Hearing from God
First Baptist Church Tawas City Michigan
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
www.TawasBaptist.org
WELCOME
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 50:4
“The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”
PRAYER
HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS CREATION
Psalm 19:1 – 4b
“1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. [a]
4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
Romans 1:19, 20
“What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
Matthew 6:26 – 30
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WRITTEN WORD
We can hear God through reading His Holy Word.
We receive direction, guidance, encouragement.
HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OUR CIRCUMSTANCES
Circumstances with Negative Consequences
Jonah (The Book of Jonah)
God spoke though to Jonah through his circumstances.
God spoke to everyone on the ship through the storm.
God spoke to Jonah through the whale circumstance.
David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:15 – 19)
God spoke to both David and Bathsheba through the death of their firstborn child.
Cain (Genesis 4:8 – 12)
God spoke to Cain (not just audibly) but through his circumstance, or consequence for murdering his brother.
Circumstances with Positive Consequences
Daniel in the Lions Den (The Book of Daniel)
God spoke to all who saw Daniel’s circumstances spend the night with lions and live!
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego (The Book of Daniel)
God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar and the officials through this circumstance. They were thrown into the fiery furnace and did not burn, and the Son of God appeared with them.
Peter Released from Prison
When the angel released Peter from prison and the guard was scared, God spoke through that circumstance to reach that guard that night.
HE SPEAKS TO US INWARDLY
He speaks to us in a still and quiet voice.
• Lori has her healing
• When God called me to the ministry, “I will make you a pillar within the church”
• “Why would they turn to me if they can always turn to you?”
HE SPEAKS TO US AUDIBLY
To Moses from the bush
To Abraham about the stars in the sky
To Samuel
1 Samuel 3:1 – 10
“1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple [a] of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ’Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
To everyone who was there when Jesus was baptized.
Would you recognize God’s voice?
How do you hear the Lord?
Read the Bible, look at creation, examine our circumstance, listen to the still small voice within us, and if your lucky enough to hear Him audibly, then you wont have to do anything.
Recognize the Lord by learning His Holy Word.
REMEMBER! God will NEVER Violate His Holy Word.
He will NEVER tell you anything that contradicts scripture!
1. Dedicate the first few minutes of everything to God in prayer!
Proverbs 3:6
“in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
2. Meditate on your thoughts and God’s direction.
Correction / Confirmation / Affirmation
3. Depth of God and His Word.
Read for depth not distance
Discovering nuggets
God moves before we even know our needs or understand our situation.
