Heb 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear His voice,
Heb 3:8 do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness,

Heb 3:15 while it is said, “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.”

Heb 4:7 He again marks out a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” (after so long a time). Even as it is said, “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

The same thing is repeated three times in succession, and then he is only quoting King David.

PLAINLY PUT, IF WE WISH TO HEAR GOD THEN WE MUST SOFTEN OUR HEARTS TO HIS VOICE INSIDE US.
Our conscience is the inner ear we need to learn to follow more that any other religious activity.

Many years ago, I had occasion to talk in depth to a very troublesome young man (Mike) who worked for my business. He was very anti Church and anti Christian. They were far too wimpish for such a strong character as Mike was. I had to agree!

I was testifying to the fact that we had got where we were in the business (that paid his wages) because of listening and doing what God had said. I was able to be quite specific over some things which he clearly knew about.

As he sat talking with me in my office, Mike suddenly asked, “ok then how do you know when God is speaking to you”?

This question is a troublesome one for many Christians, let alone a non-christian. For a moment I was stumped, and sat back silently crying out to God in my spirit, for very quick help that would be crystal clear to the Mike.
Just as quickly as he had asked me, the answer became clear.
“Mike, you know when your’e in some place, where you didn’t ought to be, doing something you didn’t ought to be doing, (in his case frequently) and there is a very small voice inside saying MIKE,- you didn’t ought to be here, and you certainly didn’t ought to be doing this.”

He looked at, me grinning sheepishly. “Of course I have, who hasn’t.”

“Well imagine that same voice saying,–this is the way, walk with me.”

His look of recognition said it all. “Now I understand.”

I challenged him to start asking God to help him understand a little more, and to give him some direction. I did, however, tell him that he had to recognise that if God was God, and Mike a created being, then he had to be a bit soft in his heart towards God otherwise he would never hear through his arrogance and anger. This was all ok and understandable to Mike and he agreed willingly.

He was curious, and the curiosity got him past the resentment of God, Church and Christians.
A few days later he came into work whistling and singing cheerfully, quite an out of character occurance. One of my guys, a believer, asked what was going on. “Just talking to God, just talking to God,” was all he said.

One day he came in saying that God was talking to him about a difficult situation at home with his girlfriend with whom he lived. He was being challenged to do something well out of character to resolve a family issue which had pained her for years. He had said to God, that doesn’t sound like my thinking, and you know I’ll probably forget it, so God, if that’s your thoughts then remind me about it again on the way home tonight.
God did remind him, and Mike did what God said and saw a miracle reconciliation in his girlfriend’s family. Mike was very impressed with God.
Mike still didn’t want church, he had found God though and carried on dialoguing with Him until he left the company.
One man plants, another waters. I have no idea what became of him, but the transformation in a young man who had never had a father, into one who knew the Father was worth every moment.
I had to totally drop the typical “churchy” gospel, to speak revelation that went straight to his heart.