This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                      God's Challenge To You

I am willing to speak to each of My children, and I have many wonderful 
things to say. But, dear one, let Me ask you this question: are you 
really willing to hear My voice? 

I ask you this because many of My own do not seem to understand that 
the more clearly they can hear My voice, the more I hold them 
accountable to obey what I say.

Dear one, I love you, and I have so much that I want to say to you. I
want to say it clearly and distinctly; I want you to know My voice to 
the point where you are positive that it is Me. I want your hearing
to be fine-tuned, so that I can talk to you about anything. But there 
is danger to you when the clarity of your hearing grows faster than 
the maturity of your character. If you hear Me clearly and choose not 
to obey, then you heal coals upon your own head. 

That is why many of My own have problems discerning My voice--because
they do not have a heart to obey. Without it, they would just get 
themselves into greater trouble. 

I have explained this principle to you in My word. Consider the
parable of the parable of the faithful and evil servants. I said, "that 
servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do 
according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who 
did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten 
with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be 
required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask 
the more."*

Dear one, the more clearly you can discern My voice, the more I will
ask of you. In short, I hold you to obey Me at the level of clarity 
that you can understand what I say to you. 

For some, that is not a problem, because their love for Me overflows 
from their hearts in the form of obedience. But others of My own are 
rebellious to the point where it would be unsafe for them to discern 
My voice clearly.

I know you have been crying out to Me to speak to you in certain areas.
I am, in fact, willing to increase your ability to hear My answers to
your questions. But before I do, consider My question carefully. Think 
about the questions that you have been asking Me. Think hard about how 
well you have been doing to obey that which you already know to do. Now 
decide which is the right prayer for you to pray--and know for a 
certainty that I will answer this prayer when it is prayed from a sincere 
heart.

There are two prayers that you can choose from. One is: "Lord, give me 
a heart to obey You because I love You." The other is, "Lord, increase 
my ability to hear Your voice and teach me to better recognize Your 
Holy Spirit's leading." 

Consider which prayer is the right prayer for you. Know this--if you
pray it with all of your heart, then I will surely answer it. Which 
one will you pray, precious child?


*Luke 12:47-48