Man. We have some big stuff coming up at Rocky River Community Church. On July 29 we are going to make a couple of really big and important announcements. To say the least, God is moving in our church. And here’s the thing: When God is moving then He is also speaking. I’m not sure if He moves then speaks or speaks and then moves. What I do know is that it is extremely important to listen to God speak. If you are a leader – church planters listen up – there is NO SUBSTITUE FOR LISTENING TO GOD SPEAK – clearly.

Today I am going to kick off a three part blog-series on how to listen to God.

The FIRST thing you have to do to hear God is…
1. Get rid of the distractions. Bill Hybels (www.willowcreek.org) says that when God spoke to Moses He didn’t need to use a “burning bush.” He simply used the burning bush to get Moses’ attention. God was basically saying to him, “Moses, slow down. STOP and LISTEN! Take a rest from your busy schedule. I have something I want to say to you.” Moses did and the rest is history.

Moses was no different than the rest of us in that he was busy. He had the same kinds of noises and distractions in his life as we do. He was worried about his job; he had a wife and kids to take care of. He had a full calendar of activities. He had people to please. He was running in a million different directions. Those things, that stuff, important as they are, were distractions that kept him from hearing from God. So God used the burning bush to make him slow down, step away from the noise and distractions of life, so he could listen to Him.

See, talking with you, helping you understand your purpose and your reason for existing, is very important to God. It’s important to you. But sometimes we let everyday life, and the noise of everyday life, drown out God’s voice. So, sometimes God has to reach out and grab your attention.

Question: Is God trying to speak to you today? What are you missing by not listening to Him? What is it going to take for Him to get your attention?

[How to Listen to God, Part 1]