, they will find that he is still offering “peace” and warning against “foolish ways.” And, like small boys with sea shells, their countenances will be “brightened with joy.”
REALLY LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD AND REAP HIS BENEFITS!
Psalm 85:9-13 NLT
[9] Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. [10] Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! [11] Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven. [12] Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest. [13] Righteousness goes as a herald before him, preparing the way for his steps.
As the psalmist cries out for God’s intervention, he can almost see, taste, and hear God’s response. These five verses describe what God can do for those who welcome his message —righteousness (Psalm 85:13 NLT). This psalm illustrates that the greater the presence of righteousness (obedience to God), the clearer the examples of God’s blessings. This principle works equally in the life of a nation or an individual. The more we first seek God’s righteousness and his kingdom, as Jesus pointed out, the more we will see everything else taken care of by God
Matthew 6:25-34 NLT
[25] “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? [27] Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? [28] “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, [29] yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. [30] And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? [31] “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. [33] Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [34] “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 NIV
[17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.
From an Unworthy servant,
Chris Chloupek
Lead Evangelist