My Voice
Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.”
I would like to make something very clear…..and do not let the Adversary, the devil, trick you in this…..God has always desired fellowship with us.
What a time of fellowship they could have had with the Lord God in the garden, in the cool of the day!
It is interesting to note that God comes, just as He always had with Adam….knowing full well their sin, yet presenting Himself as their Lord and God…..so that they could make the choice of confession….after making the choice of sin.
He did not come, with a Voice which was full of thunder or lightening….but quietly, walking and with HIs usual Voice, He called to Adam.
Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
Now, the Lord God wasn’t asking Adam where are you hiding? He knew that already….
….but where are you in your relationship with Me?
In what shape are you now, concerning your life? What purpose are you headed for, now?
We sometimes forget that sin is a great destroyer….it leads us out of the Way and Purpose for which we were created.
And it is interesting to note…that though Adam and Eve knew they had sinned….that they were naked before the creation that just a few moments ago they were to be rulers over, under God….yet sin had already deluded them into thinking that they could hide behind fig leaves and trees….from God, Himself.
And sin does the same to us. For it is from God we hide….until He seeks us, through HIs Word…..read, spoken, preached, teached, and witnessed to.
Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the HIgh and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
“I dwell” with the humble (of low estate, voluntarily), and contrite (crushed under the burden of sin)…what a Word of promise.
When Jesus was here, He showed that His Voice called HIs sheep…..and they knew HIs Voice and answered it.
John 10:2-5 “But He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.
To HIm the porter openeth; and the sheep hear HIs Voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when He putteth forth HIs own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know HIs Voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
Every Christian should have experienced this already….we should have heard HIs Voice…and responded to Him.
“He goeth before them”…..This He did for us, when He came to earth, fulfilling the Law and then dying as a sacrifice for our sins…giving us a Way to God.
….and this He does for us, today. The Way is prepared, for we travel along the way He leads us. (Ephesians 2:10)
It is always HIs Voice, calling us onward, toward His goal for us.
Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”
Attained here is to get hold of, to seize. Paul was saying…and we can too….that he had not completed the work or life Christ Jesus had for him….but that he follows after Christ…
…that he may apprehend….(I love this word! For you can not think of it without getting the meaning of actually grasping and holding it!)
Christ Jesus has apprehended us…..He holds us in HIs hand (John 10:28 “…neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”)….and He will not let us go!
Here is a Word of stability and strength….of love and settled peace!
He has apprehended us….and we are to “follow after”.
( This “follow” is suggestive of union, for it means to accompany, to be in the same way with, as a disciple.)
(There are times when I am praying, I feel as the woman coming behind Jesus grasping ahold on the hem of HIs garment….for healing of spirit, mind, and body.
There are times when I am praying, I feel as though I see His hand reach out for mine, and I take hold in subjection and yielding….to whatever His Will is.
For that is what a walk with Jesus Christ is….His Will being done…in me, by me, and by HIs Holy Spirit, through me.
I can not accomplish anything….but He can accomplish everything! )
Think of it!….He has apprehended us! (Hallelujah!)…
….and now He asks us to reach out and apprehend what He is offering…
……a walk with Him….through many and varied circumstances…following HIs Voice,…for He ever calls us on, into what is next.
John 10:27 “My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:”
Are we like Adam, still trying to hide from God?
Or are we like Paul,…knowing we have not all we could have,….or even should have….
….but following after Christ’s Voice, to get all that is next….however it comes?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 