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WHAT TO DO AFTER GOD SPEAKS
DEUTERONOMY 1:6-7
Introduction
A parable is told about God speaking. Three men once heard God speak. The first did nothing, confessing he simply did not understand what God wanted. The second, after hearing God speak, allowed the fear of how he might look to others keep him from doing what God had asked him to do. The third heard God, and though somewhat confused and fearful, set out on a lifetime journey of doing what God had asked him to do. This third man experienced great blessings in his life.
Each of these three men are in our midst today. There is no need for us to look around to find them, for each of them exist within us all. Which of the three might you and I be today?
It is evident that God has spoken to us this past week through His evangelist, Bro. Matt Friend.
After God speaks what are we to do? Perhaps the answer escapes us because of its simplicity.
We are to do what God has said to do! After God speaks it is time to move to the next level.
The people of Israel had nearly completed their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after their parents had been disobedient to God’s command to go in and possess the land of Canaan.
Now a new generation was getting ready to enter the promised land. Moses recounts for them the history of what had taken place before as a warning to them not to repeat the same mistakes.
He reminded them that God had spoken and also what God expected from them after He speaks.
I. GOD SPOKE IN THE PAST AND HE CONTINUES TO SPEAK.
A. God had spoken through Moses the man of God.
1. Pharaoh found out that God had spoken to Him through Moses.
Exodus 5:1-2–“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”
10 plagues later he knew more about God than he cared to know!
2. These children of Israel knew that God had spoken to their fathers through Moses.
a. At The Red Sea.
Exodus 14:13–“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
Exodus 14:31–“And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.”
Then they sang a song about God and his salvation.
That Was At The Red Sea.
b. In The Wilderness.
Three days later in the wilderness when they found no water and when they finally did find water it was bitter to drink and they forgot all about God!
God sweetened the water for them by the hand of Moses.
Then they begin to get hungry and started murmuring again!
God gave them manna to eat.
Then they begin to get thirsty again and started murmuring again!
God was gracious and gave them water out of the rock!
c. At Mount Sinai.
Exodus 20:18-20–“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”
But while Moses was on mount Sinai receiving the Law of God:
Exodus 32:1–“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”
We see that God sent a plague because of their idolatry!
d. At The Edge Of The Promised Land Of Canaan.
God said go in and possess the land, but they wanted to send a search party instead.
10 of the 12 spies that were sent in said that what God wanted them to do couldn’t be done!
Numbers 14:22-23–“Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it
3. There was no doubt that God had spoken through Moses!
Now 40 years later they are being reminded how God had spoken!
4. It was time for them to move to the next level.
Their parents failed to obey God and paid a heavy price for it!
B. There Is No Doubt That God Continues To Speak Today. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
1. He continues to speak to us through His Word.
2. What do we need to do? We need to on to the next level.
3. We cannot stay where we are at and please God!
C. There are No Squatters Rights! (vs 6)
1. God said they had been there long enough.
2. For eleven months Israel had camped and lived at the foot of Mount Sinai (Horeb).
3. During their time of encampment God had spoken and made a covenant with the people. (The Law–The Ten Commandments)
4. With the covenant came knowledge and responsibility to heed to the voice of their God.
5. But eleven months of dwelling had allowed the people to settle into a life of ease.
a. They had grown accustomed to their surroundings and life there.
b. However God never allows squatters' rights to develop among His people.
c. God is always moving His people on to greater heights and to deeper maturity!
d. We must never become complacent or satisfied with our lives!
6. Some would say that there is no hope for tomorrow.
a. However, I believe that there is always hope in Jesus Christ!
b. Don’t be satisfied to remain where you are right now.
c. If you are not a Christian, come to Christ and be saved today.
d. If you are a believer, realize that God's desire for us is that we become like His dear Son.
7. It's time to leave what we have known in the past to follow Jesus in the present.
GOD SPOKE IN THE PAST AND HE CONTINUES TO SPEAK!
II. WHEN GOD SPEAKS HE EXPECTS COMPLETE OBEDIENCE!
God is never satisfied with a "do nothing" attitude.
A. Their Fathers Left As God Commanded Them To! (vs 19)
1. Moses led the people to make preparations to depart.
2. The idea is to pull up the tent stakes and start on a journey.
3. The journey was not an easy one at all.
4. They were on their way to where God had called them and was leading them.
B. However, They Stopped Short Of The Destination God Intended!
They stopped short of Canaan land which was God’s place of abundant living that He had promised them!
C. God Has Called Us To Action Too!
1. Perhaps some are thinking here today, “There is nothing wrong with my life the way it is.”
2. But, God wants to move us beyond a life of being settled, and content, and preoccupied with this world.
3. He has a plan and a design for us, and it transcends anything that we could ever imagine.
4. He wants us to obey Him and follow His direction.
C. God is looking for us to declare "this is not where God wants me to dwell, I’m going to move on for God! "
1. It's time to break camp and listen to God.
2. Let the past be the past, let's put it behind us and move on!
Philippians 3:13-14–“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
3. It is time to start a new journey! (vs 7)
These words speak of a challenge!
These words speak of excitement and fulfillment at the hand of God.
It is true that “Today is the first day of the rest of our lives!”
GOD SPOKE IN THE PAST AND HE CONTINUES TO SPEAK!
WHEN GOD SPEAKS HE EXPECTS COMPLETE OBEDIENCE!
III. THE CHOICE OF WHAT TO DO WHEN GOD SPEAKS IS OURS!
A. We Can Repeat The Past Life Of Doubt And Disobedience!
Moses reminded the children of Israel of their past so they wouldn’t repeat it.
1. There is an old saying that goes this way, “Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it.” Its time to get off the merry-go-round of sin.
2. Kadesh-Barnea (1:19b) was the turning point for the older generation who heard God speaking but refused to move on with God.
3. They died with their past failures always haunting them.
We Can Repeat The Past Life Of Doubt And Disobedience! OR
B. We Can Live A Life Of Faith And Obedience!
1. Don’t fail to listen and obey God’s voice–that is the place of blessing!
2. Don’t allow the disobedience of yesterday to keep you from the victory of today.
3. God does not want us to allow our past to destroy what He has for us in the present and the future!
Jeremiah 29:11–“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
4. If we want the blessings of God in our lives, we have to break camp with the past and start trusting God in the present.
Conclusion
What is keeping you from coming to God today?
Don't allow the lack of understanding of what God is doing and saying to keep you from obeying God this morning.
Don't allow the fear of what others might think keep you from coming to God.
God has spoken to us and is speaking to us today and He is calling for us to depart from our past and to
be obedient to Him. What will be our response?
Those who are here without Christ today, why not come to Him right now for salvation and the assurance of
eternal life.
Christians, God wants us to move on to the next level with Him. Will we obey the voice of God this morning or
will we stay where we are at and miss out on the abundant life?
Remember the parable we started with? The third man, though somewhat confused and fearful, just determined to
be obedient to God and found a life of blessing!
Just trust the Lord and be obedient to Him! He will not fail you!
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!