Sermon Tone Analysis

*/Tuning Into God 101/*

Part 7 of Experiencing God Series

February 18, 2207

 

-"More Proof That the Blind Hear Better," Science Notebook, The Washington Post, compiled from reports by Curt Suplee and Rob Stein, September 21, 1998, A2.

Canadian researchers have produced new evidence supporting the popular belief that blind people hear better than people who can see.

\\ \\ Franco Lepore and colleagues at the University of Montreal compared eight blind people, three partially blind people and 36 people with normal vision.

The blind people could locate the origin of sounds as well as the sighted people, but did better than the sighted people when one ear was plugged - the tougher of the tasks, because people typically use slight differences in the way sounds reach each ear to pinpoint the origin.

\\ \\ "Our results resolve a long-standing controversy in that they provide behavioral evidence that totally blind individuals have better auditory ability than sighted subjects, enabling them to compensate for their loss of vision," the researchers write in the September 17 Nature.

\\ \\ How blind people's hearing might become superior remains unknown, although there is evidence suggesting that their brains reorganize to apply brain power that would normally be used for vision to hearing.

\\ \\

 

§       As a child *knows the voice* of his father, so should we, as God's Children, know *His voice*!

/47 He who belongs to God hears what God says.

The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”/

John 8:47

§       If you are struggling with hearing the voice of God it's an indication that you need to work on your *Love Relationship* with Him.

/17 I// love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me./

Proverbs 8:17

It is not why does God not hear me, but why do I not hear God? \\ --Ritamary Bradley, \\ Praying With Julian of Norwich.

§       God speaks today through the *Holy Spirit, the Bible, prayer, circumstances and the Church* to reveal *Himself, His Purposes, and His ways.*

/20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.

21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

/

2 Peter 1:20-21

 

God will not contradict Himself in this process!

The Bible won't say one thing and the Holy Spirit something else and the Church something else! 

§       There is no *formula or method* for knowing God's voice – it only comes through *knowing God*!

/21 For// prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

/

2 Peter 4:21

!!NOTE INCORECT SCRIPTURE REFERENCE – SHOULD BE 2 PETER 1:21

The key is to recognize the importance Christ put's on the life of the Church in accomplishing His work in the world!

§       We cannot know and understand spiritual truths apart from the *activity of God* in our lives through the *Holy Spirit*.

/11No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God.

12All have turned away from God; all have gone wrong.

No one does good, not even one.”

/

Romans 3:11-12

§       When God speaks we are called to *respond immediately* – not to bargain with God.

/8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work/

2 Corinthians 9:8

God always speaks with a *purpose* in mind for you at the *right time*.

Don't rule out the *voice of God* in your life simply because it doesn't match with what you *want to hear*!

* *

§       Living a *God centered* life means *adjusting your circumstances* to match what God wants to do!

God works at *developing character* in us in all His assignments – regardless of *size *or assumed *importance*.

To be "in tune" with God we need to bring our experience up to the *Word of God* rather than *lowering God's ways* to match our experience.

* *

§       God reveals Himself to *increase our faith* that will then *lead to action.*

/16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work./

2 Timothy 3:16-17

§       God reveals His *purposes* so we know what *HE* plans to do!

God desires us to follow *Him*, not some *plan*.

* *

§       Only God's plans will come to *fruition* – ours will fall by the wayside.

/10The Lord shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.

11But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken./

Psalm 33:10-11

§       God reveals *His ways* to us because they are the only way to accomplish *HIS purposes*.

/“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”/

Micah 4:2

§       When God accomplishes *His purposes in His ways* through us, people will come to *know God*.

/20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it./

Mark 16:20

 

Close by singing Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me.

What might our lives look like if we made this prayer a daily focus on our every moment?

What might East Bend look like if all of us took seriously this pray of pleading?

What might our communities look like if we meant it in a way that allowed God to meld us and mold us for His purposes and His Ways?