One Voice Among Many

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One voice among many.

Do you remember in the old testament when the
prophets of God would declare a thing that many times
their voices would be one voice among many.

A good example of this is found in I Kings 22.6,7 where
King Ahab called his 400 prophets together to hear
how the battle would end, in victory or defeat. The 400
gave King Ahab the good word he wanted. The 400 promised
victory. But Jehosphaphat understood that something
was not right and requested "... a prophet of the Lord
besides, that we might enquire of him?"

The King of Israel replied, "There is yet one man...."

There is yet one man. What a powerful statement. It is
a wonderful statement for Micaiah, the one man. His life
revealed that he was a God's man, and it is also a wonderful
thing that Jehosphaphat could recognize the that the 400
prophets of Ahab were 'not' the true voices.

But, there was another issue going on at the same time.
Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah. Ahab stated, "but I hate him;
for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

There was another prophet with the same reputation with
the higher ups of the kingdom. Jeremiah was also accused of
"weakening the hands of the men of war that remain in this
city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them
for this man seeks not the welfare of this people, but the hurt."
(Jer 38. 4)

In both cases, the kings and princes wanted to hear the good news
that their cities were going to stand, be strong, and they would
have victories in their battles. In both cases, the prophets were
telling them that what they wanted was not going to happen. They
were accused of knocking the morale of the men down by
predicting negative stuff.

But, where they really saying just negative things? No. In essence,
they were saying that the path these people were on would lead
to destruction, but that if they would heed the voice of the Lord
through them, and redirect their steps, they would live and not
die.

How do we recognize the one voice in the many? How do we
keep from being boonswaggled by all the commentaries that report
the news? By committing our steps to the Lord. That's how.

That is the first thing. Let go of our own agenda and adopt the
Lord's agenda for our lives. Let it go. This thing that we have
mapped out for our own lives, this way of plotting our own
courses, and our own methods of obtaining it. If you are called
to do a thing for God, yield and obey. If you are already on the
right path for God, stay pliable and allow Him to work it through
you, don't try to cut your own path to obtain His goals. Yield and
obey.

If your eyes on are Jesus, and your feet ready to follow where
He leads (and the way He leads) then He will watch over and direct
your every step. He will make sure you hear Him.

There are a lot of voices out there speaking the 'good news' of the
gospel. A lot of general words are coming forth proclaiming
the good promises of God, that harm will not come, that peace
and prosperity belongs to the body of Christ. And they are right,
generally. But what about the specifics?

Take the promise of protection as an example. Most of us have
heard about Psalm 91 and how it promises protection. It does indeed.
It was this chapter in the bible that I was standing on when the
hurricane Charlie was being forecast to head my way. I remember
standing on the deck looking toward heaven talking to the Lord about
the storm when I heard, "button down the hatches." That is not
what I wanted to hear.

I wanted to hear that the storm was going
to fizzle and die. I obeyed, and got things together for a storm
that was a category 5 at the time and would be a category 2 or
3 by the time it crossed the land to me. I packed up and left the
mobile home I was living in and went to a house for a stronger
structure. In that setting, after I had obeyed, I prayed for the protection
of the property and lives of which I was put as an overseer.

That storm came up the main highway straight toward us. The
winds were over a hundred miles per hour and would have
done much damage to this area had it not turned 10 miles short
of us. It went east, and the areas where it hit were devastated.
We suffered very little damage and none of the damage hindered anyone
from living inside their homes on this property.

But what of the voices? There were many voices predicting God's
judgment on Florida at the time. And perhaps they were speaking
the truth, but there was a voice for me, specifically. I was told to
button down the hatches, and then me and mine were secured with
the protection from the Lord. It was like He turned a glass over and
put it down on the map where I lived giving me protection from all
sides when the waters came rushing through.

Around us now, there are many voices, but we can hear the Voice
that will give us instructions and hope for life. Like the voices of
Micaiah and Jeremiah spoke to the kings of their time,
the Lord gives us a way, and if will heed Him, the hopes and plans
for the future in our lives will be protected.

Had Ahab heeded the voice of God through the prophet Micaiah,
he would have lived. Had the kings and princes heeded the voice
of God through Jeremiah, they would have lived.

Lord help us to hear and heed Your voice for us today.

sj