FaceTime with God: Listening to God

This powerful message takes us on a journey from the Jordan River to the Sea of Galilee, exploring the paradox of a God who speaks to massive crowds yet knows each of us intimately by name. We encounter Jesus at a pivotal moment—John the Baptist has been arrested, and rather than retreating, Jesus launches forward into ministry with urgency, proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The text from Matthew 4 shows us crowds gathering from every direction—from Galilee to Syria, from Jerusalem to beyond the Jordan—all drawn to witness healings, deliverances, and teaching unlike anything they'd experienced. Yet within this viral movement, we discover something profoundly personal: Jesus doesn't heal 'the paralytics' as a group; he heals each paralytic individually, looking them in the face, knowing them as only their Creator could. This dual reality challenges us to hold two truths simultaneously—God loves the world (John 3:16), and God loves me specifically. When we're sitting alone in the cold, afraid and wondering if God sees us, we're invited into what the Psalms model: crying out 'seek my face' and hearing God respond 'your face, Lord, do I seek.' This isn't just comfort for today; it's assurance of a future God has already prepared, where Jesus remains victorious over every attack that comes against us.