A Message from Bishop Drew

Hearing God is crucial for the children of God, for the family of God, for the Church of Christ. If it were not important God would not have gone to the trouble of Holy Spirit inspiring the writers of Scripture. Scripture puts the voice of God in writing, on paper for all to see and read. Much of scripture is detailing the words of God to his servants. He spoke to them. They heard  and followed Him.

The words of scripture must be illuminated and revealed by Holy Spirit for us to be able to understand them. It is the spiritual man that can understand the things of the Spirit of God who is God. To those who are not spiritual the things of God are foolishness. (1 Cor 2:14) To be spiritual we must be led of the Holy Spirit. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are God's children. The Apostle Paul had difficulty speaking to the Corinthians because he said they were not spiritual but carnal and many of them were immature like babies who could not understand what he was saying to them. We remain babies if we do not have the word of God not only in our minds but in our hearts for there is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes forth. Out of the heart pours the issues of life. But the mind must be renewed so that it can be a repository of the word of God for the spirit. To many take in the word of God but unlike Jesus, they never let it become a part of who they are. It does not take much to identify those who know God after the flesh but not after the Spirit. A good tree does not bring forth bad fruit. The fruit of the Spirit of God begins to be seen in the life of the spiritual man.

 Man without the Spirit of God cannot understand the things of God. The spiritual man has the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:15) That's a very bold statement made by the Apostle Paul. We have the mind of Christ. How is that possible? Because we have the written word of God but also because Jesus said the Holy Spirit would take the things of God and give them to us. He who is alive speaks to His people His mind. We serve a living God. We as Christians are part of the only faith on earth whose God is alive, a living, breathing, seeing, hearing, speaking, touching God. He is not a God of stone or wood. He is not inanimate. He is a God who desires relationship with his people, with you, with me. No relationship would survive long without communication. Every servant of God in the Bible had the ability to hear God. Jesus said we are His sheep. We hear His voice and follow Him. And just in case we are afraid the voice we hear may not be Him, He said, "They know my voice, they will not follow the voice of a stranger."

To become a spiritual man one must be born again of the Spirit of God.(John 3) But that is the beginning, the spiritual man is also one whose life is under control of the Holy Spirit (I Corin. 2:9-12) If you want to be a spiritual man tell Jesus you want to be born again. If you are born again and want to be a spiritual man, grow in God and understand the things of God ask the Holy Spirit to take charge. Then study the word of God, hunger for His righteousness, seek after Him relentlessly, ask to hear His voice. He will withhold no good thing from you. He will speak to you. He will delight your heart.  Don't turn our God into an idol of stone or wood who cannot speak. He is waiting. He has much to say to you, just for you. He said if you draw near to me, I will draw near to you. If you take a step toward Him, He will run to where you are.

Father, open our ears to hear your voice we ask. Help us to draw close to you and make you our delight. We want to be spiritual so we can understand the things that are of you. In Jesus' Name. Amen

God’s peace and the blessing of hearing to you.

Bishop Nancy Drew