Hearing God (Part 1) | Ep. 164

Drawing from examples throughout scripture—from Samuel learning to recognize God's voice through Eli's guidance, to Jesus himself setting the perfect example of listening before speaking—this message reveals why some hear God clearly while others strain to hear anything at all. The answer lies not in technique, but in heart posture.

Those with "uncircumcised ears" (bound by fleshly desires and rebellion) cannot truly hear God's voice. Many believers approach prayer as a monologue rather than a dialogue, speaking their requests and immediately concluding without giving God space to respond. This impatient, one-sided communication reveals our flesh-driven nature and unwillingness to wait in God's presence.

What's particularly challenging is how we often deceive ourselves with false security, believing our religious heritage, material blessings, or intellectual understanding of scripture means we're hearing God correctly. Yet the scripture reveals that "those whom the Lord hears are those who hear Him"—a paradoxical truth that points to the reciprocal nature of divine communication.

The path forward requires humility and a willingness to be corrected. We must learn to value hearing over speaking, to seek understanding through obedience rather than demanding understanding first, and to pursue God with the passionate determination of the bride in Song of Solomon who refused to rest until she found her beloved.

Are you approaching God like a lovesick bride desperate to hear His voice, or merely fulfilling religious obligation? The difference determines whether you'll truly hear what He's saying. Listen to this message and discover how to cultivate ears that truly hear.

Chapters

• 0:00 Vision of Blood Cells and Purpose
• 9:06 Faith Comes by Hearing God's Word
• 19:50 The Importance of the Man of God
• 34:01 Who God Hears and Who He Doesn't
• 48:46 False Security and Self-Deception
• 1:04:08 Learning to Hear Like Jesus Did

Transcript

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 0:03

The vision received was that of blood cells traveling throughout the body, supplying the much needed oxygen and other nutrients to the differing members of the body to fulfill their purpose. Once the blood cells are spent, they must return back to the heart to be refilled before being sent out again and fulfill their purpose and fulfill their purpose. What Bishop said in the beginning is well, actually just right here at the end of the beginning it was very important. I want, I'm requesting, that you listen, that you hear today what the message is, that you don't so much focus on writing this and going to this scripture and that scripture, because sometimes that will distract you and then you stop listening because you're trying to get to the scripture. If there's a scripture to be read, it's gonna be up here. If it's just me paraphrasing or giving the word, just listen, take notes, definitely, but don't be so caught up in just looking through all the scriptures, because they will be up here and I promise you that this word that is going to be shared with you today, I'll give it to you in digital form and a document and then you can study and then you can really meditate and dwell on. But right now, your hearing is really what God is needing right now. You need to hear right now.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:26

It says faith cometh by hearing. But it's not just hearing. It's hearing the word of God and we need to understand how important it is to be able to accurately hear and discern the word of God at all times. Something the Lord showed me I can't remember what it was, whether it was in this fellowship or when it was way back in Florida that regardless of what you feel or what you think, in consideration of the end times, and if you believe that you're going through the tribulation or not, you know in this fellowship I think we've all come into the agreement and understanding that there is a post-trib. But simply knowing what is going to happen is not as important as hearing the Lord through the midst of what is going to happen, because you can get into the situation of knowing the end of the story in general, but you don't know the end of your story. And the Lord is speaking to his people and has been speaking to his people and that is the most important thing that has brought about the deliverance of his people. His people heard Him and did what he said. It wasn't because they knew the end of the story that they got delivered. Moses didn't know the end of the story. He had to hear the Lord and he had to obey what the Lord had said. David had to hear the Lord and obey what the Lord had said. Joshua went into the promised land, had to hear the Lord and obey with what the Lord had said, and that's what gave him the victory after victory. That's what gave all the saints victory after victory is the fact that they heard him and they did what he said, not because they knew the end of the story.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 3:16

The end of the story, as far as I'm concerned, is completely unimportant. It's going to help you have the faith to understand what is going on, and that's about it, because you have to hear the Lord daily, I would say the moment by moment. But in order for you to do that, there's some things that you have to do on your end so that you can walk in that type of fellowship, of covenant relationship with God, that you literally hear him every day, moment by moment for all decisions, great and small. It says in Romans 10: 14,. One of the rhetorical questions Paul asked was how are they going to hear without a preacher? And so I'm starting off with the fact that we have to come to the understanding that sometimes you're not going to hear the Lord without a preacher.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 4:17

This is not just talking about the gospel, this is talking about when you need to hear from God. Sometimes the only way for you to hear from God is if you listen to the preacher. And there's a word in the scriptures called inquiring of the Lord. When we inquire of the Lord, it can be done personally, it can be done in your private prayer closet. I'm not giving a message that you have to hear the preacher. Only I'm saying sometimes you're not hearing the Lord unless you listen to what the preacher, the man of God that was sent of God, is saying. But you can inquire of the Lord.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 4:52

David inquired of the Lord and he said I have desired of the Lord one thing, and it's that one thing that I'm going to seek after, because I want to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I want to be there all the days of my life. I want to behold the beauty of the Lord. I want to inquire in His holy temple. I want to come into the very presence of God and hear God for myself. And you can. That is a desire that you should have, that I want to see the beauty of the Lord for myself. I don't want the high priest to go into the Holy of Holies. For me to talk of the Lord, to be in the presence of the Lord, to see the Lord face to face, for me, there's got to be desire in your heart to see for yourself the beauty of the Lord, to be in his temple and in his presence, to seek after God for yourself. So I'm not saying you shouldn't have that. I'm saying sometimes you're not going to hear the Lord unless you listen to the preacher, but sometimes you have to go through a man of God. It says in 1 Samuel 9, 9, that before time in Israel in the past, when a man went to inquire of God, he came to the seer, and the seer was what they called the man who heard God before they started calling him a prophet. And so with that one scripture I'm saying that it's not a wrong thing, because they did it in the old covenant. The church did it in the old covenant when they inquired of God, they went to the seer, the prophet, the man of God, in order to hear from the God. And that man of God in 1 Samuel, 9, 9 was Samuel at the time. And so I go back to 1 Samuel, chapter 3. You could read 1 through 21. I'm only going to highlight certain points, so just listen to the words that I'm highlighting.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 7:15

Samuel was a child. Samuel had just been given to the high priest Eli. Hannah gave him up, promised to the Lord if you give me a child, I will dedicate him to you. He will be yours all the days of his life. And Samuel ministered in the house of the Lord. He ministered before the man of God, eli. And he was a child, and his mom did that to him. He didn't decide for himself oh, let me go serve the Lord in the house of God. His mom did that to him. He didn't decide for himself oh, let me go serve the Lord in the house of God. His mom did that for him. And it says the child ministered unto the Lord before Eli.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 7:57

It says the word of the Lord was precious in those days and there was no open mission. In other words, when the Lord spoke and you heard him, it was like a valuable commodity, because he wasn't speaking to a lot of people, there was no open vision. It wasn't like everybody was hearing, from the north of Israel to the south of Israel, to the east and west. I mean, when you heard God, it was like oh my God. And so you went to the person to hear God because he wasn't talking very much. Went to the person to hear God because he wasn't talking very much and this was a time where Eli's age was catching up with him. He wasn't able to see as well as he could. And it describes how there was one night. Samuel was going to bed and the Lord called Samuel.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 8:44

It says and the Lord called, and I believe there should be a comma there. And the Lord called Samuel. He called him by his name. I'm highlighting that because it's important. I want you to understand. I want this word because if faith really does come by hearing and hearing the word of God. Then when you hear that the Lord called him by name, are you hearing your name called? Because he spoke to his people and he called them by name. I'm just using Samuel as an example, but you can go through the scriptures yourself and you can see how he called him by name. He said his name.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 9:29

It says the Lord called Samuel. Samuel didn't know what to do. You know the story. He went to Eli. Yes, lord thy servant heareth. No, no, no, no, go back to bed. I didn't call you. It says again. And the Lord called yet again Samuel and he went to Eli. I didn't call you, go back, go lie down. Because Samuel did not know the Lord, neither was the word revealed unto Samuel. And the Lord called Samuel again, samuel again, a third time. And he rose and he went to Eli.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 10:09

Now Eli still doesn't get it, but at this moment the man of God then perceives the Lord is calling this child. You see, it took a man of God to help the child understand that, hey, it's God speaking to you. And if this example is here, you have to understand that all of the old custom and examples are there for a reason. I've talked about this in the last issue. They're there to teach you, they're there to lead you unto Christ. So it isn't any ill thing for you to have to depend upon the man of God in order to hear God and to start discerning his voice. But we live in an age where we are so independent we're not willing to humble ourselves and allow the man of God to help us understand. That was God, that wasn't God.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 11:12

So when Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the child, he said when he calls again, say to him speak, lord, for thy servant heareth. And Samuel went to lie down again. And this is what you gotta pay attention to these, because it says and the Lord came and stood. He was right there. It wasn't this metaphysical voice over I don't know where. He was, there standing, wanting to speak to Samuel.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 11:50

I lay this as a foundation of faith so that when you go back into prayer that you realize it's not this distant voice of God speaking from millions and billions of miles away. He's right there to speak to you. But if you don't have the faith for that, you're always going to consider oh, he's just some voice. Oh, I hardly ever hear him. I heard today, I hardly ever hear him. I hear him through this and that and, yes, God speaks in many different ways to us. But I don't see why we live in a day and age where we have the Holy Ghost and we don't get the presence that God was actually right there. Wherever we were in our car, in our room, in our downstairs basement, and have the sense that he's right there and he's ready to dialogue with you. He says Samuel, samuel. Then Samuel answered speak, speak, thy servant heareth.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 12:52

And you can read for yourself in your own time how he started telling. I'm going to tell you about Eli and blah, blah, blah and all of this stuff. That's going on. But you know the story. But I want to end and highlight. In the end it says and Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground. In other words, the words that Samuel spoke, none of them fell to the ground in vain. What the Lord spoke through Samuel was always fulfilled and it's because of this that it says all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, all Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 13:32

Do you see any self-promotion here, the self-promotion of any office of God should be through the testimony of the witnesses. They should readily see. There shouldn't have to be. I have to put a title before my name. Everybody should readily see. That's a man of God. He's speaking from on high and everybody's gonna know it. There shouldn't be an argument. But in the church you know there's lots of flesh and the flesh can never hear the Lord. But I highlight to you because sometimes in our lives there has to be a period of ministering unto the Lord before the man of God there must be. Allen made this comment in an email the homme de Dieu, the man of God. And it's necessary in order for you to practice your discernment for hearing the Lord, you have to have a man of God in your life to teach that to you. Even though Samuel understand where Samuel was.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 14:44

Samuel was in the midst of a defunct Ichabod-like church. Remember Eli and his sons? Eli wasn't taking care of his sons. He was letting them take bribes, letting them do this, letting them do that. Why wasn't there any open? Why wasn't there an open vision for the word of the Lord? Because Eli, the man and the head of the house of God, was out of order and so were his children. He wasn't doing anything about it. But even in the midst of all that, even when Eli was not right with God, samuel ministered to the Lord under his tutelage and was still able to be taught how to to the Lord under his tutelage and was still able to be taught how to hear the Lord. Even though Eli was in a bad place, he was still trained under Eli, who was himself in an unrighteous state because he was not dealing with his children. So Samuel was stationed.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 15:47

As he grew up, he was established as a prophet of the Lord and it says he was a leader over a company of prophets. It says in 1 Samuel 19,. Now we went from chapter three to chapter 19. So he's grown, he's out on his own right now. But don't forget where he started and where he learned. It says and Saul sent messengers to take David, because Saul, you know, was after David. But that's not the point of the message. And when they saw the company of prophets prophesying and Samuel standing appointed over them, samuel was now in the place of maturity and leadership, like Eli was before him. Eli taught him how to serve the Lord. Eli taught him how to hear the Lord and discern. This is the voice of the Lord. Now he is now doing the same thing. He's over a company of prophets and, as the spirit of God comes upon them, they are now prophesying and he is appointed over them. So in this section, let me reiterate for you the main points.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 16:55

Many times a man of God is needed in order to hear the word of God and to teach someone to hear the voice of the Lord. Number two, inquiring of the Lord can be done personally. You can hear the Lord for yourself. You can go into his temple by the blood of the Lamb and come into the presence of God and hear him for yourself. But many times the one who desires to hear the Lord should be serving the Lord under the man of God. God is able to reach you in your faithfulness of service to him, even if the man of God is not right with the Lord. For some reason

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 17:42

as I got into this, I'm realizing right now, in this moment, that I fit that description. I did not realize it until now because I'm thinking back upon myself. I was in a charismatic church, but in that place that man of God taught me to hear the voice of the Lord, taught me to get into the scriptures, to search them out and even though all the things that he taught was not right, was not correct, was not perfect, I began to hear the voice of the Lord in that place, but he was way out of order, immensely, and I won't even get into the details, but I'm realizing right now that I live that example that I just now gave you. You have to understand you don't have to be in the perfect place with the perfect person to hear the Lord perfectly, because God is a God that's in spite of God, in spite of who you're with, in spite of the messed up church that's out there. I'm still gonna reach you if your heart is after me.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 18:41

So who does the Lord hear and who does He not hear? I think that's important because, putting it simply, those who hear the Lord are the ones whom the Lord hears. Those whom the Lord hears are the ones that hear him. Kind of a funky little paradox, but I want to show it to you in the scripture. So if we'll turn to Exodus 3: 7, I'm only going to highlight certain points, I believe in this chapter. The Lord is talking to Moses and the Lord says I have surely seen the affliction of my people, which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. And what I'm highlighting very simply is the Lord said I have seen my people and have heard their cry. The Lord sees and hears his people. Don't think differently. Don't let the enemy crowd in and think that you're too insignificant to be heard of the Lord, because if you're His, He hears and sees all that's going on in your life.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 19:54

In Psalm 34, it says the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of broken heart and saith it such as be of a contrite spirit. In Malachi 3.16, it says they that feared the Lord, the Lord hearkened and heard them. For them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name, the Lord hearkened and heard them. For them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name, the Lord hearkened and heard them. And so, with these three scriptures, I realize that the scriptures testify that the Lord is always watching and ever listening to his people. His people are righteous. They cry in humility, with a broken heart. They're not afraid to show how broken they are, how contrite they are, and they recognize that He alone is the one to save and deliver them. They are the ones that truly fear the Lord and meditate on Him and His name. These are qualities that I'm highlighting to you, that, if you don't have them, you need to start developing them, because this is something that has to come from you, not the righteousness.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 21:18

I'm talking about the desire to hear him, to truly hear him, because so many times we get into prayer and we talk, talk, talk and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray in Jesus name, and we walk out the door and we didn't give him an ear. We do it in church. We're so afraid of the silence, we're so afraid of that awkward moment of not hearing anybody and thinking there's something wrong. Oh, let's fill the air with something. Why aren't we quiet to listen? If I'm talking to you and I'm trying to have a conversation with you, and you start talking to me and I'm about to respond, and you just say "see ya! What kind of conversation did we just have? Not much. You got to say what you wanted to say and then you left. And we do that a lot. We I'm talking about we we all do that a lot. We don't just sit quietly and listen. How does he want to respond to this? He knows my trials, he knows what I'm going through.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 22:31

It says in Jeremiah 6.10,. There's a reason why some of us do this. There's a reason why some of us will pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray In Jesus' name goodbye. It says in Jeremiah 6.10,. To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken. Behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach. It's an offensive thing and they have no delight in it. In what his word, the uncircumcised Hearing the Lord does not come to the uncircumcised of ear. Now we know the word uncircumcised or circumcised has to do with what? Cutting what? The flesh. He's using that uncircumcised or circumcised word to give you an understanding. Why can't they hear me? They don't have the flesh cut out. They can't hear me, they're walking in the flesh.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 23:50

The word of God is a reproach, it's an offensive thing to people walking in the flesh. That's why they don't hear the Lord. Those of the flesh, do they take delight in reading the word? No, they don't have any interest in that. And it's a spiritual thing because, spiritually, the demonic oppression that is upon them, that causes, that, fuels them to continue walking in the flesh, doesn't want them to do that. We've heard testimonies, funny testimony children in high school having trouble sleeping. Why don't you go read the word before you go to bed? See how fast you go to sleep? Why? Because they're in the flesh and the enemy doesn't want them to get in the word. It says in Galatians 5, 17,. Remember, those of the flesh take no delight in the word, for the flesh lusts against the spirit, it fights against the spirit, it wrestles against the spirit. The flesh is contrary to the spirit of God. Jesus is not only the spirit of God, he is the word of God and the flesh is always wrestling and contesting against Jesus.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 25:09

In Ezekiel 12 too you don't have to turn there, I'm just going to read it. He says to Ezekiel, son of man, you dwell in a midst of a rebellious house, and they have eyes to see but they don't see. They have ears to hear, but they don't hear why? Because they're a rebellious house. A lot of you will hear the message, but you won't hear why? Because they're a rebellious house. A lot of you will hear the message, but you won't hear it. You'll see, but you won't see. Because there's rebellion in you. You can't hear the Lord with uncircumcised ears and you cannot hear the Lord in the midst of a state of rebellion. Those of the house of rebels do not hear, they do not see the Lord. They are rebellious.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 25:58

Turn to this scripture. This I do want to. Zechariah 7. Verse 11 through 13. I'm asking, Bishop, you got your reading glasses. Can you read out loud, commandingly, Zechariah, what did I say? Seven, verse 11 through 13. Zechariah 7, verse 11 through 13. But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears. Then they should not hear.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 26:51

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. I want to hear that. No, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Uh, uh, no, the law. No, I don't hear, I'm not listening. I'm not listening. I'm not listening. I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 27:27

You got to do that sometimes, I don't know. The Lord just gave me that as I was reading. I said I'm going to do that. It looks ridiculous and foolish, but that's the way the Lord sees rebellious children. I don't want to hear you, shh. And since they don't listen to the instructing word of wisdom when they cry out, does the Lord hear them? You didn't want to listen to me when I was trying to help you. You didn't want to listen to me when I came to you, and now you can't suffer what you're suffering, and now you want to cry to me. I'm not hearing you.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 28:13

And what this shows me is that there must be, if you're going to hear the Lord, there must be a willingness on your part to hear the reproving and correcting word of God. If you don't have that, you're not going to hear the Lord. If you're going to stay stubborn in your rebellion, you will not hear the Lord, because you will do exactly what foolish thing I just did in front of y'all. That's what the Lord sees when he sees looking to and fro throughout the earth for those broken and contrite of heart. And he'll come and he'll try to speak to those, but they're not listening, they don't want to hear. It says in Proverbs 15, verse 31 the ear that hears reproof of life, they abide among the wise. He that refuses instruction despises his own soul. But he that heareth reproof, he gets understanding. The man who hears the correction gets understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honor is humility.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 29:33

I say this to my kids in math and they don't believe me. But I tell them you don't have to understand why this works. You don't have to understand why is all of this stuff? All you need to know is this is step one, step two, step three. Plug in the numbers, do the math and you'll get the answer. Without the understanding. And I was like that the teacher would just show me. Just show me the steps. Don't try to explain to me. Just show me the steps. He showed me the steps. I mimicked the steps. I got the answer. Steps, I got the answer right, I got hundreds. That's all I did in math. It was that easy. Just show me how to do it.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 30:17

The understanding came later. I understood. Oh, I get. That's why that works. Okay, I sometimes didn't understand until I got into college. I sometimes didn't understand it until I taught it in the middle of my high school class. Then I understood it. That was years later. But my kids don't get that and we as a people of the earth don't get that. You don't have to understand, you just have to do what I say and then you'll get the understanding. The obedience has to come first, not understanding. I don't have to explain to you. You wouldn't understand if I explained it to you. So why bother? Just obey me, trust me, I'm taking care of you.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 30:57

It says also in Proverbs 8, 34, that the man that heareth me is watching daily at my gates. He is waiting at the posts of my door, and what these two scriptures describing is a man that hears. The Lord is the one who is diligently seeking him. He's daily watching for him. He's at his gates. He's waiting, he's just waiting. And he's just waiting at his gate. He doesn't just come. Oh, he's not here. I'm leaving, goodbye, I'm going. He is just diligently seeking him. This is how Proverbs describes a man that hears the Lord. He's after my heart, he's after my heart and he won't leave. He won't leave my door, he won't leave. He won't leave my door, he won't leave my gates. He's there, listening, intently, watching, like a watchman on the wall. Where is he? Where is he? Where is he? I can't wait to hear him. There's a focused effort on his part to seek the Lord. And for women, for women, listen to this.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 32:10

Songs of Solomon 5a describes it in your perspective this way I charge you, o daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him that I am sick of love. I'm love sick. I can't be apart from him any longer. I can't wait to find him. It says in Song of Solomon 3, verses 1 through 4,.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 32:33

By night I was on my bed and I sought him, whom I so loved. I sought him, but I found him not. And I can't stay in this bed any longer. I've got to get up and I rise from my bed and I go about the city and the streets and in the Broadway, and I'm seeking whom I so love. It because I saw him and I can't find him. And the watchman, they're all about the city and I asked him where is he? Have you seen him? And they don't know. And after I left the watchman, the watchman. After I left the watchman verily, thereafter I found him, whom I so love. I held him and I would not let him go. I held him and I would not let him go. I was so lovesick for him that when I finally held on to him, I would not let him go.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 33:25

This is a woman's perspective of seeking after that valuable thing, that man that impresses me so much. I mean, he's gotten my heart a flutter and I can't stand being apart from him, because the only thing that stops the fluttering is to have him holding me in my arms and me holding him in my arms, and I will not let him go. The man that hears the Lord is like the woman that is desperately seeking him, who her soul love is, who longs for him, to hold him, to not let him go, and she is lovesick, just can't get over the fact that he's not around. I've got to get him. I've got to get him, I've got to have him. This is my husband, this is my man, and it's that type of desire that causes one to hear the Lord.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 34:19

Let us not forget also what David said concerning being heard of the Lord, because he said come and hear all ye that fear God. He's only talking to those that fear God. He says I cried with my mouth and he was extolled with my tongue. I cried out for him, I sought him, I praised him, I thanked him with my tongue, but if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. And then he says but verily, god hath heard me. And so I end this section to say these things those whom the Lord hears hear him.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 34:59

Those whom hear the Lord is the one who the Lord is listening to. He hears his people. He hears the righteous. He hears those that are broken and contrite of heart. They are the ones that fear the Lord.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 35:17

The uncircumcised of ear are those who walk in the flesh and they never hear him. Why? Because the word is a reproach to them. They don't want to be corrected, they want to continue walking in their flesh. They take no delight in him nor his word. Those that don't hear the Lord are the rebellious ones. They have adamant hearts, hardened hearts, and when they cry they are not heard, but, in contrast, it is the ear that listens to reproof, it is the ear that listens to correction. It is the sign of a man that is humble. It is the sign of a man that says I know my ways are not right. I know that there is a better way. Teach me, teach me, teach me. I'm crying out, teach me Because I know my ways are not right, I know my ways are not perfect. And when you do this, the man that hears the Lord gets understanding and he develops the fear of the Lord in wisdom. This man is described as the one who is desperately, earnestly seeking him, waiting for him, watching out for him, like a woman is lovesick for her husband. And the Lord does not hold or does not hear those that hold iniquity in their hearts.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 36:47

If we turn to Ezekiel 20, I want to just give two examples, one in the old, one in the new, of those who do not hear God. In Ezekiel 20, verse 1,. And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord and sat before me, me being Ezekiel. Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel and say unto them Thus, saith the Lord God, are you come to inquire of me as I live? Saith the Lord, I will not. I will not be inquired of by you. Why would the Lord say that to the elders of Israel?

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 37:39

Let's turn to verse 30. Wherefore say unto the house of Israel thus, saith the Lord God, are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, you pollute yourselves with all of your idols. Even unto this day, I shall not be inquired of by you, o house of Israel, as I live, saith the Lord, I will not be inquired of by you. That is like a reserved anger of the Lord. How dare you come to me the way that you are and think that I'm going to listen to you and I'm going to deliver you, when you let your children be passed in the midst of the fire, when you pollute yourselves with idols, when you will not change your ways and you think I'm going to sit here and listen to all of your requests and your petitions? I will not be inquired of by you? This is mocking God. Why do we mock God? I mean it's insulting to come to the Lord seeking him.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 38:54

At the same time, you're gonna harbor vile wickedness and idols of abominations and you pollute yourselves when you're holding tightly to the other loves in your life. In your life, in your heart, those other loves compete against his pure and holy love. He is not going to listen. He will not demean himself and he will not dignify the competition. That's out there. He's not going to do it. That's out there. He's not going to do it. He's not one to hold close to his heart a harlot, a harlot who's unwilling to break of her ways. He's not going to hold her close if she wants to continue going from house to house and bed to bed.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 39:47

Men, you think about that. Would you have in your own bedroom your wife, who's cheating on you, and love her intimately under the covers in your bed and have the other guy that she's cheating with right there in the room? Would you? What a detestable thought, a disgusting thought, because whatever love she brings into the room, are you going to allow that man to get under the covers with you and her? Are you kidding me? But that's what they thought. They thought God would listen to them and allow them to have some intimate talk with one another while they're still holding on to these other loves. He will not demean himself, he will not, he will not inquire or be inquired of by you.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 40:46

If we turn to John 8, 37, this is the New Testament example, the new covenant. Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and he says look, I know you're Abraham's seed, but you seek to kill me. Why I speak whatever I have seen of my father and you do that which you've seen of your father. When they answered and said unto him Well, abraham is our father. When Jesus said unto him you were Abraham's children, you would have done the works of Abraham, but now you seek to kill me, a man that told you the truth which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham. You do the deeds of your father. And they said to them well, we be not born of fornication, we have one father, even God. Jesus said unto them if God were your father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but he that sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because you cannot, because ye cannot hear my word Year of your father, the devil and the lust of your father will ye do.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 42:05

As far as I'm concerned, everybody thought the Pharisees had a direct line to God. They were held in high esteem. Everybody looked up to them to inquire of the Lord and hear what Jesus is saying. And the Pharisees are an example of what we do. Look at all of the things that justify this. Well, we're Abraham's seed. Well, god is our father. And they thought that, because that might have been true, that that took care of everything. Yeah, they heard the Lord. Yeah, but we deceive ourselves with our own thoughts, with our own imaginations of God that exalt themselves against the knowledge of the truth. We would rather entertain notions of our own making or notions that the world has fed us than accept the reality of the truth found in his word. We develop false senses of security. That's what we do. We just develop false senses of security. That's what we do. We just develop false senses of security, thinking that everything is all right outside the truth and it isn't until the Lord uncovers it, either through conviction I heard that word today or we are utterly embarrassed in public by it. Do we then deal with it? Some of us have false senses of purity.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 43:36

Well, I'm a part of a godly family. I'm a first, second, third, fourth generation. Apostolic, pentecostal, blood-bought, ghost rolling and fire-baptized tongue-talking, you know. And that's their security. And maybe you don't have to go through all that nonsense. Maybe you're just a part of a godly family. Your parents really believe God, they trust in God, they hear God, they're walking. But you're a child in that family and you just develop this false sense of security that, because my parents are really on fire for the Lord and doing great things for God, that I'm safe and okay. And so the message is for the children too you need to seek the Lord for yourself, because your father's and mother's faith is not going to save you in the end. It'll protect you temporarily. It is a covering yes, but it is not your key to your salvation.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 44:37

Some people say, well, I just simply believe in God. And that's their false sense of security. I'm okay, I believe in God. Yeah, god exists, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah what the devils believe, but they tremble In your life. You believe in God and you don't tremble and you're walking in all this carnality and all this wickedness. You don't tremble before the Lord. Even the demons tremble before the presence of God.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 45:06

Some of us have false insecurities. Well, I have a steady income. There's a lot of people struggling around me, but hey, I'm good. Financial security, I got my retirement. I'm good, I'm not going to have any problems when I grow old. I got all the money I need. I'll last. It doesn't matter what happened in America and the government. I have my money, I'm good, it's in an IRA, it's pretty safe. Or you own a nice home. Look at this beautiful home. How could God not be for me? I have this great new car. I have a stable job. I haven't lost my job.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 45:49

We have all of these false senses of security and think that we're all right. We develop these thoughts that God is for us because of all of these material blessings. And yet I think I told y'all last week, when I was talking about Saul, that Saul fell in that very same way. He had victory after victory after victory. He had the people behind him, he had the elders behind him and sometimes it even apparently looked like the prophet of God was for him and everything was going smooth. And he just became more prideful and more boastful. And you can tell, because as soon as David came on the scene. He got jealous. But we do what Saul did, and gradually, if you read the story of Saul, he grew further and further away from the Lord until the Lord departed from him. And that's what happens to us sometimes.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 46:42

We must learn to aptly apply 2 Corinthians 10.5 to our life. It says it's casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. You see, even our own thoughts, our own ideas must be brought unto the obedience of Christ. But you know what? That can only be done effectively when you have a heart of Christ. But you know what. That can only be done effectively when you have a heart of humility. If you don't have a heart of humility, you can't cast down your own thoughts and vain imaginations because you don't think that they need to be. You don't even consider the idea that that's a wrong idea.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 47:28

Who hears God? Who hears God? Who hears God? John 8, 47,. Jesus said very clearly he that is of God heareth God. Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. The Pharisees in reality didn't hear God, I said before, even though the eyes of the people, it appeared. So Jesus said you don't hear him because you are not of God. And this is the generation we live in.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 48:01

And Jesus, the Lord, is saying the very same words to many of the popular preachers that we see today you don't hear God. You may have all the masses behind you, you may have your mega churches in millions, but I say to you you don't hear God, you're not of God. Even the man born blind that Jesus healed, listen to his words. He says. We know that God heareth, not sinners. If any man be a worshiper of God and do with his will him, he heareth. You know what? Then there are those of the truth. Pilate asked Jesus are you king? Jesus answered him thou sayest that I am king. To this end was I born, and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. Those that hear God are of God. Those who hear God are of the truth. Those who hear God are of the truth.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 49:11

It says by John the Apostle that as many as received them, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of the man, but of God, prophetically flesh, nor of the will of the man, but of God, prophetically speaking. God, we know. God knows the end from the beginning and, knowing the decisions that every man is going to make, he has decreed that those born of God have been given power to become sons of God because they believe on his name. These are they that are of the truth, but, in contrast, it says in 1 John, 4, 5, and 6, they are of the world. Therefore, speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. But we are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. The we are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. The apostle is speaking this, and he that is not of God heareth not us. And this is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 50:20

There is a stark distinction between the world and the truth. The world hears those of the world. Think about what you consider the world Music, television, hollywood. You jump on their MBA, you jump on their bandwagon. You treat them like idols. Of course you're going to be listening to them, and what does that indict you, as Of the world with them. Those are the people that listen to the world, those that are of the world, but those that are of God, they hear God's voice through the people who speak God's word. Those of God are heard by those who are God's.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 51:13

The book of wisdom gives us some practical insight for the purposes of discerning this of the world of God or of the truth, and it says, describing like a child, the type of person is known by his or her behavior, whether his doing is pure or right. It says in Proverbs 20, 11, even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right. The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord have made even them both. So I say to you that hearing and seeing the Lord have made even them both. So I say to you that hearing and seeing the Lord is based solely upon the heart of the individual. If one is doing things that are pure and true, when he's given the word of God, how do you think he's going to respond? He's going to agree. He's going to agree. He's going to confirm why, because his actions already demonstrate that he agrees with the word, that he did not know and he'll listen to it and he'll receive it.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 52:21

But if you're walking in impurity, if you're walking in lies and deception and you're working in all the things that are contrary to the word, what's going gonna happen when the word is brought forth to you? No-transcript, and all that is is a sign to you. This person is not of God, at least not right now. Move on, because right now, in his state, he's impure, he is unrighteous and he doesn't want to have anything to do with a pure, righteous and holy word of God.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 53:13

So I summarize here that those that hear God oh, excuse me, those of God hear God's words. Those whom God hears are true worshipers of God. We know what a true worshiper is those that worship him in spirit and in truth and those who do his will. The worships of God are those who do his will. The worships of God are those who do his will. Those of the truth hear his voice. The world listens to those of the world who speak of the world. Those of God hear God's people who speak God's word and are heard by those who are God's. So what do we need to do? What is one, what does an individual need to do to hear God.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 53:57

I look at the example, the standard Jesus. What was the example that he left for us? And I'm going to go from old to new to give you hopefully as good a complete a picture, just to get the point across. But there was prophesied through Isaiah in chapter 11. And I'm only going to highlight the point that I want to address right now. It says and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, referring to the man, jesus Christ.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 54:30

Christ, and made him of quick understanding. Look at what it says in Isaiah 49, verse 1. Isaiah is speaking this, but if you have an ear to hear, you're going to hear the spirit of Christ. Listen, o Isles unto me, and hearken ye people from far. The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother, reminds me of Mary, reminds me of those others that heard. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword In the shadow of his hand. Hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft In of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shaft In his quiver hath he hid me. And what I'm getting from these verses is an indication that the Spirit of the Lord did something with the man Jesus Christ. He made him of quick understanding. He made his mouth like a sharp sword by the Spirit of the Lord a polished shaft, a proven arrow that when shot is going to hit the target dead on. It was the spirit of the Lord that was found within the man Jesus Christ, without had to do something, even though the Spirit of the Lord decreed from eons past, I rested upon him. I made him of quick understanding. I made him, I made his mouth like a sharp sword.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 56:28

Jesus was a man taught of God by the eternal spirit of God that dwelt within him. It says in Philippians that he made himself of no reputation. The word there was kenosis. It is the idea that God in all of his glory disrobed himself of all of his glory, his omniscience, his omnipotence, all the things that made him God. He took that all off and became a man. And that man was taught by the eternal spirit of God, was taught by the eternal spirit of God, and he was taught through revelation, knowledge, and the spirit of the Lord gave him spiritual ears to hear and gave him the heart of understanding. He made him of quick understanding. He made his mouth like a sharp sword. So what I'm saying to you is this as the man Jesus allowed the Spirit of God to teach him, I told you that from the very beginning you have to be wanting to be corrected, to be taught. You have to have that idea, I want to be taught. You have to have that idea, I want to be taught. Jesus willingly, voluntarily, submitted to the Spirit of God and his every instruction. So the man Jesus matured in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 58:13

Listen to these words in Psalm 119, 97. These words are prophetic and they describe the attitude of a man who set his face like a flint and purposely decided to be a lover of God's law. Everybody see that word mem. It means love of God's law. In this scripture it says oh, how I love thy law. I wonder who's speaking here. Let's see. It is my meditation all the day. I wonder who's speaking here. Let's see. Testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, the elders, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou has taught me how sweet are thy words to my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth Through thy precepts, I get understanding. Therefore, I hate and we think that's David and it is David. And there's also more than that, because we said so many times before, through what was said in 1 Peter, that it was the spirit of Christ on the prophets of old Peter, that it was the spirit of Christ on the prophets of old. David was a prophet of old and he had the spirit of Christ speaking through him. These are the words of the man, jesus Christ. I loved his law. I did not turn away from it. It made me more wise than the elders.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:00:07

I think of that scripture and I think of why in the world did they put this small little testimony about Jesus around the age of 12, being left behind in the city and asking questions with the elders? And I think of this scripture. He left that, not in arrogance, but recognizing that because he devoted his heart to loving God's law. It made him wiser than the elders. How many times did he ask questions to the Pharisees? And they got stumped. It was a life of him being taught under the tutelage of the spirit of God in God's word.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:00:47

As far as I'm concerned, this passage is a prophetic cry under the tutelage of the Spirit of God in God's Word. As far as I'm concerned, this passage is a prophetic cry and declaration of the man, jesus Christ. Look at what Jesus said through the Spirit of Christ that was upon the prophets of old. He said in Isaiah 50, the Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned. We think Isaiah's just saying that. And it says that I should know how to speak a word in season to him.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:01:10

That is weary, sounds very much like what it said in Psalms. He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth my ear to hear as the learn the Lord. God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious, neither turned away my back. And we think Isaiah is the one speaking all of this. And it says I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them, that plucked off my hair and I hid not my face from shame and spit it for the Lord. God will help me. Therefore, I shall not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a fence and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:01:47

And there is the words of the Spirit of Christ. That wasn't Isaiah, that was the Spirit of Christ saying what was happening to him during the days of his flesh. He was giving the prophets glimpses. That's why they couldn't understand such a thing that God, the mystery of godliness, was manifested in the flesh. And these are the things that he said. These are the things that were ruminating in the flesh and these are the things that he said. These are the things that were ruminating in his heart. And we're getting glimpses of what was happening in the man, and that is none other than Jesus speaking of himself Through the prophets of old.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:02:21

And we think it's strange to say that the man, jesus Christ, was taught of God. Well, he was God. John 8, 28 says this when you lift up the son of man, then shall you know that I am he and that I did nothing of myself. But as the father taught me, he said so himself. The father taught me, I speak these things. And if you understand that the man Jesus is our example to follow, it makes all the sense in the world. The man Jesus admits that the Father, the Spirit of the Lord, taught him. He taught him what he learned obedience. Hebrews 4.2. To just being obedient doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It means you're learning to take the commands of someone higher than you. That's all there must be I said it before there must be a willingness in the man to be taught, because in doing so you are going to be taught. Then, to learn what you're being taught, you must obey, and this is what the man Jesus did.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:03:42

It says in Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes 5, verse 1, keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear Than to give the sacrifice of fools, For they consider not that they do evil. See what he ties into the fools that come to him. They bring a sacrifice that I don't listen to. I don't regard. Why? Because they do evil, I don't listen to. I don't regard why? Because they do evil, I'm not listening to them. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. Let your words be few. This is there for a reason. This is there to testify something to us and to teach us something. It says in James 1, who agrees? Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:04:42

According to these scriptures, jesus came not to destroy the law, to fulfill it right. Well, these scriptures are a part of the word of God. So when Jesus went into prayer, how did he go into prayer. He went in ready to hear. He went in ready to hear. He went in ready to listen. I don't do anything unless I see the Father do it. I don't say anything unless I hear the Father say it. I'm always ready to listen, whether I'm in prayer on the mountain by myself or am I in the midst of talking to the Pharisees. I have this attitude. I have this humility that I don't do anything unless the Father says it or does it. He was not rash with his mouth, he didn't utter this and that when he went into prayer but he made his words few and when he heard this is another key he was ready to mix what he heard with faith.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:05:52

And faith, regardless of what this world tells you is, when you have the works of obedience to the word of God, faith is not simply belief. You look at faith biblically, historically, through the scriptures, and faith was always I hear God and I do what he says. Abraham, I hear God, I do what he says Jacob, I hear God, I do what he says Israel, I hear God, I do what he says Joshua, I hear God, I do what he says. That's faith. That's all faith is I hear God and do what he says.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:06:30

Paul was asking rhetorical questions. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? It says in Hebrews 4, 2,. For unto us the gospel was preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them. Why? Because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:06:58

The word of God must be mixed with faith, and faith is a readiness to comply and to obey. That is a heart of one who is humble and saying I want to be taught, I want to be taught, I want to be taught, I want to be taught. Teach me, teach me, because without faith it is impossible to please God. And for he that cometh to God must believe. You must believe that he is, and he will reward you for diligently seeking him. I can't stress that enough. The individual must diligently seek him. It's not a complacent. Let me sit back on the couch and wait for the Lord to speak so that I can hear him. There's a diligent seeking, there's. I'm getting ready, I'm getting on that line. When I go on track, I'm getting ready to race, I'm not just standing up, I'm getting ready, I'm getting my way forward, I'm ready. I'm getting on that line when I go on track. I'm getting ready to race. I'm not just standing up, I'm getting ready, I'm getting my way forward. I'm ready, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to hear, I'm ready to be taught.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:07:58

James said Let him ask in faith, not wavering, for let not the man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord if he is tossed to and fro like the sea. God will always. God will always. God will always honor the decisions and actions that are made in faith in him. I understand, as young people in the faith, that we're not gonna be sure and we're gonna be ah, I'm not sure. Then you don't know what to do and you start peddling back and forth. That's why you need a man of God. You need a man of God in your life to teach you how to discern the voice of the Lord. But even if you are young and even if you think you hear something and you're not sure and you take the steps of faith to do it, he will honor that faith. He will not let you fall flat in your face and be ashamed because you did it believing you were hearing him. He'll always teach you, he'll always back you up. He will not honor the instability of your thoughts and emotions as you go back and forth and then you do nothing. He doesn't want us walking in fear.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:09:08

There's a quote that I'm not going to quote, I'm just going to paraphrase it. It says that the fear of the Lord and the love of the Lord cannot be separated. It is only when you perceive and get a revelation of his majesty and his glory and how he transcends all that we know. It is at that moment that we begin to understand his mercy. If we are not awed by God, his desire for us will not move us. It won't. I'm not going to be impressed, so why would I go after something I'm really not impressed with? But when we catch a glimpse of that transcendence, knowing that God in all of his glory, in all of his might, in all of his omnipotence, in all of the greatness, that awesomeness that he is, and he wants to draw near to me, or he wants me to come close to him, it causes us to develop this love, because the almighty God, in all of his greatness, great goodness, wants me near to him. Think of it in the world.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:10:35

Brad Pitt comes into the mall and all of the teenagers and they're so awed at him. And what if Brad said come with me, I want to spend some time with you, you want to be with me? I'm giving it to you in the natural, because if you get a revelation of God in the spirit, knowing that he wants you to draw near to him, your heart is going to flutter. I don't care whether you're a man or a woman, you're going to be awed, so awed it's going to floor you spiritually, it's going to humble you. If you weren't broken before, you're going to be broken now. We must grow in the fear of the Lord if we have any hope of growing in a love for him. So in order to hear him, you must deliberately decide. I want to love God's law. Jesus may set the example. I want to love God's law. I want to meditate on his law.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:11:51

There must be a willingness on your part to be taught, to learn through obedience. There must be a readiness first to hear. You must be swift to hear, not speak. Hear, having very few words in the presence of an almighty God. There must be a readiness to mix the word of God with your faith through compliance and obedience. There's a lot of examples I wanted to bring, but it would take forever and I don't want to do that. There's a lot of examples of God talking to man.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:12:32

So I'm going to challenge you to consider have you ever considered taking notice of all the testimonies of conversations between God and man? And you see, there's a reciprocity between God and man as they converse. What I'm saying is that there's an exchange, there's a mutual exchange. There's a giving and a taking. There's him speaking and the other person responding. There's the other person speaking and God responding. There's an exchange between the two, between God and Adam, between God and Cain, between God and Noah, god and Abraham, rebecca, between God and Jacob, between God and Moses and Joshua and Gideon and Samuel and David, between Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Hosea and Amos and Zechariah.

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:13:27

Look at all those conversations and consider how much dialogue there is. It's not like God spoke and no one said a word to him. It's not like no one inquired of the Lord and then didn't get a response. Like when you read a book. There's this exchange between the characters in the book. Do you see any one-word dialogues?

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:13:58

Consider that when you go there Rhetorical right now, because I know you haven't even thought about it but the conversations between God and man are rich in the exchange of communication between one to another. And if that be the case, that is a testimony to us. That should testify to us. What should I expect when I'm talking and hearing God? I should expect an exchange, and then I say if we have the spirit of God residing in us, why don't we have this exchange?

j - Jesus M. Ruiz: 1:14:33

I think the answer's found in a lot of things that I've just gone over and covered who hears God and who doesn't? Some of it is just in the simple fact that you come and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray In Jesus' name. Goodbye, that's your flesh. You're walking in your flesh. You won't even stop to hear God. If you were blessed and appreciate listening to this podcast and you would like to support us in our efforts, consider lifting us up in prayer first. Then remember these four social media buzzwords share, like, subscribe or follow. Share this podcast link with someone else by text, email or word of mouth in the hopes that they might be uplifted, as you were, like by leaving a positive rating or review with whomever you listen to our podcast. With Subscribe to support the show monetarily with the link in our podcast description. Follow us on all our social media platforms. May God bless you and make you prosperous in Him as you listen and obey His voice.