Responded

This word is a word of action. The opposite of responding is ignoring. A response could be negative or positive. I could choose to not respond, which is in fact a response. There are times that I’m looking for a response from someone and I get nothing.  If I’m looking for a response, then I’ve put a decision in front of the other person. Response can keep a dialogue going.

Some of the captives from Judah had returned to start rebuilding the Temple. They had been ordered to stop the work by a previous king.  Some prophets of God stirred things up a bit in the second year of King Darius -a new king. Check this out…

¹At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. ² Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them. (Ezra 5:1-2 NLT)

I will respond to the Word of God.

I don’t respond to every prophet who comes along claiming to hear from the Lord.

I’m a bit skeptical of modern-day prophets who prophesy outside the lines of the Word of God. I’m not condemning them – I’m probably going to ignore them or certainly “test” them. Check this out…

¹Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (1 John 4:1 NLT)

I will respond to the call of God’s Spirit upon my heart. If someone prophesies, I will seek the Lord on whether or not this person is speaking from God. I think in our humanness, there are things we want to believe. There are so called prophets that teach that what they believe about the future is a prophesy straight from God.  I will have to test it every time.

I think my big take-a-way this morning was the word respond. I want to carefully listen to the Word of God and respond appropriately. I don’t want to be “blown around” by various teachings that don’t connect with the word of God. Check this out…

⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ⁶ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (James 1:5-8 NLT)

I will continue to respond to the Word of God.

I will continue to respond to the call of God upon my heart.

I want to be discerning when His call upon my heart comes from somewhere besides His Word.

Pressing On!

Dwayne