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UNIT TWO
GOD SPEAKS - PART 2
INTRODUCTION
(Speak about communication and put up Hagar Comic)
What is prayer?
It is a two-way fellowship and communication with God. You speak to God and He speaks to you. Many people have the viewpoint that prayer is one way, that it is us sending up our requests to God, but if that is our thinking, then we are on the wrong track because prayer is not a one-way conversation. Now your prayer life may primarily be one-way communication - you talking to God, but prayer is more than that. Prayer includes listening as well. In fact, what God says in prayer is far more important than what you say.
You see, prayer is a relationship, not just a religious activity. Prayer is designed more to adjust you to God than to adjust God to you or me. And we need to pray because of what God wants to do in and through your life during your praying. God speaks to His people by the Holy Spirit through prayer.
Have a look at Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Also John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
How often have you come across the situation when you want to pray about something or for someone, but you feel the words you are praying are just not hitting base?
You see, we are weak and don't know what to pray. But the Holy Spirit has an advantage over us - He already knows the will of God because He is God. So when He prays for us, He is praying absolutely in agreement with the God the Father's will. Now He doesn't just stop there because He then helps us know the will of God as we pray.
So when you pray, anticipate that the Holy Spirit already knows what God the Father has ready for your life. He does not guide you on His own initiative; He tells you only what He hears from the Father himself. So He guides you as you pray.
Now you might ask the question 'how do I know that what I pray is the Spirit's leading and not just my own selfish desires?' And if you asked that question, it is a good question.
To prevent your own selfish desires taking precedence maybe these four questions are worth asking as you pray.
Remember what I said last week. God will never lead you in opposition to His written Word. If what you sense in prayer runs contrary to Scripture, then it is wrong. So watch for God to use His written Word to confirm what you are sensing in prayer.
God also speaks to us through circumstances.
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES
John 5:17-20
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." …"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.
So what do we find here from Jesus' own testimony.
Jesus said that He did not take the initiative in what to do for the Father. Only the Father has the right to take that initiative. We see the Jesus says the Father had been working right up to the present time, and that He is still working. We see that the Father would let the son know what He was doing and when the Son saw the Father's activity, that was recognised as the Father's invitation for the Son the join with him.
The point is this, the Father used circumstances to reveal to Jesus what He was already doing. Jesus was always looking for where the Father was at work. That was His focus in life. Jesus wasn't so preoccupied with His own activities that He had to ask the question 'How do I know the Father's will?' You see, the Father loved the Son, and showed Him everything He was doing. So Jesus didn't have to guess or dream up what He could do for the Father, because the relationship was so intimate that He recognised the Father's work when He saw it. His priority of life was to watch and see what the Father was doing around His life, and so Jesus adjusted His own life and put Himself where the Father was at work.
You know, that's exactly what Jesus wants us to do with his Lordship in our lives. We see what He is doing, and adjust our lives, our plans, and our goals to him. In other words, we are to place our lives at His disposal - where He is working - so He can accomplish His purposes through us.
Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
You know, the question remains for you and me is, 'Are you a disciple' or 'are you only a believer?'
One writer estimates that if the qualifications of discipleship given by Jesus were applied to those claiming to be Christians only 25% would meet them. Now, most of us will agree that when we are "born again," we are not mature Christians at that point. Paul speaks of baby Christians and mature Christians. And to become a mature Christian, a person must be a disciple following Jesus through his or her life.
Sadly, many Christians never become mature Christians. Why?
Because they haven't become disciples of Christ.
So, who is a disciple of Jesus?
If you are a disciple of Jesus would you be denying yourself, taking up your cross each day, and following in His steps? Of course you would!
So, the rate of maturing as a disciple will depend on how closely we follow Christ. Therefore, are we following closely or are falling further and further behind?
Now, I've heard little children pray some of the most sincere prayers and yet some adults who claim to be Christians will not pray publicly or privately. If we are not praying, we are not following. The same can be said for many other things we know Jesus would want us to do. If we are not reading the Bible, we are not following. If we are not attending church regularly, we are not following. If we are not giving, we are not following. If we are not witnessing, we are not following. If we are not serving, we are not following. If we are not forgiving, we are not following. If we are not turning the other cheek, we are not following. If we are not going the extra mile, we are not following. If we are not always honest, we are not following.
So, if we are not following, can we really say we are a disciple? It may be that some of us are really only believers. So, let's commit ourselves from today to follow our Lord more closely and become true disciples!
To take this step we need to start to see things not from our own perspective's, but from God's perspective.
Let me give you an example.
Back in 1991 I went through 6 months of unemployment. The year before the lord led me to work with a church for a 3 month period, I knew that the door was not open at the end of that 3 month period, but I trusted God He had everything under control. So by faith I finished my job and worked at this church. At the same time, Julie-Ann and I had responded to God's leading to go to Theological College commencing in 1992. So I thought, "well the Lord will provide me with work at the end of this period of time because He knows we need to save money to get me through college.
You see, my perspective was that God would provide money for us because we needed the money. The problem is, as much as I had good intentions, my perspective was selfish and not in line with God's perspective. During the following 6 months of unemployment with picking up only little bits of work here and there I got angry with God several times. I said, "Lord, here I am being obedient to you, I'm going to go the college, I'm intending to serve you, and yet you kind find it in you to find me a job so we can save up our money." Well, in time, I learned God's perspective.
You see, His perspective wasn't on money, He knew that our well-being was all in hand. His perspective was to mold me and shape me to be the person He created me to be. That meant breaking down my pride and selfishness. In the end I recognised the Lord's Lordship of my life, that I was His disciple and I needed to adjust my life to Him, not Him adjust Himself to what I thought was important. And that lesson is the same for all of us if we are truly going to be His disciples.
So learn from me and my mistakes. God does speak through circumstances, but those circumstances are not necessarily pleasant one's. There are times the Lord allows us to go through numerous difficulties in order that we grow in character and more importantly grow in maturity in our relationship with Him.
He also speaks through the Church.
The Holy Spirit speaks through God's people - the Church. Here we are just going to introduce some thoughts as we will look at this area more thoroughly next term.
Ephesians 4:15-16 says this
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
One of our major doctrinal beliefs as Baptists is that of the Priesthood of all Believers. But this has been so emphasised to the point that many Christians have lost their sense of corporate identity. What do I mean by that?
Many Christians have a viewpoint that we stand alone before God and that they are not accountable to the church. Now, Christians do have direct access to God, and they only need to go through Christ as their mediator, not some pastor or priest. But, God created the church as His redemptive or delivering agent in the world. He has a purpose for the church.
So what is the church?
1 Cor.12:27 tells us it is a Body - that is, the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ Himself is present as Head of a local church which we read just previously in Eph. 4:15. 1 Cor. 12:18 tells us that every member is placed in the Body as it pleases God. Here we find that the Holy Spirit manifests Himself to every person for the common good - 1 Cor.12:7. Note that the word says common good, not good for the individual person.
So the whole Body is fitted together by the Father. Members of that Body are enabled and equipped by the Holy Spirit to function where the Father has placed them in the Body. The Body then functions to build itself up into the head, until every member comes to the full measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13). You see, God made us mutually interdependent - we need each other, and we need each other to be ministering where God is showing us to minister. And if you say to me, 'Well, God isn't showing me anywhere to minister." Then my answer is Balonne. Because He equips all of us to serve Him, and as we serve one another we also serve Him. The reason we need one another is because what one lacks, another person supplies through the equipping and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, what God is doing in and through the Body is essential to my knowing how to respond to Him. Where I see Him at work in the Body, I then, out of obedience, adjust my life and put my life where He is at work. So, in the church, I let God use me in any way He chooses to complete His work in each member. This was Paul's goal when he said in Col. 1:28, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
Folks, this is why we have formal membership as a church. Coming into membership is a practical way where you commit yourself to the local Body of Christ. It has nothing to do with prestige, has nothing to do with joining a club, has nothing to do with privilege - but it has everything to do with commitment to Christ, the Body of Christ, and being a servant to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
1 Cor. 12:7-31
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.This passage makes it clear that apart from the Body, you cannot fully know God's will for your relationship to the Body. Without the eye the hand does not know where to touch. Without the ear the rest of the Body may not know when or how to respond. Every member needs to be listening to what the other members are saying. If the members are not talking about what they sense God is doing, then the whole Body is in trouble.
You see, as I function in relationship to the church, I depend on others in the church to help me understand God's will.
CONCLUSION
So today we have looked at the facts that God speaks through prayer, circumstances, and the church.
My question is, "How are we going to put this into action as a church?"
We have seen how we need one another. We have seen that God speaks through prayer. Folks I have a major concern about our church, and I'll put my concern into the form of a question. How much do we pray and search God's will together - that is corporately?
Some in home groups and Bible study group, some in Church Council meetings, some in a church service. Andrew and I get together as Elders each Sunday morning praying for the church and various individuals. But I'm not sure that we really seek God with all our hearts.
I want to place a challenge before you. For the next 3 weeks I am going to be down here at the church from 6.00 am to 7.00 am praying and searching God's will. My hope is that the whole church will participate, the reality is that not all will. I do know though that the Lord wants us to get on our knees to repent, to turn to Him, to seek Him, and let Him lead.
2 Chron. 7:14 says,
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Is that the desire of your heart. We need to get serious about God, serious about His word and serious about fulfilling His purposes. The first step is prayer. I don't want you to join with me from next Friday morning out of guilt, but out of a desire to search God's heart for our church and the Burdekin area.
This sermon has been created and adapted from the book 'Experiencing God' by H.T.Blackaby and C.V.King by Pastor Scott Douglas for teaching in the Burdekin Baptist Church on 30th May, 1999.