John 8:43-45, Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
One of the signs of the devil’s children is that they hear but don’t hear. In Matthew 13:13 Jesus said, “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” One of the most dangerous places to be is in a spiritual and Bible-rich environment. One may think they are one of God’s children merely because they have heard and know Scriptures all of their lives. But if the word they heard didn’t find a place in them, and they submit themselves to it and obey it, then they didn’t really hear or understand it.
We cannot hear Jesus’ words until God overpowers the effects of sin and gives us hearts/ears to hear them. The devil blinds the mind and dulls the hearing. But hearing comes from the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). Our salvation is all grace. Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. If you have heard the word of truth, the gospel, and have believed, then you are, by God’s doing, in Christ Jesus. Rejoice! Give thanks! Live to love with Him.
It is the nature of the devil to murder and lie. It is the nature of God to love and speak truth. Father, deliver us from the evil one and his influence, and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Love through us today for your glory.
Where would we be if we didn’t believe Jesus and the words of truth He spoke? We would be in darkness and living a lie. We would base our lives on our own "truth," which would be a lie. What is the truth? We were all born children of the devil with hostility toward God, unable to subject ourselves to God’s law. Jesus alone is true, good, and righteous. He is God’s son and our only hope for salvation and deliverance from sin’s power and curse. When He saves us, we see the truth about our sin and the hope of the gospel revealed in Christ, so we repent of believing the lie that we are good, and we believe in, trust in, and submit to Jesus. To God be the glory!
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
