God Still Speaks

"Good morning. I am grateful you’re here to worship," Pastor Brad said, announcing, "We worship a big God."

There were two announcements this morning. First, to note the insert in our bulletin about prayer. The Covenant has always had a central message of calling people to hear, repent, believe… and praying for those who are far from Christ. Norm shared a second announcement about the need for volunteers March 23 to April 1 to go to Tuscaloosa in a re-building project there. Contact Mark Hudson (St. Louis County) or Norm.

Brad then asked, "Do you want to hear from God? Does God still speak? The answer is, yes, God still speaks." This would be the theme of today's sermon. Darlene then ushered us into worship this second Sunday in Lent with the "Here I Am To Worship."

Brad read a passage from the Pslams. “Out of the depths I cry… I wait for the Lord, more than the watchmen wait for the morning" and we sang the beautiful, "Knowing You>"

Brad shared how they were talking in the adult Sunday School class about how all that we have is a gift of God. “Now finish the work… according to your means.” The offering was taken while Darlene played a melodic song of thoughtful reflection.

The Scripture reading by Joanne was from Mark 9:2-9.

One reason for many new faces that were with us this morning was the Sacrament of Baptism for Braylee Frye, infant daughter of Sean and Kim. Brad shared how the Covenant church views baptism as a symbolic act but even though it is not a saving act, it is a picture of God’s initiative in a child’s life. God initiates, and we can look back to His prevenient grace, His sign of desire to bring to fulfillment His promises in and for us.

The prayer time, which included expressions of gratefulness and intercession, was followed by the sermon.

God Still Speaks

Is God trying to talk to you? Is God trying to talk to me? Does God actually want to lead our lives?

Is it possible some of you are saying, “I am having to make some big time decisions right now. I want to know if I’m where I’m supposed to be? How do I know?”

Some decisions in life are not that big. Oatmeal or Pop Tart? White shirt or blue shirt? These are not big decisions, but some decisions really are big and loom over us.

Back up a sec… Does God even care? I know God spoke to Abraham and Moses, but does God speak to ordinary people like me?

The Bible has many very practical principles around this topic. Knowing God’s will is not like trying to find Waldo in Where Waldo books.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

Prosper here does not mean being incredibly wealthy. It means God cares about our well-being. A hope and a future is promised here.

Brad said he wanted to share two principles today. The first is that God’s will is more about who you are than where you go or what you do. It’s not about where you’ll work or who you marry, but it’s about who you are.

What if you figured out the right place God wanted you, but never made yourself the person God wanted you to be. Even if you are in the right place, you can be out of God’s will if you are not the person God wants you to be in that place.

Give your whole life, completely, to God. Worship is this: being His always in all things. Romans 12:1-2 puts it this way...

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I have to continually be in God’s word, I have to continue to place my life in His hands, on His altar.

“Brad, I know all this stuff. What I want to know is whether it should be Bachelor #2 or Bachelor #1. I want to know if it is door number two or door number one.”

But God says when we put ourselves on the potter’s wheel and let Him mold us, we’ll know.

God’s will… rejoice in all circumstances, praying always.

Many questions do not require deep prayer. The Scriptures spell things out in many areas. I Thessalonians 4 notes that it is God’s will that live lives that are holy and pure. Ephesians 5 speaks of walking in the way of love, putting aside sexual immorality, greed, foolish talk and coarse joking. We need to work on being more selfless and in verse 17 Paul says to be intoxicated by God, not wine.

God would rather be a sculptor in our lives than a traffic cop. God would rather be a watercolor artist than the answer man at the Mall of America who tells us how to find the bathroom. God wants to make each of us into something beautiful, His masterpiece.

The second principle Brad put forth was this: God wants us to desire Him more than we want to know His answers.

“Excuse me, do you really love Me, or do you really just want answers?” It is not God’s desire for us to be using God like a Google search engine. God wants us to know Him, not all the answers.

Brad then told us the story of Brother Lawrence, a lay brother who spent most of his life working in the kitchen at a monastery in France. He was not educated enough to become a cleric, so he washed dishes, but all the while he practiced the presence of God. His writings were later assembled into a book that had touched countless people since, The Practicing of the Presence of God. "There is nothing more holy than living in His presence," he wrote.

This, too, was David’s one request: “That I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever… “

It is out of that intimate friendship that God’s answers begin to flow.

“I will instruct you in the way you ought to go, and I will guide you with My eye upon you.” In order for us to have God’s guidance, we need to be seeking His face. Brad shared the example of being at a party with your spouse across the room and with her eyes she says it’s time to go… God wants to communicate this way with us, Brad said. It was a beautiful way for us to transition into Communion.


Our mission here at New Life Covenant: Connect, Grow, Become

God's Guidance

On a gorgeous summer morning Pastor Brad welcomed us with an especially joyful, "I'm delighted you're here today." The leaders (including Brooke) and youth were back from their trip to Tennessee where they met with more than 5200 other Covenant young people for the CHIC convention. There was a good energy in the sanctuary as we gathered today. Perhaps, too, the fact that we were having a baptism also had Brad jazzed.

Chuck opened the service with a word of encouragement from Paul's letter to Timothy and then the quintet (quartet plus Levi) led us into a time of worship with some great Gospel songs.

The baptism of Brent Charles Peterson was, as usual, a very special time. The proud parent Brent and Arina, accompanied by son Jordan and daughter Cheyenne, presented their infant son to the Lord. Brad relishes these moments which he then shares with us all.

During the offering which followed our Quintet sang On the Jericho Road, to our great delight.

The youth who went to CHIC, along with Eric and Brooke, shared some of their experience with us, in slides and stories. The theme this year was Undone, with a whole range of applications. Some good quotes were relayed to us, include this one from speaker Shane Clayburn, "If you have two coats and your brother has none, you are stealing." Another insight from one of the speakers was how "Justice is God's love in public." Eric Borndal thanked the congregation for its support which made this life changing trip possible.

Today's Scripture reading was from Ephesians 2:11-22, followed by a time of prayer...

God's Guidance

Brad began with a humorous anecdote about how he (typical of many men) resists asking for directions when seemingly lost while driving. It was, of course, a setup for today's theme, getting guidance from God.

The Holy Spirit really does guide and lead and direct us. Throughout Scripture we see examples beginning with the way God led Israel in the Wilderness to numerous New Testament examples beginning with the commencement of Jesus' ministry to numerous examples from the Book of Acts.

It's interesting that everyone knows people can talk to God. But in our modern world when we say God can speak to us, it's called schizophrenia.

Brad then had us turn to the instructive passage in I Samuel 3:1-10 where the young Samuel first hears God's call.

1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And 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.

6 Again the LORD called, "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."

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So 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.

10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Without amplifying the context, Brad pointed specifically to a key principle in this passage: listening to God is a learned behavior.

"What if we all," Brad said, "made this our prayer... 'Speak, Lord, your servant hears."

Next Brad had us look at a rich passage in the book of Numbers, the story of Balaam and his donkey. In Numbers 22:21-31 the prophet Balaam has a problem getting his donkey to go where he wants, but in reality the donkey is not being stubborn for no reason. He sees the Angel of the Lord standing ready to slay his master if he proceeds down this foolish path. Ultimately, God speaks to Balaam through his donkey. But would it not be strange for the donkey to start bragging when he got back to the stable as if he were something wonderful instead of just a... donkey?

Guidance from God is not intended to puff us up, to make us self-important and big-headed. God communicates with us because He desires to have a relationship with us.

Dallas Willard wrote a book called Hearing God in which he tells the story of a little boy whose mother had died. He could not be consoled and did not sleep well at night. He would come into the room where his father slept and ask to sleep with him. Willard said the boy could not relax and be at rest until he was not only with his father, but knew that his father's face was toward him. In the dark he would ask if his father's face was turned toward him and then he could fall asleep.

Willard then writes about how lonely life can be. Some people seem to get by in life with a silent God, but it's not much of a life and certainly not the life God intends for us.

So, how do we recognize the voice of God? How do we keep from confusing it with our own impulses and self-talk? First, through experience. How do we recognize any voice? The tone is consistent, the content likewise is so. Jesus, in John's Gospel (Jn 10:4) said of the Good Shepherd that "His sheep know His voice."

In another passage, Luke writes of the two men who encountered the Lord on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). As Jesus clarified passages from the Scripture, their hearts burned within them. This, too, is a way in which we recognize His voice, by the effect it has on our hearts.

Brad closed by reminding us that we can't find God by always being in a hurry. We need to slow down. And we need to listen, and pray, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."