TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE

22nd April Eltham Baptist Church

No. 374

Hebrews 3:15. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

I dont know about you, but when I read this verse in the bible my immediate reaction was one of fear and condemnation. Id better be careful today for God is going to tell me off or tell me to do something I dont want to do, so Id better listen up. We think that if God is going to speak to us or tell us to do something then were in trouble. We think its going to be something really hard and were not sure if were going to be able to do it or not. It brings thoughts of fear and guilt with a sense of inferiority into our hearts. Its sort of like hearing second hand that the boss or the headmaster wants to see you in his office and immediately you think, What have I done wrong? It never occurs to us that maybe he wants to give us a rise or encourage us in our work. The trouble is we have an inbuilt guilty conscience inherited from the fall, that naturally thinks the worst all the time. We were born sinners and are now saved by the grace of God, but often subconsciously we think that we are doing something wrong in the eyes of God, even when we havent. We can think that we arent coming up to scratch all the time. It began when Adam sinned in the garden and in his guilt he hid away from God. We can think, He saw me pick my nose or knows that I didnt pray and read my bible, type of thing. We need to remind ourselves that God isnt like this towards us and I believe He gets quite hurt that we always think that Hes like that. The Bible says that Hes not like us and His thoughts are far greater than our thoughts.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8

Yes, He is angry with sin and the sinner and wants them to repent of their sins so that they dont end up going to hell, but with His children the sin problem is dealt with; its now a different matter. His thoughts towards us are those of love. He has forgiven our sins through the death of His Son. Look again at the context of this verse in Hebrews 3:5-19. The children of Israel had been in Egypt for over 400 years and God had finished punishing them as a nation. He said that He would get them out and take them to the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey. He fulfilled the first part of the promise and got them out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, but then they found themselves in the wilderness half way to the Promised Land. It was there that He gave them these words. "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Harden their hearts to what, His harsh words of rebuke? No His words of love that said that there was a Promised Land that He wanted to get them in and He wasnt lying to them. It was hard in this waiting time, for all they had left was the promises of God. He said dont harden your heart to my promise and my love for you. I have brought you so far, will I leave you now? Today in our time of waiting, when nothing much seems to be happening, hear the voice of God saying Hang in there, praise me, choose to believe in my goodness and dont go back to sin. The voice of God is a voice of love that says, Yes there is a better place ahead for you. God always allows us to go through the wildernesses of life to test us.
"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart" Deuteronomy 8:2

The voice of God is one of love toward His Children and we mustnt harden our hearts towards this amazing love and all His wonderful promises. Those who hardened their hearts in the wilderness ended up dying there. Those who died there were the ones who stopped believing in a faithful God, and didnt want to go forward to Canaan land but return to Egypt. They got tried of waiting for God to come through for them and thought theyd chosen the easy way out.

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Hebrews 3:16-19

Today you may find yourself in a wilderness situation. You are not in Egypt but you arent in Canaan Land either. It seems like God has left you now and life is really hard. Dont forget that it wouldnt be so bad if youd read the word more and encourage yourself in God, but you have allowed yourself to be overcome with self-pity. When self-pity over whelms you, no matter what else happens you cant see any good. You may be home sick and all you want to do is to go home. God can give you all sorts of amazing blessings to help your situation but no matter what happens you choose to be miserable because you arent home. You may be missing family and friends and again God sends people to you every day to help alleviate your loneliness but none of them are noticed by you because you dont have what you want. We need to be careful for the enemy goes around as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour and he will find you easy prey.
Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I think it would be more appropriate here in New Zealand to say that our adversary goes around as a Sparrow Hawk seeking whom he may devour. Woe to those small critters that see its shadow on the ground, for by that time its too late. Its always hard when you find yourself in the wilderness, but we all have to go through it many times over in our Christian walk. When you are there in that hot, dry, barren place you hear all sorts of voices speaking to you. Some can be like the Sirens in Ulysses that woo sailors off course and shipwreck their lives. Most of the voices are from the flesh, the world and the Devil, saying that there is no Canaan Land for you, and no future. Voices that say, God has forsaken you and has cast you off. The Devil says things like, You are a failure, you have sinned and have made a big mistake and that is why all this has happened to you. If you really knew and loved Gods word, hiding it in your heart, then you would encourage yourself at times like this with verses such as;

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you," says the LORD." Jeremiah 29:11-14

The trouble is that these voices are really loud and in your face, but Gods voice is a still small voice and its like the small stone that David used to bring down Goliath. Gods quieter voice is true and the most powerful voice of all and its always saying, I love you, you are my child and there is a future for you, keep going, dont give up. Keep believing, keep praying, keep exercising faith and be faithful. You are doing a great job and I see your love for me even in the little things. You are always doing better than you think you are. Gods word says that He wont snuff out a smoking flax, so there is even hope for all you Christian Smokers out there who are feeling guilty.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. Matthew 12:20

We are called to keep ourselves in the love of God and its something we must always make an effort to do. We need to keep encouraging ourselves with the word of God and believing for the best. If you dont have the promises of God then all you have are feelings and the situation that you are in. You may be happy when things are going well but they dont always go well. We need to fight the good fight of faith in hard times and remember there is a great future ahead. God hasnt lied to you. As Oprah Winfrey once said, The future is so bright I need to wear sunglasses.
Jude 1:21 (KJV) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

If we praised God more in our wilderness situations then they would come to an end sooner or God could change them into a garden and the desert would rejoice and blossom as a rose.
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus. Isaiah 35:1-2.

Never lose hope of a better life ahead or a better place in God, otherwise youll die in the wilderness like those who didnt believe. Today when you hear His voice of love and encouragement dont harden your heart.
Romans 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. http://ghotter.blogspot.com