Hearing from God
Notes
Transcript
Paying Attention to God
How do we learn to listen to God? To know His voice? To get His direction? To see what He is doing and to join Him in whatever that is.
We can’t create the wave, but we can ride it, if we learn to look for it.
Today’s message combines a couple of goals I had upon returning. One was to share some insights about my last month, and the other was to resume preaching through Revelation.
6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
I want to focus on a single word today. “Then.” KJV is “and” the greek word is Kai
Sometimes is connects two things like cat AND dog.
Sometimes is shows progression. This happened and that happened and that happened.
The use of the word THEN marks the passage of time in the Book of Revelation.
One event happens, then this event, then this.
I got to chasing a rabbit about this word “then.”
I noticed that it occurred over 60 times in the Book of Revelation.
That’s a lot of unfolding events.
But as I was studying the word “then” as recorded in Revelation, I noticed that almost every time it was recorded it included one of to other phrases.
THEN I SAW- over 23
THEN I HEARD over 12
Even when those exact words arent used, that is still the overwhelming context.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a record of what John saw and what he heard.
That is remarkable. John literally was seeing and hearing what God wanted him and see.
In vivid colors, and in unbelievable scenes.
Now I believe that most of US WILL NOT SEE VISIONS LIKE JOHN SAW, but I do think God wants us to “SEE” and to “HEAR” what he has to say to us as well.
But how?
I came up with 4 factors concerning hearing and seeing the will of God, or the voice of God, or the plan of God.
First
It takes time
It takes time
John saw how the whole thing ends. And the scenes just kept coming. It had to be sensory overload.
But the word “then” reminds us John saw this playing out over time. In reality it will take at least 7 years for what John saw starting in Revelation 4 take place. But how long did it take him to see and hear all the stuff he wrote about?
15 As it is said: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
I want to come back to this passage in a moment, but right now let’s focus on the word TODAY.
This is a time marker. It tells us that there is a possibility God’s voice can be heard TODAY!
God’s direction, His will, could perhaps be heard today.
Two extremes to avoid.
Thinking that God wouldn’t speak to your heart. (some claim this)
Thinking that every idea that crosses your mind was the Lord speaking.
So to be sure you are hearing from God lets consider the second factor.
It takes removing obstacles
It takes removing obstacles
John certainly had the obstacles removed from his life.
He’s been exiled to the Island of Patmos.
From an earthly perspective, the government is punishing John,
From a heavenly perspective, God is preparing John.
God allowed John to be removed from his routine in order to be able to say, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” when John saw and wrote the Revelation.
I’m so grateful to have had the time off. Most of you are aware that even when I take a vacation, we leave after Sunday morning services. I take very little time off. So it has been wonderful to separate myself from the normal, and give God time to speak.
But we must not think that we have to be exiled to an island, or go on Sabbatical to hear from God.
Daily quiet times, prayer, Bible reading, and rest are times and ways you can hear from God. Even the awesome blessing of sitting under the preaching of God’s Word.
So let’s talk about removing obstacles.
In your personal quiet times. What distractions and obstacles do you need to remove so that you can hear what God is saying? Phones? Social Media? TV? Multitasking?
In the preaching of the Word. Smart phones and Tablets can be great ways to have God’s word handy and to follow along. But I often look, especially in this direction, and see kids with their phones out, lost in snaps, or texting each other, or a game, or some other something that keeps them from hearing from God. Question: Do we really show up for worship, sing to the Lord, and then open his word, EXPECTING that he wants to speak to us? What is the Sunday morning distraction? Might be someone. You might need to tell them after the service “I can’t hear from God and be distracted by obstacles anymore. Will you help me do better?”
Sometimes
It takes coaching
It takes coaching
That’s the 3rd factor when it comes to hearing from God.
That’s what I’m trying to do in your lives right now.
It is hard to sort through the many voices trying to speak stuff into your life.
you should not listen to every voice.
Sometimes people can give bad info. On purpose, or innocently. We have to learn to listen to trusted voices.
1 The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.
2 One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his room.
3 Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”
5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy.
9 He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. 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, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Trusted voices don’t alway have immediate answers. Go back and lie down.
Trusted voices encourage you to seek God. IF HE CALLS
Trusted voices point you to the word of God. SPEAK LORD
What if we began everyday with Speak Lord for your servant is listening?
What if, when we opened the Bible, or prayed we said it?
What if we approached every worship service this way
SPEAK LORD FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING.
This leads to the 4th factor
It takes an obedient spirit
It takes an obedient spirit
Samuel wanted to hear from God.
He obeyed his coach, Eli, and he also became obedient to what God spoke to him.
This brings us back to Hebrews 3.15
15 As it is said: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
When ancient Israel heard the Word of the Lord about conquering the Promised Land, they hardened their hearts and disobeyed. And it cost them
Jesus and James talked about not being hearers of the Word only, but doers of the Word.
We can give God time to speak, we can remove obstacles so we can hear him speak, and we can listen to good mentors, preachers, and coaches will consistently point us to God, but if we do not obey....
We will miss out. It will cost us.
God has good things planned for His people. But it comes down to “Trust and obey”