What was God trying to communicate to those to whom He spoke? Hello..

1. The demand for accountability when they had been disobedient.

2. An explanation of the real choices that lay before them.

3. To teach them the need of reverence in the presence of His Holiness.

4. The call to follow wherever He leads.

5. A hard word that had to be delivered to someone else.

6. A call to mission

7. The command to keep Jesus central in our lives.

8. That religious zeal is not the answer when it lacks commitment to Jesus.

Lessons we can learn from Biblical characters who heard God speak:

1. Sin and disobedience block fellowship with God 1. Sin and disobedience block fellowship with God. God will convict us until we repent.

2. We can expect no other word from God until we respond to His reproof and conviction and are obedient.

3. God may have to humble us through life’s difficulties to rid us of self-sufficiency and make us willing to hear.

4. He may speak or remain silent in order to show us that our religious activity and zeal are worthless until we commit to His Lordship.

5. God will remind us that nothing should compete with Jesus 5. God will remind us that nothing should compete with Jesus. He is to be our focus.

6. Sometimes God will speak to us and ask us to confront a disobedient child of His.

7. We may be asked to go somewhere or to do something out of our comfort zone.

Do I really want God to speak to me??

Tips to help us hear the voice of God:

We must be certain we are really one of His children. John 8:47; 10:3,14

2. We must be living a life of obedience. Lk 6:46; James 1:22

3. We must be cleansed from all known sin and disobedience. Isa. 59:1-2

4. We must spend time with the Lord daily in worship, Bible study and prayer. Acts 1:14,24; 2:42

5. We must be responsive to the Spirit’s voice and leadership. Jn 14:26; Acts 8:29

6. We must be able to discern the leadership of God when He speaks through circumstances. Acts 16:6-10

7. We should be in the habit of humbly asking Him to speak to us. I Sam 3:10

8. To be a good listener to the voice of God is a rational choice. Ps 85:8

Three primary ways God speaks to us…

Through the Bible, the written word of God.

2. Through outer circumstances, events, other people, our own abilities, common sense, etc.

3. Through inner impressions; that still, small voice in our inner self, directed by God’s Spirit.

God wants to speak to you…. Do you want to hear?