1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,640 Hello, Welcome to the One Church Podcast. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,720 We're so glad you could TuneIn today, and we pray that you 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,160 would be blessed as you listen to the word of God. 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,000 Today we have the third message in our Hearing God series. 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,960 And let's go over for a message from Susan Green in the One 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:20,960 Church North site. Enjoy. 7 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:28,240 We're. Going to continue our series 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,320 called Hearing God. We've been doing it over the 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,080 last two weeks. This is the third week. 10 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:38,000 The first week we listened to Simon Breaker speaking about the 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,200 different ways in which God speaks and how he can speak to 12 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,920 all of us. And then last week we heard 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,480 Susan speak, and she was talking about hearing God through the 14 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:50,400 Bible. And this week we're going to 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,920 look at hearing God through our relationship with him. 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,000 We're going to look at the example of Moses from the 17 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,900 Scriptures. And Moses was called a friend of 18 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:01,700 God. And we'll we will look at 19 00:01:01,700 --> 00:01:04,940 different ways in which we can build on our relationship with 20 00:01:04,940 --> 00:01:09,580 God so that we can more easily hear and recognize his voice. 21 00:01:10,220 --> 00:01:15,180 So I thought just to introduce it, I I thought, I thought about 22 00:01:15,660 --> 00:01:20,180 our family and we have 3 married sons and one of them is married 23 00:01:20,180 --> 00:01:25,340 to an Irish girl, Catherine. And I remember she's from Derry, 24 00:01:25,340 --> 00:01:27,380 Northern Ireland. And I remember when we. 25 00:01:27,820 --> 00:01:31,260 First went over to Ireland. I apologize if anybody's Irish 26 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:33,300 in the room by the way before I start. 27 00:01:33,820 --> 00:01:38,500 And yeah and we went and we met her parents that we met the 28 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:41,100 family. We went out for a meal and I 29 00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:44,060 remember they were talking to us and I just remember that I could 30 00:01:44,060 --> 00:01:46,740 barely tell a word what they were saying. 31 00:01:46,820 --> 00:01:50,060 We couldn't we couldn't tell what they were saying and and 32 00:01:50,060 --> 00:01:52,920 Catherine's father he was. He was telling to make sure we 33 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:54,600 could understand what he was saying. 34 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,240 He tried to slow his speech down. 35 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,000 I think I just thought, you know, as time went on and we 36 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,840 spent more time obviously with them, then we we found it easier 37 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,160 to recognize what they were saying and listen more carefully 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,880 probably to what they were saying. 39 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,200 And I think it's a little bit like that with our relationship 40 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,280 with God. It's the the more time we spend 41 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,600 with him and we listen perhaps a little bit closer and then 42 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,720 actually we will find it easier to hear and to recognize his 43 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,400 voice. In John Tenet says my sheep 44 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,000 listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. 45 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:32,120 I do recommend that you read the book How to Hear God by Pete 46 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,400 Grieg. Susan mentioned it last week. 47 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,920 I think it's a great book. It's a very easy book to read. 48 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,720 I always think if I get to the end of it, I think it's a good 49 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,840 book. Personally, and I did. 50 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,360 I found it easy to read. So we're going to look at the 51 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,330 account of Moses. And at the burning Bush. 52 00:02:51,330 --> 00:02:54,810 And it's found in Exodus chapter 3, if anybody would like to turn 53 00:02:54,810 --> 00:02:56,410 to it. And we're going to read from 54 00:02:56,410 --> 00:02:59,850 verse 1 to 12 in the New International version. 55 00:03:01,330 --> 00:03:05,010 So here we go, he says. So now Moses was tending the 56 00:03:05,010 --> 00:03:08,090 flock of Jethro, his fatherinlaw, the priest of 57 00:03:08,090 --> 00:03:10,730 Midian. And he led the flock to the far 58 00:03:10,730 --> 00:03:13,970 side of the wilderness and came to Horreb, the mountain of God. 59 00:03:14,610 --> 00:03:18,050 And there the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of 60 00:03:18,050 --> 00:03:22,230 fire from within a Bush. Moses saw that the Bosh Bush was 61 00:03:22,230 --> 00:03:26,750 on fire, but it did not burn up. So Moses thought, I will go over 62 00:03:26,750 --> 00:03:29,190 and I will see this strange sight. 63 00:03:29,510 --> 00:03:33,710 Why the Bush does not burn up. When the Lord saw that he'd gone 64 00:03:33,710 --> 00:03:37,910 over to look, God called to him from within the Bush, saying, 65 00:03:37,910 --> 00:03:43,950 Moses, Moses and Moses said, here I am, do not come any 66 00:03:43,950 --> 00:03:47,030 closer. God said, take off your sandals 67 00:03:47,390 --> 00:03:49,150 for the place where you are standing. 68 00:03:49,500 --> 00:03:53,180 His holy ground. And then he said, I am the God 69 00:03:53,340 --> 00:03:57,140 of your Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and 70 00:03:57,140 --> 00:04:00,460 the God of Jacob. At this Moses hid his face 71 00:04:00,820 --> 00:04:02,940 because he was afraid to look at God. 72 00:04:03,660 --> 00:04:07,580 And the Lord said, I have indeed seen the misery of my people in 73 00:04:07,580 --> 00:04:09,940 Egypt. I have heard them crying out 74 00:04:09,940 --> 00:04:14,060 because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their 75 00:04:14,060 --> 00:04:16,660 suffering. And so I have come down to 76 00:04:16,660 --> 00:04:19,300 rescue them. From the hand of the Egyptians 77 00:04:19,540 --> 00:04:23,340 and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious 78 00:04:23,340 --> 00:04:26,220 land, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. 79 00:04:27,020 --> 00:04:30,060 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I 80 00:04:30,060 --> 00:04:32,420 have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 81 00:04:32,980 --> 00:04:36,980 So now go, I'm sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the 82 00:04:36,980 --> 00:04:42,180 Israelites, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, who am I, 83 00:04:42,180 --> 00:04:45,180 that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of 84 00:04:45,180 --> 00:04:47,540 Egypt. And God said, I will be with 85 00:04:47,540 --> 00:04:49,380 you, and this will be assigned to you. 86 00:04:49,620 --> 00:04:53,260 That is, that it is I who has sent you when you brought the 87 00:04:53,260 --> 00:04:56,500 people out of Egypt. You will worship God on this 88 00:04:56,500 --> 00:04:58,980 mountain. And then it goes on to say, 89 00:04:59,420 --> 00:05:01,860 Moses said to the Lord, pardon your servant. 90 00:05:01,860 --> 00:05:05,340 Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past, 91 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:07,260 nor since you have spoken to your servant. 92 00:05:07,620 --> 00:05:12,140 I am slow of speech. And of Tong the Lord set him who 93 00:05:12,140 --> 00:05:15,900 gave human beings their mouths, who makes some deaf or mute. 94 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:18,360 Who gives them sight or makes them blind? 95 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,680 Is it not I, the Lord Now go. I will help you speak, and I 96 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,760 will teach you what to say. But Moses said, pardon your 97 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,280 servant. Lord, please send someone else. 98 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,160 And then the Lord's anger burned against Moses. 99 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,560 And he said, What about your brother Erin the Levite? 100 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,640 I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet 101 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,480 you. And he will be glad to see you. 102 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,640 He will speak to the people for you. 103 00:05:44,100 --> 00:05:47,740 And it will be as if he were your mouth and if you were God 104 00:05:47,980 --> 00:05:50,220 to him. So it's quite a long passage, 105 00:05:50,220 --> 00:05:53,300 but I think it helps you to see the context of the whole thing. 106 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:58,500 So we read God appears to Moses, God asks him to go to Pharaoh 107 00:05:58,700 --> 00:06:01,620 along with his brother Aaron, and he does what God asked him 108 00:06:01,620 --> 00:06:05,420 to do and he goes to Pharaoh. God asked Moses to go to Pharaoh 109 00:06:05,420 --> 00:06:08,980 because he says he was concerned about his people. 110 00:06:09,180 --> 00:06:11,460 He was concerned that they were being oppressed. 111 00:06:12,180 --> 00:06:15,780 And I thought to myself, God is still concerned about people who 112 00:06:15,780 --> 00:06:20,060 are being oppressed. God is concerned about you and I 113 00:06:20,420 --> 00:06:23,460 God is concerned about the people all in this city. 114 00:06:23,460 --> 00:06:26,340 When we're praying about the church, our city, our county, 115 00:06:26,340 --> 00:06:28,940 our country, God is concerned about all of them. 116 00:06:29,860 --> 00:06:32,380 And so, you know, maybe you don't know the story about 117 00:06:32,380 --> 00:06:34,420 Moses. So I always think it's good to 118 00:06:34,420 --> 00:06:36,860 just give some some background to the story. 119 00:06:37,420 --> 00:06:40,860 He was born to Israelite parents who were slaves in Egypt. 120 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,680 Both of his parents were Levites, and at the time of 121 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,560 Moses birth, the number of Israelites in Egypt had grown 122 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,920 massively, and the Pharaoh was concerned that they would come 123 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:57,120 to overpower the Egyptians. And since the men tended to be 124 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,000 stronger than the women, he ordered all the male infants to 125 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,800 be drowned in the Nile River in order to avoid an uprising. 126 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,080 Imagine that, you know, we dedicated Zachary today. 127 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,160 Imagine all the baby boys. They all had to be destroyed. 128 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,560 All had to be killed. And when Moses was born, his 129 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,720 mother, not wanting him to be killed, obviously placed him in 130 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,960 a basket and set him on the water. 131 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,920 And then actually the pharaoh's daughter, she came down to bathe 132 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,520 and then she heard a baby cried in the basket, and so she had 133 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:29,360 her maid draw him out of the water. 134 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:34,840 She hired an isolite woman who just happened to be Moses's own 135 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,010 mother, to nurse him. But the Pharaoh's daughter 136 00:07:38,050 --> 00:07:41,850 raised him as her own son, and Moses grew up even though he was 137 00:07:41,850 --> 00:07:45,010 a Hebrew in Israelite, he grew up in the Egyptian court. 138 00:07:45,530 --> 00:07:50,250 When Moses was older he went out one day and he saw, he saw one 139 00:07:50,250 --> 00:07:52,890 of his people was being beaten by an Egyptian. 140 00:07:53,290 --> 00:07:55,730 And what he did was he killed him and buried him and hope 141 00:07:55,810 --> 00:07:58,650 nobody saw. But actually they did see did 142 00:07:58,650 --> 00:08:01,330 get seen. So Moses he got found out and he 143 00:08:01,330 --> 00:08:04,970 had to flee and then he fled to a place called Midian and he 144 00:08:04,970 --> 00:08:08,110 lived there for 40 years. And while he were there, he got 145 00:08:08,110 --> 00:08:09,510 married. He had two sons. 146 00:08:09,910 --> 00:08:13,030 And it was in this time, when he was living in Midian, that God 147 00:08:13,030 --> 00:08:16,710 spoke to him from a burning Bush, saying, I'm sending you to 148 00:08:16,710 --> 00:08:21,950 rescue my people out of slavery. I want you to go to Pharaoh in 149 00:08:21,950 --> 00:08:25,430 Egypt and ask him to let the whole of the Israelite nation 150 00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:28,390 go. So, really quite a big ask. 151 00:08:28,710 --> 00:08:32,150 So I thought, what can we learn from the story of Moses? 152 00:08:32,990 --> 00:08:36,030 Well, I thought first of all, Moses stopped. 153 00:08:36,450 --> 00:08:40,370 He stopped to listen. It was an ordinary day. 154 00:08:40,809 --> 00:08:44,490 Mosey was simply looking after his father's flock, and God 155 00:08:44,490 --> 00:08:46,730 appeared to him from a burning Bush. 156 00:08:47,330 --> 00:08:52,050 And I thought, God can speak to us in the ordinary day, whatever 157 00:08:52,050 --> 00:08:55,010 we may be doing. He can speak at any time, in any 158 00:08:55,010 --> 00:08:58,890 place, in any circumstance. And when God did speak, Mosey 159 00:08:58,890 --> 00:09:01,150 stopped could. Considered what was going on. 160 00:09:01,150 --> 00:09:02,390 I think we all would, wouldn't we? 161 00:09:03,190 --> 00:09:06,470 He saw a Bush that was engulfed in flames and yet it didn't burn 162 00:09:06,470 --> 00:09:08,670 up. And we read that Moses said to 163 00:09:08,670 --> 00:09:12,190 himself, this is amazing. Why is this happening? 164 00:09:12,310 --> 00:09:16,190 I must go over and see it. And when Moses saw, when God saw 165 00:09:16,190 --> 00:09:20,070 Moses come and take a closer look, then God spoke to him, It 166 00:09:20,070 --> 00:09:23,190 says in the scriptures if we draw near to God then he will 167 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:26,550 draw near to us. He again I say God can speak to 168 00:09:26,550 --> 00:09:29,230 us anytime in any place, in anywhere. 169 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,800 The thing is, are we drawing close to him? 170 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,280 Do we ever stop to consider that God may want to speak to us, or 171 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,480 maybe to get our attention? Do we give God time for him to 172 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,400 speak to us? I'm sure we all know the power 173 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:46,480 of stopping to listen in a relationship. 174 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,320 Rob and I have been married. I think it's 44 years. 175 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,640 I think it is. And sometimes he'll say to me, 176 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,600 I'm I'm sure you don't listen to me. 177 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,200 I say I do. I do listen to you. 178 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:01,640 But I think I know sometimes I'm listening, but I'm thinking 179 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,480 about something else. You know, maybe I'm the only 180 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,760 person ever does that but in a marriage. 181 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,160 But I'm I'm, I'm not really. I'm not giving him my full 182 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,320 attention. That's really what he's saying. 183 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:13,440 You're not giving me your full attention. 184 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:15,160 And I suppose that's what I'm saying. 185 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,560 Do we give God? Do we stop and give him full 186 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:20,600 attention? Do we stop and listen? 187 00:10:20,680 --> 00:10:23,240 Do we give him enough time for him to speak to us? 188 00:10:24,050 --> 00:10:27,130 You know every great relationship it it requires 189 00:10:27,130 --> 00:10:29,690 time, doesn't it? You know, last week we heard 190 00:10:29,690 --> 00:10:32,930 about the importance of the Bible in order to hear God 191 00:10:32,930 --> 00:10:35,530 speak. You imagine if we just had our 192 00:10:35,530 --> 00:10:39,290 Bibles and we just read, we just read about God, but we actually 193 00:10:39,290 --> 00:10:42,050 never met up with God. We never sort of spend time with 194 00:10:42,050 --> 00:10:44,650 him. We have to meet with him so that 195 00:10:44,650 --> 00:10:47,370 we and as long as read as well as reason about him, we also 196 00:10:47,610 --> 00:10:50,530 have to meet with him. You know, he's spending time 197 00:10:50,530 --> 00:10:54,390 with God, a priority to us. Or or just actually, time with 198 00:10:54,390 --> 00:10:57,470 God just gets squeezed into the leftovers of our day. 199 00:10:58,350 --> 00:11:02,230 Generally, we will find time to do the things that we want to 200 00:11:02,230 --> 00:11:03,830 do. What is important. 201 00:11:05,270 --> 00:11:07,830 God wants to speak to us. He wants to speak to each one of 202 00:11:07,830 --> 00:11:09,990 us. The thing is, are we listening 203 00:11:09,990 --> 00:11:11,830 to him? Are we stopping to listen? 204 00:11:12,990 --> 00:11:17,230 And so Moses, he he stopped to listen and then I believe that 205 00:11:17,230 --> 00:11:19,390 he he had a conversation with God. 206 00:11:19,710 --> 00:11:22,680 You see, God speaks. God speaks to Moses and God 207 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:24,600 tells Moses what he wants him to do. 208 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,520 There's a two way conversation, you know. 209 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,360 Wouldn't wouldn't it be great? It was a simple thing, you know, 210 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,880 we we speak to God, He speaks back to us, we speak to him, He 211 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:35,720 speaks back to us. Wouldn't that be great? 212 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,400 It doesn't always work quite like that, does it for us? 213 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,200 Well, it doesn't for me. But then I do think we can talk 214 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,240 to him about the things that are going on in our lives. 215 00:11:44,850 --> 00:11:47,210 You know, God tells Moses he's great plan. 216 00:11:47,210 --> 00:11:49,970 I want to send you, you know, you're going to be one that do 217 00:11:49,970 --> 00:11:52,770 all these things. And then actually what does, 218 00:11:52,770 --> 00:11:55,810 what does Moses say? He basically says, can't you 219 00:11:55,810 --> 00:11:58,770 send somebody else? You know, really I'd rather you 220 00:11:58,770 --> 00:12:00,690 send somebody else. That'd rather it not be me. 221 00:12:01,050 --> 00:12:03,290 I thought, I find that quite incredible in the great plan of 222 00:12:03,290 --> 00:12:05,530 things. That's actually what Moses says. 223 00:12:05,730 --> 00:12:09,170 Please send somebody else. And then what does God say? 224 00:12:09,410 --> 00:12:11,890 Well, first of all, it looks a little bit like God's a bit 225 00:12:11,890 --> 00:12:14,010 crossed with Moses says he's angry. 226 00:12:14,540 --> 00:12:18,020 But then he, he actually then suggests that maybe Moses gets 227 00:12:18,020 --> 00:12:20,020 his brother to speak on his behalf. 228 00:12:20,020 --> 00:12:23,780 I thought how gracious really, of God, you know, he understands 229 00:12:23,780 --> 00:12:25,900 this, you know, for saying, well, I'm not really very keen 230 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:28,740 on this, but then actually God says, oh, okay then. 231 00:12:28,860 --> 00:12:30,220 I mean, it's probably not quite like that. 232 00:12:30,220 --> 00:12:32,940 But do you know what I'm saying? That God says, well, okay, then 233 00:12:33,260 --> 00:12:34,860 why not? Why not go and get your brother 234 00:12:34,860 --> 00:12:38,340 to come and help you, you know, and I just think tell God about 235 00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:42,300 the things that concern you. You know, there's a conversation 236 00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:45,620 that goes on and actually Moses goes to him with his fears 237 00:12:45,620 --> 00:12:47,900 basically. And I just want to say that God 238 00:12:47,900 --> 00:12:51,380 is concerned about our fears. If the things that we, the 239 00:12:51,380 --> 00:12:54,220 things that concern us, tell him about it. 240 00:12:54,940 --> 00:12:58,820 The scriptures say that the Lord would speak to Moses face to 241 00:12:58,820 --> 00:13:03,020 face as one speaks to a friend. You know, if we are seeking to 242 00:13:03,020 --> 00:13:06,180 keep the Bible that we have talked about as a priority in 243 00:13:06,180 --> 00:13:09,100 our lives and if we are seeking to have a day-to-day 244 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:12,150 relationship with God. Then I do believe God will drop 245 00:13:12,150 --> 00:13:14,990 things into our minds. I do believe He will speak to 246 00:13:14,990 --> 00:13:17,150 us. He wants to speak to each other. 247 00:13:17,430 --> 00:13:19,550 I think The thing is, are we listening? 248 00:13:19,550 --> 00:13:22,870 Are we stopping in? Romans, in the message 249 00:13:23,230 --> 00:13:26,230 paraphrase, it says this. So this is it. 250 00:13:26,230 --> 00:13:29,950 This is what I want you to do. God helping you take your 251 00:13:29,950 --> 00:13:34,190 everyday your ordinary life. You're sleeping, you're eating, 252 00:13:34,630 --> 00:13:38,230 you're going to work and you're walking around life and place it 253 00:13:38,230 --> 00:13:43,080 before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you 254 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,560 is the best thing you can do for Him. 255 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:50,320 Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into 256 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,960 it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on 257 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,960 God. You'll be changed from the 258 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,440 inside out. Readily readily recognize what 259 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,480 He wants from you and quickly respond to it. 260 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:09,360 Talk to Him about your everyday, ordinary lives. 261 00:14:10,180 --> 00:14:13,820 Have a conversation with him. You know, just take your 262 00:14:13,820 --> 00:14:17,180 everyday ordinary life and bring it before God. 263 00:14:18,660 --> 00:14:23,700 What else do we see about Moses? Moses had a place where he met 264 00:14:23,700 --> 00:14:27,980 with God in reading. In chapter 33, we read that 265 00:14:27,980 --> 00:14:31,740 Moses used to take a tent, used to pitch it outside the camp 266 00:14:31,740 --> 00:14:34,820 some distance away, and it was called the tenter meeting. 267 00:14:35,670 --> 00:14:38,470 Anyone who was required inquiring of the Lord would go 268 00:14:38,470 --> 00:14:40,790 to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 269 00:14:41,310 --> 00:14:44,950 Whenever Moses went into the tent, all the people rose and 270 00:14:44,950 --> 00:14:48,510 stood at the entrance to their tents, watching Moses until he 271 00:14:48,510 --> 00:14:52,710 entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the 272 00:14:52,710 --> 00:14:56,910 pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance while 273 00:14:56,910 --> 00:15:00,910 the Lord spoke with Moses whenever the people saw the 274 00:15:00,910 --> 00:15:03,710 pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent. 275 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,680 They all stood and worshiped each at the entrance to their 276 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,880 tent. The Lord would speak to Moses 277 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,680 face to face as one who speaks to a friend. 278 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,200 Do you and I have a place where we meet with God? 279 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,800 A tent of meeting, so to speak. In order to build a relationship 280 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,000 of any kind, there has to be a meeting of some kind. 281 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,080 When I was preparing for this, I just had to check this. 282 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:36,140 For some reason I thought about one of our first dates, which is 283 00:15:36,540 --> 00:15:40,020 obviously a long while ago, before the time of mobile 284 00:15:40,020 --> 00:15:42,020 phones, You know, nothing like that. 285 00:15:42,980 --> 00:15:45,380 And Rob. Rob used to live in town near 286 00:15:45,380 --> 00:15:49,540 where the TLC buildings is in Highfield St. and I lived over 287 00:15:49,540 --> 00:15:53,220 in Ensby and we'd arranged. Actually, it's one of our first 288 00:15:53,220 --> 00:15:55,220 dates. We arranged to meet, I think at 289 00:15:55,220 --> 00:15:57,820 the bus stop. I was catching the bus he was 290 00:15:57,820 --> 00:16:01,260 walking to meet me. And anyway, it never happened. 291 00:16:01,380 --> 00:16:03,860 I don't, I'm not sure what happened, but it never happened. 292 00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:06,660 Which didn't go down too well. You can imagine, can't you? 293 00:16:07,620 --> 00:16:09,180 But I just thought we never had mobile phones. 294 00:16:09,180 --> 00:16:10,780 Say, are you here? Where were you? 295 00:16:10,820 --> 00:16:12,140 You know, it's just one of these things. 296 00:16:12,140 --> 00:16:18,260 It just didn't happen, did it? Did you hear that everybody, Rob 297 00:16:18,260 --> 00:16:21,300 was like, wasn't me. It was Rob thinks it was late. 298 00:16:22,830 --> 00:16:24,630 Oh, yes, I probably did. I probably got the UMP, 299 00:16:24,630 --> 00:16:27,870 actually, and I probably got back on the bus of I know I 300 00:16:27,870 --> 00:16:30,670 think I did. And I think what I'm saying to 301 00:16:30,670 --> 00:16:34,390 say, you know, if we're to carry on like that, we never actually 302 00:16:34,390 --> 00:16:35,710 met. Well, you you can't have a 303 00:16:35,710 --> 00:16:37,510 relationship like that, can't you? 304 00:16:37,710 --> 00:16:40,670 You have to meet up. And I think what I'm saying is 305 00:16:40,670 --> 00:16:43,310 we have to, you know, in our relationship with God, we have 306 00:16:43,310 --> 00:16:46,350 to have a place where we meet. We might get it mixed up, but 307 00:16:46,830 --> 00:16:49,550 let's have a place where we meet with God. 308 00:16:49,970 --> 00:16:55,370 You know you know now now I I'm I probably meet meet with God. 309 00:16:55,370 --> 00:16:58,690 I spend time with him in in one of our spare one of our spare 310 00:16:58,690 --> 00:17:02,530 rooms in the spare room you know and then I partly quite like to 311 00:17:02,530 --> 00:17:06,930 go for a walk in the park and I I find it easier to do that but 312 00:17:06,930 --> 00:17:09,430 when the children were little. That would not have been the 313 00:17:09,430 --> 00:17:10,990 case. We didn't have a spare room for 314 00:17:10,990 --> 00:17:14,030 one thing and it was a chair in the in the dining room. 315 00:17:14,030 --> 00:17:17,150 And I I didn't have a park near me and I I didn't have time 316 00:17:17,150 --> 00:17:19,829 necessary to go for a walk. It it was different. 317 00:17:20,109 --> 00:17:22,270 But what I'm saying is I found time. 318 00:17:22,270 --> 00:17:26,390 Whatever, whatever season of life I was in, I sought to find 319 00:17:26,390 --> 00:17:29,590 that time, you know, personally, I find it easier to walk. 320 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,280 To walk and talk to God, I tend to. 321 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,160 If I sit, I tend to find my mind wanders. 322 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:38,800 But maybe that's just me. But I I don't find it quite so 323 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,520 easy. And then when I heard about 324 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,440 Nicky Gumbel, apparently he finds it easier to do that, that 325 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,160 that made me feel better that that actually that's what he 326 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,160 does. And then I thought about when I 327 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,920 was at work, I often used to probably just go in and when I 328 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,600 have a lunch time, my pops go in in the car and just sit in the 329 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,520 car and that's when I would have it. 330 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,680 And you know, I think what I'm trying to say, just find the 331 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,340 time. Make it work. 332 00:18:00,340 --> 00:18:03,300 Whatever season of life you're in, you find the time. 333 00:18:03,300 --> 00:18:06,500 Stop, listen. Make time for him to speak to 334 00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:10,420 you. Susanna Wesley here. 335 00:18:10,420 --> 00:18:14,060 This was the mother of ten children and she lived in the 336 00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:17,780 1700s and she was called the the Mother of Methodism. 337 00:18:18,340 --> 00:18:20,540 And I want to read you this quote about her. 338 00:18:21,340 --> 00:18:24,460 If a passing stranger walked through the rural village of 339 00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:28,940 Epworth, England on any given day between 1700 and 1720. 340 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,000 And appeared through the window of the home of the rector of the 341 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,000 local Anglican church. He might have caught sight of 342 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,760 something quite strange. Depending on the time of day, 343 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,520 this observer might have seen a woman sitting in a chair with 344 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:47,360 her kitchen apron pulled over her head, where ten children 345 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:51,080 would read and study or play all around her. 346 00:18:51,830 --> 00:18:55,150 Two of the ten children would have been little boys John and 347 00:18:55,150 --> 00:18:58,750 Charles Wesley, who grew up to shape the course of Christian 348 00:18:58,750 --> 00:19:00,830 history and thus changed the world. 349 00:19:01,710 --> 00:19:05,750 The woman under the apron would have been Susanna Wesley, who 350 00:19:05,750 --> 00:19:10,310 assumed this odd posture for two hours almost every day. 351 00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:14,750 Yes, Laura's just gone 2 hours. She's probably thinking, but I 352 00:19:14,750 --> 00:19:16,650 think. Yeah, but you know what? 353 00:19:16,650 --> 00:19:18,090 What I'm saying is she found time. 354 00:19:18,090 --> 00:19:21,610 She had ten children and a lot of the time my husband was not 355 00:19:21,610 --> 00:19:23,170 there. You know, she was virtually a 356 00:19:23,170 --> 00:19:26,530 single parent. So what I'm saying if she if she 357 00:19:26,530 --> 00:19:28,410 could do that and she had ten children. 358 00:19:28,810 --> 00:19:32,610 Surely you and I can find the time in some way, whatever our 359 00:19:32,610 --> 00:19:36,410 week might look like, whatever our day was like her tent of 360 00:19:36,410 --> 00:19:39,210 meeting, basically. It was under her kitchen apron. 361 00:19:39,250 --> 00:19:41,010 Really. And I suppose I want to say, 362 00:19:41,010 --> 00:19:45,450 where is your yours and my place, my our tent of meeting. 363 00:19:46,130 --> 00:19:49,050 You know, this is the place where we meet with him, where we 364 00:19:49,050 --> 00:19:53,850 read his word, we talk to him and we listen to him, Psalm 46 365 00:19:53,850 --> 00:19:56,970 says. Let be and be still and know and 366 00:19:56,970 --> 00:20:01,420 recognize and understand. That I am God, You know, let us 367 00:20:01,420 --> 00:20:03,620 make time to be still before him. 368 00:20:03,980 --> 00:20:07,500 Let us find a place where we can be still, even if it's just for 369 00:20:07,500 --> 00:20:10,660 a few moments or a few minutes, you know, as to say we have 370 00:20:10,660 --> 00:20:13,460 different seasons. But let us find a time to be 371 00:20:13,460 --> 00:20:15,980 still. Let us make time to build our 372 00:20:15,980 --> 00:20:20,260 relationship with God so that we can listen and hear his voice 373 00:20:20,900 --> 00:20:22,500 again. I say it again, John. 374 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:25,460 John, 10, says my sheep listen to my voice. 375 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:30,520 I know them and they follow me. When we do hear God speak, then 376 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,120 there has to be an application of what we hear. 377 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,400 We're not meant to just be hearers of the word, but do us 378 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,000 as well, you know, what will you and I do as a result of 379 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,960 listening to to the the series that we've been doing? 380 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,320 What will you and I do differently? 381 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,160 I mean, what will we do, even this week differently to in 382 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,040 order to see, to draw near close to God so that he can draw near 383 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:56,040 to us? And then my final point is do 384 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,670 whatever he tells you. Moses stops. 385 00:20:59,790 --> 00:21:02,150 He listens. He has a place of meeting. 386 00:21:02,150 --> 00:21:06,110 And then in the end, Moses does call him to do it, and he does 387 00:21:06,110 --> 00:21:08,390 it. He goes to Pharaoh, and he asked 388 00:21:08,390 --> 00:21:11,270 him to let the people go. It wasn't without its problems, 389 00:21:11,550 --> 00:21:14,830 but it did happen. We asked God to speak, and then 390 00:21:14,830 --> 00:21:17,030 he speaks. We need to obey what he's 391 00:21:17,030 --> 00:21:20,190 telling us to do. In the story of the wedding of 392 00:21:20,190 --> 00:21:24,390 Cana, in John's Gospel, Jesus is there with his mother Mary, and 393 00:21:24,390 --> 00:21:25,910 all of a sudden there's a big problem. 394 00:21:27,110 --> 00:21:29,110 There's no wine left, which would have been a huge 395 00:21:29,110 --> 00:21:32,510 embarrassment to the family. And then Mary, the mother of 396 00:21:32,590 --> 00:21:37,110 Jesus, she speaks, she speaks, she goes over to Jesus knowing 397 00:21:37,110 --> 00:21:40,030 that actually Jesus can do something about the situation. 398 00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:43,310 And I think I want to say she went to Jesus 1st. 399 00:21:43,750 --> 00:21:47,030 And I just want to say she just go to Jesus first in a 400 00:21:47,030 --> 00:21:49,510 situation, go to him, talk about him. 401 00:21:49,510 --> 00:21:52,030 You know, whatever your situation may be, you know, 402 00:21:52,070 --> 00:21:54,830 maybe it's about a job, maybe it's your health, maybe it's 403 00:21:54,830 --> 00:21:56,550 your finances, your relationships. 404 00:21:56,930 --> 00:22:01,170 But go to Jesus 1st and then she says to the servants, which 405 00:22:01,170 --> 00:22:03,210 always, always touches my heart. Really. 406 00:22:03,210 --> 00:22:07,730 She says do whatever he tells you, You know, Really. 407 00:22:08,010 --> 00:22:09,730 Because they did what? What? 408 00:22:09,730 --> 00:22:11,090 You know, whatever he told them to do. 409 00:22:11,450 --> 00:22:14,570 Actually, that brought about the miracle and the water was turned 410 00:22:14,570 --> 00:22:16,970 into wine. You know, when we hear what God 411 00:22:16,970 --> 00:22:19,650 is saying to us and we do whatever he tells us? 412 00:22:20,130 --> 00:22:22,050 And at some point there is a breakthrough. 413 00:22:22,170 --> 00:22:24,290 There's a miracle even. It's just a small miracle. 414 00:22:24,490 --> 00:22:29,810 There's something that happens as a shift that takes place in 415 00:22:29,810 --> 00:22:31,690 Pete Reed's book. He writes this. 416 00:22:32,410 --> 00:22:34,850 And of course this is not a one off thing. 417 00:22:34,850 --> 00:22:38,730 I don't just hear Jesus once and say yes to him once on the day 418 00:22:38,930 --> 00:22:40,730 that I first asked him into my life. 419 00:22:41,250 --> 00:22:44,930 As the weeks and the months and the years unfold, I tried to say 420 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:49,250 yes again and again. In great big terrifying life 421 00:22:49,250 --> 00:22:53,290 defining ways. And also in tiny, tiny tiny 422 00:22:53,290 --> 00:22:56,090 ways. And 1st and most obviously this 423 00:22:56,090 --> 00:23:00,210 means saying yes to his word. In the Bible, saying yes to come 424 00:23:00,210 --> 00:23:03,410 follow me, yes to be in repent and be baptized. 425 00:23:03,610 --> 00:23:07,410 Yes to pick up your cross, to love up your love your enemies 426 00:23:07,650 --> 00:23:12,410 and go into all the world. And I say OK, but it also means 427 00:23:12,410 --> 00:23:16,050 saying yes to his whisper day by day. 428 00:23:16,490 --> 00:23:20,850 In more particular and personal ways, he's learning to discern 429 00:23:20,850 --> 00:23:24,810 that still small voice. Telling me, for example, to turn 430 00:23:24,810 --> 00:23:29,730 left at the end of the street. To listen to my kids, To wear a 431 00:23:29,730 --> 00:23:34,450 particular blue T-shirt. To put £57 in the offering, to 432 00:23:34,450 --> 00:23:38,810 sort out my attitude. To take a day off, maybe to call 433 00:23:38,810 --> 00:23:43,290 my mom, to strike out in a new direction, to share my faith. 434 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,040 To shut my mouth. To pay attention to a certain 435 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,800 word in the sermon. To pause and to pray. 436 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,920 Little by little, as I learn to live this way, to attentively 437 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,280 towards God's Word in the Bible and to the whisper of His 438 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:03,040 spirit, I discover the intricate goodness of His guidance. 439 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:09,240 Gradually, my neural pathways get realigned by 10,000 little 440 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,160 Yeses. Slowly, my character is refined. 441 00:24:12,530 --> 00:24:17,010 By each righteous choice, and ultimately my destiny is 442 00:24:17,010 --> 00:24:21,490 defined. Listen, believe and obey and 443 00:24:21,490 --> 00:24:26,530 just say yes to Jesus. So do whatever he tells you, 444 00:24:26,610 --> 00:24:30,650 whatever, whatever it might look like or whatever you may think. 445 00:24:32,090 --> 00:24:35,410 When I went to the Assemblies of God conference back in in May 446 00:24:35,410 --> 00:24:39,290 time, there's a man called Mark Ritchie who's an evangelist and 447 00:24:39,290 --> 00:24:42,330 also a comedian. And it's very good, very good to 448 00:24:42,330 --> 00:24:44,650 listen to. And he sensed that God was 449 00:24:44,650 --> 00:24:48,890 saying to him to make a big cylindrical cross and to carry 450 00:24:48,890 --> 00:24:51,810 it all around Great Britain, Great Britain, and to give 451 00:24:51,810 --> 00:24:55,330 people an opportunity to post their little post notes to God. 452 00:24:55,330 --> 00:24:59,530 It was evangelistic event and he just felt that that's what God 453 00:24:59,530 --> 00:25:02,410 was telling him to do. And he arranged to see two 454 00:25:02,530 --> 00:25:05,530 significant church leaders about his vision. 455 00:25:05,890 --> 00:25:09,210 And when he went to the first leader and told him about it, he 456 00:25:09,210 --> 00:25:12,200 just laughed in his face. And said what it what a 457 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,520 ridiculous idea and then he called his assistant and this 458 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,800 this leader did and actually they both just laughed at Mark 459 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,320 and thought what a crazy idea that was And so he went home and 460 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,800 he he thought you know I've obviously not got this right so 461 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,480 to speak and and he spoke to his wife and he said I think I'm 462 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,720 going to cancel the second appointment and and she said no 463 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:36,360 go go and and see him and so actually when they went to the 464 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:38,000 second person it was actually Jay. 465 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,150 John. He was an evangelist, and Jay 466 00:25:40,150 --> 00:25:42,550 John just said what an incredible vision. 467 00:25:42,830 --> 00:25:46,230 He called his assistant in and they actually wrote a check 468 00:25:46,270 --> 00:25:49,670 there and then to actually help him with his vision. 469 00:25:49,990 --> 00:25:52,710 And I think what I'm trying to say is that actually he felt 470 00:25:52,710 --> 00:25:55,830 that's what God was saying to him and he needed to go with 471 00:25:55,830 --> 00:25:59,470 what God was telling him to do. And sometimes what we sense God 472 00:25:59,470 --> 00:26:02,870 is telling us to do might look a bit crazy to somebody else. 473 00:26:03,230 --> 00:26:06,630 But if God has said it to us, we do check it out with people, but 474 00:26:06,630 --> 00:26:09,110 we'd we'd believe that. That's what God is saying to us. 475 00:26:09,430 --> 00:26:14,510 So we do whatever He tells us. Let us just say yes to whatever 476 00:26:14,710 --> 00:26:18,630 He's telling us to do, You know, even if you know, wherever you 477 00:26:18,630 --> 00:26:20,110 may be, just stop and listen to him. 478 00:26:20,110 --> 00:26:23,470 Remember, he can speak to you in the ordinary days of your life, 479 00:26:23,630 --> 00:26:27,830 whatever you may be doing. Expect to have a two way 480 00:26:27,830 --> 00:26:30,750 conversation with him. Talk to the things that you are 481 00:26:30,750 --> 00:26:32,990 concerned about, whatever it may be. 482 00:26:32,990 --> 00:26:36,070 Talk to him and listen to what he has to say. 483 00:26:36,590 --> 00:26:40,750 And then make time to have a tent, so to speak, a place, a 484 00:26:40,750 --> 00:26:43,990 chair, a room, a walk, whatever it may be. 485 00:26:43,990 --> 00:26:48,310 Make time for that place where you can meet with God and then 486 00:26:48,670 --> 00:26:51,030 be open to what he's telling you to do. 487 00:26:51,430 --> 00:26:58,530 And do whatever he tells you. Thank you, Susan. 488 00:26:59,450 --> 00:27:04,130 Even right now, let's take a moment to pause and ask a simple 489 00:27:04,130 --> 00:27:08,170 question. Father God, what are you saying 490 00:27:08,570 --> 00:27:18,320 to each of us? Lord, we want to hear you and we 491 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,560 want to hear your voice. Thank you that you are always 492 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:26,000 speaking and you have created us to walk in relationship with 493 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,250 you. Come and help us tune our ears 494 00:27:29,250 --> 00:27:34,690 and our minds to hear and notice and then respond when you are 495 00:27:34,690 --> 00:27:38,210 speaking. If you want to get in touch with 496 00:27:38,210 --> 00:27:41,010 any of the team, know that we are here for you and we'd love 497 00:27:41,010 --> 00:27:45,450 to stand with you in prayer. This week there's much coming up 498 00:27:45,610 --> 00:27:48,810 in one church, so here is your family news for me. 499 00:27:53,030 --> 00:27:57,670 This week is the last week of the school summer term and we 500 00:27:57,670 --> 00:28:00,150 know that there are children all around Leicestershire getting 501 00:28:00,150 --> 00:28:05,110 ready and excited for a holiday, so if you want to join us at our 502 00:28:05,110 --> 00:28:08,630 last weeks in our midweek clubs, you'd be so welcome. 503 00:28:08,830 --> 00:28:12,630 Come to one church kids on Tuesday night at 6:00 o'clock. 504 00:28:12,830 --> 00:28:16,070 Come and join our young people elevens to fourteens at 6:00, 505 00:28:16,070 --> 00:28:19,550 o'clock on Friday and then fourteens to eighteens at 8:00 506 00:28:19,550 --> 00:28:21,630 o'clock. Come and join us and celebrate 507 00:28:21,630 --> 00:28:26,490 summer together. If you are new to one church or 508 00:28:26,490 --> 00:28:29,610 considering calling one church your home church, then come to 509 00:28:29,610 --> 00:28:32,970 Newcomers. This Thursday night at 7:00 PM 510 00:28:33,330 --> 00:28:35,410 at the one center on Frog Island. 511 00:28:35,690 --> 00:28:38,010 We're going to gather have food together. 512 00:28:38,290 --> 00:28:41,690 There is a space to hear the vision and the heart of 1 513 00:28:41,690 --> 00:28:44,050 Church. Meet many of the leaders, get to 514 00:28:44,050 --> 00:28:47,650 know others who are joining the church, and ask any questions 515 00:28:47,650 --> 00:28:49,570 you have. We would love to see you. 516 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,640 On Thursday and if you want to sign up, get in touch with the 517 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,920 church office. This year, Open Hands is 518 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,720 partnering with the Run Leicester Festival where you can 519 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,200 get involved running a 10 kilometer race or a half 520 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,360 marathon to raise money for Open Hands. 521 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,920 Let's make a difference in the lives of people in need all 522 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,720 around our county by raising money together. 523 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,760 If you'd like to know more, head to the Open Hands website and 524 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,270 finally save the date. On the 9th and the 10th of 525 00:29:21,270 --> 00:29:26,430 September we are opening the new One Center, newly refurbished, 526 00:29:26,550 --> 00:29:29,110 refreshed and ready for the next season. 527 00:29:29,630 --> 00:29:32,590 We're going to do this with A1 Church Together gathering and if 528 00:29:32,590 --> 00:29:35,550 you'd like to be part of it, make sure you're there Saturday 529 00:29:35,550 --> 00:29:40,470 night at 7:00 o'clock or Sunday morning at 9:15 and 11:30 and 530 00:29:40,470 --> 00:29:42,070 that is your family news for.