You Can Hear My Voice

By Mark J. Chirrona

Truly the hungry and the thirsty, in this hour, are seeking water, and they have found none. But I will open up rivers in high places, and I will water the wasteland, and the desert shall blossom like the rose. And I will satisfy your desire in scorched places, for I have seen the journey of My people. I have seen the affliction with which they have been afflicted.

“I have walked with you through your dark places. I have held you and caressed you in your dry places. Yet, because of the nature of the journey in this season, it has been difficult for many to recognize My hand. I would say unto you now, while you cannot see My hand, you do know My voice. Take comfort in the fact that while you are waiting to see My hand of visitation and My hand of vindication, yet you can hear My voice.

“For I will not leave you without a word; I will not leave you without a declaration; I will not leave you without a decree; for I speak, and it stands fast. I command, and it is done. I will bring again water out of the rock—not the rock of man’s making but the Rock of My choosing. Out of the wounded side and the belly of My Son there comes in this season a mighty torrent, a river that shall come out of heaven in this next season and flood the saints, and they shall rejoice in the river by My glory,” saith the Lord.

“But you would say with the multitude of voices, ‘How can I, oh God, in this season distinguish Your voice? At one time, I thought I knew it well. But where I have been and what I have been through has challenged my ability to feel as though I could rightly recognize the voice of the Shepherd.’

 ”Hear now, My child, I call you by name. My Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you belong to Me. There is never a day that has gone by [on which] I have not witnessed to your spirit that you are Mine. Every time you open the Holy Book, My Spirit speaks to you. Yet because you have been surrounded by many a test and by many a trial, you have given your ear to the voices of temptation and to the voices of distraction.

“But My voice is clear and certain, and you already know it. Do not allow the enemy to cause you to say in your heart, ‘I do not know the voice of my Shepherd.’ The only voice you have ever followed in consistency, that has brought you health and safety, is My voice.

 ”I will not leave you. I will not forsake you. I speak, and as you listen and respond … I will deliver you from your distractions. I will set you free from your hindrances. I will break the chain of your temptations, and yes, I will restore to you the confidence that you can truly hear My voice.

“For you were created to hear My voice. You were born to hear My voice. You were destined to hear My voice, and you were destined to respond and say, ‘Here am I.’ Oh, child of God, not only do you know My voice, [but] I know your voice. I have heard your cries. I have heard your tears. I have heard your wrestlings. I have heard your tumults. I know your voice and I assure you, you will see My hand.

“Know for a certainty, I am the Lord; there is none other. And when I speak, every other voice goes dumb. Do not wonder or ponder in your hearts, ‘Does not the Lord see? Does not the Lord hear?’ For I am the Lord who made the eye, and I am the Lord who made the ear, and I both see and hear, and in this season, I will vindicate My name amongst the elect. For there are many voices rising in the earth claiming they speak for me, but know this, My child, when I speak, everyone will know I am the Lord and there is none other.

 ”I will give you assurance after assurance after assurance that I am leading you by My good Spirit. Trust Me! Trust Me! Trust Me, for I will not fail you. I will not forsake you. For lo, I am with you, and if that is not sufficient, I am for you, and child of God, if that is not sufficient, know you not I am in you, both to will and to do of My good pleasure? Trust in Me. Trust in My voice. Trust in My power, and watch what I will do.

“For in not many days hence, there will come a fresh moving in your life that you have cried out for, for months. In not many days hence, there will come a fresh opening in your spirit. In not many days hence, there will come fresh manna to you from the depths of heaven into the depths of your soul, and you will enter into a summer of the miraculous, for I have decreed it and I have declared it,” saith the Lord.

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Saul was rejected as King of Israel

1 Samuel 15:27-28  And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.  So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.(NKJ)

In reading about Saul and David, I ran across the verse quoted above where Saul seized the edge of the Samuel the Prophets  robe, and it tore.  Saul did this after Samuel informed him that the Lord had rejected him from being king, because he rejected the word of the Lord. 

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he also has rejected you from being king.”(NKJ)

In reading further the book of Samuel, I read where David is hiding out in the mountains, as Saul  seeks to kill him because of envy and jeoulosy.   The first time David  finds Saul in the mountains, he cuts the edge of his robe. 

The second time David finds Saul, he takes away his jug of water and his spear.  I went back several time reading these verses, and felt that David was only confirming the prophesy that Samuel had given Saul before.

When David cut the edge of Saul’s robe, this  probably brought back to Saul’s memory how he himself tore the prophets robe, and realized that the  kingdom had been torn from him and given over to David.   When the kingdom was torn from Saul, so was the favor of the Lord.

Saul continued in his pursuit against David, as he was operating in rebellion. 

When David  took Saul’s  jug of water and spear, it only indicated that Saul would no longer hear the voice of the Lord.   Saul was thirsting for the word of God,  and continuing with his rebellion, Saul ended up visiting the witch at En Dor.   read 1 Sam 28:7

Today we have much to be thankful for.  We don´t need to seek witches or mediums to hear the voice of the Lord and receive guidance, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We have our churches and pastors, and the Body of Christ to pray for us and lift us up.

While Saul sinned and was rejected as King of Israel, we  too  have to obey the voice of the Lord when He gives us a directive.  We need to understand that there is work to be done, and while we may not be rejected, the work we fail to do may be handed over to someone else.

Let us be diligent in completing the task that the Lord has given us.  We may face obstacles and hindrances, but in Christ we are more than overcomers.

Blessings in Him

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David became King of Israel

1 Samuel 23:17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.”(NKJ)

In this passage of scripture, Jonathan is confirming to David that he will be King over Israel, and Jonathan is pledging his loyalty to David by saying that he would be next to him. The Lord had rejected Saul as King because of disobedience, and the prophet Samuel anointed David to replace Saul and to be King over Israel.

King Saul knew that David would be next in line to be king and not his son Jonathan. Knowing this, this caused Saul to become envious, angry and jealous of David. In this state of mind, Saul sought to kill David.

What Saul did not understand that coming up against David would be coming up against God and His plan and divine purpose.   For anyone to come up against the plan would be a very dangerous place to be.

In serving the Lord, it is wise to take lessons from David. David inquired of the Lord.  

David faced Saul with complete trust in the Lord.    When we face the Saul´s in our life and ministry, it is best that we put our trust in our Lord completely, and not seek to damage or hurt the person in question.  David left vengeance in the hand of God, as noted in this passage of scripture:    1 Samuel 26:10 David said furthermore, “As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.(NKJ)

While our flesh may rise up and desire to act our own way, David was able to put his flesh in submission to God´s will by inquiring of the Lord, and come out victorious in his battles.

May we come out victorious in our walk with God, in our battles, and may we desire to inquire of the Lord. In doing so, we draw closer to Him and come out victorious.

 
Blessings in Him

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The Rain has Begun to Fall

Word received June 22, 2009

As the rain falls upon the land, so will My Spirit. It will fall upon the barren land, for my people cry out for revival.

Where there was once fire, refiners fire, I am now sending my rain. My fire has purified my people, and now is the time for Me to drench them with my Spirit. Prepare for the rain, prepare for my outpouring says the Lord.

Many have cried out saying, ¨Use me¨ and I have put you through the fire, the purifying fire. Now that fire will be put out by my rain. My fire has cleansed you, and has prepared you for such a time as this.

Refresh yourself in my rain, refresh yourself in my glory, for my outpouring draws near says the Lord.

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Happy Father´s Day

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.(NKJ)

My father passed away a few years ago, I can´t help but think of him every so often, especially on Fathers Day.

My father did not have riches or glory in the world, but he did have qualities that moth and rust could not destroy.

He grew up as a preachers son, and his father passed away when he was 17 years young . He did not finish high school, but instead became a volunteer firefighter in California, joined the Navy, and then became a commercial fisherman.

Married with several children, (we are six in total) he obtained his high school diploma in his late 30´s and worked in a factory as a welder.

My father modeled work and responsibility, but the one thing we saw him do and that is fresh in my mind to this day, was watching him read his Bible.

As a child, I would ask him Bible questions, and he had the answers. I am sure some of my questions were annoying, but my father had all the patience in the world.

My father left us a spiritual heritage in the Lord which is worth far more than any worldly wealth. He left us a love for Jesus, and a desire to know Him more.

As a parent myself of a twenty year old son, I try to do the same my father did. I read my Bible, pray, and share the love of Jesus not only with my son Richard, named after my father, but to those around me and to those that will listen and now read.

I would like to pass on advice to all the fathers reading this. Show your children Jesus, pass on a spiritual heritage that cannot be shaken. When your children are adults, they will remember you reading your Bible, and will seek to do the same.

I know my dad is enjoying life to the fullest in the presence of his Heavenly Father. So I say to my Dad, Happy Fathers Day, and may every father reading desire to draw closer to your heavenly father, this day and every day.

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Lessons learned from Samson

Matthew 15:26-28 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.(NKJ)

Months ago we were blessed with three year old bulldog named Samson.

After a few days of being with us, he was part of the family. It did not take him nor us long to get used to each other.

When the rainy season came, we quickly discovered that Samson was afraid of the rain, thunder and lightning. As soon as the clouds would roll in, he was in the house, usually under my desk or if he could, on the couch snoring away.

We began to close the doors so that he would not come in, but he manages to open them if we did not close them properly. We later found out that he climbs through the windows, which is hilarious, anything just to get inside. He was determined to get his way.

This made me think about the things of the Lord. How persistent are we when it comes to going after His blessings and promises in our lives? Are we determined like a bulldog, to do whatever it takes to obtain our blessings, or do we just give up after a few tries?

I have been observing Samson in a different light. He is determined to have the biggest bone, to climb through windows, and to try to sneak in and sleep on the couch. He will do anything, just to obtain his desire.

I had to ask myself a question. Do I give up so easily when I run into an obstacle? If one door has closed, do I look for an open window and try there?

Many times the enemy will try to divert you from your path, your goal, your promise. We need to be like the bulldog, determined to obtain that prize that is rightfully ours.

I am ready to start climbing through windows to obtain my blessings, how about you?

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Noah heard God

Genesis 6:5-6 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.(NKJ)

I was doing a study on  the power of the Spirit the other day, and the Lord directed me to Noah.

I did not understand why the Lord took me to Noah in studying about the Holy Spirit, but I finally got it.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit/Word of the Lord  was not present as it is today.  It was given to certain prophets, priest and judges  for a specific time.

During Noah´s time, the earth was full of wickedness and evil.   The verse quoted above says  every intent of the thoughts of his (man´s)  heart was only evil continually. So I asked myself, how was Noah  able to hear the directives of the Lord so clearly, in the midst of  continual evil?

Sometimes I get so busy with life that I feel that I am not hearing the Lord at times.  So I got to thinking,  if Noah heard accurately  in the midst of the chaos and evil around him, then certainly I and others could as well.

When I find myself  this way,  I quiet down in my spirit to hear the Lord.   Often times I go to my room and close the door.  I announce to the family that it´s my prayer time, and they understand that I am not to be disturbed.

Today we have it easier than Noah did.  We have the Holy Spirit present at all times.  We can turn off the television, unplug the phone, go to our room and if possible, get  away for a weekend to be with the Lord.

The bottom line is, God wants to speak with us.  He longs for fellowship with His Bride.  Let us make ourselves available to Hear His voice, and be receptive to His directives in life.

Blessings in Him.

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God´s Heart

I would like to introduce to you a fairly new blog titled God’s Heart and share with you how I came to know Suzanne.

I met Suzanne approximately seven years ago when I traveled to Switzerland for a ministry conference.  My going to Switzerland was out of the question, but at the last minute the Lord provided the funds for my travel.  When I inquired about the hotel where the conference was held, the rooms were all booked up.  It was Suzanne that stepped in and offered me to stay at her home.

A new friendship was formed.  I was blessed at the conference, and even more so staying with Suzanne and getting to know her and her small town of Switzerland.

The Lord has directed each of our paths to different parts of the world, but we have managed  to keep in touch and uplift each other up in the work of the Lord.

I am especially blessed to see how the Lord has opened the doors to a wider ministry for Suzanne and her new husband Mark that includes prison ministry, radio, a home church and more recently, a story in the local newspaper.

Please visit Gods Heart, and be blessed as you read her or hear her weekly devotionals.  To view Mark and Suzanne’s ministry website, visit New Heart Ministries International .

Blessings in Him

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