WEDNESDAY'S WORD ON THURSDAY - UNSTOPPED-11/03/16- Sadell Bradley- New Life Covenant Cincinnati

The eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. The lame leap like a dear and the mute tongue shouts for joy. Isaiah 35:5-6 UNSTOPPED means to be freed from obstruction. We use this term to describe removing things from a sink or other plumbing. UNCLOG is a similar term that means to remove accumulated matter. At an event I was agitated over what's happening with the 'multi-ethnic' worship.  I wondered, why is this upsetting me? Through discussions with leaders, I was challenged that I have some contribution to make to this issue. It was odd, because I knew it to be true, but couldn't get a firm faith grasp on it. I somehow wasn't able to spiritually hear this challenge. So...   I had a dream. In it, I was a teacher about to administer a test.  I was cleaning my office, about to write the test out, but made a detour to the dining room. I sat down and felt something in my ear.  It was an entire tube of toothpaste. I pulled it out and immediately all kinds of things started to come out of BOTH my ears! like toys and jelly beans, until there was a pile of things at my feet and my ears were finally clear. Then I was free to go and teach and administer the test. When I awakened from the dream, I felt a sense that my own ears had been unstopped. I immediately recalled a pastor 20 years ago prophetically saying that, "I would teach worship, not just the techniques but teaching people to worship God." "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."   (Hebrews 10:17) Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you can't see, without it we cannot please God. (Hebrews 11:1;6)  Faith is also the ability to believe God and be persuaded about His Divine Truth. The Apostle Paul declares that this persuasion and confidence comes through our ability to hear, and hear the Word of God.  The message about Christ and His salvation, and the proceeding Word that comes from the Holy Spirit and prophetic voices bolsters our faith. If other things are clogging our ability to hear, we are not able to walk and live by faith. Jesus taught the disciples that the cares of life and the deceitfulness of riches can choke the Word and make it unfruitful. (Mark 4:19) Our insecurities, past failures, long-term stress, poor self-perceptions, distractions, and other things can have us to the point where God is speaking, but we can't hear Him.  That's probably why He says over and over, "He that hath an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit is saying..." It was obviously time for me to get my ears UNSTOPPED.  How about you?

THIS SUNDAY 9:30 AM Class Youth Room  11:00 AM Worship The Great Room at Wyoming Presbyterian 225 Wyoming Ave., 45215 513-212-1131