God Still Speaks Today
I Samuel 3:1-10
In First Samuel we find the people of Israel have gone back to their old ways of being indifferent toward their Creator. Their leader at the time was the high priest, Eli, an old man whose eyesight has begun to go bad. Unless something changes Eli will turn his priestly leadership over to his ungodly, rebellious sons, Hophni, Phinehas.
As it turns out the hope of Israel was in the hand of a praying woman, Hannah. She was a regular visitor to the temple and spent most of her time praying. Her prayers focused upon praying for a son. She vowed to the Lord that if God answered her request she would give her son back to the Lord to serve him the rest of his life.
God answered her prayers and gave Hannah a son. She called her son “Samuel,” which means, “Asked of God.” Soon after her son was weaned she fulfilled her promise by giving Samuel to Eli to serve him in the Tabernacle.
I Samuel 3:1-4 we read: “Meanwhile, the boy Samuel was serving the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had just gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly, the Lord called out, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Yes,” Who is it?” He jumped up and ran to Eli. He woke up Eli and said, “Here I am. What do you need?”
Three times Samuel heard someone calling his name and each time he ran to Eli. The third time Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling Samuel so he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, “Yes, Lord, your servant is listening.”
We know that from the beginning of creator God spoke to various people. He spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God spoke to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Moses.
But does God still speak today? If God does speak today how does He speak? Have you heard God speaking lately?
When Samuel answered the Lord that he was listening God spoke to him and revealed to him what was about to happen. They were words of warning.
I Samuel 3:11-14 - “Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carryout all my threats against Eli and his family. I have warned him continually that judgment is coming for his family, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”
The next day Eli pressured Samuel to tell him the revelation form God. Samuel could have taken immediate action, but continued to allow his sons to go about their evil ways.
The main theme of this message is on “Listening to God speak”, but I want to take a sidebar on the theme and make a few comments about the importance of discipline in the home. Proverbs 23:13-14 “Don’t fail to correct your children. They won’t die if you span them. Physical discipline may well save them from death.”
Proverbs 19:18 “Discipline your children while there is still hope. If you don’t you will ruin their lives.” (NLT)
“Discipline your children while you shall have the chance; indulging them destroys them.” (Message)
Discipline correctly given is not brutal and harmful. Giving discipline when angry is not healthy. When discipline is given without restraint the result can damage a child’s heart and soul. Discipline is always given in love. Without any discipline there is no love.
In our family of with four children we found that each one needed different levels of discipline. When our children were young we found that a swat on their behind got their attention. As they got older taking away privileges were the most helpful. Setting up boundaries demonstrates a parent’s love.
Before applying discipline make sure you have the big picture. Consistency and follow-through are needed when applying discipline in the home.
Eli participated in his son’s behavior. He got fat from the food his sons had stolen form the altar. Eli excused himself from the sins of his sons while eating stolen meat from the altar.
Samuel heard God speak because he listened. God does speak, are you listening?
Prayer is as much about listening as it is about talking to God.
A.W. Tozer in his book, The Pursuit of God, explains the value of praying:
Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my
ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which
continually assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to You Lord, “Speak, for your is servant listening.” Let me get used to the sound of Your voice, speaking to my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Your voice, so its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be music of Your speaking Voice.
We learn how to listen to God by looking to Jesus as our Model.
Jesus did not debate the topic of prayer, he took for granted that prayer would be a vital part of the Christian’s life. In response to the disciple’ inquiry concerning prayer, Jesus did not say, “If you pray.” He said, “When you pray.” Jesus expects his followers to pray.
Jesus probably observed his Jewish tradition of praying in the morning at the time of burnt offering in the temple, in the afternoon when the daily sacrifice was offered, and in the evening when the temple gates were closed. Jesus made prayer a regular practice of his life.
Jesus often prayed alone in the early morning hours, Mark 1:35, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Jesus prayed alone at night, Luke 6:12, “One of those days Jesus went out into the hills to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”
40 members of the Willow Vale congregation are involved in prayer triplets. The Triplets are meeting once a week between now and Easter sharing and praying listening to God. What does God want to accomplish through the ministries of the WVCC. If you would like to be in a triplet sign the back of the welcome card, “Interested in Triplet.”
Jesus gives his blessing on prayer triplets: “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20
You have the opportunity to listen to many things: TV, Movies, Radio, CDS, Politicians on the News, or Gossip from others. The question is: “Will you take time to listen to God?”
Jesus spent much of His time listening to God. He prayed alone and he prayed in small groups. When Jesus spent time on the Mt. of Transfiguration he took Peter, James and John with him. When he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane he asked Peter, James and John to wait in prayer with Him.
There is great value in praying with 2 or 3 other people. Our natural drift is away from taking time to pray. A small prayer group encourages us to pray. Jesus told his disciples, “…that they should pray and not give up.” We get so busy we forget to take time to pray.
A husband’s wife was expecting a baby. His only child, a five year old, went to his dad and said, “Dad I want a baby brother. What can I do to help?” His dad was very perceptive and viewed this as an opportunity to teach his son about prayer. So he said to his son, “I tell you what! If you start praying that God will give you a baby brother, I guarantee that you will have a baby brother in just two months.” Obviously, Dad knew something that Johnny didn’t know.” So Johnny responded to the challenge by going to his bedroom early that night and praying that God would give him a baby brother.
Johnny prayed every night for one month. But he became skeptical and stopped praying.
Another month went by and Johnny’s mother went to the hospital. When she came home, the parents called Johnny into the bedroom to surprise him with his answer to prayer. Johnny walked into the bedroom not expecting to find anything. But thee was a huge bundle lying right next to his mother. His father pulled back the blanket and there were twins – two baby brothers.
Johnny’s dad looked at him and said:“ Now, aren’t you glad you prayed?” Johnny looked back at his dad and said, “Yes, but aren’t you glad I quit when I did.”
A small prayer groups helps to hold us accountable. Effective accountability is not coerced. Accountability is something I received from others that I ask to hold me accountable. Accountability is love in action. Ephesians 5:21, “Submit yourself t o one another.” In other words be accountable to one another.
Praying in a small group produces synergy. Synergy happens when we work together in teams and the outcome is greater than the sum of the parts. With synergy 2 + 2 equals more than 4! A fire of hot coals is much hotter than the individual heat of each coal when added up.
Two oxen of the same strength can each pull 4 tons alone, but together they can pull 22 tons. Two horses were tested in Germany. One horse could pull 8 tons and the other horse could pull 9 tons, but together they could pull 30 tons.
Geese know how to utilize teamwork. They fly in a V formation. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an up lift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation they whole flock add 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
Even so people with partners in prayer and small group accountability grow and mature more quickly because they go forward on the thrust of one another.
Geese honk from behind to encourage those who are up front to keep up their speed.
As Christians we fire the bright spots and accentuate the positive. We look for what is right about people and encourage them to go forward.
When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the V formation and another goose flies point goose.
Teams in ministry are the most effective way to carry out ministry. As teams share ministry individuals in ministry do not burn out from exhaustion.
When a goose gets sick or wounded and falls out of formation two other geese fall out with the goose and follow it to the ground to lend help and protection. They stay with the goose until it is able to fly or dies. Then they launch out to find another formation to join.
Partners in prayer stand by one another in good times and in bad times.
Jesus practiced a regular habit of prayer. As a Christ follower we will want to develop the discipline for regular prayer times. Without a definite time and place for prayer it is easy to drift into a life of prayerlessness.
Some of you who are at your best in the morning; like a Meadow Lark, will want to have your devotional time in the morning. Others of you who tend to be a night person like an owl, will chose to have your devotional time in the evening.
I personally prefer the morning like the Psalmist that prayed, “Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice: morning by morning, I lay requests before you and wait in expectation.”
Every January I tell you the value of using a prayer journal. If you are serious about using a prayer journal we provide you with one. I call the journal my Spiritual Life Journal. Every day there is assigned scripture. On a content page you record the date, the theme of the scripture you read. Your pick a verse or two from your reading to give your personal reflection on and then write a brief prayer related to the scripture you read. By following the Spiritual Life Journal you will read through the Bible in one year. Mark on the back of your welcome card if you are interested in receiving a Spiritual Life Journal.
We also provide a “Daily Bread” for every family in the Willow Vale Church. The “Daily Bread” is also a helpful tool to help you have a daily time of devotions.
God still speaks today, are you listening? God speaks to us as we pray in a group or individually. God also speaks through His Word.
God speaks to us today through His Word.
Hebrews 1:1-2 “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it.”
John 1:1 We read that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the Word.
When you read and study God’s Word Jesus is speaking to you. Are you listening?
There are several pre-requisites to listening to God speak:
1. You need to know when God is speaking and when other voices are speaking. If you have invited Jesus into your heart and life then you meet the first pre-requisite to listening to God.
2. When you have a regular time of studying and reading the Bible you are asking God to speak to you through His Word.
3. When you have a regular time of prayer you are asking God to speak to you and your heart is open to listening to what God has to say.
Let me suggest a practical way to focus your time of prayer. The prayer focus spells ACTS.
A-Adoration: Prayers of adoration are prayers of praise. You give adoration to God when you pray: “Lord you are wonderful. I praise your Holy name. I praise you for being the God you are.” You find many prayers of adoration in the book of Psalms.
C-Confession: We need to make confession because we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Before God will hear our prayers we must make confession of sin. God can only forgive sins that we confess.
T-Thanksgiving: Thank the Lord for all His blessings. The
Bible says we are to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this
is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thess. 5:18) You can
thank God for all the opportunities you have to enjoy life and
to serve Him.
S-Supplication: Pray for specific needs for you and your
family and others. Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about
anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Prayer is a spiritual discipline. When you least feel like praying you need to pray.
God is speaking. Let’s answer with Samuel, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
