Rut, Rot, or Revival: The Voice of God Speaking

You know, if you look through a lot of the New Testament, Epistles, you know, where the books are there? Realize that, you know, they were written a lot of the time to very specific situations that were going on. And that's why they started to write to those different groups of people. You know, we also see the same thing in the Book of Revelation where we see the seven churches, you know, he was writing specifically to needs of those churches. What God wanted those churches to hear. And, you know, really that's what pastors try to do, too. We try to come and speak and give a message of what we feel. God is leading us to share with you and, you know, it's always my intention to try to share a message. That's based on God's word is inspired by the Holy Spirit to feed you. Some lean spiritual meat at the time. You need it. So that God can continue to lead you in the direction, he's going to and, you know, that's why I feel that part of filling my calling as a pastor in my role, as a Shepherd is that, you know, we have to address. The current spiritual condition that we see in our nation, in our world, in our community, and even in our own church in as individuals. And you know, we even see the same thing throughout the Old Testament where the prophets were speaking to particular situations that were going on within the nation of Israel. You know, it wasn't like, you know the prophets just woke up one day and said, you know what I think today. I'm going to write a book of Prophecy. That's just not how it happened. You know, they were led by God to write these things because God was trying to address particular situations, you know, they aimed their arrows at a very specific Target. They weren't just shooting hoping that they would hit something somewhere something. He was leading them to talk to these people about and you know, when God is speaking to a particular situation, you can always be sure that the holy spirit is going to be present and active working in the hearts and minds of men and women helping them to see what God is trying to show them.

You're one of. The greatest examples I think, is he know, when King David, send the Nathan Prophet, Nathan came to him, and he told him a little Parable, a little story about, you know, kind of a hypothetical situation. See what David's reaction would be to end when David reacted and passed his judgment on this sinful, man for what he had done.

Nathan looked at him pointed his finger at him and said you are that man.

Can we find that and 2nd Samuel 12:7? And I always think, you know. What was David's reaction there? I don't think you could accurately record it by writing it down, probably what his reaction was when he realized that this horrible situation that the prophet Nathan had been describing to him. Was exactly what he had done.

You know, you'd like to think that immediately he threw off his crown and his robe and drop to his knees and repented. And he did do that.

It was shocked over. How did you know that?

But, you know, this, I thought about that, and thought about that situation, you know.

I wonder how often do we see? People doing particular things in their life that we know, they shouldn't be doing things that we call sin and we look at them and we think how can they do that? Someone should really tell them that. That's not right.

The problem is, we all know that we do the exact same thing. How many times do we like King David in that situation pass quick judgment on them thinking all? That's horrible. We should do something about it. Not admitting that we are guilty of the same thing ourselves. Cuz, you know, it's when these prophets are different, people that God called out or talking to these specific situations that we see it happen of the sheep being separated from the goats. You know, those who are actually trying to listen to God's voice and live the way God is calling them are separated from those who are simply ignoring God.

So, you know us the title. There is the voice of God speaking. I don't think the main question is is this the voice of God speaking when we hear things like that? I think the real question is, how many of us are willing to hear the voice of God? Do we really want to hear what he has to say? Are we really open to God leading us? And maybe even telling us that we're heading down the wrong path. You know, Jesus said in Matthew chapter 23, verse 34. And then I'll jump the 37 and 38. He said, therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify others. You will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

And jumping to verse 37, it says Jerusalem Jerusalem. You who killed the prophets and Stone. Those sent to you how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers, her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left, you desolate.

It doesn't sound to me. Like, those people were too willing to actually hear the voice of God where they

They fall more in line with the groups of people who want to hear the things that tickle their ears and satisfy, what they want to hear.

But the thing we see is we see this pattern repeated over and over again throughout scripture. We need to realize that the holy spirit will not come and reform carnal. Stubborn people who refuse refuse to obey God.

He's not going to.

And as we look at the things going on in our world and our nation and likes it, even our own Community, we know that we need sweeping Reformation. We know that that's what needs to happen. That's what's needed to happen for a long, long time. And every day just proves that point more. Let me give you a definition as it's given in a religious dictionary about reformation. It says change by removal of false or abuse has and a restoration to a former good state. You don't think that's a definition. Too many people would argue with it enough to reform. Something. You're trying to get rid of the bad and return, it back to its better state.

You know, really the whole Redemption story is about God, trying to restore Fallen Humanity. That's the whole idea. And that's the whole idea of scripture. And what's the story being told there?

But, you know, the problem with that definition is that first word? Change.

You know, it's the whole idea of change that really disturbs people. I think that's because all too often. We as people we become used to the status quo of, you know, and we almost get to a point where both of the way things are there. The way things have always been and it's like, we almost think those are the very word of God just because as well, that's what we've always done. That's how it's always been.

In other words, he know, we don't get to the point where we look at things that are going on even within the bigger church and we don't ask, you know, God is this of you? Where do we find the sin scripture? Where do we see God teaching at that? This is how we're supposed to do it. Where is this in the Bible?

No, unfortunately, we think because this is what's being done. It's what has been done. It's what everyone's doing. So that makes it right. that makes it okay, that, you know, we should be okay because, well, if everyone's doing it, surely not everyone's wrong, so, Whatever the majority thinks is, right.

But then, the problem is, we get farther and farther down that road. And then all at, once we find ourselves in a religious situation that we realize isn't of God. We realize that we've allowed ourselves to be led into a place that isn't where God wants us to be that. It's not according to scripture. It's not from God, and God is certainly not pleased with it. And in fact, quite the opposite is true. God's angry at the situation. Yet, we try to ignore that even though all the bells and whistles and red flags are going off for us. Cuz we don't like that word change.

You know, the change may have taken place slowly. you know, might have even happened before we were a part of whatever is going on, but

You think just because it's everywhere? It must be okay.

So we accept the status quo is saying, you know, this is it, this is as good as it's going to get. And it's not going to get any better. Nothing can change.

But you know, that's just not true. You see it over and over and over again within scripture where things. Get bad. Get really bad sometimes for the nation of Israel or other groups. In some person steps in, bring some revelation of God and things change and things, get amazingly better for a little while. But then after a little while, it seems to fall back into that same pattern. I mean, look at what happened is really, no. God called them out of Egypt. And as they marched out of town, you know, everything going well, they were cheering and shouting as God was leading them out of 400 years of slavery. They didn't even make it to the Red Sea before they started complaining.

Started griping about the situation that God had put them in that it wasn't as comfy as being in slavery back there.

But then what does God do? God performs a big miracle. He divides the Red Sea and they walk through on dry land. I have no doubt that that easily sparked a Revival. Something like that happening before you, there would be no way that it couldn't. Although they have pretty short memories cuz they just forgot that he let him out with a pillar of fire, right? So, I don't know how,

They lost sight of that, but they did.

And then after they get across the Red Sea, you know, I was reading one commentator said that they didn't even make it 20 miles out into the Wilderness before they were complaining again. about the situation that got it left, LED them into

and you know, as a result of that tendency that the Israelites had to drift away from God and even get to where they were blaming, God for the situation that they were found in. God, let them wander around that Wilderness for 40 years. Until he finally LED them to the promised land. And you know, you can follow the history of Israel and especially if you look at the king's, I mean, if you take a look at a lot of the Kings of Israel. That's a tough thing to study. It can almost be a depressing thing to study. If you look at the lives of Li the Kings cuz here is God's man. Here is the man that God has chosen to be king of his chosen people. They usually start out pretty good and they start on the right path. They're doing the things that God wanted them to do, but then all too often given enough time they fall into some sin in their life. So they do something evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord removes him. And most the time that particular King, it had a son so that son follows in his footsteps. And most the time continues to do the same evil. His father had done before him or something. Worse is the pattern that we see.

But you know, the people are okay with this most of the time because nothing changed the status quo was maintained so they were good with it.

I need a Uber in a Time. Where we need people who? Dare to question the status quo and say, is this really? Okay? Is this really the type of church that we want to be? Is this really the type of community we want to be? Is this really the type of Christian? I want to be

We need to stand up and question things and say, okay. Where do you find that in the Bible? Where can I learn that, you know? All too often. We try to make things really simple cuz we think love it easier. We make it for someone. The more willing they'll be to become a Christian, right? So we just tell him, I owe. All you got to do is accept Jesus, which is true. That is all you have to do. But we don't go on to tell them. Let you know that doesn't mean that day that you accept. Jesus that everything from now on it's going to be sunshine and puppy dog. Tails.

I know the truth is when you accept Jesus. Yes you are and you know, you're going to see your savior one day. But the truth of the matter is the fight has just begun. And you're going to have to fight every day that you are on this Earth until the day. You see Jesus face-to-face to maintain your faith.

But we don't want to tell people that cuz that'll scare them because that'll mean that some things in their life have to change as they fight that fight everyday. They're going to realize that some things need to change.

And I think we do them a disservice when we don't let them know that you know, they're going to have to do that, that they're going to have to fight through tough days, that they're going to have to pray through tough situation set. They're going to have to suffer it out sometimes. All the while trying to do. So with an attitude of praise and worship. Something that won't be easy, but we can do it because we know that we have our church family around, as we can do it, because of what we read in the word of God. We can do it because of our savior. Because the truth is, if we don't tell people that you're going to have to fight to maintain their faith. That's how they fall into ruts. Because they get in the same old comfortable pattern that they're used to and they think all that's good enough. Before long there in a rut and when they're in a rut long enough, that is when rot sets in. Like I said, just look a little bit at the history of the church or the history of the Kings of Israel, and you will see that at any given time. The church is either in rut rot or Revival. It's in one of those three places. And that's the point. I've been trying to get across through this whole series because the truth is, that that's not just the truth about the church. It's the truth about every single one of us as individuals.

So, how do we stay on that path of reformation? How do we keep ourselves moving towards Revival? the first thing is, you know, like the definition of reformation, says he know, we must seek to rid ourselves of Is it called at those faults and abuses. That distract us from hearing the voice of God, from really pursuing what God wants for us in life. So, the first one is that we must try to remove the fault. Avar carnality. Yeah, that's kind of one of those words. We don't use that word a whole lot carnality. But essentially what it means is that we have to gain control over our fleshly nature, over our human nature to want to do the things that we want to do. Because while we want to do it, You know, this, I thought about that this week is, that is preparing my message. I thought about

I wonder what percentage of our day.

We spend pursuing. Things that just satisfy our fleshly nature.

You know wouldn't it be nice, you know on your smartphone you can get a little report that pops up and says what your screen time. Was that weekend, you know that you spent this many hours in social media are this many hours surfing the web when it be nice if we could have that same thing pop up and tell us how we did the last week spiritually. You spent this much time, seeking the Lord. You spent this much time seeking after your own desires. Although, I don't think that's a report. Most of us would want to see.

But wouldn't it be nice if we could? Because he know a lot of what the Apostle Paul was talking about in his letters to the Romans or the Corinthians. Was the carnality of those Christians, you know what he was seeing how they were saying they were Christians, but the lives, they were living were focused on the desires of their flesh. But unfortunately, that would describe most Christians today. You're too many of our churches could be described in the same way as those Corinthian and Roman churches were. That they were pursuing after things that weren't the things of God. They were pursuing the things of the world and Yep, we wonder just like those churches did. Why they weren't seeing any Miracles happened. Why they didn't have this wonderful sense of the presence of the Lord. Why? Things just weren't happening the way they thought they should. Cuz the sad fact is, you know, both back then and now a lot of those churches for help together merely by social activities and nothing else.

Another roadblock to Reformation is paralysis among God's people.

What is the longest prayer meeting you've ever been to?

How long does it last? When think of a prayer vigil, they were at and how long it was?

Oh c'mon. There's got to be somebody in here.

Okay. Well, as I was looking at this, I think the moravians might have the record. The moravians. Held a 100-year long prayer, vigil. They had a Prayer Tower that they staff like we would a hospital that Prayer Tower 24/7 365 for 100 years. And you could sign up for an 8-hour shift to go and pray and they made sure there was someone praying 24 hours a day everyday for 100 years.

It's no wonder that if you dig back in the history of many of the church denominations that we now have today. The moravians are part of it. I think it's because of that prayer that they were so committed to

I mean, let's be honest. We have problems getting more than two people to show up when we have Wednesday night prayer, meetings. Just saying it will move on. Carelessness is another fault. Among evangelicals. And this is what a lot of what we've been talking about in this series that you know, careless Christians, don't discipline or examine themselves in any way. They think if I call myself a Christian, that's all that matters, right? I don't have to live a certain way or keep myself from certain activities.

But, you know that I've shared throughout the series, you know, Plato once said a life that is not examined, is a kind of death. People who simply live by their instincts and do the best they can, but do not examine their selves are careless. And like I said, according to Plato. He thought they might as well be dead, then if they're not going to take the time to sit and look at their actions. How is it, impacting them? How is it impacted other people? Or Socrates also shared. I showed this a few weeks ago. He said that an unexamined life is not worth living.

If you read more of what soccer teams had to say about that. The reason he said that was because he was saying if you're not going to examine your life, how do you expect it to ever get better?

If you're not looking at what you're doing and thinking, okay. This is benefiting me. This is not benefiting me. How are you ever going to know how to keep moving forward?

As I read those quotes by people who we would consider famous philosophers. I thought they probably just got that from the Bible. Cuz how many times do we hear that same thing over and over again?

You know, I think it is excentia for our spiritual health and I would even argue for our own Mental Health. That we take time on a regular basis to examine where we are.

You know, we need to examine where we are with our self, where we are with other people where we are with God, where we are with our co-workers mean, if we don't do that, how do we expect things to ever get better?

But you know, if you're spending regular time in the word of God or regular time in prayer. Those things kind of naturally happen. But when we just get tied up and wrapped up in the busyness of life, we can rush through everyday and we might check everything off the list. But at the end of the day, if we really went anywhere. Have we really made any progress?

Another one of the things that keeps us. Stuck in that rut keeps us from hearing what God is calling us to do, is coldness of heart.

You know, I love this quote from one commentator. He said the temperature of many Evangelical churches is so chilly that nobody imagines that he or she is inflicted. With coldness of heart.

You know, it's really easy for us to have the attitude of well, they just brought that situation on themselves. So you know what tough luck. And often that is the case. But you know, is I read that comment and I thought about it a little bit more. I thought, would that have been the reaction that Jesus had.

Even if he knew, they totally deserved it. We know, it wouldn't have been. And last week at youth, we gave all the youth. These little bracelets. That said, what would Jesus do if you got your son? Good job?

What would he do in all too often? When we see situations, while you know, that's none of our business. We need to stay out of Italy. Yes, that's true in a lot of instances, but Even if it's something we can't get involved in. Could we pray for that situation?

And, you know, I was thinking it as we were singing. Are worship songs today in a lot of things. I, like, when we share things about the music and sometimes about why it was written. Is you know so often if you're talkin hymns or even if you're talkin some of the more modern, praise and worship songs, those songs were written. How to evolve a heart that was just on fire for God, burning with passion usual, ated to something that God had brought them through.

But yet, so often The Way We Stand and sing them. Is in a very lifeless manner. we forget the passion that was once there and Yep, we want to call that worship.

and I think, you know, that's something we have to realize, we need to open ourselves up and I think that's what Is really the hardest thing with change.

Are we allowed to express those emotions? Feel those emotions. Let people see how we actually feel. Let them see how your week actually went.

When my wife ask me how I'm feeling. She hates it. When I say peachy.

That's my response. Usually no matter what.

I'm really hoping I recall it cuz when she sees me the first time out of surgery, does she, I'm going to say that? I'm going to say peachy.

But, you know. All too often people ask us how her week is going. Does anyone really say how it actually went.

Are you always say? Oh, I'm great. I'm good.

You know, your car may have just broke down. You might have ran over the neighbors dog, when it ran down and all this stuff could be the worst week ever. And most the time when people ask us how we're doing, we'll say beachy. I'm just great. But you're not. And, you know, we have to start to be real with each other, because how can we know? It's a church family. Hey, I need to be praying for so-and-so this week because man, they got some big stuff going on. I need to pray for this person or that person. We can't know those things if we're not real.

And there's sometimes when as a church family, we think although I don't want to ask even though I know they got this going on cuz I don't want to be nosey. You know, it's not being nosey to tell someone. Hey, I'm praying for you.

But unfortunately, I think covid just made this whole coldness of heart thing worse. Because what did it do? It pushed us to separate from people that push this to stay away from people at all these things.

But it's time for us to take that ground back as a church, and as a community that no, we like doing life together. We like supporting each other. We'd like being there for each other. You know, we want everyone in here to know that they don't have to worry about being alone. No matter what they're facing. Cuz we're all with them praying for them everyday.

So really, I think, you know, we need to ask God to set our hearts on fire, ask him to rekindle that flame. You know, for John Wesley, it took his famous Aldersgate experience when the Holy Spirit really came upon him and he felt his heart, strangely warmed. It was only when he felt it. Strangely warms that he knew in his heart had grown cold. Otherwise, he didn't know it.

And he knew that it was time for him to make a change, and he knew that it was time for him to ask God to rekindle that flame. You know, if we don't come here fully expecting to worship God.

We don't ever have the chance to know that our heart has grown cold, because we haven't given it a chance to get warm. So we need to ask God to help us with that and help him. Help us. See the things that are distracting us from hearing his voice. Please pray with me. Heavenly father's, we come to you today. Lord. We thank you for the many blessings. You give us we pray that you will just be with us and guide us and help us Lord through whatever we may face this next week. The Lord also give us the humility in the grace to be willing to share with others when we need their prayers, when we need help.

Lord, I pray that we will not just accept things as I that's the way it's always been. But Lord, instead, we will ask what you want for this situation. Lord, how you want us to respond? I know that we will Faithfully follow wherever you lead. We pray this near Most Holy Name. Amen.