Communicating With God:
How To Talk To God
Today we are continuing our series “Communicating With God.” Last week we looked at “How to Test the Voices You Hear” and we found that there are seven filters we can use to determine if the voices we hear are from God. Two weeks ago we looked at “How To Recognize God’s Voice” and we found that God speaks through The Bible, through Fellow Believers and through Our Thoughts. Three weeks ago we looked at “How To Listen To God’s Voice.” We learned that listening is vital if we are to be “Doers of the Word”. We must be receptive to God’s Word. We must be like good soil if we are to be productive for God. This week we are going to look at “How To Talk To God”.
Let’s look at Matthew 6:31-32:
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Matthew 6:31-32 (NKJV)
The first insight about talking to God is to:
1. Talk to Him about your DAILY LIFE.
What is amazing about this verse is that this verse shows me that God is concerned about every detail in my life. Notice that this verse talks about – what I eat – what I drink – what I wear. God is concerned with all of that and more! Every little detail in my life God is concerned about. The verse says that God already knows what are needs are. God is aware that we all need food, something to drink and clothes to wear. He knows all the items that I need to survive. Does that mean that we should not pray about them? No way. In fact just a few verses earlier Jesus instructs us to pray for these things when He said, “Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) God expects us to pray for our basic needs and we are to pray daily for them. God is concerned about each and every detail of our lives.
God does not expect us to panic about life – He expects us to pray about our lives. But when we pray about it we are to trust God to take care of it.
Have you ever thought about this: Did you know that lilies don’t worry about how beautiful they are? Have you ever given it much thought? Have any of you ever heard a flower ask you if they were beautiful? I haven’t! But I know this – flowers need certain things to become beautiful. They have basic needs to survive. They need water. They need sunshine. They need a healthy root system and if they don’t have healthy roots – they don’t survive.
Let me ask you – do you have a healthy root system? Do you talk to God daily to get the nourishment that you need to be spiritually healthy? God wants us to talk to Him and He wants to talk to you. But some say, “But I don’t know what to talk about.” Here’s the key, start talking about the everyday things of life. Thank Him for the food on your table. Thank Him for the clothes on your back. Thank Him for the roof over you head. Thank Him for the things you sometimes overlook – the air you breathe, the ability to see colors, the ability to touch, the ability to taste food.
I am really thankful for the ability to taste food aren’t you? Some of you may not know it but around our house I do most of the cooking because of work schedules. I do alright at cooking but the other day Cathy cooked dinner. It was great. She cooks much better than I do. She fixed sour cream chicken enchiladas. I am SO glad that God has given me the ability to taste food – aren’t you. But even more then that I am so glad that God has made us with the ability to have relationships with one another and with Him. Thank God for the everyday things. Talk to Him about the simple pleasures of life because He cares about every detail of your life.
2. Talk to Him about SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
Look with me at Luke 11:
"Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ’Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ’Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Luke 11:5-9 (NKJV)
When you’re looking for a specific thing – make a specific request. Look at the verse we just read. Was there a specific request made? You bet. It says he was asking for three loaves. He knew what he wanted and he knew how much he needed. When we come before God with a specific situation bring a specific request.
I heard the story of a little boy who had misbehaved and was sent to his room. After a while the little boy came out and informed his mother that he had thought about what he had done and that he had said a prayer. The mother said, “That’s wonderful. If you ask God for forgiveness and to help you not to misbehave again – I’m sure He will forgive you and help you in the future.” The little boy said, “Oh, I didn’t ask Him to forgive me or to help me in the future. I asked Him to help you put up with me.”
Did you know that prayer has never been a lopsided conversation? Prayer is not a wish list. The Bible tells us that God already knows what you have need of before you even ask (Matthew 6:8)– and He already has an answer for you. I can tell you what His answer to your prayers are going to be. God answers prayers in three ways. Do you know what they are? God will answer, “Yes – No – or Wait.” When you get a “wait” answer – keep on praying - keep knocking on the door. Isn’t that what Luke 11:9 tells us to do?
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Ask in boldness. Ask specifically. Ask persistently. But keep on asking.
3. Talk to Him about SPIRITUAL WISDOM.
How many of you want spiritual wisdom? How many of you want to wise when it comes to spiritual matters? Have you ever asked God for wisdom? If you haven’t asked God for wisdom – why not? Look at what James says:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NKJV)
I could always use more wisdom - how about you? Did you know that God wants you to be wise? He wants you to be successful. He wants you to be productive. He wants you to use your head. He doesn’t want you to be stupid or ignorant. I like the way the Message Bible puts it.
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help” James 1:5 (MSG)
If you don’t know what you’re doing – ask God for help. I can tell you there are lots of times I have prayed this prayer. “Father, I don’t know what to say – help me out.”
Have any of you had this situation. You’re working on something and you lay a part down on the ground and when you go to pick up the part it’s gone. Some how the hide and seek fairy has come and hidden the part on you. You just can’t find that part – it’s gone. I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed this prayer either, “Father, help me find the part.”
Or what about if you have a decision to make and you just don’t know what to do. I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed this prayer, “Father, give me wisdom because I just don’t know what to do.”
God wants to help us. He wants to give us wisdom and the Bible tells us we need to ask for it.
4. Talk to Him in FAITH.
Here is a real important fact. God wants you to talk to Him but you need to do it in faith.
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 (NKJV)
Do you believe that God exists? If you don’t He’s not going to answer you. Do you believe that God can hear you? If you don’t He won’t listen. The Bible says:
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
Circle the words “must believe”. If you don’t believe in Him you won’t find Him. And if you can’t find Him – He won’t talk to you. God is more then willing to talk to you, in fact He wants to talk to you, but you must have faith in Him to communicate with Him. When you expect God to answer your prayer then you are really praying.
There is a scene in the movie “Facing The Giants” that talks about faith. Coach Taylor in the movie is disappointed and discouraged. His world is falling apart. His car needs a new battery, there is something in his house that stinks, the team that he coaches just keeps loosing and he finds out that he is incapable of having children. He has pretty much lost his faith. An older wiser Christian gentleman by the name of Mr. Bridges comes to give Coach Taylor some words of encouragement. Coach Taylor asks Mr. Bridges if he thinks God still answers prayers. The older gentleman tells this modern day parable. “Two farmers desperately needed rain. Both of them prayed for rain but only one of them went out to prepare the fields to receive rain.” The older gentleman asks the coach, “Which one of the two farmers do you think trusted God – the farmer who just prayed and did nothing about it, or the farmer who prayed and then prepared his field?” The coach answer, “I suppose the one who prayed and then prepared his field.” The coach was then asked, “Which farmer are you?”
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Prayer:
“Father this day may we talk to You. May we talk to you about our every day needs. May we talk to about our special needs. May we talk to You and ask You to bless us with insight and wisdom so that we may successful in this world. And may we talk to you in faith – believing that You are more then capable to supply all our needs. Amen.”
