Sermon by Bruce McCallum 9 February 2020

2. Matthew 7:24-28 (NIV)
"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. 26 But
everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put
them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a
great crash." 28 When Jesus had finished saying these
things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching

3. Matthew 7:24-28 (MSG)
2"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to
your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of
living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on.
If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart
carpenter who built his house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured
down, the river flooded, a tornado hit - but nothing moved
that house. It was fixed to the rock.26 "But if you just use my
words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life,
you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the
sandy beach.27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came
up, it collapsed like a house of cards."28 When Jesus
concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They
had never heard teaching like this.

4. People
Houses
Foundations
Results
Responses
2

5. “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice”
26 "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't
work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who
built his house on the sandy beach.

6. HEARING GOD’S VOICE FOR YOURSELF
Logos and Rhema
• LOGOS - general or written Word of God
• RHEMA - the specific Word of God or the utterance of His
Spirit within you

7. 4 KEYS TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE
Habakkuk 2:1-2 (NIV)
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I
am to give to this complaint. 2 Then the LORD replied: "Write
down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a
herald may run with it.”

8. Hab 2:1 - 2 | 4 keys to listening to God.
"I will stand at my watch"
"I will look to see"
"What He will say to me"
"Write down the revelation”
1. Still yourself in the Lord's
presence.
2. Look for vision as you pray.
3. Recognise God's voice as a
spontaneous flow within.
4. Write down the flow of
thoughts & pictures within
you.

9. # 1 "What He will speak to me ...."
Recognise God's voice as the thoughts within
John 7:37-39 (NIV)
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in
a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.38
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of
living water will flow from within him."
John 15:5 (NIV)
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and
I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do
nothing.”

10. Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. …
"I don't stand alone - someone else flows through me.

11. God Thoughts
• They are like your own thoughts - except you sense them
coming from your heart (spontaneous)
• Come easily as God speaking in 1st person.
• Often light & gentle: Easily cut off by exertion of self.
• Unusual content - be wiser, more loving, more motive
oriented than yours.
• Cause a reaction inside - excitement, conviction, faith, life,
awe, peace.
• When embraced - strength and joy.

12. # 2 "I will stand on my guardpost" :
Find a quiet place to be before the Lord
Psalm 46:10 (AMP)
"Be still and know that I am God" (cease striving, let go,
relax...)

13. THE QUIET PLACE
Habakkuk went to the guard post to pray (Hab. 2:1)
Jesus went to a lonely place (Mark 1:35)

14. How can you know when you are still
• physical calm (Hebrews 4:9-11, 3:18-19)
• focused attention (Hebrews 12:1-2, John 5:19)
• letting be (Psalm 46:10, Phil 4:6-7)
• receptivity (John 15:4-5)
• spontaneous flow (John 7:38-39)

15. # 3 "And I will keep watch to see..."
Look for vision as you pray
• Acts 2:17 - Seeing visions and dreams: Sign of the Spirit.
• Daniel 6:10 - Daniel looked to Jerusalem as he prayed.
• Hab 2:1-3 - Habakkuk watched to see what God would say
• John 8:38 - "What I have seen....“
• Rev 4:1-2 – “After this I looked...Come up here & I will show
you”
383 references to dream, vision or seer

16. • Jesus was a constant visionary John 5: 19,20, 8:38 "He did
only what he saw the Father doing"
• Acts 2:17 Visions & dreams are normal Christian
experiences.
• Hab. 2:1-2 We are to look for vision.
• Matt 26:41 “Watch and pray”
• Heb 12:2 “… fix your eyes”
• Dan. 7: 2,9,13 | 4:10,13 "I looked”

17. # 4 "Write down the revelation"
Record God's word in your journal
Very Biblical: 150 Psalms | Prophets | Revelation

18. Common reasons for mistakes in hearing God
• Responding to first word
• No mentors to check
• Improper focus
• Improper interpretation
• Not acting as God instructs
• Not having the right words to fit what you are feeling
• Looking for yes and no answers
• Free will
• Strong desires

19. What is a disciple?
“hears these words of mine and puts them into practice”