John’s life was changed when he experienced God as the I AM on the island of Patmos. The old John was aggressive and violent, but after being on the island of Patmos John was not the same! When John heard the voices and saw the visions, he was awakened and he went out and practiced!
These days should be our time on the island of Patmos so that we can clearly know and experience the God who is. He especially needs to be the Word to us. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John1:1). Why did John begin his gospel in this way? It was because that was what impressed him on the island of Patmos. After being on the island of Patmos you no longer want to write about the genealogy of Jesus; you want to write about Jesus as an experience. This is a strange way to begin a gospel, but do you know what John wanted to show us by beginning in this way? He wanted to show that God is the beginning of all things. He needs to be the beginning in our lives, our actions and our going on.
Moses was not the only one whose life changed after having touched the God who is. Remember Samuel, he was born in an age when visions were not frequent, the word of God was very rare, and the priesthood was in degradation. But the Lord was able to count on a young person who was going to change the age. Samuel introduced reality to the children of Israel. What was his first experience? 1 Samuel 3:1-4 say, “And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. Now the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. And at that time Eli lay in his place, and his eyesight had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see. And the lamp of God had not yet gone out. And Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the Ark of God was. Then Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Here I am.”
The Lord needs to be able to count on us; we need to fulfill the Lord’s desire. Amen? Or are we going to wait for another hundred years for a new generation to be formed? NO! Whoever does not agree with this get up and say NO! Hallelujah!
Many times the Lord wants to speak to us, but because we fellowship with the Lord only occasionally, we can hardly hear His voice. There is too much traffic in our mind, (television, internet, pictures on multiply, videos, chat rooms) we have difficulty with our spiritual reception. Sometimes the Lord would like to speak with us, but because we rarely speak with God, when He does come, we are not clear about His speaking. Isn’t this true? Why? Because there is too much traffic in our minds, traffic from the TV programs, traffic from the internet, traffic from all those pictures on your multiply, and traffic from all your chats on your personal websites and friend networks. These all dull our spiritual senses so that we cannot detect when God is speaking with us. Do you understand? In Samuel’s case, there was no such traffic as this, but in your experience, what things have at times hindered you from hearing the Lord’s speaking? What things have hindered you from becoming a shining star?
We need to exercise discernment. The Lord called Samuel once, then the second time, then again the third time. Near Samuel was his serving one, but sometimes serving ones are a little blind. All of a sudden, a young person disappears into the washroom and the serving one does not even notice that the young person is no longer in the meeting. Then the Lord’s speaking is lost. The serving one becomes full of worry, is also not clear, and gives the wrong directions. “Go lay down my son, I did not call you.” Then on the third time, the light goes on. Verse 8 says, “Then Jehovah called Samuel again, the third time. And he rose up and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that it was Jehovah calling the boy.”
Serving ones, we must perceive when God is calling the young people. The God who is, is calling us; He wants to speak with the fathers, the young men, and the children so that they would become stars in the hand of the Lord. Verses 9-10 say, “And Eli said to Samuel, Go and lie down, and if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah; for Your servant is listening. And Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then Jehovah came and stood by and called as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant is listening.” Read this verse again, but in Samuel’s place put in your own name. The Lord’s speaking changed Samuel’s life. It also needs to change our own lives!
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