"If any man have an ear let him hear" (Rev. 13:9)
What expression is the most plentiful in the entire Bible, Ron Sisco once asked while teaching Revelation, and then informed the congregation it was this, not "God is Love" or the concept of our faithful obedience, or peace among brethren!
God seems to be more interested in our LISTENING TO HIM more than how we look, what we think of Him, or the service we give Him. Even our acts of OBEDIENCE have little meaning, unless they're caused as a result of what we've heard the Father speaking to us. Let me be careful how I state this...
The "obedient Christian" needs to have, at the bottom of his heart, the desire to make his FATHER happy. When the Christian wants to exercise disciplines because they make him feel feel good about HIMSELF, GOD ABHORS THAT. The external actions could be IDENTICAL. But God sees the ears that caused it. He looks on the heart.
Are my ears bent towards him, as a loyal canine's might be? And would I be as quick to lunge at whoever would harm my Master? Do my ears work?
