GOD'S VOICE

1LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose
and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he
answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet
know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.  8
And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to
Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that
the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie
down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for
thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And
the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then
Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
At least once a month, our son

(“Zeke”) answers, “Yes dad,” even though I didn’t
call him.  When it first started happening, I totally disregarded
it.  But as it began occurring more routinely, I started pondering the
event(s) in my heart.  Now when it happens, my wife jokingly says to him,
“That’s not your dad son.  You’re hearing The Voice of
God.  If it happens again, just say, “Yes Lord!”
Although this sounds humorous,
this is exactly what happened when God was calling the prophet Samuel. 
Three times, Samuel heard The Voice of God calling him and all three times he
mistook God’s Voice as Eli’s.  I once heard Bishop Neil Ellis
say that “The Voice of God should sound just like your pastor’s
voice!” This text suggests the possibility of this statement.  To
Samuel, The Voice of God sounded just like the voice of Eli!
There are many individuals who
totally disregard the importance of a pastor in their lives.  If
you’re a member of a local congregation, you should be confident that
you’re hearing from God through the voice of your pastor.  The Bible
is clear that your pastor is a gift from God with the responsibility of
“feeding you knowledge and understanding.”  (Jeremiah
3:15)  As you attend church this weekend, I pray that you’ll be able
to hear God through your pastor (or his designated representative to preach the
gospel).     
Let’s Pray:  “Father,
let us hear Your Voice through the vessel who’ll preach to us this
weekend, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”
Daily Prayer:

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10
 
Daily
Confession:

Father,
I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above
only and not beneath
The
lender and not the borrower
The
conqueror and not the conquered
 
I
thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And
for delivering my life from death and destruction
So
that I shall live and not die to declare your works
 
I
thank You that no sickness shall live in my body today
For
by Your Stripes I'm healed
I
confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because
You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee
 
I
confess that there shall not be any lack in my life today
For
my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ
Jesus
Thank
You that all things are working together for my good
And
that You always cause me to triumph
 
This
is the day that you have made
I
will rejoice and be glad in it
In
Jesus, Name, amen.