The Bible Speaks - He heard and He Answered

[00:00:37] Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a daily

[00:00:44] podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly dividing the word

[00:00:50] of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives. You may contact Elgin at the address

[00:00:57] given at the end of the broadcast. And now here's Elgin.

[00:01:02] Hey brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus the Christ

[00:01:08] to another episode of The Bible Speaks. And today we're having a discussion titled He Heard

[00:01:18] and He Answered. Our focus today is inspired by Jeremiah 29 verses 12 through 13 and reading

[00:01:30] from the New International Version it reads, Then you will call on me and come and pray to

[00:01:37] me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

[00:01:46] These verses remind us of the incredible promise that God not only hears us when we call on Him,

[00:01:54] but also answers when we align our hearts with His will. So let's explore how we can position

[00:02:02] ourselves to experience God's provision and hear His voice more clearly. First, let's reflect on the

[00:02:11] context of Jeremiah 29 verses 11 through 13. God speaks these words to the Israelites while they're in exile,

[00:02:21] offering hope and assurance of a future restoration. God promises,

[00:02:28] for I know the plans I have for you is foundational. It reminds us that His plans are good, filled with hope,

[00:02:37] purpose and blessings. But this is the key. Experiencing those plans requires surrender.

[00:02:46] Proverbs 3 verses 5 through 6 read, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own

[00:02:54] understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight. When we surrender our

[00:03:03] desires for His will, we unlock the door to His blessings. That doesn't mean everything will happen

[00:03:10] immediately or look the way we imagine, but it does mean God is working behind the scenes for our ultimate good.

[00:03:19] Let's be honest. There are moments when it feels like God isn't listening. We pray, but nothing seems to happen.

[00:03:27] We ask for help, but the situation doesn't improve. Does this mean God hasn't heard us? Absolutely not.

[00:03:37] James 4 and 3, reading from the New Living Translation reads,

[00:03:43] And even when you ask, you do not get it because your motives are all wrong. You want only what will give you pleasure.

[00:03:52] If we're praying for things outside of God's will, or if our motives are selfish,

[00:03:57] it's not that God isn't listening. It's that He loves us too much to give us something that isn't for our good.

[00:04:06] Sometimes unanswered prayers are God's way of redirecting us toward His purpose. Instead of seeing this as a denial,

[00:04:14] we should see it as an invitation to align our hearts with His.

[00:04:19] Jeremiah 29 and 13 reminds us that seeking God with all of our heart.

[00:04:26] But let's be real. Many of us only truly seek God when we hit rock bottom.

[00:04:33] Maybe you've tried everything in your power to fix the situation.

[00:04:37] Your relationship, finances, career, and nothing has worked.

[00:04:42] It's often at this point, when we're out of options, that we finally surrender fully to God.

[00:04:51] But what if we didn't wait until we were desperate?

[00:04:55] Matthew 6 and 33, reading from the New International Version reads,

[00:05:02] But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

[00:05:09] When we prioritize God from the beginning instead of a last resort,

[00:05:15] we position ourselves to experience His peace, provision, and guidance without unnecessary struggle.

[00:05:24] When you call on the Lord in alignment with His will, He promises to hear and answer.

[00:05:32] Isaiah 65 and 24 reminds us,

[00:05:37] Before they call, I will answer.

[00:05:39] While they are still speaking, I will hear.

[00:05:43] This shows us that God is not only attentive to our prayers, but anticipates our needs.

[00:05:50] However, trusting that God hears and answers requires faith.

[00:05:56] Faith in His timing.

[00:05:59] Faith that His plan is better than ours.

[00:06:03] Faith that He is working all things together for our good.

[00:06:08] It also requires courage to let go of fear.

[00:06:13] Fear tells us that God won't come through, but faith reminds us that He always does.

[00:06:20] God doesn't just want to bless us for our own benefit.

[00:06:24] His blessings are meant to bring Him glory and for us to pour into the lives of others.

[00:06:31] 2 Corinthians 9 and 8 reads,

[00:06:34] And God is able to bless you abundantly,

[00:06:37] so that in all things, at all times,

[00:06:41] having all that you need,

[00:06:43] you will abound in every good work.

[00:06:46] The abundant life isn't about accumulating things.

[00:06:50] It's about living in a way that reflects God's goodness.

[00:06:54] When you walk in His will,

[00:06:56] the blessings in your life,

[00:06:58] whether peace, joy, or provision,

[00:07:00] become a testimony to those around you.

[00:07:04] Your life becomes a living example of God's faithfulness.

[00:07:08] And through your example,

[00:07:10] others are drawn to Him.

[00:07:12] So how do we begin?

[00:07:14] It starts with calling on God,

[00:07:17] not just with words,

[00:07:19] but with a surrendered heart.

[00:07:22] Pray with humility,

[00:07:24] acknowledging that His plans are better than yours.

[00:07:27] Trust that His timing is perfect,

[00:07:30] even when it requires patience.

[00:07:34] Seek His will through His word

[00:07:36] and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

[00:07:40] When you align your desires with His purpose,

[00:07:43] you'll see that He's been listening all along,

[00:07:46] and He answers,

[00:07:47] even when unexpected.

[00:07:50] Brothers and sisters,

[00:07:52] let's hold on to the promise in Jeremiah 29,

[00:07:56] verses 12-13.

[00:07:59] God hears you.

[00:08:00] He knows the plan He has for you.

[00:08:03] If you trust Him,

[00:08:05] surrender your desires to His will

[00:08:07] and seek Him with your whole heart.

[00:08:10] He will answer.

[00:08:12] Don't wait until you're at rock bottom.

[00:08:15] Start today.

[00:08:16] Let go of fear.

[00:08:18] Lean into faith.

[00:08:19] And experience the full blessing

[00:08:22] of God's attention.

[00:08:25] I thank you for joining me today,

[00:08:28] and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow.

[00:08:31] Until then,

[00:08:32] God bless.

[00:08:33] The Bible Speaks is sponsored by

[00:08:41] C Squared Realty

[00:08:43] and New Gen Construction Group

[00:08:46] to help spread the gospel

[00:08:48] to the corners of the earth.

[00:08:50] If anything you've heard

[00:08:52] poured into your life,

[00:08:54] please share it with someone.

[00:08:56] You can find The Bible Speaks

[00:08:59] on Spotify,

[00:09:01] Amazon Music,

[00:09:03] Deezer,

[00:09:04] and many more.

[00:09:05] Follow us on YouTube

[00:09:07] at The Bible Speaks Online.

[00:09:10] You may contact Elgin

[00:09:12] at P.O. Box 5582,

[00:09:16] Ocala, Florida,

[00:09:19] 34478,

[00:09:20] or by email at

[00:09:25] thebiblespeaksonline

[00:09:26] at gmail.com.