A. INTRODUCTION
“Did you know that God sings? That He works? Or that He cries? God does many things that you may not have thought about before. But the more you know about Him, the better you can respond to Him. God gets jealous, angry and He smiles. God smells pleasant aromas, collects tears in a bottle, and waits. God can have wax in His ears (your sin) and He has unknowable secrets. But most of all God thinks about you, and God has a wonderful plan for your life. Will you learn as much as possible? _________ Will you love Him as much as you can? ________ Will you let this lesson change you? _________
B. GOD WHISPERS – 1 KINGS 19:11-12 (PAGE 61)
1. Why do some whisper? (a) To keep secrets, (b) to get attention, (c) because the message is soft, (d) so people will understand because yelling blurs, (e) so the listener will stop.
2. God whispered to show His gentleness. “Go out and stand before me on the mountain, the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper” (1Kings 19:11-12, NLT).
3. Elijah had run from God . . . across Israel . . . across Judah . . . across the desert . . . then prayed, “I alone am left, and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:11). God whispered because He already had Elijah’s attention.
4. God wanted to stop Elijah; maybe He wants to stop you.
5. If you think God is not talking to you, maybe He’s whispering, so you __________________ ___________________________________________________________________________.
C. GOD WHISTLES – ISAIAH 5:26 AMPLIFIED (PAGE 105)
1. Why do people whistle? (a) A signal, (b) to attract, (c) to communicate, (d) to call.
2. At the end of time God will whistle for the sons of Abraham (Israel) to come home to the Promise Land. “He . . . will whistle to His people who are at the ends of the earth” (Isa. 5:26, AMP).
3. A picture of a shepherd calling his sheep. “Jesus the Shepherd calleth His own sheep by name” (John 10:3).
4. God’s whistle tells three things. (a) God keeps His promises, i.e., He promised the land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Ezekiel, (b) God will bring saved Jews home to peace and security, (c) God’s whistle means it’s the end of time.
5. We don’t wait for a whistle but for a shout. “For the Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout” (1 Thess. 4:16 ff).
6. Are you waiting and listening?
D. GOD ANGUISHES – LUKE 22:44 AMPLIFIED (PAGE 109)
1. To anguish is one of the most desperate emotions. Webster, “extreme pain, or distress to body and mind.”
2. Why did Jesus anguish? “Jesus, being in agony, He anguished in prayer and great drops of blood, as sweat, fell to the ground” (Luke 22:44, AMP). Jesus was interceding over the souls of the lost.
3. What was the exact cause of His anguish? “Let this cup pass from Me” (Matt. 26:34). The cup was filled with the sins of the world. The Father made Christ, “to be sin for us, who knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). This is substitution.
4. Why did Jesus’ heart cry in anguishment? He knew more than physical death awaited Him. Jesus had to suffer the eternal punishment of hell in those few hours on the cross.
E. GOD SMILES – LEVITICUS 6:24-26, LB
1. Why do people smile? (a) To approve, (b) to be caught by surprise, (c) happiness, (d) timid, (e) smugness.
2. Why is the Mona Lisa’s smile so alluring? ___________________________________________.
3. God is never caught by surprise, and is never smug. Notice His smile of approval. “May the Lord bless and protect you, may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may He be gracious to you, show you His favor, and give you His peace” (Num. 6:24-26, LB).
4. What have you done to please God? Salvation.
5. What could you do to get more of God’s smiles? Dedicate more to Him.
6. When God smiles, I know He is happy with me.
F. GOD FROWNS – JEREMIAH 3:12, ELT (PAGE 133)
1. Why do people frown? (a) Unhappy, (b) uncomfortable or hurting, (c) someone displeases you, (d) disapproval by person, (e) concentration (do you have to think to frown?)
2. Why had God frowned on Israel? ‘Come back to me, Israel,’ announces the Lord, ‘I will frown on you no longer’” (Jer. 3:12). Sin.
3. God had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, did miracles in the desert, given them the land and defeated her enemies. Israel did three things; (a) turned her back on God, (b) adultery with heathen, (c) worshiped idols.
4. When David sinned, “The thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (2 Sam. 11:27). Even those closest to God can make God frown. David was “a man after God’s own heart.”
5. How do you turn a frowning God into a smiling God? (a) Show sorrow for sin – attitude, (b) repent, actions, (c) come back wholly to God, positive, (d) worship, it’s all about Him!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc. Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com.
