Participants: Shelley Quinn
Series Code: PHP
Program Code: PHP000020
|
00:01 Hello, I am Shelley Quinn.
00:02 Have you ever thought 00:03 that your loving heavenly father 00:04 might have something personal 00:06 He would like to share with you. 00:07 Please join us today on "Pressing in to His Presence" 00:10 as we consider with whom God speaks. 00:35 Welcome to "Pressing in to His Presence." 00:38 On our last two programs we have considered 00:40 10 manners in which God has spoken 00:42 to mankind throughout scripture, 00:45 and here's what we have learnt. 00:47 Godhead speaks to us primarily through scripture. 00:50 He has spoken to us through His prophets 00:52 and His Son Jesus Christ, 00:54 through appearance of angels, creations 00:57 and creatures, through answered prayers, 00:59 science and circumstances, 01:01 through visions, dreams, 01:03 the audible voice which is rare, 01:05 and a still small voice of the Holy Spirit. 01:09 Now today, we will examine scripture to see 01:13 just exactly what type of person 01:15 God wants to speak to? 01:17 Could it be you? 01:19 If you are following along in the program companion book 01:21 also titled Pressing Into His Presence. 01:24 Today we begin on Chapter 11. 01:28 Should Christians of this era 01:30 expect God to speak with them? 01:32 I believe scripture supports a resounding yes. 01:36 And we find our answer in Malachi 3:6 01:40 because God declares 01:41 "I am the Lord, I do not change." 01:44 And in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus said that 01:46 "He is same yesterday, today and forever." 01:50 The experience of Christians around the world 01:53 testifies to the fact 01:55 that are loving heavenly Father still communicates 01:58 in an intimate manner with His children. 02:01 Off course the word of God is the primary manner 02:04 in which the Lord communicates with us. 02:07 It's good to make scripture reading 02:09 a part of your prayer time. 02:10 So that prayer becomes a two way conversation. 02:15 And I also believe that God would impress 02:17 His thoughts upon our heart by the power of His Holy Spirit 02:21 just as He did with so many ordinary disciples 02:25 in the New Testament. 02:26 If we would just learn how to train our ears 02:30 to receive His loving words 02:32 of encouragement, instruction and discipline. 02:36 You know, Jesus said in Mark 4:24. 02:39 "Take heed what you hear. 02:42 With the same measure you use, 02:44 it will be measured to you, 02:46 and to you who hear, more will be given." 02:50 As we press into His presence in prayer. 02:54 Let us do it with reverence and awe 02:58 and a heart just filled with expectation. 03:02 Increase the measure of your expectations 03:05 because the measure you use will be measured back to you. 03:10 Before God taught me to press into His presence, 03:13 I confess that I only heard 03:15 that still small voice on rare occasions. 03:19 I remember that first morning in September 1999 03:24 when I was trying to learn how to pray for an hour 03:28 and I was sitting at my computer 03:30 journaling my prayer. 03:31 And I became completely absorbed 03:34 in earnest prayers to the one who loves me most. 03:38 Finally giving myself permission 03:40 to glance at the clock that I had covered 03:42 so I wouldn't check on it. 03:44 I was surprised to see I'd spent 03:46 over two hours talking to the Lord. 03:49 The deep intimacy of that prayer session 03:53 delighted my soul. 03:55 So satisfied I typed the words in Jesus' name, amen. 04:00 And as soon as I added the exclamation point, 04:03 the Lord added one of His own. 04:06 He impressed upon my heart the very words of Psalms 46:10. 04:12 "Be still, and know that I am God." 04:18 This was to be a major turning point in my life, 04:22 stunned by His unexpected command, 04:26 I stood at a crossroads 04:27 and I try to trust God's continued leading. 04:31 Was this really the voice of the Lord 04:34 or merely my own subconscious thought? 04:37 Doubt was revolving in my mind 04:39 and it ruined any attempt to be still. 04:42 And I said, "Oh, Lord, is this you or is this me." 04:46 Unfamiliar thoughts were impressed upon me 04:48 and frantically I questioned again and again, 04:52 desperately wanting to identify the source 04:55 breaking through the silence. 04:57 His next thought came to my mind and he said, 05:01 "I will teach you to quit interrupting 05:03 in a spiritual realm as well as in the physical realm. 05:08 Write what I speak to you 05:09 that you may take note of it often." 05:12 And in hindsight 05:13 I see that the Lord's sense of humor 05:16 was in that remark because never before 05:18 had I acknowledged my very irritating habit 05:21 of interrupting others as they spoke 05:23 until God pointed out my problem. 05:26 I believed it was the still small voice of the Lord. 05:30 He had my attention and he was about to teach me 05:34 that prayer can be a two way communication. 05:39 Listening for God's gentle whisper during prayer 05:42 was a novel idea to me. 05:44 I think perhaps it could be to you as well. 05:47 For this reason, we reviewed the many ways 05:49 that God communicates 05:51 with the human family in previous programs. 05:54 Is He looking for the people who will listen today? 05:57 Why would the Lord want to impress 05:59 His thoughts upon our minds by the power of His Spirit? 06:03 As we delve deeper into this topic, 06:06 we will let scripture guide us to the answers. 06:09 If we are to entertain 06:11 this means of divine communication, 06:14 it is vitally important to know it is God's will. 06:19 Equally important, 06:20 we must learn to recognize His voice 06:23 to protect ourselves from following another. 06:26 First let's look at who might expect 06:29 to hear from God. 06:30 And at the conclusion 06:31 of our brief review of scripture, 06:34 I'll share my personal experience 06:36 of being still before God 06:38 and how life changing it proved to be. 06:42 So with whom does God speak? 06:46 We have already considered 06:47 the many ways God communicates 06:50 with those He calls to be prophets, 06:53 one of which is to cause them 06:55 to hear his voice. 06:56 Now when God promised 06:58 to pour out His Spirit on all flesh. 07:01 One of His stated purposes was to empower 07:04 his sons and daughters to prophesy, 07:06 to speak forth his council with regard to the future, 07:10 the present or even the past. 07:13 Not all prophecies are predictions of the future. 07:16 God speaks through His prophets 07:19 to give words of instruction, correction, encouragement, 07:23 edification, building up, 07:25 in other words of the saints and comfort. 07:28 He told the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 51:16, 07:33 "I have put my words in your mouth 07:37 and have covered you with the shadow of my hand." 07:41 Whether prophets, kings, disciples or apostles, 07:44 all the writers of the Bible also heard God's voice 07:47 with spiritual ears if not literally. 07:51 Every scripture is God breathe 07:54 given by inspiration of the Lord. 07:56 God put the words of His mouth into His servant's hearts 08:00 by the power of His Spirit. 08:03 tells us 08:06 that "His secret counsel is with the upright." 08:12 So it's not just prophets but with the upright. 08:15 As a rhetorical question the Lord asked, 08:18 shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing. 08:22 We know from the record that God shared His counsel 08:25 about Sodom and Gomorrah with upright Abraham. 08:29 Off course when we consider God speaking to Abraham, 08:33 some of us think of one alarming event 08:36 and we shutter. 08:37 That story is found in Genesis Chapter 22. 08:41 Why would God ask Abraham 08:44 to sacrifice Isaac his son of promise, 08:48 his seed through whom the covenants to make him 08:51 a father of many nation would be fulfilled. 08:55 Did Abraham agonize over his decision 08:58 to obey the Lord's voice? 09:00 Did he think it was a cruel test of his fate? 09:05 You know, I used to believe so 09:07 but now I understand it as little differently. 09:10 Jesus told to the Jews in John 8 in verse 56, 09:16 He said your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. 09:21 He saw it and he was glad. 09:24 My personal belief is that Genesis 15 09:27 records the time 09:29 that Abraham saw Christ day in vision 09:31 and was comforted. 09:33 There in Genesis 15 is the account of God 09:36 passing through the animal sacrifices 09:38 as the Lord cut covenant with Abraham. 09:42 And Abraham had assurance of God's Calvary plan 09:46 because he saw Christ day. 09:49 He became so familiar with God's voice 09:53 that when he was tested to offer up Isaac. 09:57 The Bible says 10:02 that he went forth in faith concluding 10:06 that God was able to raise Isaac up 10:10 even from the dead. 10:12 Abraham had seen Christ day 10:15 and he knew God's son 10:17 would be set not only sacrificed 10:20 but resurrected again. 10:22 He trusted God to do the same with Isaac. 10:29 God also takes us into His confidence 10:33 if those who are obedient to His will and His word. 10:38 The Holy Spirit is within us 10:41 and leads the children of God by his counsel. 10:44 He opens our ears to hear 10:47 as one who is taught by the Lord. 10:50 God also speaks 10:51 to those He is trying to turn away from sin. 10:55 In a previous program we took note of Balaam 10:58 who was rebuked for his inequity 11:01 by a dumb donkey that God used to speak 11:04 with a man's voice 11:06 which restrained the madness of the prophet. 11:10 And then there was Saul of Tarsus 11:12 who breathing murderous threats against Christians 11:16 was knocked to the ground 11:18 when a light from heaven flash around him 11:20 and he heard the voice of the Lord. 11:22 Hebrews 3:7-8 says this. 11:26 "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 11:30 "Today, if you will hear His voice, 11:34 do not harden your hearts." 11:38 Years ago I met an old farmer 11:40 who after 30 years 11:42 still tells his testimony with tears. 11:44 One moonless night he was home alone 11:46 in on a drinking binge and sometime after midnight 11:50 in a blind stupor he stumbled into the fields 11:53 and passed out falling face down into a trench 11:57 that had several inches of accumulated rain. 12:01 Unconscious he laid there with his face buried 12:04 in the mud under the water. 12:07 No one knew, no one but God. 12:11 A loud voice roused him commanding him to wake up. 12:17 The voice told of his love for this farmer 12:20 and urged him to repent and mend his ways 12:23 that he might receive a chance at eternal life. 12:28 The farmer had no doubt 12:30 that it was God's voice he heard. 12:32 Yielding his heart 12:33 and control of his life to the Lord, 12:35 he eventually became an active elder 12:39 in the church. 12:42 the story is told 12:49 how the Lord came and stood 12:51 and called saying Samuel, Samuel. 12:55 Then Samuel answered, 12:57 speak Lord for your servant is listening. 13:00 Here we see that God also speaks to those 13:03 whom he has chosen for special work. 13:06 Young Samuel gave God his full attention 13:08 and permission to speak into his heart 13:11 and he became a mighty prophet of the Lord. 13:14 Moses heard the voice of the Lord 13:16 from a burning bush. 13:17 Abraham answered the call of the Lord 13:20 and heard often the voice of God. 13:24 Sometimes the special work that God has chosen us to do 13:29 is not what we expect 13:30 as I learned in December of 1996. 13:34 You know my husband J.D and I 13:37 have always enjoyed buying gifts for family 13:39 and friends particularly at Christmas 13:42 when we leave no one off our gift list, 13:45 but still staggering under the weight 13:47 of the business debt, that we had inherited 13:51 from our prince business partner, our famous, 13:55 infamous I should say Middle Eastern partner. 13:58 I had been swirling away coins in a cane 14:01 for months to accomplish our holiday shopping. 14:05 Cashing them in I was disappointed 14:07 that my stash only amounted to about $200, 14:10 it was 200 almost even. 14:13 So one Wednesday evening I returned home from speaking 14:18 at as a guest speaker at a Baptist church. 14:21 And although I had spoken there before, 14:23 I didn't know the members all that well. 14:26 Before I settled in for the night, 14:28 the Lord impressed me to take money to a couple 14:32 who had been absent from attendance 14:34 during that mid week service. 14:37 I said yes, father so I rig hard, 14:39 I said how much shall I give them. 14:42 There was no answer. 14:44 Turning this over in my mind 14:45 I approached the Lord with various amounts. 14:47 Well, should it be 25, 50, a 100. 14:51 I was feeling somewhat anxious 14:54 and what he impressed upon my mind was this. 14:58 All of it, give them all you have saved, 15:01 all that you have saved. 15:05 Well, I sighed and I said yes, Lord, 15:07 I'll take it to them tomorrow. 15:09 Then this thought rang loud and clear in my mind. 15:13 Now child, take it tonight. It was after 9 o'clock. 15:17 I had no idea where they lived. 15:19 They didn't have a phone, 15:20 so I had to call several people from their church 15:22 until I found someone 15:23 who could provide their address. 15:25 And in hour later I arrived at their home 15:29 and the husband answered my knock at the door 15:31 standing outside there in the freezing weather, 15:34 I just thrust into his hands an envelope 15:38 on which I had marked a gift from the Lord. 15:42 I said God told me to bring this to you tonight. 15:45 Don't thank me, thank him. 15:47 And then learning that his wife Cathy 15:49 and their children were ill with the flu, 15:52 I said a quick prayer and I departed. 15:54 There was joy in my heart because I knew I heard 15:57 from the Lord because I can tell you 15:58 it certainly wasn't my idea, but I had heard and obeyed. 16:03 So on the following Sunday, 16:04 I was ministering at that same church again. 16:07 Cathy's husband approached me to express his appreciation 16:10 and he said, "Boy was I excited to get that $200." 16:14 I told Cathy we could finally install cable TV. 16:19 Well, the joy of obedience 16:21 drained momentarily from my heart. 16:24 Did God direct me to forfeit our Christmas fund 16:27 for such nonsense, 16:29 but then the husband shared the rest of the story. 16:32 The family had awakened the next morning 16:34 just after I delivered the money 16:37 to discover that their electricity 16:38 had been disconnected. 16:40 It seems that they had 16:41 a very haphazard bill paying habit. 16:44 And they were poor and without realizing it 16:47 they had fallen three months behind on their payment 16:50 and although the weather was bitterly cold, 16:54 the electric company refused to restore power 16:57 until the amount due was paid in full, 16:59 all $219 and 20 cents of it. 17:04 So borrowing a neighbor's phone 17:05 Cathy pleaded with the service representative. 17:08 She now had 200 the gift from the Lord, 17:11 surely they would carry the balance for a few weeks 17:15 but her efforts were in vain. 17:17 No other option was given other than payment in full. 17:22 And hoping to play on their sympathies, 17:24 she bundled her sick children and hopped into the car 17:28 heading for the downtown office. 17:31 As she pulled out of her driveway, 17:33 a non Christian neighbor crossed the street 17:36 and flagged her down and Cathy thought now what, 17:41 she never even speaks to us. 17:43 What's her problem today? 17:45 The neighbor rather angrily snorted. 17:48 I don't have any idea why I am doing this 17:51 but for some reason I know I'm supposed to give you this. 17:54 And tossing something through the car window, 17:56 she abruptly turned and walked away. 17:59 Well, a startled Cathy looked at her lap 18:02 to see what had landed there, 18:05 it was a $20 bill. 18:08 What a testimony? 18:10 She was able to share 18:11 with the electric company's employees 18:14 and she paid her bill in full 18:16 and held her hand out for 80 cents in change. 18:21 God had spoken to two somewhat reluctant hearts, 18:25 one who recognized his voice 18:27 and one who didn't. 18:29 Calling them to do a special work 18:32 to keep a poor sick family from freezing. 18:37 You know when God chose Ananias for a special work, 18:41 he gave him these words for Saul of Tarsus 18:45 that are recorded in Acts 22:14 which says, 18:50 "The God of our fathers has chosen you, 18:53 that you should know his will, and see that Just One, 18:58 and hear the voice of his mouth." 19:01 Here God's telling a little known... 19:05 a little known disciple who is Ananias, 19:09 but he's saying tell Paul 19:11 you'll hear the voice of his mouth. 19:14 You know Saul was well schooled in scripture. 19:17 He was the member of the Pharisees. 19:18 He was a student of Gamaliel 19:20 who was a leading rabbinical teacher of the time, 19:23 but still he seriously was misdirected. 19:29 And he was determined to destroy the Christian faith. 19:32 But after his conversion, 19:34 Saul who became Paul did not consult 19:38 with any other leaders of the early Christian church 19:42 but he went into Arabia for three years 19:45 where he received divine revelation from the Lord 19:48 and he preached the gospel to the Gentiles. 19:52 Our good shepherd Jesus declared his followers 19:57 would know and recognize him. 20:01 He says in John 18:37. 20:06 "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 20:12 And again in John 10:27 20:16 he says "The sheep that are My own 20:19 and are listening to My voice, 20:21 and I know them, and they follow Me." 20:25 In comparing himself to a shepherd, 20:28 he emphatically stated the sheep, 20:32 his sheep would know his voice and follow him only, 20:36 fleeing from the voice of strangers. 20:39 As followers of Christ, 20:41 we become familiar with his voice, how? 20:45 By studying the scriptures. 20:47 Any voice that speaks contrary 20:50 to God's written word will alarm us 20:53 and send us scurrying in the opposite direction. 20:56 The Bible tells that God rewards 21:00 those who earnestly seek Him. 21:04 People like King David, 21:06 like Elijah who ask and keep on asking, 21:09 who seek and keep on seeking, who knock and keep on knocking. 21:14 People who perceive that God has a plan 21:17 for their lives, a good plan 21:19 and they persevere in prayer, 21:21 seeking him with all of their hearts. 21:25 Isaiah was such a man as this. 21:28 He saw God's face pressing into His presence, 21:33 pressing into actually the most holy place in heaven 21:38 where God was sitting on His throne of grace. 21:42 He says in Isaiah Chapter 6 21:45 and we're going to look at verses 1 and verses 5-8. 21:50 "In the year that King Uzziah died, 21:53 I saw the Lord, sitting on a throne, 21:55 high and lifted up, 21:57 and the train of his robe filled the temple. 22:00 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! 22:04 Because I am a man of unclean lips, 22:06 and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, 22:09 for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 22:13 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, 22:16 having in his hand a live coal 22:18 which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 22:21 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 22:24 "Behold, this has touched your lips, 22:26 your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." 22:30 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 22:32 "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? 22:37 Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." 22:42 You know, I love this verse, this passage 22:47 because it shows that Isaiah had pressed in prayer 22:54 clear into the throne room of God 22:57 into the most holy place 23:00 and that's what we want him to do. 23:02 We want to learn how to pray with God, 23:05 and how to make it such an intimate prayer 23:08 that we are not just seeking His hand 23:11 to answer our prayer, 23:13 but we are seeking His face as Isaiah did. 23:18 And trust me when we do, we'll feel like Isaiah. 23:22 We'll think Woe is me. I am undone. 23:25 For we're all people of unclean lips 23:28 according to the Lord is not just a problem Isaiah had. 23:31 But God is searching, 23:34 He is searching to find a people 23:38 who will listen for His voice. 23:41 In 2 Chronicles 16:9 23:46 it says "That the eyes of the Lord 23:49 run to and fro throughout the whole earth, 23:53 to show Himself strong on behalf of those 23:57 whose hearts are loyal to Him." 24:01 So let summarize what we have studied thus far. 24:09 In this program we have considered 24:11 the human classes of people with whom God speaks. 24:16 We know He speaks with prophets, 24:19 but we also know He spoke 24:21 through the authors of the Bible, 24:23 through those who were obedient 24:25 to His will and His word. 24:28 We saw that He speaks to those 24:31 He is trying to turn away from sin, 24:33 to those whom He has chosen for a special work 24:37 and He speaks to his truth seeking sheep, 24:41 the followers of Christ, those who earnestly seek him. 24:47 But now, for accuracy 24:50 I must cover two more all inclusive classes of humans 24:56 who will hear the Lord's voice. 24:59 Those who are made righteous by Christ 25:02 who will take part in the first resurrection 25:05 and those who are participators of the evil 25:09 who are reserved for the second resurrection. 25:13 You know Jesus said in John 5:28-29. 25:21 "Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming 25:25 in which all who are in the graves 25:27 will hear His voice and they will come forth. 25:31 Those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, 25:35 and those who have done evil, 25:37 to the resurrection of condemnation." 25:44 We are all going to listen to His voice some time. 25:49 God has a passion for His people. 25:53 And he has a passion for the lost. 25:56 The desire of His heart is to communicate His love, 26:01 His light, His life and His power 26:04 to all who will listen and except His counsel. 26:08 But some of us like stubborn children 26:12 stick our fingers in our ears 26:15 and our tongues out at God refusing to listen, 26:20 but the day will come 26:22 when they will hear His voice from their graves. 26:26 Please take this advice. Don't wait to listen. 26:31 Please don't wait to listen 26:33 for what God wants to speak to you. 26:36 Learn how to press into His presence 26:41 entering His courts with Thanksgiving 26:44 and praise repenting before Him 26:47 so that you can have clean hands 26:49 and a pure heart and He will hear your prayer. 26:52 Going before the Lord, 26:54 claiming His promises, his affirmations, 26:57 praying His word back to Him, 27:00 interceding on behalf of others 27:02 which is this the greatest training school 27:05 to become Christ like. 27:08 And as you intercede for others, 27:10 God would do a work in your heart. 27:13 Then we come to that point of supplication 27:17 when we're praying for ourselves. 27:19 At that the most important pursuit of the day 27:23 is to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 27:27 Before you ever leave the house, 27:29 pray that God will help you to walk 27:31 in the power of surrender. 27:34 And then we-- 27:36 after we've been in supplication, 27:38 then we're pressing forwards to be still 27:42 and know that the Lord is God. 27:44 Please join us next time as we discuss 27:47 what the Lord wants us to hear. 27:51 Our prayer for you as always is that 27:54 the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 27:57 the love of the father 27:59 and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 28:01 will be with you today 28:03 and everyday for the rest of your lives. 28:06 Thank you. |
Revised 2015-01-08