Words of encouragement
“Are You Listening to the Wrong Voice or the Right Voice” April 24, 2020
Let me ask you a probing question that I pray will precipitate deep self-contemplation and sincere personal reflection. Are you listening to the wrong voice or the right voice? You may say, “Brother Williams, I can’t answer that question until I know the context of the question.” You are right. So, let me give you the context; are you thankful? Are you a grateful person, or are you a complainer? Do you go through life seeing everything that is wrong in this world; and everything that is wrong in your life? Do you wake up each day in the comforts of a house, having your life, health, strength, right mind, freedom, and daily bread, yet all you see is what you do not have?
One of the devil’s favorite tactics to keep us from enjoying the present blessings of the Lord, is to get us to focus on what we do not have instead of what we do have. That was the insidious approach the devil used against Adam and Eve in the very first temptation. In Genesis 3:1 we read, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
You may not immediately see it, but Satan’s question is surreptitiously designed to shift the focus of Adam and Eve from the positive to the negative. In fact, he deliberately asked the question in the negative – “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” That adverb “not” is the issue. The devil does not want them to focus on what they do have – he wants them to focus on what they do not have.
However, when God presented the prohibition, He presented it in the positive. In Genesis 2:16-17 the Bible says, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." You may ask – “How is that positive – God still prohibited Adam and Eve from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?”
The difference between what God said and what the devil said, is the difference between how you choose to see life, and how you choose to look at the blessings of God. God stated (positively) what He provided for them before He ever mentioned (negatively) what He withheld from them. God said (positively) “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat…” before He said (negatively) “…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat…”
Do you see the difference? There are two voices, one positive and one negative. They represent two approaches to life: a positive approach and a negative approach. How you view life is about which voice you choose to listen to, displayed by which approach to life you choose to take.
God deliberately focused Adam’s attention on what he and Eve had access to, instead of on what they did not have access to. God said, Adam, look at everything I have provided for you. Look at all the fruit producing trees I have provided for you (coconuts, cherries, apples, oranges, plums, pears, figs, dates, peaches, pomegranates, etc.). Look at all the nut producing trees I have provided for you (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts etc.). Look at all the vines and plants that produce fruits, vegetables, and grains that I have provided for you (pineapples, strawberries, grapes, watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, squash, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, wheat, rice, oats, etc.). Adam, it’s all yours in abundance. Eat, enjoy, and delight yourself in what I (the Lord) have provided for you.
Nevertheless, Satan said – ignore all the positive blessings the Lord has provide you with – focus on what the Lord has not provided you with. Unfortunately, Eve took the bait and Adam followed her down the pathway of disobedience and ingratitude. Satan successfully enticed the first couple to shift their attention away from the positive to the negative.
Now that you have the larger context of the question, the question remains, whose voice are you listening to? Do you focus more on what God has done, and is doing for you, than you do, on what God has not done, or given to you? Your focus determines whose voice you are listening to – God’s or Satan’s.
Church, during this difficult time let us be careful to listen only to the voice of God; because when life is difficult it’s easy to listen to the wrong voice. It’s easy to focus on the negative instead of all the positive that God is still doing in our lives. David said in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Simply stated, I will bless the Lord in the good times and the bad times. I will bless the Lord when I have a job, and when I don’t have a job. I will bless the Lord when I’m healthy, and when I’m not healthy.” My circumstances do not determine my worship, praise, or gratitude towards God. Why? because the Lord is bigger than my circumstances. My circumstances are momentary, they will change, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).
Brothers and sisters these are difficult times, but God is still the same. God said in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” God has not moved, and His unchanging care and concern for His children will never cease. Listen to Jesus as He talked about God’s promised provisions. Jesus said, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Matt 7:9-12 NIV
Jesus said, no father worth his salt will fail to respond to his children’s cries and provide for their needs. Jesus’ first focus was on God meeting our needs. He specifically mentions “bread” and “fish.” The promise is that our heavenly Father will always meet our needs. God would be derelict in His duties (as our Father) if He failed to meet our basic needs to sustain life. That will never happen!
This does not mean that God will give us everything we want. However, it does mean that we can be certain that God will provide what we need (daily) to make it through each trying hour and each difficult moment. But praise God, He doesn’t just stop at daily bread and fish. God also provides us with daily grace, mercy, peace, and compassion. Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:22-24, “Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" NKJV
Church, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that in addition to our daily provisions, (out of an overflow of His abundant goodness) God also gives us good gifts (Mt 7:11). What that tells me is – that anything above daily bread, basic clothing, and basic shelter, is in the “good gifts” department. That includes: electric lights, gas, water, cable, satellite, iPhones, iPads, computers, 98 inch ultra-high definition televisions, cars, money in the bank, multi-roomed houses, furniture, jewelry, multiple pairs of shoes, a plethora of selections of clothes to wear, central air and heat, etc. All those things are in the “good gifts” department. Therefore, before you complain about what you do not have, stop, and think about what you do have; and thank the Lord for His many “good gifts.”
Adam and Eve lost paradise because they listened to the wrong voice. They chose the negative voice instead of the positive voice. They chose the voice of the devil over the voice of God. They shifted their focus from the positive to the negative because they were listening to the wrong voice. So, the question remains, are you listening to the wrong voice or the right voice?
Let me ask you a probing question that I pray will precipitate deep self-contemplation and sincere personal reflection. Are you listening to the wrong voice or the right voice? You may say, “Brother Williams, I can’t answer that question until I know the context of the question.” You are right. So, let me give you the context; are you thankful? Are you a grateful person, or are you a complainer? Do you go through life seeing everything that is wrong in this world; and everything that is wrong in your life? Do you wake up each day in the comforts of a house, having your life, health, strength, right mind, freedom, and daily bread, yet all you see is what you do not have?
One of the devil’s favorite tactics to keep us from enjoying the present blessings of the Lord, is to get us to focus on what we do not have instead of what we do have. That was the insidious approach the devil used against Adam and Eve in the very first temptation. In Genesis 3:1 we read, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
You may not immediately see it, but Satan’s question is surreptitiously designed to shift the focus of Adam and Eve from the positive to the negative. In fact, he deliberately asked the question in the negative – “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” That adverb “not” is the issue. The devil does not want them to focus on what they do have – he wants them to focus on what they do not have.
However, when God presented the prohibition, He presented it in the positive. In Genesis 2:16-17 the Bible says, “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." You may ask – “How is that positive – God still prohibited Adam and Eve from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?”
The difference between what God said and what the devil said, is the difference between how you choose to see life, and how you choose to look at the blessings of God. God stated (positively) what He provided for them before He ever mentioned (negatively) what He withheld from them. God said (positively) “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat…” before He said (negatively) “…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat…”
Do you see the difference? There are two voices, one positive and one negative. They represent two approaches to life: a positive approach and a negative approach. How you view life is about which voice you choose to listen to, displayed by which approach to life you choose to take.
God deliberately focused Adam’s attention on what he and Eve had access to, instead of on what they did not have access to. God said, Adam, look at everything I have provided for you. Look at all the fruit producing trees I have provided for you (coconuts, cherries, apples, oranges, plums, pears, figs, dates, peaches, pomegranates, etc.). Look at all the nut producing trees I have provided for you (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts etc.). Look at all the vines and plants that produce fruits, vegetables, and grains that I have provided for you (pineapples, strawberries, grapes, watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, squash, cucumbers, peas, potatoes, wheat, rice, oats, etc.). Adam, it’s all yours in abundance. Eat, enjoy, and delight yourself in what I (the Lord) have provided for you.
Nevertheless, Satan said – ignore all the positive blessings the Lord has provide you with – focus on what the Lord has not provided you with. Unfortunately, Eve took the bait and Adam followed her down the pathway of disobedience and ingratitude. Satan successfully enticed the first couple to shift their attention away from the positive to the negative.
Now that you have the larger context of the question, the question remains, whose voice are you listening to? Do you focus more on what God has done, and is doing for you, than you do, on what God has not done, or given to you? Your focus determines whose voice you are listening to – God’s or Satan’s.
Church, during this difficult time let us be careful to listen only to the voice of God; because when life is difficult it’s easy to listen to the wrong voice. It’s easy to focus on the negative instead of all the positive that God is still doing in our lives. David said in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Simply stated, I will bless the Lord in the good times and the bad times. I will bless the Lord when I have a job, and when I don’t have a job. I will bless the Lord when I’m healthy, and when I’m not healthy.” My circumstances do not determine my worship, praise, or gratitude towards God. Why? because the Lord is bigger than my circumstances. My circumstances are momentary, they will change, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).
Brothers and sisters these are difficult times, but God is still the same. God said in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I change not.” God has not moved, and His unchanging care and concern for His children will never cease. Listen to Jesus as He talked about God’s promised provisions. Jesus said, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Matt 7:9-12 NIV
Jesus said, no father worth his salt will fail to respond to his children’s cries and provide for their needs. Jesus’ first focus was on God meeting our needs. He specifically mentions “bread” and “fish.” The promise is that our heavenly Father will always meet our needs. God would be derelict in His duties (as our Father) if He failed to meet our basic needs to sustain life. That will never happen!
This does not mean that God will give us everything we want. However, it does mean that we can be certain that God will provide what we need (daily) to make it through each trying hour and each difficult moment. But praise God, He doesn’t just stop at daily bread and fish. God also provides us with daily grace, mercy, peace, and compassion. Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:22-24, “Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" NKJV
Church, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that in addition to our daily provisions, (out of an overflow of His abundant goodness) God also gives us good gifts (Mt 7:11). What that tells me is – that anything above daily bread, basic clothing, and basic shelter, is in the “good gifts” department. That includes: electric lights, gas, water, cable, satellite, iPhones, iPads, computers, 98 inch ultra-high definition televisions, cars, money in the bank, multi-roomed houses, furniture, jewelry, multiple pairs of shoes, a plethora of selections of clothes to wear, central air and heat, etc. All those things are in the “good gifts” department. Therefore, before you complain about what you do not have, stop, and think about what you do have; and thank the Lord for His many “good gifts.”
Adam and Eve lost paradise because they listened to the wrong voice. They chose the negative voice instead of the positive voice. They chose the voice of the devil over the voice of God. They shifted their focus from the positive to the negative because they were listening to the wrong voice. So, the question remains, are you listening to the wrong voice or the right voice?