How Do We Recognize God's Voice?
I Samuel 3:1-10, John 10:2-5
1The boy Samuel ministered before the Lordunder Eli. In those days the word of the Lordwas rare; there were not many visions. 2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4Then the Lordcalled Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6Again the Lordcalled, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lordhad not yet been revealed to him. 8A third time the Lordcalled, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lordwas calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10The Lordcame and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Recognizing the Voice of God
We very rarely hear God in an audible voice, yet God’s voice is very recognizable in the following ways…..
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Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Can we identify who is calling simply by hearing their voice? How?
As we are listening to someone else talking on their phone, can we determine who they’re talking to based on their tone? What cues are we given by that other person?
Do we know God well enough to recognize when God is talking to us?
TODAY'S PREACHER
Debbie Reese is Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC