Be Pure and Wise

Hearing from God

Part 8
Practical Steps
 1 Samuel 3:1-10
The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD
under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was
rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so
weak that he could barely see, was lying down in
his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet
gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the
temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
Then the LORD called Samuel.
 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to
Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie
down.” So he went and lay down.
Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel
got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you
called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie
down.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The
word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
 1 Samuel 3:1-10
The LORD called Samuel a third time, and
Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am;
you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the
boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if
he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is
listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his
place.
The LORD came and stood there, calling as at
the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is
listening.”
 Beginning
• Search Your Heart
– Let us examine our ways and test them, and
let us return to the LORD. Lamentations 3:40

• Purify Your Heart

– Since we have these promises, dear friends,
let us purify ourselves from everything that
contaminates body and spirit, perfecting
holiness out of reverence for God. 2
Corinthians 7:1
 Waiting
• Ask God
– “If you believe, you will receive whatever you
ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22
• Wait on God
– But you must return to your God; maintain
love and justice, and wait for your God
always. Hosea 12:6
• Listen for God
– I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he
promises peace to his people, his saints— but
let them not return to folly. Psalm 85:8
 Hearing
• Test What You Hear
– Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but
test the spirits to see whether they are from
God, because many false prophets have gone
out into the world. 1 John 4:1

• Get Wisdom on What You Hear

– But the wisdom that comes from heaven is
first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and
good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
 Hearing
• Obey What You Hear
– For it is not those who hear the law who are
righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who
obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 2:13
 Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw
the Lord seated on a throne, high and
exalted, and the train of his robe filled the
temple. Above him were seraphs, each with
six wings: With two wings they covered their
faces, with two they covered their feet, and
with two they were flying. And they were
calling to one another:
 Isaiah 6:1-8
“Holy, holy , holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts
and thresholds shook and the temple was
filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I
am a man of unclean lips, and I live among
a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have
seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
 Isaiah 6:1-8
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with
a live coal in his hand, which he had taken
with tongs from the altar. With it he touched
my mouth and said, “See, this has touched
your lips; your guilt is taken away and your
sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord
saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go
for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
 Our Lives are Found in His
• Samuel and Isaiah were both called as
prophets and both responded willingly as
servants of the Most High God

• Even if we have impurities in our hearts,

Jesus can cleanse us and God can use us

• Our whole purpose is found in God, and

we wait at His feet listening for His voice