Today – We Will Refocus on the Series Derived from the Questions that Were Submitted by YOU
Looked at Salvation...Trinity...
TODAY – KNOWING GOD (HIs Will & Voice)
How He leads...Does he lead...
How far is God into that leading?
QUESTIONS
Scripture
Ps. 23
PRAY
I. Can I Know God’s Will
1982/3 – Found me in Tennessee attending college...
At a revival I gave my life to Christ...
I didn’t follow through with my commitment...
1985 – Found me in Great Bridge giving my life to Christ again - this time for good...
1991 – I was able to begin our church - FAM.
Funny thing is – I knew I was called into Ministry the very week after being saved...
It’s not that I knew "God’s Voice" as some would claim...Or that I was special – I JUST KNEW in my knower...
I Believe that God’s Will in 1982 & 1985 were the SAME – for me to pastor FAM
Over the PAST 16 Years – I have (Shawn & I) Sought to KNOW God’s Will for Our lives in MANY Instances...
AND Have Found His WILL...
His Voice...Insight...Spirit...& MORE
AT the SAME time – I haven’t Gotten up Every Day – Asking God to Tell me what to eat...Where to Shop...
Yet I Believe that He has Guided me in these very issues more than once.
I’m Saying – To Know God’s Will There has to be –
A VOICE (God’s WILL) that Guides me & an INTENT on my part to FOLLOW
PROBLEM is –
We don’t Understand how to Process that in to OUR lives – Functional...Working Truth...
KNOW THIS –
God Created YOU & Therefore He Knows Best How to:
Speak With You.
Guide You.
IN knowing God’s will:
1. Problems Abound
In the Church (Christians)
There are 3 Schools of Thought
· Constants – They seek God 24/7 for every piece of their life. They claim that God does call every shot in their life.
· Casuals – They Seek God on Special Occasions
Looking for a WORD on something.
· Care-LESS – They take it as it comes – seeing God as in Complete control or not really caring enough to find out
They aren’t sure that God will or does lead a person’s life...
TRUTH is Hearing God is a Dangerous Concept – Too often it’s used at times to keep people from asking...challenging...
Or it’s an idea that seems bigger than most
2 Questions
What if we are created to know God & his will for our life?
Isn’t living without it more dangerous?
Bible makes it clear that God is the Initiator of this Concept & is therefore More Interested in it than we typically are.
Therefore We can Expect it to be something that HE PURSUES & HELPS US UNDERSTAND
Why?
We will live & die on our own beliefs...Concepts...Faith...Insights...
Though at times God will transcend them – we will bring ourselves back into what we feel...believe...accept...
God will always be interested in us moving to different levels in understanding with him. –
Because he wants us to Experience our destiny – his presence...voice...direction...love...
NOTE – Hearing God is BUT 1 Piece of a Multi Faceted Relationship. Like any other relationship that you have – the speaking is but 1 small part of it.
You see – Hearing God can be void of knowing God.
i.e. We can hear God & not know Him. We can hear him & not listen to him. We can know God’s will & not be in it
2. There are also Personal Challenges to Hearing God
A FEW Problems relative to hearing God
· I can’t hear God
We see ourselves (or others) as inferior...Weak...Lacking...
This tends to Divide people without saying so...Truth is - God Spoke to ME LONG before I was ever Saved.
· Bible Roulette
Opening the Bible & just stick your finger on the page & you’ll know God’s will...
· It’s God’s Will
We take everything that comes our way as God’s Will. Forgetting that often we get to play a role into things LONG before they go south
· It’s Not for me
Again – seeing yourself as not one of "them"...
SCRIPTURE
Jn. 10:4 Sheep follow him for they know his voice...
We learn voices by Relationship
I know my children’s voices - even in a crowd.
Dan. 11:32 The people that KNOW their God shall be strong & do exploits...
Confidence comes from the VOICE that Comes from KNOWING the SPEAKER
Ps. 23 The Lord is MY shepherd – I shall not want...He makes ME to lie down in green pastures. He leads ME beside still waters. He restores MY soul. He leads ME in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. Yea – though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil – for you are with ME; your rod & staff comfort ME. You prepare a table before ME in the midst of MY enemies. You anoint MY head with oil and MY cup runs over. Surely goodness & mercy shall follow ME all the days of MY life & I will live in the house of the lord forever.
DAVID...
US...
????? I want to ask a question -
Are you sure that God has NEVER spoken to you?
????? Can you make sense of any friendship/relationship that you have that doesn’t involve speaking?
II. It’s More Than Words
The Relation that God calls us to has within it – far more than speaking...
AND Speaking MAKES LITTLE SENSE if there is not more to your relationship with God that his speaking.
When You read the Bible – you need to see yourself as part of the story - as though that could have happened with you being a part.
It could happen to you
You are that important
Failure to hear God has at its roots – a failure to understand, accept, & grow into a relationship with God that contains conversation.
Other aspects that bring God’s Will & Voice into Focus
Somewhat PREREQUISITE
1. His Presence
Recognizing that God does show up in your life...Home...Church...Job...Prayer Time...
Corporately – sense that somehow God orchestrates bigger things...
2. His Activity
At times when He does show up – usually something bigger than any person happens & God gets the credit
3. His Movement Among Humanity
A sense that you are operating with greater effectiveness than you are capable of. That the God that is WITH & IN you is somehow Blessing you beyond yourself
Prov. 20:27
The Spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
AGAIN remember that You have to play an active role in KNOWING God, His voice & His Will for your life
III. When God Speaks
6 means/methods emplyed by God in speaking to you...
A Phenomenon & a voice
A Messenger
Dreams & Visions
Voice Audibly
Human Voice
Still Small Voice
WHEN GOD SPEAKS
His Voice (WORD(S)) comes to us in 2 avenues
1. External
2. Internal
God will NOT
Micro manage you
Offer every piece of your life in the Bible
Impose it on you
BUT – GOD will SPEAK!
IV. IS IT GOD?
3 Fold Cord - that can be used to verify God
Circumstances
Impressions of the Spirit
Bible
In the Speaking
The WORDS Must be Considered
The CONTENT of those Words
The TONE of those Words
The INTENT of those Words
The Biblical Accuracy of those Words
The Perfect Will of God
If our lives conform to the general counsels of God’s word – then we are in God’s will. If, in addition, we have received & obeyed a Specific word concerning a particular matter – we are perfectly in God’s will for us relevant to that matter.
