Sermon 9-12-04 Acts 20
How do you know if you are being led by the Holy Spirit
Story of the gallon of milk
How do you know if you are being led by the Holy Spirit
It is hard to describe
The taste of an apple
Honor
It is hard to describe ---But it is real as the above
What it is not
Easier to describe when we are not, and to set the stage for his work by
eliminating those things which prohibit it
1. cant be led by the spirit if you are doing wrong
hard for me to imagine a time what you would be hating, cheating, not forgiving someone and be being led by the spirit
beslan school in Russia
right off the bat, lets just square off and be clear that the natural human mind
seems simple yet a very needful point….
james 1-20 the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God
need a conscious commitment to avoid wrong
2. cant be led by the spirit if you are self absorbed
you don’t say that you are led by the spirit,
god works this within you and people will recognize it within you
You cannot validate your own spirituality, others must do it
Mother Theresa did not declare her greatness, others did
Those who say don’t know, those who know don’t have to say
It is too easy to fool ones self-calling attention to self, taking credit…
Jesus…Mt 5….do your good works in secret…..don’t let your right hand know
3. being religious is different than being spirit led
the trappings of faith do not mean that you are filled with the spirit
being led by the spirit is not a play or a show, people can sniff what you are about
some sound like they are being led all the time….
Trouble is brewing
He will not usually break into your world to lead you, you must change and become interested in the work of God
Transition……..--are you broken is there nothing left of your ego?
Now you are ready.
High pressure to low pressure
positive conclusions
Lets look at the scripture……
Paul is doing Good, not self absorbed-humility , doing Gods work
Many years of experience, it is not about him, and he has the testimony of others
He is led by the spirit
holy spirit leads you to think like Jesus
is the fruit of the spirit at work in you….sign that you are being led by the spirit.
Sense of peace
Others confirming that you are a spirit led person
Are you doing his work?
Are you concerned with his agenda
Are you open and listening
Listen to the thoughts, measure them , act on them if, carefully begin the walk
Monopoly board….There is a place to begin……….Great place to start
What would the holy spirit lead us to? To jesus of course
Holy spirit calls us to be committed to Jesus….
prayer
Softly and tenderly
A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people? "After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semicommercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house acrossthe street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. " Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me. How to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out,"I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.James 1 20
How do you know if you are being led by the Holy Spirit
Story of the gallon of milk
How do you know if you are being led by the Holy Spirit
It is hard to describe
The taste of an apple
Honor
It is hard to describe ---But it is real as the above
What it is not
Easier to describe when we are not, and to set the stage for his work by
eliminating those things which prohibit it
1. cant be led by the spirit if you are doing wrong
hard for me to imagine a time what you would be hating, cheating, not forgiving someone and be being led by the spirit
beslan school in Russia
right off the bat, lets just square off and be clear that the natural human mind
seems simple yet a very needful point….
james 1-20 the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God
need a conscious commitment to avoid wrong
2. cant be led by the spirit if you are self absorbed
you don’t say that you are led by the spirit,
god works this within you and people will recognize it within you
You cannot validate your own spirituality, others must do it
Mother Theresa did not declare her greatness, others did
Those who say don’t know, those who know don’t have to say
It is too easy to fool ones self-calling attention to self, taking credit…
Jesus…Mt 5….do your good works in secret…..don’t let your right hand know
3. being religious is different than being spirit led
the trappings of faith do not mean that you are filled with the spirit
being led by the spirit is not a play or a show, people can sniff what you are about
some sound like they are being led all the time….
Trouble is brewing
He will not usually break into your world to lead you, you must change and become interested in the work of God
Transition……..--are you broken is there nothing left of your ego?
Now you are ready.
High pressure to low pressure
positive conclusions
Lets look at the scripture……
Paul is doing Good, not self absorbed-humility , doing Gods work
Many years of experience, it is not about him, and he has the testimony of others
He is led by the spirit
holy spirit leads you to think like Jesus
is the fruit of the spirit at work in you….sign that you are being led by the spirit.
Sense of peace
Others confirming that you are a spirit led person
Are you doing his work?
Are you concerned with his agenda
Are you open and listening
Listen to the thoughts, measure them , act on them if, carefully begin the walk
Monopoly board….There is a place to begin……….Great place to start
What would the holy spirit lead us to? To jesus of course
Holy spirit calls us to be committed to Jesus….
prayer
Softly and tenderly
A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people? "After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semicommercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house acrossthe street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. " Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me. How to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out,"I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.James 1 20
No comments:
Post a Comment