This was in our church bulletin last year sometime. I’ve had it hanging on my bulletin board since then. You may wish to make note of these “hearing aids” to help you get more from your Pastor’s message.

Listen –

Reverently – Habakkuk 2:20

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Expectantly – Psalm 62:5

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Prayerfully – 1 Samuel 3:10

And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for they servant heareth.

Attentively – Acts 15:12

Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

Understandingly – Nehemiah 8:8

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Discerningly – Acts 17:11

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Obediently – Matthew 7:24-27

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And everyone one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the ran descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

peculiar – 1. strange, odd. 2. uncommon, unusual. 3. distinctive in nature or character from others.

We, as Christians, are not supposed to look like the rest of the world. We are supposed to be different. Set apart from everyone else. So the rest of the world can clearly see that we are Christ Followers.

I want the world to look at me, and see that I am different. I want them to notice such a difference in me, that they want to know why I’m different.

And the why would be Jesus Christ, my Lord & Saviour.

I don’t want what everyone else has, I want what God has for me.

I don’t want to do everything that everyone else does, I want to do what God wants me to do.

This time of year, it’s hard to keep the goats inside their fence. They always think the grass is greener on the other side. So out they jump.

They quickly find that the grass isn’t any better on the outside than on the inside.

You know what it really is?

They jump out just because they can.

The goats never jump back in by themselves. We always have to escort them to the gate and open it for them.

How often do we do something just because we can?

In those days there was no king in Israel: everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 17:6

Then we have a hard time going back. It seems like there is always a fence in the way.

I’m thankful Jesus is always there to take me back in.

To open the door for me and escort me back to the Father.

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

I am convinced and sure that He who began a good work in me will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing and perfecting and bring it to full completion in me.

Philippians 1:6