Bible – Bible Society in South Sudan

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Hearing the voice of God is a central theme throughout Scripture. From the gentle whisper to the thunderous proclamation, God’s voice guides, comforts, and instructs His people. Understanding how to hear His voice is crucial for anyone seeking to follow His will. Here are seven Bible verses that highlight the importance of hearing and recognizing God’s voice.

1. John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep and a shepherd to describe the relationship between Himself and His followers. Just as sheep recognize and respond to the voice of their shepherd, believers are called to recognize and follow the voice of Jesus. Hearing God’s voice is not just about recognition, but also about obedience. When we truly hear Him, we follow where He leads.

2. 1 Kings 19:11-12 – “And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”

God’s voice is not always found in the loud and dramatic. Instead, He often speaks in a “low whisper” or “still small voice.” Be still and quiet your hearts, creating space to hear the subtle yet profound voice of God. It teaches us that God often communicates in ways that require us to listen carefully and attentively.

3. Isaiah 30:21 – “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

God provides guidance, even in the midst of uncertainty. As we navigate life’s decisions, God’s voice directs us, showing us the right path. This promise of divine guidance encourages us to trust that God will speak to us when we need direction, leading us on the path He has set before us.

4. Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

In the busyness and noise of life, it can be challenging to discern God’s voice. However, by intentionally being still and acknowledging His sovereignty, we create an environment where we are more likely to hear Him speak. Stillness allows us to focus on God and tune in to His voice.

5. Hebrews 3:7-8 – “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness.’”

Hearing God’s voice requires not only listening but also being willing to act on what we hear. A hardened heart can prevent us from fully receiving God’s message and guidance. This verse calls us to be open and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

6. Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

We are encouraged to seek God actively, knowing that He desires to reveal deep and profound truths to us. It emphasizes the relational aspect of hearing God’s voice, where we engage in dialogue with Him, confident that He will respond.

7. Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Jesus stands at the door of our hearts, knocking and speaking. The invitation is clear: if we hear His voice and open the door, He will come in and fellowship with us. This verse highlights the personal and relational aspect of God’s communication, emphasizing that hearing His voice leads to deeper communion with Him.

Conclusion

Hearing the voice of God is a profound and essential part of the Christian life. These verses remind us that God speaks in various ways—sometimes in a whisper, sometimes in guidance, and always with a heart of love. To hear His voice, we must cultivate stillness, maintain a receptive heart, and be willing to respond in faith. As we do, we draw closer to God, following His lead and growing in our relationship with Him.

6. Lamentations 322-23 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Birthdays are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate life, reflect on our journey, and give thanks for the blessings we’ve received. The Bible offers numerous verses that can inspire and uplift us on these special occasions. Here are seven Bible verses that are perfect for celebrating birthdays:

1. Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

A birthday is a powerful reminder that God has a plan for each of us. As we celebrate another year of life, it’s comforting to know that our future is in His hands, filled with hope and promise.

2. Psalm 139:13-14

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Celebrating a birthday is a perfect time to reflect on the wonder of our creation and the love that God has for us.

3. Proverbs 9:11

“For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.”

Blessings come with living a life guided by wisdom. It encourages us to seek wisdom in our daily lives, promising that doing so will add to our days and enrich our years.

4. James 1:17

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Birthdays are a celebration of the gift of life, and this verse reminds us that every good thing we have comes from God. It’s an opportunity to give thanks for the blessings we’ve received over the past year.

5. Psalm 91:11

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”

As we celebrate birthdays, it’s reassuring to remember God’s promise of protection. This verse assures us that God watches over us and sends His angels to guard us in all our endeavors.

6. Lamentations 3:22-23

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Each birthday is a testament to His compassion and a new beginning filled with His mercy and love.

7. Philippians 1:6

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

We are encouraged to trust that God is continually working in our lives. Our birthdays are milestones in the journey He has set for us, and He will faithfully complete the good work He has begun in us.

Conclusion

Celebrating birthdays with these Bible verses can bring a deeper sense of meaning and gratitude to the occasion. Reflecting on God’s promises, His love, and His plans for our lives adds a spiritual dimension to our celebrations, reminding us of His presence and purpose in our journey. Happy Birthday!

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD. 2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. 3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? 5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.

6 ¶ The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7 And I said after she had done all these things , Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it . 8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. 11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

12 ¶ Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. 13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. 14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. 19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

20 ¶ Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD. 21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God. 22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God. 23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. 24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. 25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

Unfaithful Israel

1 The Lord says, “If a man divorces his wife, and she leaves him and becomes another man's wife, he cannot take her back again. This would completely defile the land. But, Israel, you have had many lovers, and now you want to return to me! 2 Look up at the hilltops. Is there any place where you have not acted like a prostitute? You waited for lovers along the roadside, as an Arab waits for victims in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution. 3 That is why the rains were held back, and the spring showers did not come. You even look like a prostitute; you have no shame.

4 “And now you say to me, ‘You are my father, and you have loved me ever since I was a child. 5 You won't always be angry; you won't be mad at me forever.’ Israel, that is what you said, but you did all the evil you could.”

Israel and Judah Must Repent

6 When Josiah was king, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what Israel, that unfaithful woman, has done? She has turned away from me, and on every high hill and under every green tree she has acted like a prostitute. 7 I thought that after she had done all this, she would surely return to me. But she did not return, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it all. 8 Judah also saw that I divorced Israel and sent her away because she had turned from me and had become a prostitute. But Judah, Israel's unfaithful sister, was not afraid. She too became a prostitute 9 and was not at all ashamed. She defiled the land, and she committed adultery by worshiping stones and trees. 10 And after all this, Judah, Israel's unfaithful sister, only pretended to return to me; she was not sincere. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

11 Then the Lord told me that, even though Israel had turned away from him, she had proved to be better than unfaithful Judah. 12 He told me to go and say to Israel, “Unfaithful Israel, come back to me. I am merciful and will not be angry; I will not be angry with you forever. 13 Only admit that you are guilty and that you have rebelled against the Lord, your God. Confess that under every green tree you have given your love to foreign gods and that you have not obeyed my commands. I, the Lord, have spoken.

14 “Unfaithful people, come back; you belong to me. I will take one of you from each town and two from each clan, and I will bring you back to Mount Zion. 15 I will give you rulers who obey me, and they will rule you with wisdom and understanding. 16 Then when you have become numerous in that land, people will no longer talk about my Covenant Box. They will no longer think about it or remember it; they will not even need it, nor will they make another one. 17 When that time comes, Jerusalem will be called ‘The Throne of the Lord,’ and all nations will gather there to worship me. They will no longer do what their stubborn and evil hearts tell them. 18 Israel will join with Judah, and together they will come from exile in the country in the north and will return to the land that I gave your ancestors as a permanent possession.”

The Idolatry of God's People

19 The Lord says,

“Israel, I wanted to accept you as my child

and give you a delightful land,

the most beautiful land in all the world.

I wanted you to call me father

and never again turn away from me.

20 But like an unfaithful wife,

you have not been faithful to me.

I, the Lord, have spoken.”

21 A noise is heard on the hilltops:

it is the people of Israel crying and pleading

because they have lived sinful lives

and have forgotten the Lord their God.

22 Return, all of you who have turned away from the Lord;

he will heal you and make you faithful.

You say, “Yes, we are coming to the Lord because he is our God. 23 We were not helped at all by our pagan worship on the hilltops. Help for Israel comes only from the Lord our God. 24 But the worship of Baal, the god of shame, has made us lose flocks and herds, sons and daughters—everything that our ancestors have worked for since ancient times. 25 We should lie down in shame and let our disgrace cover us. We and our ancestors have always sinned against the Lord our God; we have never obeyed his commands.”