A PIECE OF MY HEART ... are you listening?

As I sit here at my computer, I can hear the television in the background. Seems these days that no matter if someone is watching it, the television is always on. I personally like it quiet in the house, but some other family members seem to like that noise box on at all times.

Do you ever just leave your TV turned on even though nobody is watching it? You can hear it, but you're not really listening to it.

We treat people the same way sometimes...we hear someone talking but are we really listening? It is one thing to understand what the person is saying but do we accept what is being said?

In Matthew 7:29, I read that Jesus taught with real authority - quite unlike the teachers of religious law. When Jesus sat in the Temple teaching or even on the hillside, people were utterly amazed.

Sometimes we become amazed with what others are saying but we still reject it or ignore it. Even when someone speaks with authority - we still refuse to submit to it.

JAMES 1:25 "If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

So with this in mind, I must ask:

• Am I listening to what God is saying to me?
• How about you, are you listening and hearing the voice of God?

and that is a piece of my heart today!