1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,520
Thank you for listening to this message from Lifehouse Church.

2
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:52,840
For over a half a century, the voice of Oswald Lawrence was heard on the

3
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:58,640
underground transit system in London. He made this simple but needed public

4
00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,240
safety announcement warning passengers to mind the gap. Right? They're standing

5
00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,480
on the platform, the train's going by, he said mind the gap. And when Oswald

6
00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:14,320
passed away in 2007, his widow Margaret felt heartbroken. She was alone, she was

7
00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:19,040
heartbroken, and she missed Oswald so much that she would, in a way to ease her

8
00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:24,640
pain, she would actually go visit the embankment station, sit on the platform

9
00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:31,240
and listen to her beloved husband's voice say mind the gap. Then one day in

10
00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:37,240
September 2012, she sat down and his voice was gone. In the modernization

11
00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,720
process of their systems, the London Underground officials had replaced

12
00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,080
Oswald's voice with an electronic recording and Margaret was so

13
00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:51,440
distressed she called in, she contacted the authorities there and she said can

14
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,840
there some way I can get a recording of my husband saying you know mind the gap.

15
00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:02,560
And when the London Underground staff learned of her request, they were moved

16
00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,200
by extraordinary act, extraordinary compassion in their hearts and they

17
00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:13,200
began to go through all the red tape of finding the recording and digitizing it

18
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,600
and then sending it back to her and not only did they do that but at that

19
00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:22,800
particular station they also kept his voice. So if you go there today and you

20
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,920
can find the embankment station on the Northern Line in London, you will still

21
00:02:26,920 --> 00:02:32,680
hear Oswald's voice saying mind the gap. That was from 1950 that he did this and

22
00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,920
you might say well what's the point of starting your message with this little

23
00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:41,800
story. We all long to hear the voice of someone we love. We really do. We all long

24
00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,800
to hear their voice. Someone that we're close to, somebody that we're connected

25
00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:51,120
with, somebody that made a difference in our lives, somebody maybe was there and

26
00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,280
is gone. I hear people all the time, I talk with people who have a loved one who

27
00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:01,400
passed away and a lot of them will say to me I will give anything, anything just

28
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:07,240
for one more time, for one more day, one more minute, one more conversation to

29
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:12,560
hear their voice and if we know Jesus as Lord and Savior, if you love Jesus as

30
00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:18,480
Lord and Savior, you want to hear his voice. I want to hear his voice. Anybody

31
00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,920
with me on that? I want to hear his voice. I want to hear what he's saying to

32
00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:27,600
me. I want to know what he's speaking and in John chapter 9 there's a

33
00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:34,440
discussion that Jesus stirs up that reveals God's heart and how God hears us

34
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:40,160
and how we can hear him and this discussion starts off with Jesus healing

35
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:45,480
blind man, a man who was blind from birth. Jesus comes along on a Sabbath day and

36
00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:51,000
he heals this blind man and of course his actions of healing this man on a

37
00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,760
Sabbath day describes in the Pharisees who were always trying to refute Jesus,

38
00:03:55,760 --> 00:04:00,480
sends him into religious tizzy of some kind and they begin to use the

39
00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,800
Mosaic law, the law of Moses, the law of God and they begin to say well this act

40
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:09,520
that Jesus did he was working on a Sunday. Now this is super interesting

41
00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:14,080
because the scribes and Pharisees this is the first time anybody was ever healed

42
00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,280
a blind man healed from birth and did you ever play a game with somebody

43
00:04:18,280 --> 00:04:22,560
and they make up the rules while they go? Did anybody ever do that right? Did you ever play

44
00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,360
with someone they want to win they just make up the rules while they go? Why you

45
00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,760
all looking at family members right? There's one in every family. They make the

46
00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,400
rules up while they go. That was the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus heals a

47
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:37,720
man for the first time in all of history a man blind from birth gets healed and

48
00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:44,200
the scribes and Pharisees are like oh no no no Jesus that constitutes work. I guess

49
00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:49,080
they made it up on the spot I don't know right for their own purposes and out of

50
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:54,120
that a discussion ensues because Jesus comes back to the man he begins to talk

51
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,680
to the man he reveals to the blind man that this healed man he reveals to him

52
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:05,880
that he is the Messiah and out of that discussion the Pharisees overheard

53
00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:12,920
this conversation where Jesus says he's Messiah and Jesus tells him you know he

54
00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:18,960
begins to tell him if you would only believe you would hear if you would only

55
00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:24,840
believe you would hear and Jesus speaks a parable following of this discussion he

56
00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,800
tells the Pharisees story. The Pharisees begin to refute that he's the Messiah

57
00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:34,360
they begin to refute the healing they even they even question the blind man

58
00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,600
and the blind man says look I was blind now I see and all I can tell you is this

59
00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,680
has to be from God and they threw him out of the temple they threw him out

60
00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:46,920
right and Jesus says if you would only believe it then you would understand and

61
00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,360
and in this discussion Jesus immediately begins to tell them his story now I wish

62
00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,640
I could do that I wish I was so quick on my feet that we get into the middle of a

63
00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,160
discussion and debate like that and I just have a story I could rip off right

64
00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,920
to prove my point but that was Jesus and it's in this story we start to find out

65
00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,000
about how we're going to hear from God so if you got your Bibles I want to turn

66
00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,040
to John chapter 10 this morning we're gonna start off with John chapter 10

67
00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,800
verse 1 I'll give you just a moment to get there if you're listening online

68
00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,000
this morning it's good to have you online you can go ahead get your Bible

69
00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,120
your electronic device or you can just look up at the screens if you're here

70
00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,480
and even if you're listening online it'll pop up on the screen but John

71
00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:29,300
chapter 10 verse 1 and Jesus this is the story or this is the parable that he

72
00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:33,320
begins to speak to those Pharisees he says most of surely I say to you he who

73
00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,760
does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way the same is

74
00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:42,120
a thief and a robber but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep

75
00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:48,280
to him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his

76
00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:53,560
own sheep by name and leads them out and when he brings out his own sheep he goes

77
00:06:53,560 --> 00:07:00,560
before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice yet they will by no

78
00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,120
means follow a stranger but will flee from him for they do not know the voice

79
00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:09,280
of a stranger's Jesus used this illustration but they did not the

80
00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:13,200
Pharisees did not understand the things which he spoke to them and as I looked

81
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,520
at this passage as I read this story as I read the parable that Jesus spoke I

82
00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:22,360
realized something people only listen to something they believe in you know that

83
00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:27,160
they only listen to somebody that they believe in if you don't personally

84
00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,720
believe in someone you're not really going to listen to them you might hear

85
00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,960
them out you might listen to the words that are flowing out of their mouth but

86
00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:41,640
if you don't believe in them you're not going to really listen to them it doesn't

87
00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,520
matter who it is it doesn't matter what credentials they might carry it doesn't

88
00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:50,760
matter who recommends them to you or doesn't recommend them to you it doesn't

89
00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:56,520
if you doubt their motives if you doubt what their reputation is if you doubt

90
00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:02,840
them as a person for any reason at all we won't listen to them right we just

91
00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,120
blow off what they say that you know and you've got people like that in your life

92
00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,960
if you don't believe in them they'll they'll talk right and it goes in one

93
00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,440
ear and where out the other or maybe not it might not even make it out the other

94
00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,080
ear it might hit this one and just bounce right back off we don't we don't

95
00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:25,040
believe and these Pharisees they didn't believe we'll blow it off and we'll blow

96
00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:30,960
it off even if we don't believe we'll blow it off even if it's Jesus even if

97
00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:41,120
it's God speaking to us right even even if it's complete truth even if your

98
00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:48,160
disbelief in Jesus is invalid the Pharisees disbelieved Jesus they did not

99
00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:54,800
believe in him and it was not valid Jesus proved that he was the Messiah over

100
00:08:54,800 --> 00:09:01,400
and over and over in front of the Pharisees who should have all people the

101
00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:06,200
first season scribe should have recognized who Jesus was he did miracles

102
00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,600
in front of them they watched as he healed the blind they watched as he as

103
00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:17,680
he the lame were received he you know restored they watched as he healed

104
00:09:17,680 --> 00:09:23,000
leprosy they watched as Jesus raised people from the dead they watched as he

105
00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:28,520
fulfilled prophecy they listened while he spoke and he preached the Word of God

106
00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:34,280
with such wisdom that nobody could refute him and still they did not believe

107
00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:39,200
in him and because they did not believe him they wouldn't listen they simply

108
00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,920
wouldn't hear him they couldn't get past their own religiosity they couldn't get

109
00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:48,120
past their their own idea that they were the experts in religion and they were

110
00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,880
the only ones that anybody can listen they couldn't get past any of it they

111
00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,600
couldn't get past their bias their jealousy none of it they're they refused

112
00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:03,560
to listen their disbelief in Jesus was not valid so the same thing can happen

113
00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:08,440
to us the same thing can take place with us and with Christ right in our

114
00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:13,400
relationship with Christ it's sometimes we don't believe in Jesus for a number

115
00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:19,680
of invalid reasons we refuse to hear him right it sometimes with even even with

116
00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:24,720
Christ it goes one in one ear and out the other and we can have these things

117
00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:29,000
that will affect us that will cause us to disbelieve Jesus and we just don't

118
00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,720
listen to him about that particular thing or maybe anything right if you had

119
00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,000
a bad experience with someone sometimes if you had a bad experience with

120
00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:41,600
someone somebody who was a Christian and somehow we pulled Jesus into that

121
00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,520
whole thing we don't look at the person that was the problem we don't put it

122
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,680
there we just kind of lump it all together right you ever do that you may

123
00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:52,280
Christian I've heard people say so that well that's why Christians or art I

124
00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,320
don't want anything to do with any of it right anybody ever that anybody with me

125
00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,000
on it anybody ever say that you're not gonna raise your hand I know okay right

126
00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:03,280
they'll say those kind of things it's an invalid reason right so maybe if you've

127
00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:07,640
had a bad experience it with anything that's religious in nature you start to

128
00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:12,000
superimpose that on Jesus you start to take that experience and you superimpose

129
00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,640
it on Jesus and it's an invalid reason and you'll stop listening you won't hear

130
00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:21,160
him anymore right some people start to somebody you'll hear somebody on the

131
00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,720
internet and they're starting to bash the Bible and and they're not and they're

132
00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,680
given their reasons why the Bible is not true and you don't go research you don't

133
00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:31,880
go look you don't try to find out the truth you just kind of jump on board

134
00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:36,920
because something tickled your ears with it and then and then you won't listen

135
00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:42,280
you won't hear Jesus these are invalid reasons right just like the Pharisees

136
00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:48,160
that we just simply tuned Jesus out we won't listen sometimes we won't even

137
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,720
hear him sometimes we begin to push away the Holy Spirit we'll push the Holy

138
00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,280
Spirit back we begin to agree do you know you can grieve the Holy Spirit but

139
00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,040
what you do and what you say the word of God says you can grieve the Holy Spirit

140
00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:04,360
and you'll begin to push them away you all know what I'm talking about we've

141
00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,740
all done this in our heads we've all done this in our minds in some way right

142
00:12:08,740 --> 00:12:12,960
you've done it with someone and you can do it very quickly if you begin to lose

143
00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,640
trust in them you won't listen even if they're right now I'm going to use an

144
00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:21,120
example sometimes this happens if you've got somebody that's working on your car

145
00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:25,180
you go to a garage and there's a mechanic there right and and you got a

146
00:12:25,180 --> 00:12:29,280
problem with the car and you got to take the car back two three times right you

147
00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,880
start to say you start you start to not believe them right you start to think

148
00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,840
they're not telling you the truth now it can be because I used to work on

149
00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,560
mechanical that you'll think there can be problems that happen in a row there

150
00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:43,320
are things that can pop up but you know you start to distrust them now you don't

151
00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,960
got any valid proof because you don't know anything about a car all right

152
00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:50,520
you're not home researching everything about an electrical system on a car or

153
00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:55,440
the mechanics of a car or you know or you know anything about compression or

154
00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:59,720
anything along those lines but you've gone back two or three times now and

155
00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,880
you and you got a mechanics calm right and you read a couple articles how many

156
00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,320
have done that before all right yeah me too I get on YouTube whatever you know

157
00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:12,480
and all of a sudden I'm the expert at what it is and if that happens it can't

158
00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,240
it's not necessarily a valid reason they're still telling you the truth

159
00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:21,240
about something and and we will discount what they're saying and after a while

160
00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,200
you won't even listen to them you'd be like where they get certification from

161
00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,920
they probably bought it on the internet 50 bucks right and you're a certified

162
00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,760
mechanic right they have that for pastoring by the way 50 bucks you can be

163
00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:37,320
a pastor I it's true right it's okay have you ever you know have you ever have

164
00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,400
you ever watched people have you ever scratched your head and wondered why why

165
00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:46,080
can't they see Jesus is anybody I've done that I've gotten with people and I'm

166
00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:51,760
like why can't they see Jesus you know he's so amazing why can't they see the

167
00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,440
love of God why can't they see the light of God why can't they see the

168
00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:59,600
transformation that takes place in people why can't they do why can't they

169
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,680
see this and you're talking to them and they'll sit and listen to something and

170
00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:09,760
nothing and sometimes the problem is what I'm talking about sometimes there's

171
00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,360
an invalid messed up reason why they're not hearing Jesus why they're not

172
00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,200
hearing the Holy Spirit what there's something that they've got back there in

173
00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:23,000
the past and sometimes we're so busy telling them the truth about God maybe

174
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,440
we just need to stop and ask them what they believe about God right sometimes

175
00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,720
we're speaking to them and we're telling them the truth about God and we need to

176
00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,560
stop and ask them what they believe about God because what you believe about

177
00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:39,800
God determines everything of how much you will hear God amen you tracking with

178
00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,800
me y'all looking at me like I got three heads I'm a little scared this morning

179
00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,200
all right say amen if you got some of that here thank you

180
00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:52,840
Jesus calls the Pharisees and scribes out on their disbelief he did that on a

181
00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,800
regular basis in Matthew 23 23 said what do you scribes and Pharisees

182
00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:01,160
hypocrites for you pay tithe the mint and Annas and Kuman which is you know a

183
00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,920
small thing and have neglected the weightier matters of the law justice and

184
00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:09,440
mercy and faith these you ought to have done without leaving the others undone

185
00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:14,200
and he calls them blind guides in other places he says your ears are deaf you

186
00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:19,240
strain it and at and swallow a camel they didn't listen because they didn't

187
00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:25,720
believe they didn't believe no matter what he did what he said can I give you

188
00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:30,520
some good news now I know that seems like some tough stuff but can I give you

189
00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:36,560
some good news we can hear Jesus and he can hear us if we believe in him do you

190
00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:41,000
know that we can hear Jesus that's what he was telling the Pharisees when he was

191
00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,560
talking to them about the Good Shepherd and the sheep he was telling them we can

192
00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:51,640
hear Jesus and Jesus can hear us the God of the universe can speak to us and we

193
00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:57,120
can hear him and and if you take a look at this scripture I think the Pharisees

194
00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,200
totally missed this when Jesus was telling the story I think he told the

195
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:04,400
story and again their ears just closed off but in John 10 1 let me reread this

196
00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:09,360
most assuredly I say to you he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but

197
00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,080
climbs up some other way the same as a thief and a robber but he who enters by

198
00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:17,160
the door is the shepherd of the sheep to him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep

199
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:24,720
hear his voice say his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads

200
00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:29,640
them out and when he brings out his own sheep he goes before them and the sheep

201
00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:37,840
follow him for they know his voice he's talking to those Pharisees he's telling

202
00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:42,920
them you can know the voice of God you can hear the voice of God let me relieve

203
00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:48,440
any doubt that you might have as a follower of Jesus sometimes we think you

204
00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:53,000
know that we don't hear God the Father speaks Jesus speaks and the Holy Spirit

205
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,680
speaks it doesn't matter where you're at in your in your faith journey it doesn't

206
00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:02,040
matter if you just started following Jesus or you know your second day in

207
00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:09,240
first day in or 3,000 days in if you're a first year second year ten years you

208
00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,840
might develop your hearing a little bit hearing God but you can hear Christ

209
00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:18,120
you can hear the Holy Spirit you can hear God speaking to you is probably the

210
00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:21,760
second great second probably number two on the list of questions that I get

211
00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:26,840
asked as a pastor how do I hear God how do I know God's speaking to me I get

212
00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:31,840
asked that a lot there's a probably a question is before that that I would say

213
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:37,320
is number one but this is probably number two how can I hear God right can I

214
00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,280
give you the first part of that already gave it to you first of all you need to

215
00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:45,680
believe in him 100% you need you need to believe in God because until you believe

216
00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,520
in him you're not gonna hear him there's other scripture than that I don't got

217
00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:54,040
time to unfold that completely we could spend the next hour unfolding that but

218
00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,280
you need to believe him then you'll hear him the second part is that you need to

219
00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:02,520
be convinced that you can hear him and that he is hearing you you need to not

220
00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:12,360
doubt that it's important that we don't doubt that we can hear God if you if you

221
00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:16,840
don't get yourself convinced of that what will happen is you'll pray you'll

222
00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:20,440
pray and God won't answer right away and you'll be convinced that you can't hear

223
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,520
God I've had a lot of people tell me this well God just doesn't speak to me

224
00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:29,000
yeah he does he doesn't just like there's not chosen ones let me can I

225
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,280
clear that up right now all right there are not special ones some of you come

226
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,280
on put your halos on right some of us don't have brighter halos than others and

227
00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:42,560
God says you know I think I'm gonna talk to them but you not so much God doesn't

228
00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:47,760
do that he's no respecter of persons he I'm not any more special than you and

229
00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,760
vice versa right he doesn't say hey I'm just gonna talk to this one but I'm not

230
00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:55,800
gonna talk to that one come on how many would like how many want to serve a God

231
00:18:55,800 --> 00:19:00,480
that does that right he doesn't do that he doesn't do that but we get convinced

232
00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,920
in our heads in our hearts that God doesn't want to talk to us it there

233
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,680
might be a delay and we might start off with some doubt going into that and if

234
00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,640
it doesn't sound just like we think it's going to doesn't look just like we're

235
00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:15,200
going to right then we back off and we say God and we don't even try we don't

236
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:20,760
even try to listen for God be convinced just know that this happens and listen

237
00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:25,680
God communicates in different ways it's not like you and I speaking you might

238
00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:29,760
hear the audible voice of God I've very know very few people that have I've heard

239
00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:33,760
that very few occasions where somebody's you know audibly heard the voice of God

240
00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:39,440
speaking in their life it can happen but it's rare but God speaks in all kinds of

241
00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:45,640
other ways he communicates in a thousand different ways around us and how many

242
00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:50,880
know you can speak to in different ways right I just spoke to you right now

243
00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:58,080
right come on some body language right you can get spoke to out even words God

244
00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:03,840
is a God of the universe can speak and he does this and I really just wanted to

245
00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:10,320
take a little time and unfold that and the Word of God really you need to be

246
00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,880
convinced of this and I cannot give you just John 10 5 because I kind of want to

247
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,560
drive this home a little he said yet they will by no means follow a stranger

248
00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:22,480
but will flee from him for they do not know the voice of a stranger I'm so

249
00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,160
convinced and you need to be so convinced that you can hear God that

250
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:28,840
you'll know when it's the voice of God and you'll know when it's a stranger

251
00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:34,720
speaking in your heart in your spirit in your head amen even when you you can be

252
00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,600
even to begin to differentiate when it's God and when it's you never get that

253
00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:43,960
confused all right God's issue or is this me just thinking right you can know

254
00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:49,920
his voice you you can develop in your own spirit stranger danger I call sure

255
00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,240
how many know what that is you ever teach a kid stranger danger right you

256
00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:58,120
tell them right if this is an unfamiliar voice in your coming to you if you hear

257
00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:00,940
somebody talking to you you tell little kids this all the time if there's an

258
00:21:00,940 --> 00:21:05,680
unfamiliar face if it's an unfamiliar voice speaking in your ear you need it

259
00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,480
you tell your kids don't listen to them all right they're telling you to get in

260
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,840
the car they're telling you they got some candy if they're telling you walk

261
00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,320
with me down the street if they're telling you don't listen to them it's a

262
00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:19,400
stranger danger you get the same thing you can develop spiritually you can know

263
00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:23,040
when it's God and when it's not God you can you can understand when it's a

264
00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:27,080
stranger's voice when it doesn't line up with what God's saying and a lot of

265
00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:31,160
people get convinced that that can't happen you know we get convinced that

266
00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,720
that we're just not gonna hear him and it's important to hear God this morning

267
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:39,040
I wanted to do a little exercise I'm going out on a limb here I'm gonna do

268
00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,160
something a little bit different but I'm gonna ask you to do something I want you

269
00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:46,240
to kind of look to the screens right now and I'm gonna give you a verse of

270
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:53,440
scriptures John 15 5 and very familiar piece of scripture and I want you to one

271
00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:58,320
of the one of the great ways to hear God speak to you one of the great ways to

272
00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:02,400
hear the voice of God in your life is through scripture in matter of fact I

273
00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,960
recommend that above all and the first part because you're not gonna get it

274
00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,640
wrong if it's out of scripture if you're hearing what God says that what he's

275
00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,280
speaking to you out of scripture right you're gonna get it right and even if

276
00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,440
you hear something that's outside of scripture a revelation of some kind

277
00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,880
guess where you should always go back and check the Word of God right so but

278
00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:25,440
this is an amazing place to start and a lot of times God's speaking to somebody

279
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,520
when they're reading scripture they don't even realize it so I want you I

280
00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,920
want you just take a little time I'm gonna read this out loud and here's what

281
00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:38,000
I want you to do we're gonna pray before we read it and I've done this many many

282
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,240
times with bigger or with smaller group settings where there's a group of

283
00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:45,840
people and there might be eight and they might be ten of them and what we do is

284
00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,920
we take the verse description I said here's what we're gonna do we're gonna

285
00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,880
pray before we read the Word of God and then I'm gonna I'm gonna believe that

286
00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,400
the Holy Spirit is gonna speak to you and one thing is gonna leap out of that

287
00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,680
verse to you all right there's one thing it's just gonna stand out and it's just

288
00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,760
gonna begin to speak to you now a lot of people like oh it's just me thinking

289
00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:09,480
no I've read verses of scripture a thousand times you know the same verse

290
00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,440
of scripture and all of a sudden something jumps and leaps off the page

291
00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,960
over here all of a sudden and the idea begins to come in and the Holy Spirit

292
00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,240
begins to speak and a lot of people discount that that's you beginning to

293
00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,920
hear the Holy Spirit in your life amen so we're gonna do that together and a

294
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,680
lot of times I've done this in groups and then what we'll do is what I have

295
00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,240
eight or ten of them I can't do with all you because it take all morning but what

296
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,040
we do is we do with eight or ten of them and they begin to read I let them

297
00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,400
read the verse and they begin to think about and I have them write it down and

298
00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:42,680
then we go across the group and we say what did what leapt out at you in that

299
00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,760
scripture and it's incredible it's incredible to listen with to the

300
00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:51,840
nuances and the things that God speaks to them out of the scripture and this is

301
00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,720
something you can do all the time this is a way you begin to develop and you're

302
00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,360
hearing to hear God to hear the Father and the Holy Spirit some of you are

303
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:02,000
doubting me but I'm telling you it's gonna happen all right let's read his

304
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:07,080
verse I'm gonna read it I'm the vine you are the branches he who abides in me and

305
00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:11,880
I and him bears much fruit for without me we can do you can do nothing if

306
00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,960
anyone does not abide in me he is cast out as a branch and is withered and

307
00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:20,160
they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned if you abide in

308
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,840
me and my words abide in you you will ask what you desire and it shall be done

309
00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:29,160
for you by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit so you will be

310
00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:35,040
my disciples let's pray father Lord they just read your word Lord they looked God

311
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:39,160
to the written word the truth the light and life of God and Lord I pray right

312
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,920
now God as they relook at this scripture guys make sure you put that back up

313
00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,720
there as they will look at this scriptures they look at this verse God I

314
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:50,600
pray that you speak something into their spirit God I pray that just if it's one

315
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:55,640
word that jumps out Lord God I pray Lord that they'll sense that it's you and

316
00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,960
Lord God that you're showing them something and you're speaking something

317
00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:03,640
to them Lord we just give you praise and glory in Jesus name and amen now you

318
00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:07,220
might be listening online they'll have that verse up online you might be

319
00:25:07,220 --> 00:25:11,040
looking here but is there something that jumps out is there something that

320
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,720
speaks to you is there something that grabs you and a phrase that gets a hold

321
00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,960
of you because this is what the Holy Spirit does is you read God's word see

322
00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:23,760
the people of God who believe in God hear God do you know that the word of

323
00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:28,120
God says that this is foolishness to those who are outside the faith they

324
00:25:28,120 --> 00:25:32,080
read this and this is complete foolishness to them but to us it is life

325
00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:37,800
to us it is a wellspring and God will begin to speak that thing to you and

326
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:45,120
we're gonna close in just a moment and and when this is all over I want you if

327
00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:49,680
you got somebody close to you I want you to tell them what God spoke to you I

328
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,320
want you to what stood out what did you what just kind of caught your heart as

329
00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:58,880
you began to look at that verse see these are the ways we begin to start to

330
00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,240
hear God it's incredible because as you step through and do that it becomes more

331
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,320
and more evident and and there'll be times you'll read these verses and

332
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,100
they'll stick and they'll lodge in your mind the word of God says the Holy

333
00:26:11,100 --> 00:26:14,200
Spirit will bring them to your members you'll be out and you'll be doing

334
00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,120
something and I always know it's God because I'm usually I'm me in particular

335
00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:23,800
I don't know about you some of you can really multitask I can't I'll have one

336
00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,080
thing I'm working on one thing I'm so focused and all of a sudden the Holy

337
00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,000
Spirit will interrupt me and I know it's him because I usually don't like getting

338
00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,320
interrupted and I'll just be focused on that one thing and all of a sudden this

339
00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:39,400
thing breathes into my spirit and I see something and God spoke in a moment some

340
00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,400
of you are looking for revelation some of you are in the middle of decisions

341
00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,300
some of you are searching something and you need to hear God this is a great way

342
00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:51,600
to begin to do that you spend time in the scripture let me give you one more

343
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:56,060
scripture and I'm gonna use this Eric we're gonna pretend you're Jesus okay you

344
00:26:56,060 --> 00:26:58,840
sit on the short stool because I think Jesus is tall I don't know I can't

345
00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:04,600
confirm that okay listen to this last person and we're gonna close revelation

346
00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:09,480
320 says this behold this is Jesus speaking I stand at the door knock if

347
00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:14,000
anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and dine with him and he

348
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:19,480
with me to him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on the throne as I

349
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:24,720
also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne he who has an ear

350
00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:32,000
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches this is in Revelation Jesus

351
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:39,960
said if you knock if you seek he said he'll open the door and he'll come in

352
00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:48,600
and dine with you if Eric and I went out to lunch he's Jesus okay do you know we

353
00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:53,160
would talk Jesus won't come in and just sit across from the table he'll talk

354
00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:58,360
he'll speak with you he said not only will we dine not only will we talk but

355
00:27:58,360 --> 00:28:03,600
he says that just like the father put me on the throne with him one day you will

356
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,200
be on the throne with him and rule and reign that means you'll come into his

357
00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:13,760
kingdom there's a closeness there God wants to speak to you he wants to speak

358
00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:18,680
to you if you're listening today he wants to talk to you he'll do that

359
00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:22,640
through scripture something will stand out it doesn't matter if you're young or

360
00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:27,020
old or somewhere in between doesn't matter if you have a if you went to Bible

361
00:28:27,020 --> 00:28:33,760
college or didn't go to Bible college his work he wants to speak he wants to

362
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:40,640
speak you ready for God to speak to you this morning I am every day I need him

363
00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:46,880
every day the longer I live the more I realize I don't have the answers for

364
00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:51,960
life I really don't I've got some experience I draw on that sometimes but

365
00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,320
I don't have the answers I don't know what's out in front of me there's so

366
00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:59,520
many things that are new I realize that that even some of the answers I have or

367
00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:05,480
the experience I have is so antiquated at this point I need him I need him you

368
00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:11,960
need him I'm gonna ask you to bow your heads one more time Lord you see each

369
00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:19,080
person who's here this morning God you know we need your voice Lord we need to

370
00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:23,160
hear you we need to know that you're speaking to us God we need to walk

371
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:28,680
through and God we need to be taught or we need to be instructed Lord at times

372
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:33,560
we even need to be inspired God at times we need encouraged times we need to lift

373
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,600
it up and Lord you speak what no one can ever speak into somebody's heart and

374
00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:42,440
life and Lord I believe that's true this morning and God I ask that right now

375
00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:47,840
that you would minister in touch to this group Lord as they look to you God as

376
00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:53,040
they go into the word this week Lord I pray that they'll stop and pray before

377
00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:57,120
or after they read the scriptures and Lord God that you'll speak in their lives

378
00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:01,840
God if they read just one verse the entire week would speak to them out of

379
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:08,760
that verse give them the truth Lord apply it to their life Holy Spirit guide

380
00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:15,680
them help them remember it Lord ask this in Jesus name amen I'm gonna ask if you'd

381
00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:21,780
stand Zach if you just play last thing you're gonna do this morning if you're

382
00:30:21,780 --> 00:30:25,960
comfortable and you know the person beside you if God spoke to something out

383
00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,760
of that verse to you now I don't want you to do it if he didn't okay I don't

384
00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,080
ask people to try to make things up or anything along those lines but if

385
00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:37,560
something stood out to you that just as a witness to God's power and how he does

386
00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:43,040
speak is something in that scripture stood out to you and you feel like God

387
00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,800
kind of pulled that out just for you I want you to tell the person beside you

388
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:50,840
Zach's gonna play go ahead you can do it right now I want you to lean over you

389
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,320
can whisper it in their ear you can tell them what did God give you out of that

390
00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,720
verse what did he tell you

391
00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:17,680
I see conversations people speak

392
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:53,160
pretty amazing huh pretty amazing what God will do and by the way if you didn't

393
00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:58,720
get don't get discouraged I've gone through long seasons where I haven't

394
00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:02,240
heard God and then all sudden it's like a water fountain actually it's more like

395
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:08,720
a fire hydrant he wants to speak to his people and usually the blockage with

396
00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:14,200
that is me not him actually it always is he always wants to speak he always wants

397
00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:23,400
to speak it's incredible what God will do hear his voice I got listen I'm a

398
00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:27,640
pastor I have no corner market on this all right it's not man please don't

399
00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:32,080
think that way we are all the same at the foot of the cross man it's true

400
00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:37,400
every benefit that's in his word is for me and for you

401
00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:46,920
thank you for tuning in to this message from life house church we pray that you

402
00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,800
were impacted powerfully by this message if you have been personally affected by

403
00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:55,920
our ministry and you would like to partner with us as we love God love

404
00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:07,880
people every day visit our website at www.lifehousecog.com