Take Time to Listen

Fans on the comic strip “Peanuts” might recall today being Beethoven’s birthday. The German composer born on this day in 1770 was heavily admired by the toy piano playing Schroeder. Beethoven is perhaps best known for his Fifth Symphony (a disco adaptation of that piece became a #1 song 40 years ago). He wrote prodigiously despite increasing deafness.

A few people suspect I have a hearing problem when I ask them to repeat something they said. Sometimes I heard them accurately the first time but want to make sure I did so. Other times it’s more of a listening problem on my part. I made the mistake of letting my mind wander while other people are speaking to me. Another bad habit we need to avoid is thinking more about how to respond to someone while they are still talking to us. Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.”

It’s often been said that God gave us two ears and only one mouth because it’s more important to listen than to talk. Sometimes evangelists need to approach sinners cautiously instead of just blasting them with the gospel. There are individuals who built up barriers in their hearts because of mistreatment by professing Christians. In those situations, we would be more effective ministering to them if we take time to listen. It reminds me of an old saying, “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Many times I’ve heard individuals claim that God is not listening to them. The truth is the Lord is always talking to us. The question is…are we willing to quiet our minds and listen to what He’s saying? 

A brokerage firm once had a famous slogan, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” When Jesus Christ talks, people should listen. He has the words of life.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” - Revelation 2:7

Does God Hear Sinners?

A few days ago I walked by a woman who said “hello” to me. I greeted her in return and then gave her a gospel tract seeing this as an evangelism opportunity. She wasn’t certain of going to heaven but believed the gospel. After offering to pray with her, this woman claimed God heard her prayers every night. She got defensive after I told her one must know Jesus to get into heaven. During our conversation, I kept thinking of what John 9:31 says, “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.”  

The Amplified Bible clarifies the meaning of this better…

“We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him.”

There is a difference between hearing and listening. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines hearing as “the faculty of perceiving sounds.” That same dictionary defines listen as “give one’s attention to a sound.” A person can hear somebody but not listen to what he is saying. As a child, you might have heard your mother calling you to come inside the house but didn’t listen to her because you wanted to stay outside longer.

This reminds me of a humorous story told by Jesse Duplantis. The Louisiana-based evangelist was talking with a pastor who didn’t think God was hearing his prayers. So Jesse encouraged this pastor to cuss. The pastor refused to consider doing such a thing. Jesse then asked, “What’s the matter? You think God will hear you?”

While God may hear all our prayers, He will not listen and respond to some of them for various reasons. James 4:3 mentions people asking for things with the wrong motives. The following parable in Luke 18 illustrates the importance of having the right attitude when praying…

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 

11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 

12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 

13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Once while I lived in Pensacola, Florida, my roommate told me our next-door neighbor was a Muslim. One afternoon I saw this man sitting on his front steps and perceived this was the right time to approach him with the gospel. Although this man was reluctant to let go of some of his Islamic beliefs, he did pray to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. When he showed me his copy of the Koran, I noticed it was written in both Arabic and Old English. That prompted me to give him a King James Bible to read (usually I give away newer translations because it’s easier reading for young believers). This man then told me he had asked God to give him a Bible and wanted it to be a King James Version. God definitely answered his prayers.

There is one type of prayer from sinners that God will always answer...the call for eternal life. One of the thieves on the cross was promised to be with Jesus in paradise (Luke 23:43). In Acts chapter 10, Cornelius’ prayers ultimately resulted in him receiving salvation when he got together with Peter. So if you are not yet born again, your prayers can be heard if you repent of your sins and make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. He will listen to you!

“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:13

God is Still Speaking

Sometimes I’ve witnessed to individuals online by countering unscriptural comments posted on Facebook and in response to YouTube videos. One person wrote back to me claiming, “God doesn’t speak to men. Any man that tells you he hears God’s words is either a liar or delusional.”

“God doesn’t speak to men?” What about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and all the other prophets? Jesus Himself talked with the Father while He was on the earth. The Apostle Paul’s conversion resulted from a conversation with the Lord on the Damascus Road. Why wouldn’t God speak to us today? Did He suddenly become mute?

On the other hand, there are ministers and religious organizations claiming to be God’s mouthpiece but really aren’t. One denomination has been using the advertising slogan “God is still speaking.” My question for them is, “Which god are you listening to?” It must be “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) because their website states the following…

“No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism.”

Aside from the fact that God’s word forbids homosexuality, Jesus said in John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Baptism does not save anybody.

I agree God is still speaking. Contrary to what Joy Behar recently stated on ABC’s “The View”, Christians hear His voice not because of having a mental illness. Everyone who wants to know the Lord can learn to recognize His voice if they follow what He has already said in His word (John 10:27). One of the things they should be willing to hear from Him is “Go and sin no more.”

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.”- 1 Corinthians 14:10 (KJV)

Hating Sin, Loving Sinners

Some Christians detest the phrase “hate the sin but love the sinner” (or variations of it) claiming it’s unscriptural. While it may not appear verbatim in the Bible, many verses support that idea. One of the most obvious is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Another one is Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

There are a few Scriptures about God hating certain individuals. Psalm 5:5 says, “You hate all workers of iniquity.” Proverbs 6:19 mentions the Lord hating “a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” I believe it’s more accurate to say God hates the actions of unbelievers. 

Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Does God really want us hating our relatives? Of course not. The word “hate” in this verse would be better rendered as “love less.” What the Lord is saying is we cannot put a family member’s interests ahead of God’s. We should also be praying for our lost loved ones until they hopefully “come to themselves.” Christians shouldn’t have a condescending attitude like the prodigal son’s older brother in Luke 15 or the Pharisees who caught the woman in adultery in John 8. 

Look how the Lord responded to the rich young ruler who approached Him in Mark 10:21, “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’” Jesus loved this man even though he valued his possessions more that following the Son of God.

God doesn’t love the world system that condones and encourages sin but certainly the people in it. That’s why He gave us Jesus. Therefore, Christians should love sinners not by condoning their sinful actions but by sharing the gospel with them.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 1 John 4:10-11

Preaching Without Pushing

Long bus rides are not my preferred form of transportation.  Still they provide evangelism opportunities.  On one such trip from Rockford, Illinois to Minneapolis, I got to minister to a fellow passenger who was going to Rochester, Minnesota.  Originally I approached Ross while he was smoking during a meal stop in Mauston, Wisconsin.  I handed Ross a tract and asked a few questions regarding his eternal destiny but he wasn’t receptive to the gospel.

Later during our bus ride, Ross moved up and sat across from me to initiate what became a lengthy conversation.  I found out Ross grew up Jewish but had since become a pagan.  Although he was still resistant to committing his life to Jesus, Ross thanked me for listening to him and not being pushy like other “religious people” he previously encountered (specifically mentioning Jehovah’s Witnesses).  A final seed was planted when I gave Ross a Mark Cahill book explaining the difference between Christianity and various religions.

Jesus did say in Luke 14:23, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”  Sinners need to be warned of the consequences if they are not born again.  But at the same time, God won’t force people to commit their lives to Him.  When the rich young ruler in Matthew 19 refused to give up his wealth to follow Jesus, the Lord didn’t beg him to stay. 

So whenever you share the gospel with someone who doesn’t want to get saved, you simply need to let that person go.  But if you have spoken the truth in love, that sinner might pray with the next Christian who witnesses to him.  Several people had talked to me about the Lord before I finally committed my life to Him.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” - 1 Corinthians 3:6