Without communication there is no relationship. How do you tune in to hear God speak to you? Rick Warren shares three reasons why it’s important to hear from God. He also shares how to grow in your relationship with Jesus.
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Video Highlights
Here are some highlights from this message about the importance to hear from God by Rick Warren.
Rick shares Luke 8:8 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Why is it important to hear from God?
- It proves I’m in God’s family.
- It protects me from mistakes. Proverbs 3:6 “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, and everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.
- It produces success in life. Psalm 32:8 “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
At 7:54, Rick says there is a best pathway for your life:
Rick Warren says there’s a best pathway for your life, but there’s a different pathway for everyone else’s life.
How do you hear God speak?
In Luke the farmer represents God, the seed represents what God wants to say to you, and the soil represents my heart or my mind and how receptive I am to hearing God.
At 10:40, Rick asks If I want to hear God speak to me I must:
- Cultivate an open mind.
Be willing, ready and eager to listen. Luke 8:5 says, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.” The footpath between rows gets compacted and pushed down from foot traffic so any seed scattered there has no chance of taking root. The birds come along and eat the seed. Luke 8:12 says, “Those along the footpath are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes along and takes away the word from their hearts, so they cannot believe and be saved.” There are three barriers that represent a closed mind that are shared at 14:28 minutes. Number one is pride. We don’t want to listen because we don’t think we need His help. Number two is fear. We are scared of what God might do. The third is bitterness. A heart grows hard and cold when you hold onto a hurt and become defensive. When you forgive someone you are the one that is liberated, not them.
- I must make time to listen.
When you are in a hurry you cannot hear God. You have to slow down if you are going to hear God. At 20:28 minutes into the sermon he shares Luke 8:6 “Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. This seed began to grow, but soon it withered and died for lack of moisture.” Luke 8:13 says, “The rocky soil represents those who hear the message with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. They believe for awhile, but they wilt when the hot winds of testing blow.” The shallow soil represents a superficial mind. You get excited and react emotionally, but are not transformed. At 26:15 minutes he explains how you develop spiritual roots. First you spend time daily with God. Second you get involved in a weekly small group. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Don’t give up the habit of meeting together; instead, let us encourage one another.”
- I must eliminate the distractions.
Luke 8:14 “The seed that fell among weeds stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they don’t mature.” You can’t always be on the go if you want to hear God. Three things that choke out hearing God is shared at 32:00 minutes. They are worry, riches and pleasure. The soil with weeds represents a preoccupied mind. If you are so busy making a living you don’t have a life, there is nothing to live for. God rarely yells, He whispers so you need to be listening.
- I must cooperate with what He says!
God speaks to people who decide in advance that they are going to do what He tells them to do even before He tells them. God doesn’t give you His will and His word so you can debate it. In advance you need to say your will be done. I am saying “yes” Lord in advance. Luke 8:15 says, “The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.” The good soil represents a willing mind. How do you bear fruit? You tell somebody else! At 41:18 minutes he shares Luke 8:15 “…they listen to God’s words and cling to them and steadily spread them to others who also soon believe.”
At 46:54, Rick Concludes his message:
Rick Warren prays, “God, I want to hear your voice. I want to be good soil. I want to cultivate an open mind. I want to be receptive, to listen to you every day. To be quiet and listen. Saying “yes” in advance to you Jesus. I want to follow you and know you and trust you.” He shared the story of the Chilean miner that was trapped with his fellow co-workers in the mine. He was the only believer but before they were rescued he had led twenty-two others miners to find faith in Jesus. He was spreading to others who then did believe!
