Hearing God's voice- Dr. Charles Stanley

sometimes people won't say well then I've read the Bible but I just don't seem to understand it I can't I would read it more often if I understood it well what I'd like to do is in this passage of Scripture give you an idea how to get more out of whatever you're reading in the world of God because oftentimes we read it a little quickly and we think we're going ought to tell me exactly what I need to know right now and I want you to turn into your will to the 3rd chapter of Exodus and I give you though idea what's happened before the passage we going to read you'll recall that Moses kill an Egyptian and as a result he spent 40 years on the other side of the desert for me Jim and became a herdsmen and so he had a great downfall in his life so now this passage of Scripture begins with Moses was pastoring the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb the mountain of God on Mount Sinai and then you know the part about the burning bush and how God worked in his life and how suddenly he saw and heard and felt something that absolutely changed his life so I want us to look at what happened to him and I want us to look at it in light of how you and I read the scripture and not just the matter of what it says but how do we read the scripture and because the question you not always want to answer is God what are you saying to me you know I can read any part of this problem if I'm just reading it externally and have no heart in it most of it wouldn't make sense at times but I want you to understand how to read the Bible read a narrative that you could say well I've read that before and I know what happens but they add the big question is what happened to you when you read it what did God say to you had it had what happened to you and most people don't read the Bible with that in mind they're looking for something for God to say something to them but the question is what is God saying to you in that passage so remember Moses is on the backside of the desert 40 years ago he killed an Egyptian he'd been banished he's hurt and sheep now I think most any of us would learn something within 40 years and so here he is doing what he never would have dreamed he would have been doing and so the first word I want you to write down is the word personal if you read the Word of God only as a narrative and you sort of exclude yourself from the environment and you're just talking about something that happened years ago you'll miss God's personal message in your life so we read it asking the question God what are you saying to me and in this particular passage after God having dealt with him at the burning bush I want you to think about this he says in the tenth verse and I'll read a few verses therefore come now and I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt but Moses said to God Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt and he said certainly I will be with you and this shall be assigned to you that it is I who have sent you when you have brought the people out of Egypt you shall worship God at this mountain so he's in this setting man God has spoken to him so the next word I want you to jump down this specific God doesn't speak in generalities everything about that is specific God says therefore I will send you and you are to bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt and so naturally he has a question think about this when you read the word of God do you read it with with God's message to you in mind his verse specific he said I have a mission for you 40 years of the backside of the desert now y'all is speaking to him the next word is an encouragement because anytime God gives us a word of something he wants us to do or how to do it oftentimes he gives us a word of encouragement because he knows we need so when I think about that I look at this temper stare for come now and I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt it was a word of awesome encouragement think about this that was his idea 40 years ago when he killed one Egyptian he had the wrong means wrong time everything about it was wrong and now 40 years later God says all right you're ready and so he says I'm gonna send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people the sons of Israel of Egypt but Moses said to God Who am I Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt and so the words encouragement because oftentimes God will say something to us in his word and usually he professes it sometimes with encouragement sometimes afterwards but God always wants us not only to listen but to believe that when he's speaking to us you said well I don't know if anybody got sprung - how would I believe him we believe God speaks to us because He is God and because he's the God of love and how does he encourage us he doesn't just encourage us by giving us things that's what most people think well look how wonderful God is look what he gave me or what about the time you were sick what about the time you were going through a difficult in hardship pain sovereign loss what did you I'd love you then yes he did so what I want you to say is in these narratives there's truth the things that God wants to say to us that oftentimes we overlook the next word is serious this is serious business the burning bush was God's Way of miraculously getting Moses attention attention from anything and everything else that he had ever thought of and reminding him that he's the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that God is still there that he hadn't left him in 40 years though he is suffering from the result of doing things his way and so what does he say he says therefore come and I will send you to Pharaoh Moses said to him Who am I certainly I will be with you God says what an encouragement order that is listen to that he didn't just say I'm gonna be with you he said certainly that is rest in this make sure you know this I will be with you and this should be the sign to you that it is I who brought you the people out of Egypt you shall worship God in this mountain God always wants to watch this giver he wants us to understand when he's speaking to us walking God speak to us anywhere anytime yes he could but I think God wants to speak to us oftentimes we're not listening but our minds are on other things our attention is on other things God loves you Jesus died for you and you God intends for you to listen to him because he has something to say to you nobody's beyond the voice of God because he's always calling always to get our attention and so little by little he speaks to Moses so what did God do to get his attention he started a fire in this bush that was not consumed he knew exactly had to get Moses attention he was a herdsmen he'd seen lots of bushes he'd been in lots of situations but he'd never seen a bush burn that was not consumed in the burning now listen carefully sometimes God may say something to you show you something send you somebody do something in your life that you know that it has to be God how many times have I heard people say well you know I want that but I had to be God had to be good one it was something unusual God spoke through a person that maybe you don't even like or he did something in your life that you didn't particularly like he took something away from you or gave you something but he got your attention God always wants our attention he wants our attention because he is speaking to us he wants the best for us heal God as if we listen to him but if I'm not listening and paying no attention I'm not gonna follow the will of God so the next word is command now it's wonderful to listen to God and it's wonderful to think how wonderful God is and had gracious and good he is but when he gives the command what does he expect one word what is it you got it obedience and so listen to what he said in the tenth verse he said therefore come now and I will send you now that's the part I think all of a sudden really got his attention it's one thing to see the burning bush maybe God speaking to somebody but he said I'm sending you to Pharaoh yes Pharaoh in Egypt mm-hmm the Pharaoh that cast you out is dead but there's another Pharaoh I'm sending you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt totally unbelievable halka sinned send me there see me there to take two million people out of Egypt when Egypt is armed like an armory god yeah I must I must have misread that God say that again come down and I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt Moses said to God just what you and I would say what would we say Who am I Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the sons of Ishmael vision that is God you you knocked on the wrong door you you have you have the wrong person you rang somebody's a doable but not me I'm a fugitive I'm an enemy as far as Egypt is concerned you listen to God you don't but you don't put God in the Box when God says I want to send you somewhere all I want you to do something means what he says now inescapable write that word down inescapable when God chooses to do something in your life when he chooses to use you in a certain way to speak to someone to win them to Christ or to do something count whatever it might be it's inescapable that is knives of God he doesn't change his mind because you don't like him because you think you can't afford it because you don't know what somebody will say well you don't you question their particular review point that's not the issue God says I'm gonna send you I'm sending you to Pharaoh and when God listen when God says this is what I'm gonna do you you don't change God's mind so the next word is frightening you say well why do I use the word frightening well verse 11 but Moses said he got Who am I and he said certainly I'll be with you and this should be the side to you in desire who have sent you when you brought the people out of Egypt you shall worship God at this mountain and so was he frightened yes the do you and I ever have a right to be frightened when God tells us to do something I've heard many people say over the years when God called me to preach I said absolutely not I can't scared to death I couldn't stand up in front of anybody I couldn't remember anything and I know I'd forget people are frightened and so what was God's answer this this is an awesome answer what was God's answer so look at verse 13 then Moses said to God behold I'm going to the sons of Israel and I will say to them the god of your father's has sent me to you now they may say to me what's his name this was the answer just tell him I ever sent you what I am just tell them that I am Who I am and thus you shall say to the sons of Israel I am has sent me to you I am has sent me to you what would you have said to that who is I am the great I am that's who he is he's a sovereign God of the universe and he introduced himself to Moses by saying you tell him that I am the maker of all things the one true God has sent you to free my people out of Egypt the hell's could God have said so much he could have said well I have armies are this any other but when he said I tell him that I am said Here I am I am Who I am the sovereign God of the universe in control of all things therefore I sent you what should that say to him well first of all they wouldn't understand that but he said that's what you had to say to them he also made him a promise he said I'm going to send you and I'm going to be I'll be with you and this would be this should be a sign unto you so remember this whenever God tells us to do anything we have the promise of his assistance his presence his power his his whatever we need he's their God whenever said you empty-handed to do a task when you trust the Jesus Christ your personal Savior what happened to you one thing that happened to you is this he came into your heart to dwell and the Holy Spirit who now inhabits you speaks through you has all the answers you and I need to be obedient to God he says I'm gonna be with you you and I can write this down you can write this by this verse that is that God will always be with you no matter where you go where he sends you what goes on in your life he says I will never leave you nor forsake you have you ever felt forsaken by God I have once forsaken by God was I believing in yes I was but the circumstances I felt forsaken I knew he hadn't forsaken me but I felt it but I finally I also realized I don't live by my feelings I live by the truth the truth of the word of God and so therefore I can claim his presence so he made a promise I'll be with you and then he was his word of assurance to them he said in verse 19 but I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go except under compulsion so I will stretch out my hand strike Egypt with all my miracles which I shall do in the midst of it and after that he will let you go think about that he said I don't think God would be that clear to me yes he would I'll tell actually a God will be he'll be clear enough that you understand what he's recording of you God would never tell you to do something where that happened you understand how and you know reminding you that he will aid you in the process of word of assurance then the requirement is another word remember what he said to him at the burning bush who is his requirement he said I want you to take off his shoes I want you to recognize just listen I want you to recognize you're standing on holy ground not on shoe leather not on sandals on holy ground it's you me God says the fire and holding ground there is a reason and so he said take his shoes off now once in a while when God's working in our life he cause something of us and we thanks foolish so lord I don't I don't need to do that if God tells you to do something that he won't do he won't tell you did something wrong but he may require of you something that appears to be foolish to you let's say if God spoke to my heart about something and he said to me I want you to give him that sport coat well Lord he's a lot more money I have and the sons that may not fit him give him the sport coat I can argue all day I may have twenty fourth coat so it may be my last one but the important thing is we obey God and do what he says soon as simple as it may be and he said to him what did I say take off your shoes do what I tell you to do and many people miss the will of God because before God brings them to the be thing that will make a difference in their life he takes some say he takes a step by step then he says what's the goal the goal is real clear the goal is to set my people free God will never tell you to do something for which he does not have a reason a purpose or a goal and listening carefully that the sooner you and I are willing and ready and able to obey Him and simple things little things then what will he do he will test them with larger things and greater tests and grete tests but with each one comes a blessing many people live the whole Christian life miss having God's best because their faith only got three feet long when God had intention a mile long trust me for big things trust me trust me for all that I can do for you and yet we limit him because because we can't see our way clear he doesn't tell what was this and here's what you do as for as long as you can see you way clear no then his reassuring or listen he says he says I'm going to stretch out my hand in this 23rd I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my miracles which I shall do in the midst of it and after that yeah they'll let you go God's awesome promise and what's the promise if you'll notice in all these passes the promise is his presence his wisdom his power God's working if somebody asks you does God change what would you say well most of you don't have any out of there let's just think about this for a moment does God change in his character what about his power there's no change in anything God is omniscient he knows all things he doesn't know some things today in something the moretz away we operate he knows all things he has all power and when he says I will be with you and he says here's what I'm going to do I know that I gonna let you go I'll stretch out my hand and strike Asia with all my miracles which as you do in the midst of it and after that he will let you go they will let you go I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians and it shall be that when you go you will not go empty-handed he says look not only am I not only am I gonna free you but here's what you'll happen when you leave you're gonna have their gold and silver and pots and pans and everything that Egyptians treasure you're taking it with you they took a lot of faith for man in sandals and now in bare feet to believe that God would use him on all those Egyptians with all their might and power and chariots and soldiers and a bunch of Hebrews headin toward a sea across the sea free from Egyptian bondage forever it took faith it took obedience to God now he said what do you well you list all these words up here because I want you to think about it when you read a passage of Scripture ask yourself some questions ask yourself some questions God what does this say to me you can ask him anything he will share with you what you need to know to be obedient to him in other words God is so willing to fill us up with himself and to meet every single need of our life they will trust it and this passage is a wonderful passage about a man who 40 years on the other side of the desert had nothing what does that say that forgiveness but what does it say about chastisement what does it say about being disobedient to you and paying the consequences there's some sins that are very very very costly let's put ourselves in that passage thing what I think what was that burning bush I'll tell you why because Moses who would never have believed out of the blue we would say that God would speak to him forty years later as mere Shepherd and tell him to go back and meet Pharaoh challenge him and then personally leave all of the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage without firing a shot nobody believed that but that's exactly what God did well you may know in your heart God's been speaking to you and you've been putting it off maybe you're not even really sure what God is saying but would you be willing to say to him today Lord I don't know what you're saying but I humbled myself before you and I'll make it my priority to listen to you quietly listen to you until I hear what you want me to do if you've never trusted Jesus Christ as you say yeah I can answer that question he wants you to ask him to forgive you of your sins place your trust in him rely upon him and watch him begin to work in your life things you would never dream you know what God will do far more in your life than you expect if you will ask him whether why she carefully asked him and obey him step by step it all ends up in obeying God trusting him no matter what he says and watch it work amen father we thank you for being who you are being patient with us helping us through those difficult times we know that we will never see a burning bush as Moses saw it we don't need to we don't need a bush we just need the cross and what we see at the cross is your love goodness mercy kindness generalize to help it's all there we say thank you for loving us thank you for forgiving us teaches the truth teach us how to walk in it and teach us how to be obedient and we pray that you'll use each of us to bring yourself glory and honor and Lord not that we would bring people out of bondage by the thousands but one at a time with a personal testimony of your grace in our life in Jesus name Amen amen you

Channel: Stephanie Gayle

Views: 8,583

Keywords: GOD'S VOICE, LISTENING, PASTOR, SERMONS, PREACHING, DR. CHARLES STANLEY, HEARING, MESSAGE, SERMONS 2020, SERMONS 2019

Id: u6oRZc3XoHY

Length: 25min 32sec (1532 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 23 2020