Does God Still Speak? Loosely Based on ideas by Rick Atchley.
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Transcript of Does God Still Speak? Loosely Based on ideas by Rick Atchley.
Does God Still Speak?
Loosely Based on ideas by Rick Atchley
Central to God’s Uniqueness is His Spoken-ness
The God of the Bible is a Revealing God – • Gen 1 - “And God said”• I Corth 12:2- Mute Idols vs a God who Speaks• Isaiah 30:20-21
We get our spoken-ness from God • image barriers
19 For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. 20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. 21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
Emperor Frederick
Created to hear
Central to God’s Uniqueness is His Spoken-ness
Prayer – • a conversation
or a monolog?• Is God mute?
Amelia Earhart
“We must be on you, but we cannot see you. Fuel is running low. Been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet."
Is Hearing God’s Voice Normal Discipleship?
• Christian Life should be a Dynamic Relationship with God
Phone conversation• “No movement in discipleship
until we believe in a an active, dynamic, personal God”
In What Ways Does God Speak? Scripture -
• The Bible is completely the word of God • The best way to improve your hearing God is to
devour Scripture• How did Jesus model use of scripture?
Memorized it Quoted it Interpreted it Resisted temptation with it Rebuked His critics with it
• II Tim 3:16
Ways God Speaks Scripture -
• If you are having trouble hearing God, open your Bible
If your Bible is closed, your phone is off However, God has a voice, not just a pen
• He has not gone mute• The Bible is completely the
word of God, but not the complete word of God
Ways God Speaks Scripture -
• “Break Thou the Bread of Life” “Beyond the sacred page,
I seek Thee LordMy spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word”
Creation • Ps 19:1-4• Rom 1:19-20• Lilies• Sparrows• Rainbows
Other Ways God Speaks
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
Other Ways God Speaks Gifted Teachers
• Eph 4:11-13• I Corth 2:13• God uses other
mouth pieces
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
Other Ways God Speaks The Faith Family
• Acts 15:22-29
“You can’t improve communion with the father if you ignore communion with his children”
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
Other Ways God Speaks Circumstances – Events of Life
• Trials and sufferings• Psalm 119:71• Is God trying to
teach you something?
It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn your statutes.
Other Ways God Speaks Angels – Messengers
• Heb 13:2• Does God still use angels?• Have you ever seen one?• How do you know?
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Other Ways God Speaks Dreams and Visions
• No command to seek God’s will through visions
• Old and New Testaments examples of God’s use
• I Samuel 3:1• Is the absence of dreams
and visions a sign of judgment?
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
Other Ways God Speaks Impressions of the Holy Spirit
• A hearing aid to hearGod’s voice
• Helps us understandGod’s word
Other Ways God Speaks Impressions of the Holy Spirit
• A hearing aid to hearGod’s voice
• Helps us understandGod’s word
• I Corth 2:10,1210 These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
Is it Normal to Receive Direction from God?
Do you read the book of Acts as a book of exceptions or a book of examples?
What do we sing and pray about this?
“The surest sign of a cult is only the leader hears from God”
If we are saved we have been anointed and have the capacity to have a dynamic two way relationship with God• I John 2: 26-27
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Why haven’t I heard him speak?
You don’t expect it You haven’t been taught to listen You don’t want to hear from God Listening is intentional How often does God
get your undivided attention?
“He Who Has Ears”Most used term by Jesus “He who has ears
to hear, let him hear” • Matt 11:15; 13:9, 13-17;43; Luke 8:8; 14:35
Jerimiah 29:12-13
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Three reason you may not be hearing from God - James 1:19-25
An arrogant mind – vs 19-20 A disobedient spirit – vs 21A flippant will – vs 22-25
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Can It Be Abused? Yes - Satin is the master of counterfeit Don’t let deafness be the result of
irresponsibility “Don’t let the nut keep you from the fruit”
Ways You Can Know It Is the Voice of the Spirit
The voice of the Lord will always agree with the truth of the Bible• It will never contradict or undermine what God has
said in His word• Satan is a liar and deceiver and wants to keep you from hearing God
• The answer is to saturate yourself with the Word of God so that you recognize the difference
God Wants Us to Hear Him In Order to Know Him
Not just know about Him “Greater intimacy with God is the goal”
• Fellowship is the goal - Salvation is just the means
God made us to hear Him
1.My God and I go in the field together, We walk and talk as good friends should and do; We clasp our hands, our voices ring with laughter, My God and I walk thru the meadow's hue;We clasp our hands, our voices ring with laughter, My God and I walk thru the meadows hue.
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
Only Sopranos sing this verse, others hum
Words and Music by: Austria A. WihtolCopyright © 1935 by Singspiration Music (ASCAP)Admin. By Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.All Rights reserved. Used by permission.
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
All sing this refrain
2.He tells me of the years that went before me, When heavenly plans were made for me to be, When all was but a dream of dim conception, To come to life, earth's verdant glory see; When all was but a dream of dim conception, To come to life, earth's verdant glory see.
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
Only Altos sing this verse, others hum
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
All sing this refrain
3.My God and I will go for aye together, We'll walk and talk as good friends should and do; This earth will pass, and with it common trifles, But God and I will go unendingly; This earth will pass, and with it common trifles, But God and I will go unendingly.
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
Only Basses and Tenors sing highlight notes, others hum
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
© 2001 The Paperless Hymnal™
All sing this refrain
N E X TPrayer – Tray Allen