"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." , Isaiah 55:9
Have you ever felt the subtle, persistent pull of the Spirit toward a task you simply didn't want to do? Have you ever sat in the quiet, knowing God was asking for your attention, yet found your mind wandering toward the trivialities of the day, the emails, the chores, the "other things" that suddenly seem so urgent? Why is it that when the Creator of the universe beckons us into a moment of sacred dialogue, our flesh recoils as if touched by a flame?
As we look back at this archival teaching from April 16, 2000, we find that the struggle to truly listen is not a modern malady born of smartphones and high-speed internet. It is an ancient condition of the human heart. Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M., originally penned these reflections to address a specific spiritual warfare: the battle between the "busy-ness" of the flesh and the quiet obedience of the soul.
The Firebrand of Emotional Devastation: Flesh vs. Spirit
We often think of spiritual warfare as a grand, cinematic battle, but more often, it is found in the simple resistance to sitting still. When God calls you to sit and write, or simply to sit and listen, the flesh reacts with a strange, frantic energy. We want to be anywhere but here. We want to do anything but this.
This resistance is a wolf cloaked in sheep’s clothing; it masquerades as "productivity" or "responsibility," but it is actually a distraction from the Light of God. We find ourselves caught in a logical dichotomy: we can either submit to the restlessness of our own desires, or we can choose the restorative power of the Divine through obedience. There is no middle ground. To delay is to deny. To distract ourselves is to starve the spirit while gorging the flesh on the "dirt in the vase" of worldly concerns.
The Profitless Hearing (Hebrews 4:2)
We must ask ourselves a difficult question: What are we actually doing with the truth we receive? Scripture warns us of a terrifying possibility: "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it" (Hebrews 4:2).
How often do we skim-read a devotional or half-listen to a message, treating the Word of God like a background melody rather than the very breath of life? We hear the sound, but we do not receive the substance. Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M., noted that many believers are "hearers" who lack the "mix of faith." Faith is the catalyst that turns information into transformation. Without it, the most profound theological teaching becomes nothing more than intellectual clutter.
The Disease of Forgetting: The Mirror of James
There is a spiritual disease that plagues the modern Church: the "disease of forgetting." We look into the perfect law of liberty, we see the reflection of who we are meant to be in Christ, and then we walk away and immediately forget (James 1:23-25).
Think of a man looking in a mirror. He sees a smudge of soot on his forehead, a "firebrand of emotional devastation" left by past sins or present worries. But instead of washing it away, he turns his back on the glass and proceeds as if he were clean. We do this every time we receive a teaching and fail to apply it. We move from point to point in our lives, from the next task to the next entertainment, while completely missing the "Point of Life."
Are we merely collectors of biblical facts? Or are we becoming the living epistles God intended? To avoid this "forgetting," we must move beyond the mind and begin to LISTEN WITH OUR HEARTS.
Missing the Manna: The Danger of Selective Feeding
The "enemy" loves to convince us that the spiritual food God has provided is "too dry" or "too difficult." We find ourselves passing by the rich, nourishing bread of Scripture to find something more "personally pleasing" elsewhere, perhaps a teaching that doesn't challenge our comfort or a message that affirms our current path rather than calling us to a higher one.
But behold, the Ways of God are higher than our ways. When He calls us to sit and write, He is offering us Manna. If we reject it because it doesn't fit our current "mood," we are choosing the poison of self-will over the Life of God.
A Word Study: "I’m Sorry" vs. "Please Forgive Me"
In providing practical depth to our spiritual walk, we must recognize the linguistic distinctions in how we approach God and others. There is a profound difference between saying "I’m sorry" and "Please forgive me."
- "I’m sorry" is often an emotional statement about how we feel, it is a declaration of our own regret.
- "Please forgive me" is an invitation to reconciliation. It acknowledges the debt and places the power in the hands of the other.
When we sit before God to write or pray, we are not just expressing regret for our distractions; we are seeking a restorative transaction. We are asking Him to clear the path so we can see Him clearly again.
Conclusion: The Call to Immediate Action
We cannot afford to be "skim-readers" of the Divine. The archive of 2000 reminds us that the call to sit and write is a call to focus, to discipline, and to deep communion. You must do something with the Word you have heard today. Do not let this message be another "profitless hearing."
LISTEN with your heart, not just your ears.
CHOOSE LIFE over the distractions of the flesh.
SIT in the presence of the Word until it takes root.
WRITE the truths God reveals upon the tablet of your soul.
Behold, the door is open. Will you sit and enter in?
© Anthony J. Massotti Th.M. 4/16/2000.
Deepen Your Study:
- Explore our Writings and Pastor's Corners for more archival teachings.
- Strengthen your foundation with our Statements of Faith.
- Watch our latest Biblical Truths video messages to continue your walk with Christ.
{“@type”:”BlogPosting”,”image”:”https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1499750310107-5fef28a66643?q=80&w=2070&auto=format&fit=crop”,”author”:{“name”:”Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti, Th.M.”,”@type”:”Person”},”@context”:”https://schema.org”,”headline”:”When God Calls You to Sit and Write: Lessons on Listening with the Heart (2000 Archive)”,”keywords”:”growing in faith, biblical teaching, theological teaching, spiritual growth resources, christian walk with christ”,”publisher”:{“url”:”https://presenceofthelordministriesusa.com/”,”name”:”Presence Of The Lord Ministries USA”,”@type”:”Organization”},”articleBody”:”Based on Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti Th.M.’s original 2000 archive piece. The struggle to listen to God is an ancient condition of the human heart…”,”description”:”A reflective look at Pastor Anthony Joseph Massotti Th.M.’s 2000 teaching on the internal struggle between flesh and spirit, and the call to listen with the heart.”,”datePublished”:”2026-07-04″}
