Today’s post are my preaching notes for my sermon at Kishwaukee Community Church. If you are at Kishwaukee today, you may follow these notes as I preach. If you are not at Kishwaukee today, click here to go to our website on Monday and follow the links to hear the sermon. You can then follow these notes as you listen to the sermon.
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How We Hear God Speaking to Us, Part 1
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I. Blackaby’s Assertion
When you became a Christian, God gave you spiritual sight and hearing so you could begin experiencing His presence and activity all around you. The Holy Spirit helps you to develop these spiritual senses as you walk with Him. Spiritual sensitivity to God is a gift that must be accepted and exercised. There is a radical difference between seeing your surroundings from a human perspective and seeing life through spiritual eyes.
@ to Blackaby, Hearing God speak to you,
should be a common experience to all Christians
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Most of us would say,
Not!
Has never happened
Not sure God has ever spoken to me
Only for super-religious
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While Bible is filled with instances
We believe these are special and unique
Isaiah – drama in The Temple
John – vision at the shore
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II. The first time God spoke to me and I heard Him
I was 22
Already had a sense of “call”
But more of a longing, desire
Could not say “God was calling me”
Visiting seminaries
Nice, good, interesting
No sense of “This is the place”
Princeton Visit …
My reoccurring dream from childhood
Ages 8-12
A specific place
Dining space
At Princeton walked into the Dining Hall with friends
Bam that was the room of my reoccurring dream
Scary …
God first spoke when I was 12
I heard at 22
Finally the confirmation of Call
==> keeping me in parish ministry
You are thinking
Wow
Good for you
Not a commonplace event
Hearing God speak to me
is now a commonplace
Almost everyday event
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III. Why do so many not hear God speaking
EG Small Group Leaders
Most significant question/issue
God has never spoken to me
I am having a hard time with this concept
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This is a tough issue for us because
- Unfamiliar territory for most – for me a common experience
- Spirit driven – we prefer certainty and precision – never vague
- Abuse by others for personal gain
This will be an extended topic for next few sermons
Because it is unfamiliar, spooky, and undefined
I will not give you a formula
=> God speaking to you and you hearing
I wish it was this easy, but it is not
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Three Areas which I will cover
- How God Speaks
- How to Hear God
- How to confirm it was God speaking
Begin by briefly addressing the 3rd part first,
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IV. How to confirm God spoke and I heard correctly
This will establish some boundaries and a comfort zone
To our conversation and your grand adventure with God
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When God speaks to you, count on 4 things to confirm His Word to you
These 4 things establish boundaries for experience
Consider them four side of a fenced in area
You are free to play and roam within the boundaries
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The four boundaries are:
Whenever God speaks to you, what you hear will be:
- Consistent with scripture
- Confirmed with a specific scripture – Genesis 12:1 “Go to the land I will show you.”
- Confirmed through someone else or the body
- Requires you to change plans
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V. How God Speaks to You – Through Scripture
Reformed theology – The Bible IS THE WORD OF GOD
If you will simply read scripture regularly
You will hear God speaking to you
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A. Scripture will tell you:
- God’s will
- God’s general will for you
- God’s specific will for you
The Bible is not a history book
It is the revelation of God’s heart
It tells you everything you need to know about God
It tells you all you need to know to be faithful
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Psalm 19:7-11
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
More to be desired are God’s Words than gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
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B. How to read scripture?
- Regularly
- Deliberately
Choose a book
Read 1 or 2 devotionals guides
=> giving Word and reflection
Why I am writing Daily Devotionals for you
My 1st step is to read, study, reflect
through 11 different devotional guides, daily
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C. God will speak to you
- Give you a Word
- Give you a Word for another
- Confirm Spirit’s Word to you
- Encourage you
- Warn you
- Guide you
If you tell me, “God does not speak to me!”
Then I know that you are not reading the Bible
Regularly, devotionally, reflectively, prayerfully
Yes, dry spots or seasons,
But never for long or forever.
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Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
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Bread Crumbs - Devotions for Life 