Which Voice Do You Hear?

Know your shepherd’s voice!

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3).

Noise. It’s all around us from the moment we wake up to when we go to bed. The noise is 24/7, whether it be the news cycle, social media, TV, podcasts, politicians, family, or friends. With all the voices vying for our attention, the voice of God can be easily drowned out.

I’ve found in my own life that I tend to hear the things that I’m really listening for—such as my name being called from the reservation list at a busy restaurant or the flight number as I’m waiting for my flight to board at the airport. Our ears are attuned to hear information that’s important to us.

Throughout the book of John, we see numerous times where Jesus spoke to the religious leaders of his day, most of whom chose not to listen to him. However, we also see a group of people who did respond to His teachings. Jesus affectionally called them “sheep” and Himself, the “Shepherd.” The relationship between sheep and shepherd is one of intimacy. The shepherd’s duty is to care for each sheep by name, ensuring their safety and provision.

In turn, the sheep recognize and respond to their shepherd’s voice—especially when they’re tempted to wander away from the safety of the pen and their shepherd. Perhaps they are tempted with the many voices of the world, culture, and even other “shepherds” who claim to have a special word from the spirit world about the past, present, and future.

We must be vigilant and attuned to the One whose voice will never contradict Scripture. That is why it is so important to read the Bible for yourself, as it is the greatest tool for discerning your Shepherd’s voice.

Friend, are you listening for the Shepherd’s voice? Are you so familiar with His beautiful Word that you can always pick out His voice in the noise? Perhaps you feel like you can’t hear God’s voice over the noise of the world. Or maybe you’re choosing to ignore His voice because you don’t like what He is telling you to do. Will today be the day where you renew your passion to know and follow Jesus’ voice, so He can lead you to His abundant life?

Listen to the sermon series: Discerning the Voice of God

Part 1Part 2

Ministry Update from Mark

After many months of dreaming about and planning for the New Life fresh market, we officially cut the ribbon a few weeks ago near Chicago’s Midway airport. This market will feed close to 1,500 people a week with the help of our amazing volunteers who serve daily with joy and dignity. We even decorated the space with the artwork of Yeison Perez, a Venezuelan artist who captured the pain of Venezuelan asylum seekers and their journey to America. I love how faith, food, and community can work together to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Pray with us that the Pan de Vida fresh market will be a beacon of Jesus’ light to this community!