Learning to Hear God

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 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.”

God calls individuals to belong to him and serve him

1. We need to learn to hear God

We can’t learn if we are not in the right place

We have to be in His presence

We need a teacher

We need to be submissive

We need to listen

2. It is an awful thing for the word of God to be rare in our lives

If we don’t hear His word it is awful

Our lives can’t function properly without His word

His word is a lamp to our feet

3. We can learn to hear God

We can’t hear Him everywhere

We must be in place where we can hear Him

We must learn to be in places where we can hear Him

4. God calls the inexperienced

God does not wait for you to know Him

God calls you so that you can know Him

Samuel knew about God but had not heard Him speak

Samuel needed a mentor

Like Samuel, you need a mentor

5. God calls us to belong to him and serve him

God calls all people everywhere

Proverbs 8:4 NIV

4 “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.

30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

NIV30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Responding to God’s call results in salvation

We can’t demand how we serve

; Jud 1See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

6. God calls us to live differently

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

;

Living in peace:

; :15Ga 5:13 serving one another

Living in hope:

Living pure

Living for His pleasure

1 Thessalonians 4:7 NIV

7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

1 thess 4

NIV7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Abraham:

; ; :8Ex 3:4 Moses; Samuel; Isaiah

Cyrus:

;

The servant of the Lord:

; :1Je 1:4–5 Jeremiah; Hosea; Amos

Jonah:

;

The disciples:

; ; –42Ac 13:2 Barnabas and Paul

Paul:

; ;

NIV1 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

The believer’s place in life is understood to be a calling

NIV17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.