I like the story I heard of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Apparently President Roosevelt got tired of smiling the expected presidential smile and saying the usual expected things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was really listening to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People would automatically respond with comments like "How lovely!" or "Just continue your great work!"Nobody listened to what he was actually saying, except for one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat responded softly, "I’m sure she had it coming."
Are you taking time to listen? Last week we talked how God gives us Holy Spirit impressions- John 14:26 "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and will bring to your mind or remembrance [key word] all that I have said to you." "Bring to your mind" means He gives us impressions. He gives us ideas. He gives us these gut feelings.
I am not saying it is easy to always get what the almighty God is saying. It is hard for me to explain to my son why he shouldn’t eat stuff in the garbage or play in the toilet. So it must be hard for God to get through to us…but all I know is that He has done what He can to make a way by destroying the barrier of sin and given the Holy Spirit.
The question is “how do we know that impression is God or just some bad indigestion or something else?”
I gave many ways you can test (as 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirit) to determine if that thought, or message, or word is of God or not.
1. Is it biblical? Be assured God is consistent. You as a parent may not be or your parents may not have been, but what God says God’s Word is constant. If a message or word or thought doesn’t line up with scripture you can know that is not of God.
2. Does it make me more like Christ? (Phil 2:5) His goal is to make us more like Christ.
James 3:17 (NCV)
But the wisdom (defined as the best choice in any situation) that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial, sincere. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others.
The ideas that God gives are full of wisdom. Notice the description of what that includes it is peaceful, gentle, considerate, submissive, full of mercy. If you have ever been bowled over by someone speaking for God who demonstrated an arrogance or sense of bragging…this passage would tell you it wasn’t of God. God’s desire is that the quality of our message or the quality of our life point to Christ.
3. When I'm trying to figure out whether I've got this idea from God or not, I need to ask
“Does my church family confirm it?”
Ephesians 3:10 "God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is revealed."
We weren’t created to be island…we were adopted into his family. God speaks through his people. If you have something you believe may be of God, run it by some people of God.
Proverbs 11:9 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Save you what? Money, time,
reputation. Be open to council, correction, and guidance. If others mature believers are questioning it…you should too.
4. Is it convicting or condemning? Conviction comes from God and it is very specific and points the way to change. He points out an attitude, behavior, or something in your life that needs changing. You confess, repent, and feelings leave.
On the other hand, condemnation comes from the devil and is very general and just leaves you feeling bad. It is very vague and basically says something like, “You're bad. You're no good. You're worthless. You stink. God could never use you. Forget ever trying to be a Christian."
So if you have this very general sense of guilt that's condemnation and it is not from God.
Satan minimizes your sin before you do it, "It's no big deal!" and after you do it he goes
"Look at what you did!" He wants you to walk around in constant guilt because guilty Christians are worthless in serving God.
Sometimes we are mistaking our low self worth for God speaking…or substituting the past voices of parents that you could never please and put it on your heavenly Father. Need to get truth in you that believes Jesus paid the price for our sin so we could be forgiven and at peace with Him. We don’t need to live in condemnation any longer.
5. Do I sense God’s peace about it?
1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion."
So if you're feeling confused it isn’t coming from God. If you feel pressured and overwhelmed and driven to make a hasty decision or a major decision fast, you need to question it. Not too many examples where God says “rush” to a major decision. I can think of Jesus talking about counting the cost of following me, that He is patient not wanting any to perish. He gives people time to make the right decision.
The only time you are going to feel stressed out and pressured is when He’s told you something to do and you don’t do it. It creates stress in your life but that is self imposed.
Colossians 3:1 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
If God is genuinely speaking to you and you think this idea is from God, it's going to bring peace to your heart IF you follow it. God's Spirit produces a calm spirit.
May you learn to “test the spirit, to see if they may be of God” (1 John 4:1). These are just a few but using them will help you know if it is or isn’t of God.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Learning to Hear God
One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people. All through the Bible
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
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