Hearing from God
April 7, 2013 Evening Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point:
Focus Passage: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Introduction: Relate personal story of receiving mail from home while overseas.
I. To Hear from God We Must Know God
a. It is true that God speaks to unbelievers, but only what is necessary to get them to know Him
b. Millions of people pray, but pray to a false god
c. God’s children know His voice; unbelievers sometimes think they do
d. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. "I and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30 NASB)
II. To Hear from God Must Be Right with God
a. Our unconfessed sin in prayer is like static in a radio
b. When we are right with God, we will hear from Him; we are “tuned in”
c. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 NASB)
III. To Hear from God Must Be Right with Others
a. Our relationship with other people matters to God
b. "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. (Matthew 5:21-24 NASB)
Invitation:
