Voice of the Lord

God's voice was heard by Adam and Eve when they actually disqualified to hear it. It was God's grace even from the time of creation. First he initiates his voice and we need to continue it. Disciples on the way to Emmaus did not expect the voice of the Lord but was talking about him. The Lord himself came there and talked to them. (Lk. 24) He initiates. After a while they wanted to stop but he seems to be walking. Now its their turn to continue the talk. They beseech him to stay with them so he did. 

God talked to Cain when he committed sin. Its possible. It doesn't mean the Lord will continue. If he wants to hear it again, he cannot just wait but he need to learn to beseech. After all that is what he failed in. We are like Cain some times. We need to ask God and wait. Often times we do knock the door of the neighbor and then wait for them. When it comes to God we wait without knocking. Its not right. 

Hagar was in the wilderness with her son. Her son has no food or water. Now she could not see his death. She cried. The angel said that God heard the voice of Ishmael her son. Gen. 21:17. I don't think Ishmael addressed Jehovah while he was crying. Yet God heard his voice. Ishmael was not the son of the covenant but connected to the man with whom was the covenant made. If God can hear the cry of those who are connected to you, how much more he inclines to you to whom the covenant was made?

His voice is for teaching and to discipline us. (Dt. 4:36)
His voice is some times not for the ear but for the eye to see. God said to Elijah that he commanded a widow to feed him. Actually she never heard a voice from the Lord. We could see that it just came to happen. She fed Elijah. 

Covenant (your part before expecting God's part)

Exod 34:10 "Then the Lord said, “Now I’m going to make a covenant. Before all your people I’ll do miraculous deeds that haven’t been done in all the earth or in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it’s an awesome thing that I’ll do with you."

A covenant is made between two parties. After the covenant is made, until i am not committed to my part, other party is not committed to their part. In the next verse he said to Moses to do his part, that is to obey his command and then He will do his part that is to drive out the six nations that live in Canaan. 

(Exod 34:11 "Obey what I am commanding you today. I’ll drive out from before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.")

But all those nations are the puppets. The actual power that was behind them was the Satan. James said to resist the devil he will flee from us. Though you resist him, you resist him in the name of Jesus, thus this is God's part. What is your part in this before God does his part?. Before James said to resist the devil, he said, "Therefore, submit yourselves to God..." 4:7

Is there any thing that is not happening in your life, though you have been doing all spiritual things? May be what you have been expecting is connected to the covenant. So it may not happen until you do your part. What would be your part in this particular situation?

Better Covenant

Elijah was privileged to have a great invitation. God sent him fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses.

John the Baptist got the same spirit but he did not get the fiery chariot but fiery sufferings. He was beheaded. 

Which one is the better invitation? the former or the latter? What do you think?

There are some people "tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life." (Heb. 11:35)

New Testament is better than the Old one. It is unique by its sufferings for the One whom we loved. I am looking for a better resurrection. Do you?