One of the stars on the program is Sharon Stone, who is a lawyer. But she is different from all the other lawyers in the firm in which she works because she occasionally talks about God talking to her. When she does this, everyone looks at her as if she is some kind of a nut that should be institutionalized.
But at the risk of sounding like a nut myself, I want to align myself with her by saying I also believe God speaks to us.
There are many today who do not believe God still talks to men. They say He speaks only through His Word, that is, all God ever wants or needs to say is locked up in the canon of the Scriptures.
I believe that wholeheartedly! But I also believe God still speaks to us today, but let me hastily say, God will never speak a word contrary to what the Scripture teaches.
If anyone tells you that he has received a message that can not be found in the scriptures, you need to get away from them as fast as possible. God will never speak to us about anything that can not be supported by the scriptures. NEVER!
The Word of God teaches us that God speaks to us at different times in different ways. For example:
• Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days (We live in the last days) spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”
• God spoke to Saul on the road to Damascus. Look at Acts 9:3-4, we read, “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"
• Paul said before King Agrippa, “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.”
• Peter heard and obeyed the voice of God. In prayer, he heard God speak: "And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.”
The Lord Jesus is still talking to His children! He said His sheep know His voice and they will not heed another voice.
I showed you in a previous sermon that:
I. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH PRAYER
II. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
But also He speaks to us in other ways, such as:
III. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES
A good case of this is in the Book of Jonah. Look at Jonah 1:1-2, we read, “ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”
These two verses of scripture tell us a great deal about Jonah.
• God spoke to him
• God told him where to go, Nineveh, that great city
• God told him to cry out against it for their wickedness
But Jonah, instead of obeying God, went just the opposite way.
There are folks who say, “If God were to speak to me verbally, I would do whatever he asked me to do!” But notice, God spoke to Jonah and he did the opposite of what God told him to do.
God spoke to him and he did not get the message until God SPOKE TO HIM THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES!
Jonah knew…
• When the wind began to blow
• When the waves began to rage
• When the ship was about to sink
…he had better listen to God.
Listen, God knows there are folks that He must speak to through circumstance in order to get their attention.
• Sometimes God has to remove a loved one out of their life
• Sometimes God has to snatch their security blankets away from them and they lose their job or life savings
• Sometimes God has to send a sickness
I want to tell you that no matter how big you might think you are, GOD CAN SPEAK TO YOU AND GET YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION!
When they wanted to know who on the ship had brought the curse of God on them, JONAH KNEW GOD HAD HIS NUMBER.
God speaks to us through PRAYER, HIS WORD, and CIRCUMSTANCES. Also -
IV. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH FRIENDS
Some children in school were asked to share with other students some things they learned over the school year. The teacher thought these things might keep the other students from making the same mistakes.
• Patrick, age 10, suggested, “Never trust a dog to watch your food."
• Hannah, 9: “When your dad is mad and asks you, 'Do I look stupid?' don't answer."
• Michael, 14: "Never tell your mom her diet's not working.”
• Randy, 9: "Stay away from prunes."
• Robert, 13: "Never urinate on an electric fence."
• Charles , 13: "Don't squat with your spurs on."
• Taylia, 11: "When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair."
• Mitchell, 12: "Don't sneeze in front of mum when you're eating crackers."
• Andrew, 9: "Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a Tic-Tac."
• Corky , 9: "Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time."
• Armir, 9: "You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk."
• Kellie, 11: "Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts."
• Naomi, 15: "If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.”
• Lauren, 9: "Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick."
• Joel, 10: "Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat."
• Alyesha, 13: "When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone."
• Eileen, 8: "Never try to baptize a cat."
Sometimes the best advice we can get is from a friend. That is, sometimes God can use them to SPEAK to us!
But there is a CAUTION HERE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND! Something we hear among Christians is the common phrase, "God told me!" Listen, God gets the blame for telling people all kinds of things, when God never told them anything.
Illus: Many look at ministers the same way they look at doctors. If one doctor says you have a serious problem, and another says you have no problem….guess which one they are going to go with! You got it!
If you trust any of these voices without comparing them with God's Word, you will be led astray! These are people who live their life by:
• Feelings
• Voices
• Desires
Our friends are not infallible and every word from them is not necessarily from God!
God speaks to us through PRAYER, HIS WORD, CIRCUMSTANCES and FRIENDS. Also -
V. GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH THE PASTOR
But there is another CAUTION that must be given here also. There are religious groups that teach that the man of God is above the Word of God. For example:
(1) THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE.
Roman Catholics have attempted to base their reasoning on the words of Christ to Peter (whom they claim to be the first Pope) in Matthew 16:18: "I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." However, there is not one word here with regard to the Pope or infallibility. But in the same chapter, Peter is proved most fallible indeed. Immediately after the promise he fell into error, rebuking Christ as He spoke of the necessity of His death (Matthew 16:21-23).
The Pope is not above the Word of God.
(2) THE MORMON CHURCH TEACHES INFALLIBILITY
While the Mormons deny they teach infallibility, it is not difficult to prove they do.
The church teaches (and most faithful members believe) that the leaders of the church are "prophets, seers, and revelators," and that the church is directed by revelation from God.
Joseph Smith recorded more than a hundred revelations and visions in 15 years (1829 to 1843). Most of these are published in Doctrine and Covenants, one of the books of canonized LDS scripture.
Between the two of them, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, the third and fourth presidents of the church, recorded at least 14 revelations and visions in 13 years (1877 to 1889). These have been published in a book compiled by Fred Collier (Unpublished Revelations, 1979).
The doctrine of infallibility is clearly taught in the LDS Church, but the word itself is carefully avoided. The reason? For members of the LDS church to use the word "infallible" to describe their president would implicitly put the LDS church in the same position as the LDS view of the Catholic church, that is, a church in a condition of apostasy.
Ezra Benson, when he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve but before he became church president, taught the doctrine of infallibility with these words:
"Some lesser men . . . ignorantly or otherwise, [may] use their office to promote false counsel . . . [or] to persuade us that all is well in Zion . . . [but] the Lord will never permit his Prophet to lead this Church astray" (Conference Report, October 1966, p. 123).
President Brigham Young, in 1862, said:
“The Lord Almighty leads this Church, and he will never suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your duty. You may go home and sleep as sweetly as a babe in its mother's arms, as to any danger of your leaders leading you astray, for if they should try to do so the Lord would quickly sweep them from the earth.” (Journal of Discourses 9: 289).
But listen, this CAUTION does not just apply to the Catholics and Mormons, it also applies to men and women across this nation that are standing before millions saying, “Thus saith the Lord,” when God’s Word never said such a thing.
I want to repeat something I said earlier in this message, “I still believe God speaks to Believers.”
But the Word of God today is COMPLETE, God has said everything He wants to say in this Bible, and in the New Testament God calls and anoints men to PREACH THE WORD!
God spoke three times before Eli told the boy Samuel that God was speaking to him. He told him the next time he heard the voice, say, “Speak, For Thy Servant Heareth.”
Is the Lord trying to speak to you?
Conclusion:
(Part #1)
I. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH PRAYER
II. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
(Part #2)
III. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES
IV. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH FRIENDS
V. HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH THE PASTOR
He is speaking….CAN YOU HEAR HIM?
