A GOD WHO SPEAKS
INTRODUCTION:
1. Isaiah 44:9-20 Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?
Surely all his companions would be ashamed; and the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together. The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The craftsman stretches out his rule, he marks one out with chalk; he fashions it with a plane, he marks it out with the compass, and makes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house. He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak; he secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. Then it shall be for a man to burn, for he will take some of it and warm himself; yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; indeed he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. He burns half of it in the fire; with this half he eats meat; he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire." And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" They do not know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" 2. IKings 18:23-29 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. "Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. "Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken." Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
3. How important it is to have a God who speaks words of eternal significance!

I. GODS WHO DO NOT SPEAK:
A. Sphinx;
B. Greek god families;
C. Cows,
D. Peter,
E. Mary,
F. Buddhist temple has 86 gods,
G. Hindus have 330,000!
H. Washington monument apotheosis is a Greek deification symbol, the deification of G. W.
I. Pope "Our father who art in heaven!"

II. OUR GOD SPEAKS!
A. Genesis 1: 9 times
B. Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
C. John16:13-15 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
D. Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying,"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
III. WHAT DOES HE SAY?
A. He tells us of salvation:
1) Romans 3:23;
2) Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
3) Romans 6:23
4) Acts 2:41;
5) Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
B. He tells us that if we back-slide we can return and He will take us back:
1) Isaiah 52:10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.
2) Jeremiah 8:20-22 "The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!" For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?
3) James.5:19,20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
4) Revelation 3:19-21 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
C. He tells us of heart, help and hope
1) Matthew 11:28; 28:20;
2) "If one has a "why" to live, then he will find the "how";
3) Deuteronomy 1:30-31 “The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.”
IV. HOW DOES OUR GOD SPEAK? THROUGH HIS WRITTEN WORD:
A. Psalm 119:4-16 You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. Oh, that
my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, When I
look into all Your commandments. I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I
learn Your righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me
utterly! How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your
word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your
commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against
You. Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As
much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I
will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
B. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD IS A GUIDE TO OUR YOUTH. V. 9
1) “How can a young man keep his way pure?”
2) “By keeping it according to Thy word.”
C. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD KEEPS US FROM WANDERING. V. 10
1) “With all my heart I have sought Thee.” See Matthew 22:37 & Matthew 5:8
2) “Do not let me wander from Thy commandments.”
D. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD IS TO BE TREASURED IN THE HEART. V. 11
1) “Thy word I have treasured in my heart.”
2) “That I might not sin against Thee.”
E. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD GIVES US THE STATUTES OF GOD. V. 12
1) “Blessed art Thou, O Lord.”
2) “Teach me Thy statutes.”
F. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD IS TO BE SHARED WITH OTHERS. V. 13
1) “With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Thy mouth.”
2) We need to use our mouths to tell of God’s truths.
G. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD CAUSES TRUE REJOICING. V. 14
1) “I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies.”
2) “As much as in all riches.” See Psalm 19:10
H. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD IS FOR MEDITATION. V. 15
1) “I will meditate on Thy precepts.”
2) “And regard Thy ways.”
I. GOD’S WRITTEN WORD IS TO BE REMEMBERED. V. 16
1) “I shall delight in Thy statutes.”
2) “I shall not forget Thy Word.”

CONCLUSION:
1. God speaks to us today, through His word.
2. It is the light that guides us to glory, the sword of the Spirit of might, and to dwell
on its beautiful story is of Heaven the sweetest delight.
3. God is speaking to you now, He tells you to come and obey Him (2Thessalonians 2:14)
4. The only real and true God is Jehovah!
5. Will you tell Him no again today?!