CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ?
May 22, 2005
Text: Numbers 22: 21-35
Introduction: Have you seen this guy on the verizon wireless commercials? How he goes all over the world asking “can you hear me now?"
Communication has become a big part of our lives today, it allows us to stay in touch with loved ones.
God has His own wireless service provider (the Holy Spirit) and He’s asking “can you hear me now”?
Sometimes we just don’t listen, or can’t hear.
Illustration: An old couple was sitting by the fireplace. He looked over at her, had a romantic thought, and said, “After fifty years, I’ve found you tried and true.”
The wife’s hearing wasn’t very good, so she said, “What?”
He repeated, “After fifty years, I’ve found you tried and true.”
To which she said “After fifty years, I’m tired of you too” (from sermoncentral.com)
We need to realize there is big danger in having a bad reception or ignoring the calls of God. Eternity is at stake!!
Background: Balaam, a man in the Bible who had bad reception and didn’t listen to good.
Balaam was asked to curse…,God said no, Balaam went anyway (because of money) and it almost cost him his life.
Text: Numbers 22: 21-35
T.S. We all need hear and obey God when He speaks to our hearts
I. DO YOU HAVE A SIGNAL ?
A. Do I have service? (salvation)
1. Do you have a contract ? “covenant with God” ( John 14:3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
2. Has you bill been paid ? (Rom. 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Have you ever called upon Him?)
B. Am I to far away from the tower?
1. Lost ? (2 Peter 3:9) Tells us The Lord is , “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2. Backslidden ? (the more you live in sin the less you will hear that still small voice.)
C. Is something wrong with my batteries ?
1. Do you have the right batteries ? (Eph. 2:8-9) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2. Have you had charged lately ? (Heb, 10:25) Tells us to forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, but to exhort one another, and more so as we see the day approaching.
D. Do I have the right service provider?
1. God ?
a. Is it the God of the universe, The great I AM, The Alpha and Omega ?
b. (Rom. 8:16-17) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…
c. Who’s your daddy ?
2. Devil ?
a. Is it the god of this world ,The prince of darkness, the great deceiver
b. (John 8:44a) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
c. Who’s your daddy ?
II. IS YOUR RINGER ON ?
A. Have you silenced the ringer ?
B. Have you ignored His calls ?
1. If we don’t answer, calls are forwarded in to voicemail.
2. Many of us don’t check our voicemail.
III. IS YOUR RECEPTION A DECEPTION ?
A. Are you only posing as something your not ?
1. When cell phone first came out, only important people had them.
2. Now, many people have one, and many pretend to receive important calls.
3. But, are they able to hear the most important call of them all. (the call of God)
B. Do you really have a service agreement.
1. Even phones without any service agreement can be used for 911 calls.
a. Some people only listen for God in cases of emergency.
b. These people think all they need is one way communication.
2. Many so called Christians are like children with an old useless phone. (just posers)
a. Illustration : My daughter will walk around talking on an old phone.
b. She fooled me, until I listened in the phone, she didn’t hear anyone, (she was just a poser).
c. You might sing, come to church, you might look the part but you aren’t fooling God!
1. He knows if you have the agreement. (salvation)
2. He knows if you don’t (lost)
IV. DO YOU HAVE SERVICE ?
A. God will bring you to place where you will hear Him, He did others “can you hear me now”?
1 Moses and the burning bush. (Exodus)
2. Israelites 40 years in the desert. (Exodus)
3. Samson when capture by the philistines ( Judges 16:20-21)
4. David when he lost his kingdom (2 Samuel)
5. Jonah when swallowed by the whale (Jonah 1:15-2:10)
6. King Herod, the Jewish leaders, and the nation of Israel, Pilate, Rome, and all who reject the Lord and Savior, reject the truth of God, and thereby condemn themselves to an early grave.
7. Paul on the road to Damascus after being blinded by His glory. (Acts 9:3-9)
8. The thief on the cross had to be crucified before he would listen. (Luke 23:32-42)
9. Where will you have to be before you’ll listen; divorced, diseased , despaired, or at deaths door?
10. God will bring you to a place in your life where you will be given a choice; but the question is will you hear Him now?
B. Will God have to allow some tragety in your life so you will listen ?
C. Are you “roaming”? (being in these areas will cost you more than you think, you can’t afford it).
D. Do you have “direct connect” ? (only the blood washed, blood bought, born again child of God)
E. Or do you only have emergency service? (are you just using God?)
Conclusion: God is speaking to your heart “CAN YOU HEAR HIM NOW” .
Will you hear Him now?
You might be: fired up like Moses, tossed around like the Israelites, cut down like Samson, kicked out like David, puked up like Jonah, knocked down like Paul, tied up like the thief; Some how some way God will get you to point when you will hear Him say CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW !!
