Jiminy Cricket Part 1 Series

Jiminy Cricket - part 1

Thesis: We need to know the difference between God’s voice, Satan’s voice, our own voice, and others voices. It is a matter of life and death. One voice brings life, resurrection, peace and the others bring death, destruction, and chaos.

Illustration- Pinocchio clip

Introduction:

We must be able to distinguish right from wrong! Each of us has been given a conscience by the Lord to guide us. This still small voice will guide us correctly if we listen! Pinnocchio always got into trouble by not listening to his God given conscience Jiminy Cricket! How about you? Do you listen to His voice or other voices?

There are many voices fighting over control of your mind, your will, your conscience. Some of them scream at you to do this and that. Others are more quiet and gentle. But how do you know which one is the right voice? How do you know that you have correctly listened to the right voice? Especially in those tough decisions?

The Battle is on for you mind whether you want to believe it or not. LaHaye states:

While each generation has to face its own challenges (Acts 13:36), the ideas and beliefs battling for the minds of every generation have much in common. Each generation has to decide if Christ is superior to Nietzsche; if God is smarter than Plato; if freedom is better than totalitarianism; if private property is superior to socialism; if creationism is superior to evolution; if purpose and design are superior to chance; if truth is better than falsehood; if beauty is better than ugliness; if love is better than hate; if good is better evil; if right is better than wrong; if heaven is better than Hell; if moral absolutes are better than moral relativism; if adoption is better than abortion; if self-control is better than licentiousness; if individual responsibility is better than victimization; if patriotism is better than globalism (38).

The Christian is obligated to bring all these voices to Christ for insight and enlightenment. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2:

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. (NLT)

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you (The Message).

The truth is this, what voice you listen too and respond too is the one that will give you life or death, curses or blessing, chaos or peace, success or failure, the list could go on but it will effect you! LaHaye gives us this warning, “The Philosophy of life that you adopt on the basis of what you have programmed into your mind through your reason, your senses, and your study determines the way you look at life. (These are some of the voices we are talking about)! Whether we call this a worldview or simply the way we perceive life, nothing but life itself is more important. It will affect your morals, work drive, integrity, and life investment”(46,47) Plus hundreds of other areas of our lives. The voices you adhere too will determine your destiny. So what voices are winning the battle for your mind?

T.S.- Let’s examine the different voices battling over you mind, battling over your will, battling over your life, battling over you soul, spirit and body.

I. The first voice is God’s voice.

a. Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:20-22 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (NIV).

i. We have a promise – a promise that will not be broken. It’s really a guarantee! Here it is in plain language, “Listen to my voice and at the end of your life on earth you will come to Heaven and you will sit with me on my throne.”