Preparing Hearts to Hear God's Voice
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of preparing oneself to hear from God. He encourages the congregation to listen to the voice of the Shepherd, who will lead them to green pastures and still waters. The pastor urges the congregation to grow, revive, refocus, and repent in order to prepare their hearts for God's message. He also highlights the example of Jesus, who endured the cross, shame, and pain without quitting, and encourages the congregation to be an example of endurance as well.
The pastor then discusses the importance of making wise decisions and choices in life. He highlights that Jesus and God are constantly speaking to us, but there are certain things that hinder us from hearing their voice. He refers to the parable of the sower, where different results are obtained based on the condition of the soil the seed is planted in. The pastor suggests that this parable represents the heart of humanity and how the word of God is deposited in different types of hearts. He emphasizes that the condition of one's heart can hinder them from hearing God's voice, and it is important to address and deal with any issues in the heart.
The pastor then shifts the focus to the importance of preparing to hear the word of God. He compares the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep to the relationship between God and His people. Just as sheep have the ability to recognize and respond to the shepherd's voice, believers should have a trained ear to hear and recognize God's voice. The pastor highlights the value and blessings that come from being able to hear the voice of God and follow His leading.
The pastor also addresses the importance of forgiveness and the condition of the heart in relation to hearing God's message. He emphasizes that holding onto unforgiveness not only affects one's relationship with others but also hinders their ability to hear what God is saying. He urges the congregation to let go of unforgiveness in order to open their hearts to God's voice. He also highlights the distracted heart, noting that in today's age, humanity is constantly bombarded with distractions that can hinder their ability to deeply root themselves in God's word.
In conclusion, the pastor challenges the congregation to examine their hearts and prepare themselves to hear from God. He acknowledges that he may not know the specific areas in their lives that need attention, but encourages them to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance. He emphasizes the connection between the heart and the ability to hear from God, especially in a broken and wounded world. He highlights the importance of cutting off distractions and offenses in order to create space for God's voice.
Key Takeaways:
- The pastor emphasizes the importance of preparing oneself to hear from God. He encourages the congregation to grow, revive, refocus, and repent in order to prepare their hearts for God's message. He also highlights the example of Jesus, who endured the cross, shame, and pain without quitting, and encourages the congregation to be an example of endurance as well. [49:33]
- The pastor discusses the importance of making wise decisions and choices in life. He highlights that Jesus and God are constantly speaking to us, but there are certain things that hinder us from hearing their voice. He refers to the parable of the sower, where different results are obtained based on the condition of the soil the seed is planted in. [52:45]
- The pastor shifts the focus to the importance of preparing to hear the word of God. He compares the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep to the relationship between God and His people. Just as sheep have the ability to recognize and respond to the shepherd's voice, believers should have a trained ear to hear and recognize God's voice. [55:30]
- The pastor addresses the importance of forgiveness and the condition of the heart in relation to hearing God's message. He emphasizes that holding onto unforgiveness not only affects one's relationship with others but also hinders their ability to hear what God is saying. He urges the congregation to let go of unforgiveness in order to open their hearts to God's voice. [58:15]
- In conclusion, the pastor challenges the congregation to examine their hearts and prepare themselves to hear from God. He acknowledges that he may not know the specific areas in their lives that need attention, but encourages them to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance. He emphasizes the connection between the heart and the ability to hear from God, especially in a broken and wounded world. [1:01:00]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
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1. John 10:27: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
2. Mark 4:3-9: "Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
3. Matthew 24:12: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
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Observation Questions:
1. What are the different types of soil mentioned in Mark 4:3-9 and what happens to the seed in each type?
2. In John 10:27, what characteristics are attributed to the sheep that belong to Jesus?
3. What does Matthew 24:12 suggest about the state of the world and its impact on love?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the parable of the sower in Mark 4:3-9 relate to the condition of human hearts and their receptivity to God's word?
2. What does it mean to listen to and follow Jesus' voice as mentioned in John 10:27? How does this relate to the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep?
3. How does the increase of wickedness lead to the love of most growing cold as stated in Matthew 24:12? What might this imply about the condition of the heart?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the condition of your heart. Which type of soil in the parable of the sower do you identify with and why?
2. What are some distractions in your life that might be hindering you from hearing God's voice? How can you address these distractions this week?
3. Can you identify any unforgiveness in your heart that might be affecting your ability to hear from God? What steps can you take towards forgiveness?
4. How can you train your ear to better recognize and respond to God's voice in your daily life?
5. In a world where wickedness is increasing and love is growing cold, how can you ensure your heart remains receptive to God's word?
Quotes
1. "Your heart can grow callous and cold, it can grow bitter with unforgiveness and all this stuff in our heart. God is constantly speaking, but all we can think about is the wrong that was done, all we can think about is the bitterness that we have." [16:15]
2. "Your heart and your hearing is connected... there's some distraction in there, there's some things that need to be cut off." [34:51]
3. "He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. And could it be one of the greatest things that hinders us from hearing the voice of God is the condition of your heart." [07:03]
4. "When we hold on to unforgiveness, it ensures that the event is going to take place every single day. Unforgiveness poisons and hardens your heart with offense, bitterness, envy, and strife." [19:51]
5. "Let him who has an ear to hear, hear what the spirit is saying. The distracted heart is a spread-out heart, and in this day and age, humanity has never been so distracted." [21:12]
6. "The sheep have the ability, this innate ability, a trained ear to hear and to recognize the shepherd's voice." This quote emphasizes the importance of cultivating a listening ear to hear God's voice amidst the noise and distractions of the world. When we tune in to His voice, we can experience His guidance and direction in our lives.
7. "When you compromise Godly convictions and values, it makes the heart callous... until one day you're so comfortable and it started because your value system broke down and your convictions never hold up." This quote serves as a warning against the gradual hardening of the heart through compromising our values and convictions. It challenges us to examine the choices we make and ensure they align with righteousness rather than leading us towards sin.
8. "As we prepare to hear the voice of the Shepherd, he'll lead you to Green Pastures, help you navigate beside Still Waters. We need to grow, revive, refocus, and repent. There might be some things you need to repent from, but when you do that and refocus, watch God revive your soul like never before."
9. "If you're here today and you want to examine your heart and hear from God like never before, raise your hand. There are some serious decisions being made, and you need to hear the voice of the Lord on this. Let us do a self-reflection, a self-audit of the things in our heart, and have the courage to take a step in growth."
10. "When we focus on God, the author and finisher of our faith, He revives us. Let us study how He endured the cross, the shame, and the pain without quitting. Let us be an example of endurance as His people."
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