A highly recruited high school football player was visiting schools to try and find the best college for him.  His first stop was at Florida Sate.  When he got there, Bobby Bowden immediately picked up a golden telephone.  After talking several minutes, he said, “Thank you God,” and hung up.  This shocked the young man.  He asked the coach what was so special about the golden phone.  “Well, this phone is a direct line to God.  And God tells us whether or not new recruits would be stars at our university.”

The athlete asked if he could use the phone to ask God what college he should pick.  “Sure, you can!  But it's going to cost you $1,250.  Calling Heaven ain't cheap.”  The fellow didn't have that kind of money, so he moved along.  Who would want to live in Florida anyway?

His next stop was Michigan.  Upon entering Lloyd Carr's office, Coach Carr immediately picked up a golden telephone.  After talking several minutes, he said, “Thank you God,”

and hung up.  The boy said, “Hey, I've seen those phones before.  Can I use yours to call God and ask what college I should pick?”  Lloyd Carr said, “Sure, but it's going to cost you $150.  Calling Heaven isn't cheap.”  Again, not having that kind of money, the lad left.

His next stop was in Kentucky.  He went in and immediately Coach Brooks picked up his golden phone.  And the same thing happened as had happened before.  So again, the young man asked if he may be able to use the phone.

Coach Brooks said, “Sure, but it’s going to cost you $50.”  And once again, not having the money, the young man moved on.

His last stop was in Columbus, Ohio.  Upon arrival at the office, Coach Tressel picked up a golden telephone, talked to God, and said, “Thanks,” and hung up.  The boy just had to use that phone, so he said, “Coach, I really need to use that golden telephone so I can call God and ask Him which college I should choose.  From Florida it was going to cost me $1,250.  From Michigan they wanted $150.  And from Kentucky, they wanted $50.  So how much will it cost me to call Heaven from here at Ohio State?”

Coach Tressel smiled and said, “Nothing, son.  It's a local call!”

Well, today, we are going to begin a series that will take a look at Communicating With God.  We will spend the next 3 weeks taking a look at: Talking With God, Listening To God's Voice, and Being Receptive To God’s Voice.  But for today, we begin with Talking To God.

Before we get started, let’s begin with a word of prayer.  Let’ Pray!

Go ahead and turn with me to Matthew 6:31-32.  In this passage, we are reading about worries, and Jesus tells us something very interesting.  Matthew 6:31-32 says, “1”

The first insight about talking to God is this: Talk To Him About Your Daily Life.

What is amazing about this verse is that this verse shows me that God is concerned about every detail in my life.  Notice that this verse talks about – what I eat – what I drink – what I wear.  You see, God is concerned with all of that and more!  Every little detail in my life God is concerned about.

The verse says that God already knows what our needs are.  God is aware that we all need food, something to drink, and clothes to wear.  He also knows all the items that I need in order to survive.  Now, just because God already knows about those needs, does that mean that we should not pray about them?  Of course not!  In fact, just a few verses earlier Jesus instructs us to pray for these things when He said, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  God expects us to pray for our basic needs and we are to pray daily for them.  God is concerned about each and every detail of our lives.

God does not expect us to panic about life.  Instead, He expects us to pray about our lives.  But when we pray about it we are to trust God to take care of it.  Have you ever thought about this?  Did you know that lilies don’t worry about how beautiful they are?  Have you ever given it much thought?  Have any of you ever heard a flower ask you if they were beautiful?  I haven’t!  And if you have, you may want to seek help.  Just kidding, kind of.

But I do know this about flowers.  Flowers need certain things to become beautiful.  They have basic needs That must be met in order for them to survive.  They need water.  They need sunshine.  They need a healthy root system and if they don’t have healthy roots, they don’t survive.  Just ask Nellie.

But let me ask you, do you have a healthy root system?  Do you talk to God daily to get the nourishment that you need to be spiritually healthy?  God wants us to talk to Him and He wants to talk to you.  Now, some may say, “But I don’t know what to talk about.”  Here’s the key, start talking about the everyday things of life.  Thank Him for the food on your table.  Thank Him for the clothes on your back.  Thank Him for the roof over you head.  Thank Him for the things you sometimes overlook, the air you breathe, the ability to see colors, the ability to touch, the ability to taste food.

I am really thankful for the ability to taste food, aren’t you?  Some of you may not know it, but around our house I do most of the cooking.  I do alright at cooking, but lately, Nellie has been cooking sometimes too.  She is starting to cook better than I do.  There are certain things that she can fix that make me so glad that God has given me the ability to taste food.  Sure, there are some times when I wish I couldn’t taste what I was eating, but that is a different sermon on a different day.

Now, just as good as it is to be able to taste the food that God gives us, there is an even more important thing to be thankful for.  I am so glad that God has made us with the ability to have relationships with one another and with Him.

Thank God for the everyday things.  Talk to Him about the simple pleasures of life because He cares about every detail of your life.

Second, Talk To Him About Specific Concerns.

Look with me at Luke 11:5-10.  In this very section of scripture, Jesus is teaching His disciple about prayer.  Listen to what Jesus has to say.  In Luke 11:5-10 Jesus says, “2”

When you’re looking for a specific thing – make a specific request.  Look at the verse we just read.  Was there a specific request made?  You bet.  It says he was asking for 3 loaves of bread.  He knew what he wanted and he knew how much he needed.  When we come before God with a specific situation bring a specific request.

I heard the story of a little boy who had misbehaved and was sent to his room.  After a while the little boy came out and informed his mother that he had thought about what he had done and that he had said a prayer.  The mother said, “That’s wonderful.  If you ask God for forgiveness and to help you not to misbehave again, I’m sure He will forgive you and help you in the future.”  The little boy said, “Oh, I didn’t ask Him to forgive me or to help me in the future.  I asked Him to help you put up with me.”

Did you know that prayer has never been a unbalanced conversation?  Prayer is not a wish list.  The Bible tells us that God already knows what you have need of before you even ask (Matthew 6:8).  And He already has an answer for you.

I can tell you what His answers to your prayers are going to be.  God answers our prayers in 3 ways.  We have looked at them before.  Do you remember what they were?

God will answer, “Yes – No – or Wait.”  When you get a yes, the prayer will be ansered in some way.  When God says, “no,”  we need to be willing to accept that.  And when you get a “wait” answer – keep on praying - keep knocking on the door.  Isn’t that what Luke 11:9 tells us to do?  “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

This is the kind of prayer when you ask for needs of sickness, loss, and just the things that happen in your life.  But we need to ask in boldness.  Be persistent in what you ask for.  Ask specifically.  Ask persistently. But keep on asking.  So talk to Him about specific needs.

Thirdly, Talk To Him About Spiritual Wisdom.

How many of you want spiritual wisdom?  How many of you want to be wise when it comes to spiritual matters?  Have you ever asked God for that wisdom?  If you haven’t asked God for wisdom – why not?  Look at what James says.  James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

I believe that we could all use more wisdom.  Did you know that God wants you to be wise?  He wants you to be successful.  He wants you to be productive.  He wants you to use your head.  He doesn’t want you to be stupid or ignorant.  I like the way the Message Bible puts it.  James 1:5 in the Message translation says, “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father.  He loves to help.  You’ll get his help”

If you don’t know what you’re doing – ask God for help.  I can tell you there are lots of times I have prayed this prayer, “Father, I don’t know what to say – help me out.”

Have any of you had this situation?  You’re working on something and you lay a part down on the ground and when you go to pick up the part it’s gone.  Some how the hide and seek fairy has come and hidden the part on you.  You just can’t find that part – it’s gone.  I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed this prayer either, “Father, help me find what I am looking for.”

Or what about if you have a decision to make and you just don’t know what to do.  I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed this prayer, “God, give me wisdom because I just don’t know what to do.”

You see, God wants to help us.  He wants to give us wisdom and the Bible tells us we need to ask for that spiritual wisdom.

And Finally This Morning, Talk To Him In Faith.

Here is a real important fact.  God wants you to talk to Him, but you need to do it in faith.  James 1:6-8 tells us that, “…when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord, he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.”

Do you believe that God exists?  If you don’t He’s not going to answer you.  Do you believe that God can hear you?  If you don’t He won’t listen.  The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that, “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

The key words there are “must believe.”  If you don’t believe in Him you won’t find Him.  And if you can’t find Him – He won’t talk to you.  God is more than willing to talk to you, in fact He wants to talk to you, but you must have faith in Him to communicate with Him.  When you expect God to answer your prayer then you are really praying.

There is a scene in the movie “Facing The Giants” that talks about faith.  Coach Taylor in the movie is disappointed and discouraged.  His world is falling apart.  His car needs a new battery, there is something in his house that stinks, the team that he coaches just keeps loosing, and he finds out that he is incapable of having children.

He has pretty much lost his faith.  An older wiser Christian gentleman by the name of Mr. Bridges comes to give Coach Taylor some words of encouragement.

Coach Taylor asks Mr. Bridges if he thinks God still answers prayers.  The older gentleman tells this modern day parable.  He says, “Two farmers desperately needed rain.  Both of them prayed for rain but only one of them went out to prepare the fields to receive rain.”

The older gentleman then asks the coach, “Which one of the two farmers do you think trusted God – the farmer who just prayed and did nothing about it, or the farmer who prayed and then prepared his field?”  The coach answer, “I suppose the one who prayed and then prepared his field.”  The coach was then asked, “Which farmer are you?”

The same could be asked of us today.  Which farmer are you.  The one that did nothing, or the one that prepared for the answer to the prayer.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Let’s Pray!