What we've learned so far from James 1-3:
​• Turn your trials into triumphs
• Defeat sin and temptation
• Be doer and not simply a hearer of the word
• Reign in your tongues
• Looks after the widow, the orphan and the less fortunate
• Updates your favorites list (and welcoming all no matter who they are, where they’ve been, what they look like or struggle with) to come and sit with us at the feet of Jesus

And here we go again in James 4 -- James doesn't pull any punches. He is talking to Believers and he is brutally honest:

​"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." James 4:1-3

Don't watch the news all the time. Find out what is going on and then don't watch at all the rest of the day. Only turning to God is going to heal this country. If we can't overcome all this with love we are not doing things God's way. We live in a two-minded society. God's way or the world's way. 

"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4

"You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!" Ezekiel 16:32

"For he who is not against us is for us." Mark 9:40

We are with God or against God.

"Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “[e]He [f]jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?" James 4:5

God is jealous over his relationship with us. He loves us. He wants the best for us. When we choose to live apart from Him or do things the world's way we are putting a wedge between us and Him and we are choosing something that will harm us. He is jealous in that He wants to keep us from harm and wants to be in relationship with us. We can't have the world and have Jesus. One or the other.

"He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

When we attack each other (as our whole country seems to be doing) we do it in pride. We can't hear or see the other person as a person. We just want to be right.

James 4:6 is the gospel in a minature.

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Romans 5:20

"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

"And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me" Luke 9:23

We do this every day. No time off. It is a way of life. Deny self. Turn to Jesus and follow Him. God is right with us. Nothing or no one can overcome us with God on our side.  Choose to live for God intentionally. 

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

Clean up your act Believer. You know better (is what he is saying). And we do....

Biblical Handwashing
Sanitation:
Leviticus 15:11
11 Likewise, whomever the one with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:13
13 ‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in [a]running water and will become clean

Separation:​​
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”
Psalm 26:5-6
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O Lord

Sanctification:
​​Exodus 30:18-20
18 “You shall also make a laver of [a]bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; 20 when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord.

Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [a]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.

"Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." James 4:9-10

"Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" James 4:11-12

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [a]by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 [g]Yet you do not know [h]what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 [i]Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your [j]arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the [k]right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:13-17

Application:
1. Be honest with yourself
2. Be honest with God
3. Pray for our country.
4. Pray especially for those people you disagree with.

Following are Shannon's notes from today's sermon:

Jesus is Enough! The Fullness of Christ
Colossians 2: 1-7
Vs. 1 Context – Colossian church – Paul never visited – writing from prison in Rome –
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally
Vs. 2 – The goal – Encouragement – discouraged Christians are easy prey, for the world, the flesh, the devil.
 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ
-Knit together in love, united
John 17:21-23
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Colossians 3:14
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
-full riches of complete understanding – explanation of the fullness of Christ, the completeness.
What is the “Mystery of God”?   What is our understanding of the mystery of Christ?
        The character and person of God in Christ
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 
 
John 14:6-7
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7
If you really knew me, you would know [2] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
 
Col 2:3
 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 
Apoknuphos – hidden – Gnostic’s “special” knowledge only for the few
The wisdom IS Christ Jesus. If we understand Jesus, if we have a relationship with him and truly have him within our hearts and our lives, that is the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Understanding the concept of the Creator – Him – and the created – us – and the relationship that we have only through the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ!
When we understand Jesus, we understand everything. Seek that hidden treasure by getting to know him better, getting into the Word, seeking for ourselves the understanding.
Each of us is responsible for the attainment of this knowledge. It is deeply personal.
John 6:40
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 14:23
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Col 2:4
 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 
False teachers – easy lies – fallacy –
 
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
 
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves
1 Tim 4: 1-3
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
If we know Jesus, personally, intimately, and are in the Word, we will not be led astray – it is amazing how simple that is. If someone challenges you, look for truth in the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to interpret for you, pray.
 
Col 2: 6
 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him
The greatest heresy in the time of the Colossians, and in our own time, is that we can perfect in the flesh what has begun in the Spirit! We can’t justify ourselves, or sanctify ourselves, only Christ.
Galatians 2:16
know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Romans 3:28
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
 
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 2:8
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
Why do we try and complicate it? Jesus is sufficient. The gift of salvation is received from God by grace as a gift, not by our own efforts. The Colossians were under the threat of the same human condition that we are, the fatal human flaw of believing that we need to “earn” something or it isn’t “fair”, that there has to be “more to this”
 
Application
Colosssians 2: 7
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
We are to continue to live IN Him
1. Rooted IN Him
Jeremiah 17:7-8
 
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”
 
 
 
2. Built up IN Him
Matthew 7:24-25
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Ephesians 2: 19-22
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Strengthened IN the faith
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Mark 11: 22-24
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Phil 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
 
3. Overflowing with thankfulness
Philippians 4: 4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”  Matthew 8:23-27

I would have been afraid too. Their boats were 26 ft long -- less than half the length of a school bus. And it's nighttime. 

We all have worries. Problems happen because that is this world. We will feel need to worry because we have responsibilities.

"'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?'" Matthew 6:25-27

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13


Jesus was in the boat with them. We have Jesus too. Is Jesus awake in our lives?

"He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." Matthew 8:26

Rebuke means "express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their actions."

Jesus was getting after the storm, telling the weather to behave!

it doesn't matter what happens here on earth. We know the ending. We just have to have Him actively working in our Lives. We have to give Him the permission to do this.

Faith of a Child.

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

A growing working thing -- ouur relationship with God. Keep maturing no matter what's going on (good or bad). Especially when things go wrong.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
Matthew 28:18

Don't worry about the little things -- God's got that. We gotta let Him take care of those things, know that he will and just do His work. He's working on a plan right now. His timing is better than ours. Live by your faith. We can't be stagnant.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Sometimes we forget to be thankful.

Read some of these statistics from Greg Easterbrook's book The Progress Paradox:

*Life expectancy has nearly doubled in the last 100 years.
*Real capital outcome doubled since 1960.
*Price of foods and durable goods have stayed the same or declined.
*Standard of living has risen to a plae our own great grandparents could not have imagined.

*Number of people who say they are happy has not increased since 1950.
*Number of people who say they are "very happy" has declined.
*25% increase in depression.
*7% of Americans say they have at least one period of debilitating depression yearly.

We don't even know how good we have it.

Intentionally cultivate a heart of thankfulness.

#1 Change of Focus from what I don't have to what I do have.
Greed is the opposite of gratefulness.

"Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

They want God to serve them. They don't get it. It's not about getting what you want. It's about loving and serving God. 

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

Greed dulls our appetite for God.

This is a life choice (gratefulness) -- to focus on God and be grateful. 

#2 Change our focus from getting a blessing to being a blessing.

The only way to find meaning in our lives is to have a purpose in being used by and serving and loving God.

Often, the more we get the more we want. Then we hoard. Our worth is not based on $.

People in poverty often give more than wealthy people. 

Unless we are being used by God we will not be content. An unbroke, untrained horse is not happy.

"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39

Jesus
-- No one had more right to be served, yet He chose the life of a servant. We are meant to serve.

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”" Mark 10:43-45

Jesus and the demon-possessed man: This was man was out of control, wild man. Once healed he wanted to go with Jesus. But Jesus understood his healing was not complete. He said to him:

"Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him." Luke 8:37-39

His healing would be complete when he was serving Jesus by proclaiming what God had done for him.

#3 Change our focus to servanthood.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

We find identity in the job we do. It doesn't matter what we do, we can do it for Jesus.

"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:40

#4 Change our focus from earth to eternity.

If the world is all we have we have nothing but despair. It all means nothing in the end if you just live for this life.

"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." 1 Corinthians 15:19

We serve a God who has overcome the world. God wants the best for us.

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth." Hebrews 11:13

"Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:16

#5 Focus our eyes on Jesus.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;" 2 Corinthians 4:8

"speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19-20

#6 A Change of Mindset.
​
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:6-8

It doesn't matter what's going on. You can be thankful. Live the life you were meant to live. 



"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

"Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust." Isaiah 40:15

So many people fighting among themselves. All saying, "Look at me!"

"What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

Everything is meaningless without God. When God comes into the equation, there is great significance.

"I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[a]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." Ecclesiastes 3:18-20

It's not about us.

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14

If we change our focus to God rather than ourselves things change.

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.
A dream comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool." Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

"Look at me!" separates me from God. If I try to be significant I'm separating me from God. It's the heart that matters. Give from your heart. It isn't about us. God cares about each one of us.



 "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,
“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[a]
And this is the word that was preached to you." 1 Peter 1:23-25

Significance of Who He is. We can't earn His love or His grace or anything from God. Nothing we can do is enough without God. God loves us so much.

"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?" Matthew 6:30

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

God took Adam from the dirt and made him. We make ourselves back into dirt in a sense when we sin...

The broken family breaks the individual. We all are broken. We are not the way God intended us to be. He sent Jesus so we could be part of the family.

"Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4

Our meaning comes through Him.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

Yes, you are contributing because He wants you. He wants each and every one of us.

"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4

All He wants us to do is accept Him. We can choose to be His children.

"For the Lord will not reject his people;
    he will never forsake his inheritance." Psalm 94:14

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.'" Deuteronomy 31:8

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Nothing can separate me from Jesus. We break things.Through Christ, we can become children of God.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

Come to the Father.

"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Run to Me! 

"Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:25-27

Listening is an art form. You have to train yourself to learn to listen well. Humans are naturally good at it. We naturally just listen for what we want to hear. And we can hear God's voice if we pay attention. He is speaking and wants each of us to hear Him.

"he said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams." Numbers 12:6

"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:20

"For God does speak—now one way, now another--
    though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
    and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
    their lives from perishing by the sword." Job 33:14-18

To be part of a relationship you have to do your part. You have to communicate. You have to listen. 

Have caution -- don't take someone else's words at face value. Do your own research. Speak to God yourself. 

"The idols speak deceitfully,
    diviners see visions that lie;
they tell dreams that are false,
    they give comfort in vain.
Therefore the people wander like sheep
    oppressed for lack of a shepherd." Zechariah 10:2

"Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God." Ecclesiastes 5:7

God can speak to us anyone He wants to. He spoke to Moses the first time thorugh a bush!

Then there was the long silence:



"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 house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”" 1 Samuel 3:1-4

Silence was in preparation for the next step.

Jesus didn't have to stay around and have a ministry. He did all this so we could have a relationship with Him. God has not changed. 

 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." Malachi 3:6

 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

If you aren't hearing from God, you aren't listening. 

The more familiar you are with God's voice, the more you will hear Him.

God will speak to us through His word.
 
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a]may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Our Father is speaking to His children. 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

the Word is alive!

He speaks to us intentionally and personally. If you're walking in faithfulness, God will speak. What you fill your world with is what You will focus on.

"Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:23-26

"Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:3

The World wants us distrated and following impulses and totally disorganized. 

Often, God will speak to us through circumstances.

"or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Give your testimony from the point of weakness. Use discernment and prayer.

"But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults." Psalm 19:12

"Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
    for I trust your commands." Psalm 119:66

"let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and let the discerning get guidance—" Proverb 1:5

Don't take stuff at face value. Do your own research.

"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." Romans 12:2

If you ask God a question, give Him time to answer.

Focus on God. Dwell with Him. Listen. He has something to tell you.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:8-10

Are you listening for the Shepherd's voice?

 "for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

God the Father.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name," Matthew 6:9
"But if your eyes are unhealthy,[a] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:23

"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[a] Father.” Galatians 4:6

Abba means "daddy."

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned."Ephesians 4:17-20

Set yourself apart from the Old way of life. When you come in dirty from the field you take off your dirty clothes and take a shower, but you don't stop there if you plan on going anywhere. You put on clean clothes. We need to clothe ourselves in the new self.

Practical Advice -- and an example to Follow.

“In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry," Ephesians 4:26


"The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;" Psalm 103:8-9

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for usas a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 4:31-5:2

Follow God's example. Our goal is for people to see the Father in us.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

God's standard -- do as God does.

The absolute truth -- God is our standard.

Be like Him.

Obey or break.

The love of the Father overcomes the failures of the children.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

World doesn't understand absolute truth. 

Until I understand the love of God I won't understand anything else.

The standard is perfection. 

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

Perfect means "complete" or "mature."

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14

Grow. Keep growing. Grow toward God. Grow to be like God. 

Every day we get a do-over. That's grace!