"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"

Father God, thank you for the love of the truth you have given me. Please bless me with the wisdom, knowledge and discernment needed to always present the truth in an attitude of grace and love. Use this blog and Northwoods Ministries for your glory. Help us all to read and to study Your Word without preconceived notions, but rather, let scripture interpret scripture in the presence of the Holy Spirit. All praise to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Please note: All my writings and comments appear in bold italics in this colour
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts

Monday, May 26, 2025

#Ozzone 11-1 > Are you merrily driving down the Freeway of Life, or are you of value to God?

 


As a Christian, are you on the Freeway of Life like most of the traffic? God wants you to take the next exit, to get out on the byways and the back roads where real people live. People die on freeways, but nobody lives on one. Get out onto the dirt roads through the mountains and valleys. God has people there for you to meet and reveal Himself to. It might not be the most pleasant drive; you may even break down at times. But God will be with you, and you will be of use to Him and to others.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Ozzone 10-19> The missionary must be detached from the world and attached to God on the inside

 




One of the greatest practitioners of “Soaking” in Jesus Christ was Jeanne Guyon. This amazing 17th century, Catholic, aristocrat has an astonishing story and has also written a booklet called, “A Very Short and Easy Method of Prayer”.
While it was short and easy in the 17th century, it is a little more challenging in today’s frantic world. But both books are very inspiring, and the booklet is priceless.

=========================================================================================

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Ozzone 10-13 > Can you keep up while walking with the Lord, without running ahead?

 




Moses realized his calling but jumped out ahead of God instead of walking with Him.

Lord, let me walk with you all my days. Give me the strength and determination to
keep up with You, but never allow me to jump ahead of you. Help me to resist any
temptation that would draw me away from you in the slightest. Thank You, Jesus!


Saturday, November 9, 2024

Ozzone 10-11 > Do you have a friend whom you are comfortable with even in long periods of silence?

 




Larry King once interviewed Mother Theresa and asked her what she said when she prayed. She responded, “I don’t say anything, I just listen.”

King then asked what God said to her when she prayed. She stated, “He doesn’t say anything either, He just listens. And if you can’t understand that, I can’t explain it to you.”

God doesn’t listen to your words, but to your heart, we should try to emulate Him during some of our prayer time. To just be with Him.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Ozzone 9-30 > How much are you willing to suffer for God? Are you willing to identify with His cross?

 



And it will benefit God’s Kingdom, and will ultimately benefit you. Have you so surrendered your right to yourself to God that you will allow Him to make you into broken bread and poured-out wine? He will knead you, put you on the back burner until you rise, and then throw you into the oven. After all that, He will pull you apart like Jesus was pulled apart on the Cross. Are you willing to endure the pain?

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Ozzone 9-27 > > God is not gentle when it comes to that which can hurt you or Him

 




‘Christ has no tenderness toward that which would ultimately ruin someone in His service’! That is likely true for both this world and Eternity. When, 26 years ago I shook my fist at God, He was not the least bit gentle in His rebuke. But I soon realized how arrogant I was to think God had anything other than His kingdom and my good character in mind. He is using me now and preparing me for Eternity. And I praise Him for it.

Sunday, July 7, 2024

Ozzone 9-26 > Restoring the broken relationship – step by step

 


What if your ‘gift’ isn’t money or food but intercessory prayer? Is God saying here that if He convicts us of a broken relationship our prayers must wait until we have restored our relationship with our brother or sister in Christ? Is this an explanation of why some of our prayers seem to go unanswered?


Monday, June 10, 2024

Ozzone 9-23 > Are you willing to go up to your Jerusalem with Jesus? Do you know what it means?

 



About 15 years ago I wrote a worship song with the line “Let me walk with you, Lord”, at the beginning and end of the chorus. Only now has it struck me what that actually means. It’s not just being in the Presence of the Lord, but it means following Him wherever He goes, and, inevitably, He went up to Jerusalem and His Gethsemane, His scourging, and His crucifixion. Am I prepared to go through those trials in my life? Should I expect anything less? We evangelicals like to take the easiest path, like to accept the suffering of Jesus as all that’s needed to save me. But we are called upon to identify with Jesus Christ in His sufferings, and how can we do anything less? Philippians 3:10.


Saturday, May 4, 2024

Ozzone 9-19 > Will you follow The Lord through the difficult times? Can you hear His voice?

 


John 6:66 > Remember, these were not just followers, they were disciples who turned their backs on Jesus when He spoke a hard thing. And there were many of them.

25 years ago I had been suffering for a few months. Unbelievably, I got angry at the Lord and shook my fist at Him. His response was immediate and hairraising – “You have not yet resisted unto blood in your struggle against sin.”

I knew immediately that I was in for a long struggle and a quarter century later it is not yet complete. But I walk with God!

The last two sentences are fascinating! We Christians follow the Bible if we know what’s good for us, but Ozzie seems to be saying here that there may come a time when God will take us into new areas that the Bible might not prepare us for. Then we have to listen to His voice and follow His Spirit. It will never contradict the Bible, but it may require us to make a judgment that is not spelled out in Scripture.