I Think I Heard From God?! // Judah Smith

so we're doing a collection of messages sermons talks whichever you want to call them and and and here's here's the title we did part one last Wednesday this is part two we've got six more weeks to go wherever you're going to be in the world I'm gonna be here at the Saban for the next six weeks the title of these talks are this and I think it's because I'm 40 and I just want to really tell people how I feel the title of these talks is what I wish more preachers would say what I wish more preachers would say and and so last week was I wish more preachers would say I don't know either I don't know either and we can talk more about that and if you get a chance you can go on our on the church home global app and it's it's I think it's already there and and listen to that so here's tonight's talk what I wish more preachers would say sidenote its kind of also what I wish more Christians would say you're kind of probably picking that up but I won't pick on you I'll pick on me what I wish more preachers would say is I think I heard from God I think I heard from God I just wish preachers would say that more and I'll give you a little bit of backstory in my relationship to preachers and saying they heard from God and what it felt like sitting in the room and it's it's gonna be so fun and exciting okay so here's my disclaimer something like all I could see some of you got excited with a disclaimer that all of us are in this together so if I say something tonight that's like something you say a lot or it's like a cliche you use or or prepare yourself I love you if you're in the room tonight and you're a person who said God spoke to me like and you say that a lot that's awesome too I'm not mad at you this is not directed at you but if the shoe fit what if the shoe fits wear it okay okay so so we're gonna have some fun a little bit and and then another disclaimer if you're here and you're like okay dude I'm not really familiar with like Jesus followers or Church or Christianity it's awesome you're definitely not you're not an outsider you're welcome you we got far more in common than not so but I'm gonna share some insights kind of on Christian dynamics a little bit and I think it'll be humorous for wherever you are on the face spectrum because it's gonna be a window into some wonky things about Christians that wouldn't be a bad sermon to preach on either walky things about us but it's gonna be it's gonna be good you okay I wish more preachers would say I think I heard from God all right let's pray God thank you for the moments that we share we thank you for your grace and for your love God we ask that you would would speak to us we ask that you would meet us in a real way what we don't need is more tradition what we don't need is just to go through the motions we actually if you are real and big and alive we want to meet you in a real way thank you for your grace thank you for what the Seahawks did in the draft may every single draft pick B exceed our wildest dreams in Jesus name Amen amen amen so have you ever been in a restaurant this just happened this week and ever been at a restaurant I just looking for some response here ever been in a restaurant alright so we use the deal I'm a really indecisive orderer of food I get overwhelmed I get nervous because and I thank God for this city I love Seattle and LA and one of the reasons is it's a place where you can have extraordinary extensive detailed orders and change orders - your orders and no one really rolls there I at you right and no disrespect but if you go Midwest the south they're like did you I'm sorry what did you just say I said gluten-free and this has happened to me what is gluten and I and I get mad but I don't show it because gluten hurts my tummy and someone recently told me that's because you're gluten free because you were you were raised soft that's what I was told recently yeah but you have you have a sensitive stomach because you were raised soft punch the guy in the face I said really I just kidding I just did it in my mind though you were done that you're like you're soft and you're like BAM you hit him in your mind you're like in another life that would be fun sometimes but yes I'm that guy and I sometimes I'll say sorry before I even start my order right in so here's the people that I really admire I admire decisive direct orders of food at restaurants it's just it's it's it's very appealing to me it's amazing yeah I'll take the number one no hashbrowns sub fruit thanks and I'm like wow that was amazing and always I'm the guy's like can you can you come back to me right and then they come back though and I'm like oh I'm still not ready they're like well everyone else is done so you got a and you're ahead this won't you're like I don't would you get and they go I got things like what you get right like I I feel like I'm never the person at the table I'm gonna try this maybe tonight if we go to a restaurant I'm gonna be the decisive orderer but I'm always I'm always tweaking the order I'm always like the order is never exactly the way I need it right so I'm just I'm just that person I like the confident order but sometimes someone's so confident they persuade me I'll watch them when I go I guess I'll have what they're having two side note Chelsey thinks it's sexy when I order for her and if you knew that yeah I just wanted you to know that and she hates my beard bop bop but um I always grow out my beard when I'm eating too much food just that's that's just that's someone out myself anytime I have facial hair it's because I've been eating too many fries so it's it's a cover um but so I started thinking about these these certain people and I don't know if it's a personality thing or disposition thing but people who definitively order in restaurants I think are admirable to me and they kind of remind me here we're gonna have some fun bear with me they kind of remind me of of Christians who are always so definitive and confident that they have heard from God now bear with me something like oh man I just had dinner before this service and I said that very thing but you know the Christian and I've been there and I've done this so let's pick on us for a moment he was a Christian who's like this morning God spoke to me Wow and I love Christians because we never explain what we mean when we say that right God spoke to me you told me not take the job stay where I am you're like wow have you ever had friends that aren't familiar with that vernacular I love these these are my these are my favorite people and they're like hey like after the lunch or whatever the hang out like hey dude quick question when your friend said God spoke to them do you all hear like an audible voice that's crazy no I don't think so I'll follow up with John but I don't think I think what we mean is when we say God spoke to us or God said I think what we're saying is I got like a sense or an impression but we don't say that do it we tell everybody now preachers we are famous for this God spoke to me and said or God said is in so many sermons that are preached and I'm not saying I'm against that I am saying this when you put God and said together that is two of the most powerful words ever combined in the world the moment you say God said I hope he said that so I'm just gonna call on the record and say we all run in our mouths around here talking about God said and I'm like Bowie good can we at least tell everybody and each other what we mean when we said God said is we felt maybe possibly perchance he mighta nudged me or I want to stay at the job I'm at I'm not trying to say that we're not spiritual people and the God is not still speaking and we'll talk more about this in the next few minutes but I am concerned as a fellow follower of Jesus frankly as a human being I am concerned that we run around and lightly use these two words together God spoke to me that's that's three words God said God spoke and I just want to suggest in our community maybe we could be a little different and start using terms like I felt that God might have I in the in the old days in church Christians were talking like this they'd say I was impressed in my spirit but it's actually a little bit more helpful think God said God said it reminds me the story I love I love I love honest people who are like man everybody in this church hears from God and and it reminds me of a friend of mine we had this small group and I was a youth pastor and his name was Chris and this is the funny things we do in church I was like how's everybody's prayer time and back then we timed each other's prayer times so I was like how long you pray today how long you some be like I'm glad you were not my youth pastor all right shut up and we get to the end then I said Chris how long was your prayer time I love cuz he looked Ronnie's like hey man I didn't know we had to time it that's my fault chris is also the guy who was like so when you all say God said can someone explain what's that what that's like in in his mind right if I say about my Ryan said it means out loud audibly Ryan said hey but when we say God said if we're honest almost always we mean something different than an audible voice we also need to clarify and the scripture will do this for us that when we say God said we should say pretty sure God said and here's here's where I'm at as a fellow person of faith I think we need to caution each other a little bit about this and here's why the combination of God said has been used whether admittedly willingly intentionally to kind of control stuff and manipulate people because if God said what am I supposed to do with that house God said you need to make me breakfast and I would never say that I'd say that right now I'm 40 smarter than that so I think tonight having a community moment here I would like to caution us I think it is imperative for our credibility out in these streets that we don't just run around everyday talking about I woke up this morning and God said now if they say what do you mean and you said Oh God said in Romans 14 verse 17 that's enough that's another thing different but what what I'm speaking to is because I believe that God does impress things does give us an impression or suddenly we have a sentence in our brain and we feel like it came out of nowhere and we start thinking on it and we're like man I think God is speaking to me but hearing God is not a perfect practice but it is a practice it's a practice and the Bible makes it clear that hearing from God happens in part meaning we're not perfect at this meaning there should be a part of our Christian journey our faith journey that actually goes hey I want to double back remember when I said I thought God said he definitely didn't say that when's the last time that happen to you not me say when's the last time somebody who loves Jesus and dropped one of those God's said moments which is not a bad thing I'm just saying it's a waiting thing and it's a real thing and it can hurt a lot of people in yourself if you're just throwing it around and I don't know when this happened but whoever says God says the most is the most elite among us have you noticed that something like oh I don't this is 13 minutes in I did not like this sermon he's not good in courts he shouldn't do cords God thank you Justin laughs somebody's gonna laugh around here Justin's on staff he asked to laugh but God said God said when's the last time you said hey hey correction God definitely didn't say that because I like kind of walked it out a little bit was like I know this isn't it but we don't we don't we don't don't do that as much and yet we see incredible evidence in Scripture that hearing from God is a practice and it's not perfect so so can I just can I just relieve some pressure in here because God said he would guide us God said he would speak to us God said he would lead us but there's gonna be days where we think he's leading us and who's leading is just our desires or our wants or something we thought could be God and it wasn't I just want to be a part in a I want to be as in a space where we're all willing to go yeah I thought it was but it wasn't but we gave it a go or we God said God said that's a that's a powerful statement so there's this moment in the in the first church right at the very first church thousands of years ago not many years after the death burial resurrection and ascension of Jesus the the church is having a major decision it's it's one of the most significant decision that has affected the church today at the time becoming a Jesus follower you had to adhere to all of the Jewish traditions customs and laws Jesus was Jewish our whole story begins in Israel in the Jewish people and so the church Gentiles were always welcome to practice the Jewish faith always but they had it here I they had to adhere to all of the laws and and and and traditions and customs of the Jewish people which are beautiful suddenly a discontentment starts to rise in the church and Gentiles are starting to say hey I don't know if we need to do all this it seems like in the ways of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus and so to make a long story short in Acts chapter 15 the leaders of the church have a very significant decision and distinction to make and it's this our Gentiles going to be required to go through the Jewish traditions and customs that is a pretty big decision that would affect the church for centuries and you know in Acts chapter 15 as they're making this decision you'll watch something very interesting happen this word slips into the story and it's this word called seemed s EE edy seemed it literally means impression impression and here's what the Apostles three times they use this word seemed in what is no disrespect decision that's significantly bigger than which job you should take or I should take a decision significantly bigger which home you should rent or buy this is a decision that's going to affect the faith for thousands of years they pray about it they talk amongst each other and they say okay it seemed good to us based on Jesus life ministry what we are sensing from his presence and spirit it seems that we're not going to ask the Gentile believers to go through the Jewish customs traditions and laws they only asked him to do three things and they literally end this this area of Scripture by saying and God be with you three times one of the most significant decisions in the history of church was made on a seems good to us and the leading of Jesus it seems but if we're not careful today that kind of approach to Jesus is seen as less than spiritual Jesus says now the Spirit of Truth the spirit of Jesus is going to come he's gonna guide you into all truth he's gonna guide you into one translation he's gonna take you by the hand he's gonna lead you for he will not speak on his own authority but whatever he hears he will speak he will declare it to you the things that are to come going on yeah and he the always the awkward pause for preachers because we pretend like we already have this memorized but none of us do okay so he would glorify me he will take what is mine and declare it to you he will declare it to you and then I think there's one more all that the father has his mind therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you I love this passage right so Jesus is like he's gonna guide you he's gonna declare it to you and by the way the Spirit of Jesus always magnifies the person of Jesus you always know the spirit of Jesus is working in your life when it always leads you to more Jesus but I love this passage right you just read it you're like he's gonna guide me he's gonna declare it to me he's gonna do it do you get the same sensation I get from this passage I'll miss awesome yeah he's gonna guide me right getting a small group maybe a group on the app and you're like hey can we let's talk about John 16:12 18 so good right guide us declare it amazing somebody in the group needs to go can I ask the what sure yeah yeah but how is he gonna do it but how like a passage like this has to make you want to go so on a Tuesday afternoon after my boss says we have to demote you and also can't pay you as much as we were cuz you're not doing the same job but hey we love you glad you're in the company and it's a Tuesday afternoon with a person who is not as good as you just got promoted and you just got demoted and the scripture says he will guide you what I want to know is on a Tuesday afternoon how will he guide me how this word didn't say he's gonna whisper it he's gonna declare it how Jesus doesn't give any explanation why because the answer is that the answer is there when you say how Jesus responds clearly is he will wait what but how will he do it he will but how Willy he will he just will so that's that's the info we got yeah in other words God will do it hearing from God is more about God than you this is let's talk for a second we think that I will hear from God if I would do all the right things can I just say this about God if God really wants to talk to you he's just gonna go ahead and do it he's famous for this he's like alright alright they're not they're not listening I'm gonna use a donkey now this is real stuff God spoke out of clouds donkeys all kinds of things right he just in fact Jesus one time said listen man if humans don't worship me rocks are literally rocks are gonna grow lips tongues and gums and starts talking about me and sing it about me like that's how like like like did God God's good at talking to people God's good at talking to people today Chelle so now were having a discussion and she's like hey I'm talk to you about something she goes do you think maybe you we would know what maybe I want to talk to you about that's always a peculiar position as a spouse because you're like but I'm 40 now and I said alright I feel like if I make some attempts and I'm not accurate this will not go well for me right come on those of you were married or you been in long-term dating relationship and the person is like well you don't you don't know what's bothering me and you're like yeah I do girl I know what it is but I want to hear you say it I want to hear you say it because I love when you speak to me girl think sometimes we think that's how God is gods like I want to speak to you about something what do you think that would be about my sins I got a whole conversation in my head but we won't go there okay so we've got to put the the the overwhelming responsibility of speak that it's God's first of all he knows we're dust he knows we're distracted he knows we're weak he knows we're broken he knows that you know we're we're not but but we were made to hear from God and if God wants to speak to us I truly believe he will I obviously believe that there are opportunities and spaces and places you can put yourself in obviously the idea behind our event in gathering on a Wednesday night is that God would speak to us through his story that something would stand out during the sermon that kind of lands and and it just kind of feels like it's an impression it's like that tempur-pedic you know mattress and you just kind of feel like you something kind of sunk in your chest you're like whoa that okay I think that might be God going hey hey we want that but I think oftentimes we think it's up to us no it is ultimately and primarily up to God remember that he said he will guide you he will declare it you're like wow how do i how do I do that oh he'll do it he'll initiate it God will guide you now that's some confidence we need more of that's some confidence we need more of we need to take the confidence using God said a lot and we did take and say hey God's going to talk to me God needs to get my attention to talk to me he's going to talk to me and that's a lot of the confidence at which in which I live my life if I'm being incredibly honest and practical my mentality is hey God God knows me like I love him he knows where I live what's going on he if he's gonna get my attention he's gonna use friends he's gonna use circumstance he's gonna I meant I'd really believe that God's going to guide me and he's gonna declare it's gonna be clear he doesn't use confusion he brings clarity and even in the mystery I think God is going to guide me so so and and furthermore God is the best at rerouting I told you this before right I mean I can't follow GPS to save my life I can't and I'll take a left cuz the streets I just I just hard to see which one it means and every time you take a wrong turn rerouting we think GPS is more gracious than God no God if you take yeah you made a bad decision you made it back a God's gonna reroute you don't get all in your head and caught up about it talking about well I don't know listen God is big faithful and he is really good at speaking to human beings he's really good God is going to God it's what I'd like to do in the conclusion of this message is take you to a very interesting story and then I'm going to give you three points that I think will forever help you determine whether or not you're hearing something from God and I think I think this could really help it's gonna help me I think you'll really help you so there's this scene in Luke chapter 7 the cousin of Jesus his name is John the Baptist maybe you've heard of him he actually has the honor and privilege of baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River they have grown up together John the Baptist is six months older than Jesus and John the Baptist becomes a very significant figure speaker and spiritual leader in Jesus day in fact his ministry swells and grows before Jesus even really is much on the scene in terms of his public ministry by the time we get to Luke chapter 7 and I think we start in verse 12 at verse 18 verse 18 John has been doing much ministry so has Jesus they've grown up together but watch what happens the disciples of John so that is some of his leaders some of the guys that Woodrow with John the Baptist reported all these things so they reported to John all these miracles they had seen Jesus do and calling two of the leaders to him he said he sent them to the Lord saying when I need you to get an audience with Jesus and when you get there this is his cousin I was growing up with his whole life he says I want you to ask him are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another now much has been made of this passage but I think there's an element of this passage that frankly is undeniable and much has been made in tight and trying to explain away that John the Baptist is dealing with doubt it is apparent to me there is at least some doubt in this story which is astounding if you consider the context John the Baptist who was there at the baptism of Jesus he did he performed the baptism do you remember what happened at that baptism the sky split open a dove flew down from heaven landed on Jesus and an audible voice from heaven this one was definitely a God said and when people say what do you mean he said he said it out loud from the clouds all right word that's cool all right that's that's real he said this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased okay John got to be there he stood right next to the Dove right next to Jesus and like in the limelight shining from heaven the voice from heaven God the Father boomed in his chest this is cousin he heard the prophesies he knows the miracle story he knows Mary John will lose his head not long after this scene and in this difficult place John starts to wonder did I really if you will hear from God do I really know the truth is my cousin really the man I'm about to die and I'm starting to wonder if it's true John in a lot of faith communities um would be in big trouble for this moment now John what who do you've seen the miracles of God what do you mean you wonder if he's the guy of course he's the guy he is your family John's in a human place he's starting to wonder did I is this i'ma die for this is he and I just what I'm what I'm concluding saying tonight before I give you these three observations is um we got to be a community where John the Baptist can ask hard questions about his cousin John was like I need you to go talk to my cousin and ask him some say he was also asking are you gonna come free me from this prison are you gonna save me from dying some say he might have been asking that as well he's dealing with fear he's dealing with doubt but is apparent to me that oftentimes we may not know especially in painful seasons is this all real did I really hear from God and are we gonna be the kind of community that's like hey let's talk about that hey thank you John for being honest so his leaders get to Jesus and it says in Luke chapter 7 that they communicate to Jesus and when the men had come and they said John the Baptist has sent us saying to you are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another let's let's let's think how Jesus feels for a second now if I'm Jesus I'm like I'm sorry what did you say you talking about my cousin Utah don't wanna I let baptize me gonna be famous forever yeah we were just told to ask isn't this or should we look for another I would be like it would get physical I'm just saying I'm just saying right like and watch what Jesus says next verse it says and he answered them this is so Jesus go and tell John what you have seen and heard the blind receive their sight the lame walk lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the dead are raised up the poor had the good news preached to them and blessed is the one who's not offended by me side note about God sometimes you want like a dirty yes or no from God and he's like go and tell him what you've seen and you're like what God say yes or no and God's like I know okay like yo John your cousin is really struggling just tell him yes three things three things have I heard from God do I think God's talking to me what does Jesus tell him John what is Jesus saying to John's doubts what is Jesus saying to John's fears I think I think God might be speaking to me here's a guide to help you filter through impressions that you get that you think might be God number one look at what God is doing and look at what God has done because God is famous for when you say God is that you and he says look around should we look for another look around John look what I do what is God doing we've got to understand something we're so individualized in our faith now we forgot to recognize that God speaks to groups of people God speaks to whole groups God speaks to continents Nations he built his own nation and he speaks we think God only speaks to us know God or to me no God will speak to us got to speak to us and one of the ways God will speak to us is what he will do amongst us and so if you like man what is I think God's saying one of the ways you can check that is look around what is God currently doing and furthermore what has God done what is his track record cuz oftentimes will say God speaking to me but it has no connection whatsoever it is completely inconsistent with what he's doing what he's done that's an awesome opportunity for us to go you know what the impression I'm getting is so inconsistent with what God is doing and what he's done I'm gonna do one of my favorite things I'm gonna shelf that I'm gonna put that on the shelf and if it comes back I'll reconsider to talk to some friends get some counsel but I'm looking around what he's doing and what he's done it's very helpful I also think Jesus uses the word hurt tell John what you heard the second thing I'd like to say is look at what he said to understand what he's saying go back to what he said cuz his saying will be consistent with what he said God repeats himself a lot a lot so if you're like man I got this thing I think God is saying and he never even ballparked said that you could price shelf that word god said and it's like man there's like not even a hint of that in here he probably didn't maybe say that no he did he did it up on the show we can't get to it anymore now I'm just trying to be as helpful and practical as I can as a community leader we need to be willing to say all right all right I have discussions with friends all the time and there'll be moments and Chelsey's the best at this she knows her Bible so well she'll be like well you know Philippians says and she always knows the address she shows off but Philippians 3:10 says she's like do you know what it says dude and I'm like I love the book of Philippians you tell me girl but what she's doing is hey you're feeling something thinking maybe it might so we're talking about God saying something let's go back to what he said and kind of go alright is that if we're gonna be bold enough to say God said this to me we got to be bold enough with each other to go all right I'm not mad at you I'm just saying I have never read a verse in the Bible that even comes close to what you're saying God said to you your people why don't you believe in my dreams I do but I you know we want to be honest about this practice of getting impressions from God and and lastly and I might ruffle some feathers bear with me why does Jesus answer John the Baptist this way he lists six different kind of afflicted people he says go tell John what you've seen and heard watch this number one blind receive their sight number two lame walk number three lepers are cleansed number four deaf hear number five dead are raised number six the poor had the good news preached to them this is a loaded statement that will speak to the traditional views of the Messiah in Jesus culture here's what was happening the Jews had taken the prophecies Jesus people and the wonderful Jewish people had taken the prophecies of the Messiah who was to come and they had favored one aspect of the prophecies so the prophecies declared that Jesus would be both lion and lamb that the Messiah would be the conquering king and the suffering lamb that he would be strong and yet he would take a place of brokenness he would make himself weak here's what happened over a process of time the Jewish people did not want a suffering lamb they didn't want that part of the Messiah they wanted the conquering king of the tyranny of Rome as you can imagine under the politics and all of the calamity that was happening in that era of the world and that time and in season they wanted a messiah who would come and be the conquering king overthrow Rome free people and they started to give themselves as you can understand to this aspect of the Messiah so John the Baptist in his fearful doubting state before he dies sends a note if you will to his cousin and his cousin writes back and says I am the suffering lamb I am the conquering King but I am the suffering lamb that you did not want me to be the suffering lamb would go to the suffering the conquering king would do away with the broken the lame the blind even the law rejected these groups of people you can't be around dead corpses you can't touch lepers you can't help those with defects it's the curse of God on their life and yet the conquering King comes also as the suffering lamb and he cares for people the Jews did not want him to care about and they're frustrated because their Messiah is not the way they wanted him and here's what I'd like to go on record saying if we're not careful my brothers and sisters we still do this today when I hear from God I only hear from a conquering King when I hear from God I only hear from the suffering lamb and so we have whole communities breaking apart the two offices of our God and we only hear from the suffering lamb or we only hear from the conquering king Jesus says I'm both and I will speak to you from both places but there's whole movements who are like nah we're conquerors we're blessed we're favorite it's awesome and that is so true and there's whole movements that are like we're broken we're weary we're marginalised we're not seen or Christians it's painful it's hard it's difficult and there's whole movements amongst the Christian faith never shall the conquering King and suffering lamb get together and the suffering lam their Messiah is always it's difficult it's hard the conquering King group were always like no God always is a conqueror more than conquerors everything's good everything's fine and what's amazing is it is in the middle of John's doubt Jesus answers by saying John I wonder if the reason you're asking this is because you two have been swayed by the popular notion of the Messiah he makes no mention of the Cochran conquering King because the conquering king was the predominant welcome celebrated perspective of God and he he says I mean this is not overwhelming blind lame lepers deaf dead poor what are you what are you gonna overthrow Rome well I'm the conquering King but I'm also the suffering lamb right cuz that's remember the disciples they're all in a locked room after Jesus dies and they're going what happened to our conquering king God wasn't like the way we wanted him to be so here's what happens we run around talking about God said and I'm gonna be honest with you I love you I do this to whichever you prefer conquering king or suffering lamb that becomes almost the only way you hear God and God God spoke to me and said I just need to I just need to suffer and be broken the other side is well God spoke to me and said I'm blessed I'm not gonna be sick I'm gonna be hey I just wonder like are we doing it again can ask the question when's the last time Jesus bothered you yeah when's the last time you're like I don't like that part yeah when's the last time Jesus crossed you you read something you're like I didn't must not mean that that's not what Jesus man he didn't mean that I need to get somebody to really explain that to me because the way it is I don't like it I know it's only two categories bear with me but based on personality we can be like Jesus's conquering King to me Jesus the suffering lamb to me he's both and he speaks from both places sometimes that's hard can I say something and now we're really getting into it and I'm coming to a close um can we be careful because sometimes Jesus is speaking to people from the office of the suffering lamb and yet he's speaking to us at the same time from the office of the conquering King and the two get together for coffee and we go oh that is not God you are gonna be blessed God is gonna and that's where things get wonky you're like Julie you are being honest here I'm 40 this is where we lose empathy compassion we also oftentimes can't listen to someone who's like God speaking to him from the conquering King I'm not trying to break Jesus apart I'm actually trying to avoid that you understand I'm saying he is both and he's telling John what we're talking about right now he's saying you need to see the part of me you don't want to see I came to die and I love people that the culture projects that so so here's where I'm I'm landing the reason I think we should say I think I heard from God is because I think a lot of times we hear what we want to hear see what we want to see and feel led by what we want to feel by and if we'll just admit I tend to hear God a lot in my personality I'm not trying to get you confused I'm trying to get all of us to be honest and say this is why community so good because in a multitude of counselors their safety their safety maybe you ever had one of these moments maybe I need somebody to help me hear what God is really trying to say you're you ever felt something in your gut and you're like I don't want that to be God if you're like me like there are still things in my life I'm like I don't hmm I don't want to tell Elijah cuz he'll probably like that sounds like God not be like man please I don't want to play games either I don't wanna make God in my own image then I'm God I want conquering king and suffering lamb I want the lion and the lamb to speak to me I don't want him to challenge me and change me III I want to get better with age I want to hear God I know I don't say this lightly this is a challenging message and some of you hearing you like man I'm just glad I'm not a Christian this is this sounds difficult yeah it's a painful moment from John the Baptist I don't know about you I can relate with John and I'm done I'm done I'm done I'm closing out what I can relate to John with is like when God isn't like I want him to be sometimes I want to look for another got it you're not you're not doing what I want you to do I wanted to go you and so I just want to say this that um maybe God is impressing people right now and I don't know who I'm talking to you but I think maybe there's some people here today whether in this auditorium there in Seattle or online right now watching on Church on global and here's what might be happening I'm Aguada Lim God is bringing something back on the inside of you and there's that sense again there's that impression again and it's it's one that you're not particularly fond of but it keeps kind of surfacing in your soul God might be speaking to you and it might be challenging I want to be the pastor to tell you the truth if you think every time God is impressing your soul that it's going to be exactly what you want or make everything feel better I just can't make that promise sometimes God says things and you're like no it keeps coming back and it's like okay hot so John done the music playing softly I promise I'm done John hears back from his cousin what I just quoted you do you know what that meant for John translation I'm not gonna save you from death you're gonna die not gonna come get me No waitwhat God can anyone explain that geez that's your cousin they're gonna cut his head off John saying it's that's my answer yeah hey there's some people in here is what you're going through is so hard you're like God what but I promise you in all of this gotta work it together for good I think I heard from God wouldn't it be cool to be a part of a community that would walk like this hey can I talk to you because I think I heard I don't want to I don't want to anyway remove your confidence I just want to insert some caution and some transparency and honesty so together we will experience the true leadership and guidance of God in our every day life let me remind you what God started in you you didn't started in you God started in you he will complete what he started in you he is going to guide you he's going to lead you he's gonna prompt you he will not leave you alone you be confident in that Jesus I thank you so much for the moments that we share God you're showing us things about you and I just thinking today about those in Seattle here in LA those watching on the app there's um it's a lot of pain going on in a lot of people's lives right now by the stuff that makes us wonder a lot of stuff that makes us doubt we we actually do need to hear from you God we do we do help us to see what you've done what you're doing help us to read what you have already said and help us to remember who you are and God help us hear you like for real I'm praying for my friends right now who are kind of feeling like unless they get a clear impression from you it seems like it's too hard to keep moving we need that we're a community that believes that you still speak today you still speak today so your kingdom come and your will be done talking to people right now thank you God thank you God thank you God thank you God thank you God well you are not done with us you have not cast us aside we are your children and you are a caretaker you are a shepherd thank you God you see us in this space and you are so in love with us we thank you for that confidence right now I thank you for your presence that I sense in this room Seattle even where people are watching on the app I thank you Lord this sense your love in Jesus name in Jesus name if you're here watching any of our locations in Seattle here in LA you'd like to become a follower of Jesus I'm gonna ask this for a moment that we close our eyes wherever you are just to allow this to be a private moment first and foremost if you said Judah I want to become a follower of Jesus I want to receive the forgiveness that only Jesus offers all it takes is a moment of faith not earning deserving or even understanding at all but believing if you want to exercise your faith in Jesus on the count of three wherever you are Seattle LA or online you want to receive the free gift of forgiveness that only Jesus offers I want to pray for you I'm gonna pray for you he's amazing count of three one two three if that she would you shoot your hand up all over this room rooms in Seattle maybe even the room you're in right now watching God you see these hands most of all you see our souls you see our heart and you love and you forgive and you come rushing in with so much grace and mercy we thank you that we were forgiven forever just in one moment of faith and oh god I pray for church home speak to us guide us lead us thank you Lord you will you have when we trust that in Jesus name in Jesus name hey thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video we really hope it encouraged you and maybe gave you a little something to think about through the day hey if you want to watch more you can subscribe and please watch the most recent video we love you we believe for great things for your life

Channel: Churchome

Views: 62,585

Rating: 4.8203392 out of 5

Keywords: Churchome, Judah, Judah smith, church, message, anxiety, depression, how to, elevation, Steven, Hillsong, oceans, sermon, the city church, church home, Chelsea smith, bobby Houston, td jakes, pastor, pastor preaching, carl lentz, Jesus, conference, guest speaker, sermon jam, worship, Justin Bieber, la Hillsong, Selena, preaching, Judah message, performance

Id: dEtUQOf_Fb0

Length: 55min 57sec (3357 seconds)

Published: Fri May 10 2019