"YOU ARE NOT OF GOD!"

John 8:47                                       (ESV)
"Whoever is of GOD hears the words of GOD. The reason why you do not hear them (the words of GOD) is that "YOU ARE NOT OF GOD."



Often I open my Bible and a verse catches my eye and it will not let my attention go elsewhere!  This morning is one of those times.  The last verse I had looked at in GOD's Word to me had been John 8:44, where JESUS says "you are of your father the devil".  Verse 47 is the last verse of a paragraph in John 8, so it often gets overlooked, or at least minimized.  But today, GOD chose this verse to speak to me.

To begin with, "Whoever is of GOD" identifies those who are CHOSEN to be HIS.  We are not something special because of our choice to serve HIM.  We are someone special because the Creator chose us (called us) (Isaiah 43:1) to do HIS will and HIS work.  My journey may lead me through seemingly good times, and my journey may lead me through "the valley of the shadow of death"!  My life should be a demonstration of a life that allows GOD to direct my paths wherever HE directs, not the most comfortable path!!

JESUS was speaking to the "scribes and the Pharisees" (John 8:3), not the skid row bums!  HE was talking to those who thought of themselves TOO GOOD to do any wrong!  There are those who still don't see how they could do wrong.  The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:26-27 that "For this reason GOD GAVE THEM UP to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and RECEIVING IN THEMSELVES THE DUE PENALTY FOR THEIR ERROR."  The fact that GOD GAVE THEM UP indicates to me that GOD tried, but they would not listen to HIS voice, and they were given over to their worldly passions.

There used to be a television commercial that said when a certain stock broker spoke, people listened!  Can you hear GOD speaking amidst the fast-paced society we subjected to from "this world"?  Or are you like the scribes and Pharisees who could not hear the words of GOD because "YOU ARE NOT OF GOD"!  GOD may be speaking in "a still, small voice" so you need to make sure to MAKE YOUR EAR listen to HIM!  One doesn't desire to be one who one day hears "YOU ARE NOT OF GOD"!!!