Church sign read, "Knowledge Speaks, Wisdom Listens" but if everyone wants to be wise and listens, who's talking? :-)
Truth is that if all of us would seek wisdom by listening we might just hear the voice of all knowledge; God. The one who spoke throughout the Old Testament and then sent His Son to speak to us about Him and then sent the Holy Spirit to to teach us what was written before and by Christ then those He chose to carry on the conversation after His ascension. God has had a lot to say over the nearly six thousand years of man's existence. Sadly, man heard His voice, but more often than not the majority chose not to heed and not to hear it. God went silent for four hundred years before He spoke again.
He is still speaking to us today, but we have to take care who we listen to or who has our ear. After all, in the most pristine conditions of life in Eden we had a liar get the ear of Mother Eve. Even though she and Adam walked and talked directly with God every day, there was something about the voice of satan that caused her to go with the sound of false wisdom to seek knowledge God wanted to spare mankind from knowing and we have been in sorrow ever since as the devil laughs.
John tells us that there is a mystery of an iniquity and many false prophets were already in the world while the Church was being established and growing. Two thousand years later and at the end of the age false voices are screaming and are spreading faster than any physical pandemic known to man. Indeed, we know that the Anti-Christ will come with a more invigorating oratorical skills than Hitler and have lying wonders to back up his claims and would deceive even the very elect if God did not prevent by His voice countering the evil one. Paul said the false prophets would appear as angels of light.
Therefore while we must seek to hear the voice of God like Mary at His feet we have to take great care lest we hear a different voice from another Jesus made by man under the tutelage of the same one who tutored in Eden bringing about the Fall. The road that leads to Heaven is narrow because there is only one voice that is giving directions on how to navigate the road for He build it. My wife once argued with the Garmin and took a different route. We eventually went right by the exit the Garmin suggested. We only went out of our way and lost a little time by that disagreement, but if we argue with Him we will be eternally out of the way and lose all eternity.
Indeed, as our childhood song says, "O be careful little ears what you hear. O be careful little ears what you hear. For the Father up above is looking down with love. O be careful little ears what you hear." I have heard much heresy over the years that sounded really good until you listen more closely and do a little research. Some are easy to pick out and yet people follow the speaker because it speaks to their desires or it seems to meet their deep seated needs. They will do anything for that kind of voice as we see from Guyana, Waco, the "flirty fishers" group and many more. Be careful what you hear or you may follow so voice to physical destruction and ultimately spiritual destruction.
If the voice you hear is not matching up with what God has already said in His Word, you are hearing the wrong voice. God is more concerned about you purity than your prosperity, your holiness more than your health and your position in Him than in your workplace or society.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
God has spoken and is speaking and He has said in Revelation and many other passages the need to be able to discern between the many voices in the world. We teach our kids about stranger danger. That is true in the spiritual as well as the physical realm.
John 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Who has your ear? Whose voice are you following; Christ's or a stranger. Be sure. Ask for discernment!
"Just because it says Amen, doesn't mean it's born again. Just because it professes faith, doesn't mean it's saved." from a Burris family song. Remember the tares? Listen well and avoid Hell.
Maranatha!
