“The Two-Way Street”

God Communicates With Us.

February 18, 2007.  Pastor Matt

John 10:1-11

We can talk to God and He can talk to us.  What kind of friendship do you have if you don’t talk to each other?

Sheep                   - believers- can’t hear God unless you are a believer

Shepherd    - (7) Jesus (Psalm 23)

Gate           - (11) Jesus. Only entrance to the pen and heaven. The Cross.

My goal is for you to be able to walk away from today understanding how we can Hear God’s voice.  How do we know it is Him who is talking to us.

(3) the sheep listen to his voice

The sheep want to hear His voice

(5) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

They want to be directed by Him and be kept away from the wolf, the one who wants to destroy us!

(7-10)

Listening to anyone but the Good Shepherd can only lead to a life of loss, death, and destruction!

Listening to God and following His voice can lead to quality life, real living, abundant living!

So, How do we hear the voice of God? 

I believe there is a progression…

1.  We recognize His existence

Psalm 19:1-4a;

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Romans 1:17-21. 

17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."  18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

The snow is God’s way of reminding humans that we are not in charge.  Deer.  Water.

2. We become familiar with His voice by becoming familiar with his Writings

-         It’s in black and white

Romans 10:17.  Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16-17.  16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

There is only one source of Truth.  There is only one way we can know for sure God is speaking to us.  Check it out in the Bible.  Your feelings, friends, books, TV, and even can mislead you

Dr. Phil does not have the edge on the Truth

The Bible is the measuring stick for everything you think you are hearing from God

When in doubt, go to the Scriptures

3. He speaks from within

John 14:23-26. 

23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.   25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit is a gift given to us a the moment we surrender our life to Jesus. 

He is always there within us, ready to speak, ready to listen

16: 12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

The Holy Spirit is our direct Connection with God! 

With Him there is never a dropped call!

PLAY CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW VIDEO

EXERCISE IN HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD:

Get quite.  Ask God, “Do you love me?”

Ask Him why He loves you.

Closing prayer