LISTEN

We stop.

We look up with eyes wide open.

And then we listen.

A good listener pays attention, remembers what was said and responds.

RESPONSBILITY

Listening involves taking responsibility to respond to Jesus, to make a choice-- to take action.

Galatians 6:4-5 MSG “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

Now that we are aware of our current reality and have looked to check to see if it if we think, say and do is consistent with God’s reality, we have a choice.

You have to decide what story you are going to listen to? What are you going to do about it?

Ephesians 4:1-3 (TPT) As a prisoner of the Lord, I plead with you to walk holy, in a way that is suitable to your high rank, given to you in your divine calling.

(MSG) I want you to get out there and walk— better yet, run! on the road God called you to travel, I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline— not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and mending fences.

The truth is we are kings and queens in God’s kingdom. We have a purpose and a role to live out here. With humility and discipline, we choose to run steadily on the road God has called us to travel.

We have to take responsibility and choose to respond to our reality and to God’s voice.

God is speaking to us. He has a plan. He has written us into His story. But we have to listen. And listening involves action.

You are responsible for you. This is your life-- no one will live it for you. The responsibility is ALL YOURS! You’ve got to deal with your own reality.

REALITY IS YOUR FRIEND. We can’t ignore how we feel and we can’t put a bandaid on it and quote scripture and never deal with it -- that’s living a lie! No one else can respond for you. No one else is inside your mind, feels what you feel or has lived the life you have lived.

We must take action!

James 1:22 ESV “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
“Act on what you hear!” (MSG)

James 1:25 MSG “But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”

Choose to be who you actually are and do something about it. Don’t make excuses. Don’t shift responsibility. We are heirs of an unshakable Kingdom! Choose to live like a king/queen! Be a man or woman of action!

Matthew 5:48 (MSG) “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

You get to decide-- who will you listen to? God? Or the world? Will you choose trust in truth? Or will you choose to trust in lies?

So what are you going to do about it?