Listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit will always produce lasting fruit.  Sometimes we wonder whether or not listening to and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit really matters. Yet throughout our lives as we follow God we learn that every time we take steps to follow His voice we will be aligning ourselves with a plan that is much larger than we know. This is part of thegreatness of God who knows all things and can use us to touch lives that we never could without listening and obeying.  Just last week at a meeting for Convoy of Hope, the international response program for those in need, I met a new friend that I did not know but had a connection with.  Several years ago when we lived in Ohio we helped plant a church in a neighboring community.  The church's Pastor is a good man with an awesome heart for God and for people.  The church planted many years ago is still flourishing today, which brings me back to this new friend.  At the Convoy of Hope meeting we began to talk about our stories and found out that he had lived in Ohio in a small town where my wife had grown up.  After further discussion he mentioned that he had come to know Christ at the church that we helped plant many years before.  When the meeting ended he came up to me and said, " I just want to say thank you for impacting my life by obeying what God told you to do in helping to start that church."  Incredible and overwhelming, to see how a small step of obedience that began seventeen years ago produce fruit that is impacting so many others today.  I found out later that my new friend has become a major contributor to Convoy of Hope and has helped thousands of people all over the world.  How gracious God is to give us a small glimpse of His master plan.

So you see some times small steps of obedience of following the voice of the Holy Spirit have amazing results. We will not see all the fruit of our obedience in this life, but in Heaven we will celebrate with countless people who are there and loving the Lord because God produced lasting fruit through listening to and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

What way is God speaking to you today? Only God knows what lasting fruit will be produced by your next step of obedience.