Jeremiah 5:21
Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear.
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When Jesus was asked by a lawyer of the Pharisees about what the foremost command was He quoted from the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 6. That passage He referred to actually starts with what might be the single most important word in the bible—hear!
We are fearfully and wonderfully made. {Ps.139:14} I know that to be true because I heard it from God's Word and I believe it because faith comes by hearing that word! {Rom.10:17} And without that faith it is impossible to please God, {Heb.11:6} something I greatly desire!
All humans are designed when they are born to have five senses; to hear, to see, to taste, to touch, and to smell. Unfortunately however we are all born stupid, {Jer.10:14} and cannot even add 2+2 — until we are trained! In the same way, we have to be trained to properly use those senses we have been given as they were meant to be! That is when you and I start to get the solid food, the meat, of the word that will make us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might! {Eph.6:10} “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” {Heb.5:13-14}
We have to be trained, to learn to listen to HEAR the right, the proper godly things that nourish our spirit. Even King David, a man after God’s own heart, wrote that when he listened to the voice of the enemy he was restless and distracted and fear and trembling came upon him! {Ps.55:2-5} Faith comes by hearing, and so does fear! So as Jesus said, “Take care what you listen to!” {Mar.4:24}
We have to be trained, to learn to SEE the Lord in the midst of a world that is filled with the lies and the filth of corruption of sin. Satan's power is in his deceitfulness, making lust look like love, greed to look like the promises of God, seeing having far more than we need as the blessings for us rather than a storehouse to meet the needs of others. {2Cor.8:14} The solution is of course to be ‘fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith’ just as God’s word instructs us. {Heb.12:2)
We have to be trained, to learn to TASTE as we were designed to—to eat properly, and that is not about the latest fad diet. There is a famine coming {Amo.8:11} but we will be fine if we have indeed learned to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’ {Ps.34:8} When the apostles were concerned that Jesus did not have any food with Him, He said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” {Jn.4:34) We are called to imitate Jesus {Eph.5:1} so let's have a continuous feast dining on doing God's will.
We have to be trained, to learn that our sense of TOUCH was given to us so that we might be able to, like the woman so in need of a touch from the Lord after years of suffering, came up and she touched the hem of His garment. That stopped Jesus right there as He turned and spoke to her, and she was instantly healed! {Mat.9:20-22} Prayer is good, something that we should be always doing, but there are times when we just have to reach out and grab hold of Him!
We have to be trained, to learn to SMELL—to smell the Rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys. {Son.2:1} And of course, the Lord has supplied the present world filled with the stench of sin with an air freshener—us: "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." Then, continuing to use us as we obey and….
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, BUILD EACH OTHER UP
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