WHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?

HUMANITARIAN OUTREACH MINISTRIES

SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

“SPEAK LORD I'M LISTENING”

1 SAMUEL 3:1-10

1 Samuel 3:1-10 The Message (MSG)

3 1-3 The boy Samuel was serving God under Eli’s direction. This was at a time when the revelation of God was rarely heard or seen. One-night Eli was sound asleep (his eyesight was very bad—he could hardly see). It was well before dawn; the sanctuary lamp was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the Temple of God, where the Chest of God rested.

4-5 Then God called out, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel answered, “Yes? I’m here.” Then he ran to Eli saying, “I heard you call. Here I am.”

Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” And so he did.

6-7 God called again, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel got up and went to Eli, “I heard you call. Here I am.”

Again, Eli said, “Son, I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” (This all happened before Samuel knew God for himself. It was before the revelation of God had been given to him personally.)

8-9 God called again, “Samuel!”—the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, “Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.”

That’s when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, “Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, God. I’m your servant, ready to listen.’” Samuel returned to his bed.

10 Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.”

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION: JOHN 10:27 MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM AND THEY FOLLOW ME.

INTRO: ONE MORNING I WAS HEADED OUT OF TOWN FOR A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, BEFORE I LEFT TOWN THE THOUGHT CAME TO MY MIND TO TRAVEL ON A PARTICULAR HIGHWAY TO GET THERE IN TIME, I DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THAT WAY I SAID TO MYSELF NO I WILL GO THE WAY THAT I THOUGHT WAS BEST LO' AND BEHOLD I RAN INTO A SERIOUS TRAFFIC JAM TIME WAS SWIFTLY PASSING AND I WAS TRAPPED IN TRAFFIC. FINALLY, I GOT ONTO THE RIGHT ROAD HEADED TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RESCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEK. THEN I SAID TO MYSELF AGAIN THAT PROBLEM HAPPENED FOR A REASON AND LATER WHEN I CALMED DOWN I GOT THE MESSAGE YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE VOICE INSIDE OF YOU AND YOU WENT YOUR WAY SO NOW YOU'RE FACED WITH THE RESULT OF YOUR OWN MISTAKE OF NOT LISTENING SO NOW YOU ARE IN FOR WHAT COULD BE A MAJOR MISTAKE!

OBSERVATION: WE'RE NOW LIVING IN A TIME WHERE GOD IS CALLING FOR HIS PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE BELL, THE BELL RINGS LOUD AND CLEAR, HE STILL SPEAKS IN A STILL SMALL VOICE. HIS VOICE IS SO SMALL BUT YET LARGE ENOUGH UNTIL IT SPEAKS LOUD ENOUGH FOR US TO HEAR EVEN IN CROWDED PLACES. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY YOUR NAME AND YOU LOOK AROUND AND ASK DID SOMEONE CALL MY NAME? WELL THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THAT HE'S CALLING OUT TO YOU AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ANSWER AND SAY “SPEAK LORD! I HEAR YOU CALLING MY NAME”. AS SOON AS YOU ANSWER THE CALL OF HIS VOICE THEN HE WILL BEGIN TO SPEAK. NOW LET'S EXAMINE HOW TO LISTEN WITH A SPIRITUAL EAR. PORTION OF REVELATION 2:7 SAYS; HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. WE CAN SPEAK TO GOD ON OUR OWN LEVEL AND HE STILL HEARS US WE NEED NOT GO TO GOD IN ANY FASHION WHAT GOD HONORS IS JUST BE Y-O-U-R-S-E-L-F. ALONG THIS JOURNEY I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEARN AND RESEARCH HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD WHEN ALL THE WHILE HE WAS SPEAKING AND I DID NOT L-I-S-T-E-N. IN TODAY’S MESSAGE I WILL GIVE YOU SOME SURE WAYS OF HOW TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND UNDERSTAND IT.

FOUR KEY POINTS TO TAKE AWAY FROM TODAY'S MESSAGE:

1. Attentiveness to God is listening to him, which involves some periods of concentration to receive divine direction.

2. Listening to God comes with preparation sit down in a quiet place.

3. Void out negative thoughts in order to get in touch with your inner most being, which is the Holy Spirit.

4. The scriptures put us closer to what God is giving us for our daily walk which you may hear the word of God then comes revelation.

In conclusion, our listening must be built upon a close relationship with God.

GOD IS SPEAKING ALL THE TIME! THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE RECOGNIZING HIS VOICE AND WHAT IS HE SAYING? GOD CAN, AND DOES, SPEAK TO US IN MANY WAYS.