Lacking Just One Thing

How the heart of God must ache for His people who often live far below the place in God where God intends for them to be. I often wonder, “God, am I all that you want be to be? Am I living in a manner that is pleasing to you? Are my goals in sync with your will?” I want so much to be in the perfect will of God.

I have no doubt that all of you love the Lord. I don’t think you would be sitting here under the sound of my voice, listening to the words of this message, if you didn’t have a heart after God.

King David had a heart after God, but he was far from being a perfect man. But as someone said the other day, “The one thing that made David a man after God’s own heart was that he was always quick to repent when he recognized that he had sinned against God.” I believe that is truly the mark of a man or woman after God’s own heart. None of us are perfect; nor shall we ever be while living in the earth. But we are always desiring to draw closer to Jesus and to be more like Him every day. That makes you a man or woman after God’s own heart, just as much as David was.

How often do we find ourselves in prayer saying, “God, I want to know you more? I want to know and hear your voice. I want to feel your presence. I want to know your love so that I may extend it to others. I want to experience your glory. I want to be used of God to accomplish great things for your kingdom. I want to be a good servant.” That should be the prayer upon the heart and lips of every Child of God and I know that down deep in your heart, that’s your heart’s desire.

In your prayer time, what does the mind of Christ speak to you? Do you hear the voice of the Spirit calling you into a deeper walk with the Lord and a closer relationship with Jesus? I believe that’s the very heart of God for this hour in which we live! God is calling His Church; His Bride; His People, to draw closer to him. God is preparing a people for his soon return. He is purifying the church. The Holy Spirit is convicting those who will listen, of the things in their lives that hinder us from hearing from God and serving Him with all of our hearts.

We must be so careful to listen to the voice of the Lord. If you are his “Sheep”, then you will hear him if you will only listen. Jesus is the Great Shepherd. He loves his “sheep”. You are a part of the flock of God; you are one of his sheep; and God has placed you in this house that you may learn of Him.

Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

I know that most, if not all of you, are a part of God’s little flock this morning. I know that God is always speaking to you. The only question is, “Are you listening and can you hear His voice.? I know that the cares of life and the noises of the world around you often tend to drown out the voice of the Lord. The Holy Spirit isn’t going to scream in your ear and try to overcome the noise of life that is around you. You have to learn to shut out the noise of the world, concentrate of him, and really listen for the quiet voice of the Spirit as He speaks to your heart. It’s not that God can’t use other means to get your attention, but He want us all to learn to listen for his voice; and to have such a love of Jesus in us that are ever listening to hear what He has to say.

If we would just focus on what God has to say, we would find ourselves in less trouble and we would be able to live in absolute victory in Jesus every day.

John 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

John 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

In your times of Bible reading and study, what are you searching for as you read? Too often we read God’s Word and we just don’t get anything out of it. It’s not that the Word isn’t speaking to us; it’s that we aren’t listening close enough. God’s Word is a living Word and there will never be a time that you are reading the Bible when the words you read won’t be speaking to your heart concerning something in your life. But if you are going to hear those words, you have to shut out everything else from your mind to hear them.