DIFFERENT VOICES!

                                                                    John 10:1-18

INTRODUCTION: Remember as a child hearing your parents tell you: “Now Suzie, don’t you talk

to strangers and don’t you take anything from them!” Why did they do that? Because children

have trouble discerning good from evil, the truth from lies, and someone who would help them

from someone who would want to hurt them. As your pastor, tonight I want to warn you that

our heavenly Father wants me to warn you of those who want to hurt you: Ephesians 4:11-16.

I. THOSE STRANGE VOICES!

The first strange voice in the Scriptures was of the serpent in the Garden of Eden: Genesis

3:1-6. The voice of the Lord had told Adam and Eve the truth: Genesis 3:2-3. Today there are

many different voices telling God’s children that God is holding out on them: 2 Corinthians

11:12-15. Often our problem is not that we don’t know and understand what God has said, the

problem is we don’t believe what God has told us. Genesis 2:15-17; Genesis 3:1-3. God tells us

He will never withhold what is good for His children: Psalm 84:11-12.

II. BLESSINGS FOR OBEDIENCE AND DISCIPLINE FOR DISOBEDIENCE!

In order to obey God, we must believe that God is true to His Word and able to bring to pass

both His promises of blessings for our obedience and His promises of discipline for our

disobedience: Hebrews 11:6; James 1:16-17. When we don’t believe that our God is true to His

Word and we think God is holding out on what is best for us, we will also listen to strange

voices that will tell us what we want to hear: 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:15-17.

Our Lord has warned us about Satan and His deceptions: John 8:42-44; John 18:37-38;

John 14:6; John 17:17. When anyone stops believing that Jesus Christ and God’s Word are the

truth they become easy prey and are easily deceived: 2 Timothy 3:13-17; Proverbs 29:18. We

must both know and believe the promises of God’s Word in order to avoid being deceived:

Hebrews 4:1-3.

III. HOW CAN WE GROW IN OUR FAITH IN GOD AND IN HIS WORD SO WE DO NOT

LISTEN TO THOSE STRANGE VOICES?

Our God not only does not lie, He cannot lie! Titus 1:1-2. We must take God’s Word into

our hearts and trust Him and refuse any strange voice that would question His honesty:

Jeremiah 15:16. If you bear God’s Name tonight we must digest His Word and let His Word

become a part of our lives. If you don’t bear God’s Name tonight let His Word become a part of

you and soon you will bear God’s Name as one of His children: Psalm 119:9-11. You may listen

to strange voices if you like. But behind every strange voice is a lie that will rob you of the

blessings that our God desires for His children: John 10:10. Our God says: Psalm 84:11-12.

Satan will show you a beautiful bubble of a lie and then when you reach out for the bubble and

it bursts he will accuse you of unfaithfulness. Our Lord says: Isaiah 30:15; Isaiah 26:3-4.