How God Talks To You

How to hear God’s Voice

HOW GOD TALKS TO YOU - Part 2 of 4 - Job 33:14

Acknowledgement Rick Warren

o Today, we’re continuing our series on How to hear God’s Voice. Were looking specifically at how God talks to us.

o When I was a teenager, in April 1966 Time magazine came out with a cover story that said, "God is dead".

o The report said “Is God dead? It is a question that tantalizes both believers, who perhaps secretly fear that he is, and atheists, who possibly suspect that the answer is no (Article).”

o The next day the reporters asked Billy Graham “Is God dead, Dr. Graham?" He said "Are you kidding? I just talked to Him."

o You can talk to God. God wants to talk to you. The Bible says that God created you to hear Him, and talk back to Him. It’s nothing unusual. All of us can do it.

o In Job 33:14 "God does speak, sometimes one way and sometimes another, even though people may not understand it." He’s saying the problem is not that God isn’t talking. The problem is our receptions is bad or were not tuned in.

o God wants to communicate with us because we can’t have a relationship without communication.

HOW DOES GOD TALK TO US?

o God is not limited to any single way. The Bible has some spectacular ways; and I gave you a list last week from Henry Blackaby’s book

o God spoke through a burning bush. God spoke through a cloud. He often spoke through angels. One time He spoke through a pillar of fire. He even spoke to Balaam through a donkey.

o Today we’re going to identify the four most common ways that God speaks to us.

1. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH THE BIBLE. This is the number one way God speaks.

o The Bible is not just a good collection of wonderful thoughts or poems from people like Helen Steiner Rice (2nd Timothy 3:16-17)

o Circle "by inspiration". The word literally means in Greek, "God breathed." That means that the Bible is absolutely, totally reliable but it comes from the Spirit of God

o Count on God’s word to comfort you, guide you, and speak to you.

o But you must spend time in it; otherwise you will not hear from God.

o Establish a daily quiet time where you set down for 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes -- and you talk to God in prayer and you let God talk to you through His word.

o If you’re not doing that on a daily basis, you’re missing the number one way God wants to talk to you.

o Charles Stanley in his outstanding book ‘How to Listen to God’ wrote ‘it’s dangerous to attend church, listen to religious broadcasts and read Christian publications!’ It’s dangerous because Jesus said everyone who hears His truth and does not act upon it will be like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.’

o Remember this, if you’re not reading the Bible, your phone to God is off the hook. He’s getting the busy signal and He can’t get through to you.

o If I told you that tomorrow Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada wanted to meet with you at 7 a.m. downstairs, whatever you think of our Prime Minister, you’d get up and you’d go. When somebody that important wants to meet with you, you go. Even more important, God wants to meet with you tomorrow and you don’t even have to come to this building.

o You can sit down on a lawn chair on your deck with your coffee and Bible – God is waiting

o The Bible is a supernatural book

o It is God’s revelation to mankind

o It was given to selected people through the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit

o The Bible is authoritative and true in every respect

o Rejecting the Bible means rejecting the will of God for your life

o If you only read in periodically or when crisis hits your missing the messages from God to you

o There are many good translations today – the best is the Life Application Bible in the New International Version

o That will help you through the strange names and strange places and foreign words and customs that don’t make sense.

o Every car has an owner’s manual. If I read that owners’ manual and follow what it says, my car is going to last a whole lot longer.

o That is what the Bible does. Many of you are under stress because your not following what the Bible says to do

o For example, the Bible says a Christian should not marry someone who is not a Christian or believer