Sermon Tone Analysis

God’s voice

Creating a culture of Blessing V

Here at Mokuaikaua we are about Creating a Culture of Blessing.

We believe this is God’s mission for our church.

201 years ago a group of missionaries arrived here in Kailua Kona in response to the invitation and prayers of two young men from Hawaii, Henry Opukahai’a and Thomas Hopu.

On April 4 1820, our beloved church Mokuaikaua was founded, Rev Asa Thurston after meeting with the King Kamehameha, and the Queen Regent Kaahumanu, they gave them permission to start churches and schools, King Kamehameha the second Liho-Liho gave his house and canoe house to be the first church and school.

The missionaries came to Hawaii to fulfill the great commission to preach the gospel, baptize them, and disciple them to obey everything Jesus thought us.

Mokuaikaua is committed to carry out this inheritance, April 1820 also marked the beginning of one of the greatest revivals in history, 97% of the population of Hawaii came to Christ, by 1840 Hawaii had the largest church in the world, Haili church in Hilo, a church with 11thousand members.

The aim of a culture of blessing, is to reach out to others, is to be a blessing not only to our congregation but to all who come across our path.

To create a culture of blessing we need to learn how to hear God’s voice, and how to share His wisdom and words whit others.

God’s voice,

1 God is always speaking to us.

From the beginning of creation, God’s desire, is to have a relationship with His sons and daughters, in the bible we read about the many ways God spoke and interact with man.

He had a relationship with Adam and Eve

He walked and talked with them, even after the fall of men, our Heavenly Father came looking for them.

Throughout the bible we see the many ways God spoke to man

All the 66 books in the bible were inspired and anointed by God

He spoke to about 40 men some known, others unknow like the writers of the book of Job and Jonah, although some scholars credit Moses for the book of Job.

God spoke to Moses face to face

Joshua heard His voice

Samuel heard an audible voice calling him

David entered God’s presence through worship and praises.

Salomon dreamed dreams

Gideon saw an angel, he heard God through an angel

Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and others had visions

Others heard the voice of God in nature, circumstances,

The haystack revival, the prayer meeting began in the middle of a storm.

Psa 119:130 The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike).

God speaks Through other people or in a message

Sometimes we can hear him in a song or a movie,

the Holy Spirit will use it to bring a powerful message to our hearts.

Psa 18:30 As for God, His way is blameless.

The word of the LORD is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless]; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

God is always speaking to us, are you listening?

Jas 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Jas 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

Jas 1:24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

2 We need to learn how to hear the voice of God

Samuel did

Samuel’s mother was Hanna, one of the two wives of Elkana the Levite,

Hana could not conceive, and she was provoked and teased by Peninnah the other wife who had children.

1Sa 1:9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh.

Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the LORD.

1Sa 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.

1Sa 1:11 Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

Eli watched her praying and took her for a drunk, because her mouth was moving but no voice was heard.

Eli rebuked her but after she explained that she was not drunk he blessed her.

1Sa 1:20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying,"Because I have asked for him from the LORD."

Samuel Given to the Lord

Hanna fulfilled her promise, as soon as Samuel was old enough to take care of himself, he was given to the Lord to serve Him for the rest of his life.

The first century Jewish historian Josephus believed he was 11 years old, some others believed he was younger.

One day at night The Lord begins to call Samuel, and He called him 3 times but Samuel thought Eli was calling him.

1Sa 3:7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)

1Sa 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time.

So he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me."

Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy.

1Sa 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1Sa 3:10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel!

Samuel!"

And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."

If we are going to learn how to hear the voice of God, we need to be on the right place an able to respond the same way, speak Lord, your servant hears.

Eli had enough discernment to know that was the voice of God.

We need to know that is the Lord speaking to us.

There are a few principles that we need to always keep before us when we are trying to listen to God’s voice.

Let me share five of them with you.

A) We need to welcome the presence of God, with a clean heart and a clean mind, submit ourselves to Him, sin separate us from God.

B) God’s word brings clarity to us not confusion,

Anytime you are wondering if God is speaking to you, and you don’t feel love peace and joy is not Him, even if he is rebuking you, it will be clear and specific, calling you to repentance without condemnation.

Psa 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

C) God’s word will Gives us faith,

Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Gives us hope and joy

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

D) God’s words will never contradict His written word, the bible

God’s written word the bible is our foundation if we hear anything that contradicts His word, doesn’t matter how impressive that was.

Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.

I have heard so many stories of people sharing revelation from angels that are totally contrary to the word of God, that have greatly affected the people who heard them.

I remember this doctor attending one of our classes, in counseling, sharing with me how he had this revelation from an angel who visited him.

That demons were like little children; they didn’t mean to create harm they just don’t know what they are doing.

Cute but not biblical.

Any time we open the door to the enemy he will come in like a flood, we need to guard ourselves.

2Co 11:14 And no wonder!

For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

E) God’s word will not return void.

Isa 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

3 Word of prophecy, God’s word for someone else through you.

God will entrust us with words for someone else.

What we call prophecy, our Heavenly Father will give us the gift of prophecy, but a prophet needs to be very careful, about how he treats the word of God.

When we speak on God’s behalf, our ideas and ways must be in line with God’s heart.

I remember during this past election so many words about what was going to happen came out, and nothing came to pass, we can not allow our personal feelings and ideas come forth as the word of the Lord, if was the word of the Lord it would happen.

Prophets would be stone to death if their prophecy would not come to pass.

I’m sure we would be way more careful in prophesying if we would have the same consequences today.

Moses did not enter the promise land because of the way he deliver water to his people.

The people were murmuring and complaining challenging Moses and Aaron, Moses and Aaron went before the Lord, and the Lord glory of the Lord appeared to them, then the Lord told them to take the rod the special rod kept in the tabernacle, gathered the people and speak to the rock.

Num 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the LORD had commanded].

And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water].

Num 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

Our Heavenly Father will give us messages, words to deliver to His people, but we need to know Him intimately and His heart.

We don’t