LISTEN UP!

          Callie and I have 2 dogs.  One is a miniature dachshund named Chloe and one is supposed to be a Chihuahua (however I'm pretty sure he's not completely chihuahua) his name is Reggie.  We love our dogs.  I'm pretty sure that they love me more than they do her (she probably disagrees).  The only reason I think that is because I let them lick me in the face and Callie does not.  For some reason they always go straight for my ears.  Both Chloe and Reggie are good dogs.  Reggie maybe a little smarter than Chloe, he picks up and listens better than she does, they both listen to what we say.  When we tell them to stay, lay down, go, or whatever, for the most part they listen and do ask we say.  However, if a stranger were to come into our house and try to tell them what to do they would attack and attack with ferocity that you have never seen before (don't let the combined weight of 20 pounds fool you, these are some bad dogs).

          Our dogs will listen to Callie and I because they know our voice.  They can tell when we are mad at them or when we want to play or when it's time to go to sleep all by the way we talk to them.
                   
                                                           THEY KNOW MY VOICE

          In John chapter 10 Jesus says that He is the Shepherd.  If you know anything about sheep you know that they are some dumb animals.  However, the one thing they do have is that they trust their shepherd.  They shepherd has proven to their sheep time and time again that they will feed, teach, nurture, and protect them.  The sheep knows above all else to obey the shepherd because the shepherd has taken care of them.  When the sheep wonder off or go somewhere they aren't supposed to, they will hear the shepherds voice and obey his command.

          My prayer for my life and for yours is that when you hear the shepherds voice you will obey.  The only way that you will recognize God's voice in your life is if you get to know Him.  If my dog's don't know you they won't obey you.  The same is true for our spiritual lives.  The only way we can distinguish God's voice from all the others in the world is by getting to know God.  The things, people and the culture you listen to will lead you.  If you listen to Hollywood, you'll be tempted to feel ugly or poor.  If you listen to the doom and gloom of the news, you'll fear that the sky is falling.  Listen to culture and you'll live for fashionable fads instead of lasting truth.  Your ear determines who is your shepherd.

          Many of us including myself have slowly and unknowingly chosen to follow relentless shepherds who are driving us instead of leading us.

                                                             WHAT VOICE DO YOU HEAR?