How Does God Speak Today

October 23, 2016

January 22, 2023

“How Does God Speak Today?”

Scripture Reading: Psalm 19:1–14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

1  The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

2  Day to day pours out speech,

and night to night reveals knowledge.

3  There is no speech, nor are there words,

whose voice is not heard.

4  Their voice goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

5  which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.

6  Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

and its circuit to the end of them,

and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7  The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

8  the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

9  the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever;

the rules of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

10  More to be desired are they than gold,

even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

and drippings of the honeycomb.

11  Moreover, by them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

12  Who can discern his errors?

Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

13  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless,

and innocent of great transgression.

14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 19:1–14.

Introduction

The question most often asked of ministers by sinners is “How can I get forgiveness for my sins?”

The question most often asked by Christians is “How can I know God’s will for my life?” or “How does God speak today?”

God is continually speaking his will to people.

Of course, some people doubt that God speaks at all to people today.

Illus: Joan of Arc was one of the most spectacular military leaders France ever had.

As a simple peasant girl, she started her career by getting a French army commander to arrange an interview for her with King Charles VII.

When she told him voices were bidding her to become the leader of her nation’s armies, the king impatiently replied that if God had any word for France, it should come to him as ruler.

Joan of Arc assured him that voices did come but that he did not hear them because of his failure to pray and listen.

How does God speak today? In many ways. Let’s look at some...

I. God speaks through history

A college history professor said, “History is ‘his story,’” speaking of Jesus Christ.

Another historian said, “History is a voice forever sounding across the centuries the laws of right and wrong.”

Thomas Arnold reviewed the downfall of the great world empires of the past and summed up what had happened by saying, “Down they come, one after another, and all for the lack of righteousness.”

God controls the whole universe by physical and moral laws.

Ruthless leaders who seek to rule by military force may find success for a brief time but will in the end perish.

Unjust, greedy, selfish men who exploit others for gain may appear successful for a brief time, but they too will soon perish.

God has a universal law: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

Surely God speaks to us through history, for it is true ...no nation or individual can permanently endure who defies God and his laws.

II. God speaks through nature.

The writer of Psalm 19 said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (v. 1).

The writer of Romans said in Romans 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:18–20).

I heard of a Frenchman who had incurred the displeasure of Napoleon and was cast into a dungeon.

Forsaken by his family and friends, forgotten by everyone in the outside world, he wrote on the wall of his cell, “Nobody cares.”

One day a green shoot came through a crack in the floor.

Each day the Frenchman shared his water with the little green plant. The plant grew and grew toward the small window in the cell, and one day the Frenchman found on the plant a beautiful blue flower.

As he looked at the beautiful blue flower, he scratched away the words “Nobody cares” and wrote, “God cares.”

God had spoken through nature, through a plant with a blue flower.

III. God speaks through human people.

There is no way in which God speaks to us more convincingly than through the lives of others.

How often have we heard others say, “I am a Christian because I saw Christ in you”?

No wonder the Bible says, “He that winneth souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30).

When we witness, God speaks through us to others. Paul said, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men” (2 Cor. 3:2).

Yes, God speaks through you. You are his voice.

IV. God speaks through the Bible.

The Bible is the written record of the revelation of God to man.

The Bible is God’s Word for today, this generation, and for all time.

The Bible testifies, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:15–17).

Illus: A young man who had lost his arm in battle was frightened, depressed, and disturbed as he began his voyage home.

He wondered if he could face his family, face the world, make a living, and be a real man without his right arm.

On the verge of panic, he opened his Bible and his eyes fell on the words, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

As he read, he became aware that God had spoken.

He had the divine answer, the answer from heaven. He came home to meet life victoriously and successfully. God had spoken to him through his Word.

V. God speaks through prayer.

A pastor’s wife was once asked, concerning her favorite verse in the Bible.

Her answer was, “Call upon me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jer. 33:3).

Surely this verse contains one of the greatest invitations in the Bible.

Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).

Let the person who desires to hear God speak go to him in prayer.

Prayer is the means by which God reveals himself to the individual soul.

Spend much time in prayer if you desire to hear God’s voice.

VI. God speaks through his Son Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:1–2).

Jesus Christ is the apex of God’s revelation to man.

Jesus Christ is the final revelation of God to man and is the only adequate revelation of God to man.

A. God speaks through his Son’s character. WWJD

B. God speaks through his Son’s sacrifice. (The Cross)

C. God speaks through his Son’s love. John 3:16

Conclusion

Has God been speaking to you?

He speaks through history, nature, conscience, human voices, the Bible, prayer, and Jesus Christ his Son.

Surrender to him and follow his voice as he speaks!

PRAYER

INVITATION