Discerning God's Voice: Humility and Love in Faith
Summary
In our journey of faith, discerning the voice of God is a profound and essential aspect. It is crucial to recognize that not every voice we hear is from God. We must evaluate these voices against the principles of Scripture. If a voice contradicts the teachings of the Bible, it is not from God. The Bible serves as our ultimate guide, and we should interpret it holistically, understanding its teachings as a whole. This approach helps us discern God's voice amidst the noise of the world.
Humility is key in hearing God's voice. Moses, described as the most humble man on earth, exemplifies this. His humility allowed him to have a direct and clear communication with God. In contrast, those who are not humble may misinterpret or misuse what they hear. We must approach God with humility, acknowledging our fallibility and the need for His guidance.
God's voice is not a fix-all solution to our problems. It is part of a holistic relationship with Him. We are expected to engage in conversation with God, seeking His guidance while also using our judgment and consulting with others. This conversational relationship is not about receiving constant directives but about growing in understanding and love, both for God and our neighbors.
Loving our neighbors, even our enemies, requires divine guidance. We cannot rely solely on our understanding to love others as God commands. We need to be taught by God how to love, especially in challenging situations. This love is not about condoning wrong actions but about seeking the good of others, sometimes by opposing their desires.
Finally, we must actively seek God's voice. This involves asking for His guidance and being attentive to His presence in our daily lives. When we seek direction, we should expect God to respond, but also be prepared to act on our own when He chooses not to give explicit instructions. This process of seeking, listening, and acting is part of our growth towards spiritual maturity.
Key Takeaways:
- Discernment through Scripture: Always evaluate the voices you hear against the teachings of the Bible. If a voice contradicts Scripture, it is not from God. The Bible is our guide, and we must interpret it as a whole to understand God's voice. [17:23]
- Humility in Hearing God: Humility is essential in hearing God's voice. Moses' humility allowed him to have clear communication with God. We must approach God with humility, acknowledging our limitations and seeking His guidance. [21:25]
- Conversational Relationship with God: God's voice is part of a holistic relationship. It is not a fix-all solution but a conversation that requires our engagement, judgment, and consultation with others. [20:04]
- Loving Neighbors and Enemies: Loving others, especially enemies, requires divine guidance. We need to be taught by God how to love, seeking the good of others even when it means opposing their desires. [32:36]
- Seeking and Acting on God's Voice: Actively seek God's voice by asking for His guidance and being attentive to His presence. Be prepared to act on your own when God chooses not to give explicit instructions, trusting that He is with you. [39:09]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [16:54] - Recognizing God's Voice
- [17:23] - Interpreting Scripture
- [18:36] - Humility and Hearing God
- [19:48] - The Holistic Voice of God
- [20:22] - The Primacy of the Voice
- [21:09] - Moses' Humility
- [22:24] - Gifts and Fruit
- [23:14] - God's Communication
- [24:52] - Clear Communication
- [27:10] - Closeness to God
- [30:14] - Loving Your Neighbor
- [32:36] - Loving Your Enemy
- [34:08] - Seeking God's Guidance
- [39:09] - Acting on God's Voice
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Numbers 12:1-8
2. Matthew 22:37-39
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Observation Questions:
1. In Numbers 12, what was the reason for Miriam and Aaron's criticism of Moses, and how did God respond to their actions? [21:55]
2. How does the passage in Numbers 12 describe Moses' relationship with God compared to others? [25:14]
3. According to the sermon, what role does humility play in hearing God's voice, and how is this exemplified by Moses? [21:25]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the nature of God's communication with those who are closer to Him? [27:10]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Moses in Numbers 12 illustrate the importance of humility in our relationship with God? [21:25]
2. What does it mean to have a "conversational relationship" with God, and how does this differ from expecting direct answers to every problem? [19:18]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that loving our neighbors, including our enemies, requires divine guidance? [32:36]
4. How can the principles of interpreting Scripture as a whole help us discern God's voice in our lives? [17:23]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to discern whether a voice or thought was from God. How did you evaluate it against Scripture, and what was the outcome? [17:23]
2. Moses is described as the most humble man on earth. What practical steps can you take to cultivate humility in your own life to better hear God's voice? [21:25]
3. Consider your current relationship with God. How can you develop a more conversational relationship with Him, rather than seeking Him only for solutions to problems? [19:18]
4. Think of a challenging relationship in your life. How can you seek God's guidance to love that person, especially if they have wronged you? [32:36]
5. How do you actively seek God's voice in your daily life? What changes can you make to be more attentive to His presence and guidance? [34:08]
6. Reflect on a recent decision you made without explicit guidance from God. How did you trust that He was with you in that decision, and what was the result? [39:09]
7. Identify one area in your life where you feel God is asking you to take initiative. How can you move forward with confidence, trusting that He is with you? [39:09]
Devotional
Day 1: Discernment through Scripture
In our journey of faith, discerning the voice of God is a profound and essential aspect. It is crucial to recognize that not every voice we hear is from God. We must evaluate these voices against the principles of Scripture. If a voice contradicts the teachings of the Bible, it is not from God. The Bible serves as our ultimate guide, and we should interpret it holistically, understanding its teachings as a whole. This approach helps us discern God's voice amidst the noise of the world. [17:23]
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent decision you made. Did you evaluate it against the teachings of Scripture? How can you incorporate this practice into your daily decision-making process?
Day 2: Humility in Hearing God
Humility is key in hearing God's voice. Moses, described as the most humble man on earth, exemplifies this. His humility allowed him to have a direct and clear communication with God. In contrast, those who are not humble may misinterpret or misuse what they hear. We must approach God with humility, acknowledging our fallibility and the need for His guidance. [21:25]
"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (James 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a time when pride may have clouded your ability to hear God's guidance. How can you cultivate humility in your relationship with God today?
Day 3: Conversational Relationship with God
God's voice is not a fix-all solution to our problems. It is part of a holistic relationship with Him. We are expected to engage in conversation with God, seeking His guidance while also using our judgment and consulting with others. This conversational relationship is not about receiving constant directives but about growing in understanding and love, both for God and our neighbors. [20:04]
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)
Reflection: How can you make your prayer life more of a two-way conversation with God, rather than just presenting requests? What steps can you take to listen more intently to His responses?
Day 4: Loving Neighbors and Enemies
Loving our neighbors, even our enemies, requires divine guidance. We cannot rely solely on our understanding to love others as God commands. We need to be taught by God how to love, especially in challenging situations. This love is not about condoning wrong actions but about seeking the good of others, sometimes by opposing their desires. [32:36]
"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:44-45, ESV)
Reflection: Identify someone you find difficult to love. How can you seek God's guidance to love them in a way that aligns with His teachings?
Day 5: Seeking and Acting on God's Voice
We must actively seek God's voice. This involves asking for His guidance and being attentive to His presence in our daily lives. When we seek direction, we should expect God to respond, but also be prepared to act on our own when He chooses not to give explicit instructions. This process of seeking, listening, and acting is part of our growth towards spiritual maturity. [39:09]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are waiting for God's guidance? How can you take a step of faith today, trusting that God is with you even if you don't have all the answers?
Quotes
If a voice were to come to me and to say I could hate my neighbor or it was quite alright for me to despise a certain class of people, I would know on the basis of the content that that was not all right. If it were to come and make some statement degrading of Jesus, I would know the same thing. [00:16:52]
The important thing here is keep to the principles in interpreting the word or the voice of God to you in terms of the Bible. Keep to the principles. The rule of thumb that I use is if the Bible says something once, don't worry about it. If it says it twice, think about it twice. [00:17:56]
What you want to believe from the Bible is what is taught on the whole, on a fair interpretation that interprets the Bible by the Bible. What is taught on the whole and you should receive that as God's teaching to be respected and used as a standard for everything else that you have. [00:18:20]
Hearing the voice of God does not make a pope of me, and I have to accept the fact that while the one speaking is infallible, I am not. The voice of God is not a fix-all. It doesn't solve all of our problems. It isn't meant to, and in many cases, we are expected to proceed. [00:19:04]
The voice of God is holistic. It serves the purpose God wants it to serve. We learn to recognize it by experience, and we can become very comfortable with it, but we don't force it to solve our problems. It is, after all, a conversation, and a conversation is not something you want to try to force. [00:19:54]
The man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth, and that is perhaps the surest way for God to speak to you is to be humble because that way he knows that you're not going to misuse it, but others were not humble. [00:21:17]
To love your enemy means that you do what is in your power for their good, and sometimes that would be to oppose what they want. That's what is involved in loving people. Now how you do that and what that means will be something that we need to hear from God about. [00:32:36]
You won't be able to figure that out on your own because what your neighbor needs is often going to be something you don't know, so you need to be told in many cases how to relate to your neighbor. What if your neighbor is your enemy? Well, that's a special case sometimes. [00:33:56]
When I want to hear from God, I very straightforwardly ask him to speak to me, and then I watch. I watch what's happening as I go through my days, when I'm studying or talking with others or maybe in a waiting room reading a magazine or something. I watch for that special kind of presence in thought to come to me. [00:34:08]
If there is something in my attitude or something I'm doing that would seem to prevent him speaking to me, I expect him to tell me, and that may come in various ways, but I don't believe that God messes with our minds. He's very clear. He's very straightforward. [00:37:48]
When God leaves you to decide on your own, that is your assurance that he will be with you in your decision. Now if you have come to the view that I've been trying to press on you is that God is preparing us for a life of initiative on our own. [00:39:09]
I know that God will be with me when he doesn't tell me what to do, that his being with me is not a matter of him telling me what to do, and if he doesn't tell me what to do, then he's not with me. His presence with me is known in different ways than just him specifying a course of action. [00:40:18]
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