The sermon discusses how God speaks in various ways, including through extraordinary means like angels, other people, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. It tells the story of Balaam from the Bible where God used a donkey to communicate with Balaam when he failed to heed other signs. The sermon encourages being attentive and listening when God speaks, and warns that we should be careful what we ask for from God.

1. Discovery Church Today's Theme “ Conversation With God”

2. Prayer

3. Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes... Numbers, chapter 22, verses 28-31

4. Video: Shrek

5. God Speaks In Various Ways Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

6. God Speaks In Various Ways Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."

7. God Speaks In Various Ways The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. Numbers, chapter 22, verses 21-31

8. God Speaks In Various Ways God can speak any way God chooses to speak – even through a donkey!

9. God Speaks In Various Ways Other ways God speaks: through extraordinary means: angels, etc.

10. God Speaks In Various Ways Other ways God speaks: through extraordinary means: angels, etc. through other people – everyone from a preacher to an atheist

11. God Speaks In Various Ways Other ways God speaks: through extraordinary means: angels, etc. through other people – everyone from a preacher to an atheist through the Holy Spirit

12. God Speaks In Various Ways Other ways God speaks: through extraordinary means: angels, etc. through other people – everyone from a preacher to an atheist through the Holy Spirit through God's word – the Bible

13. Song: Michael Card Will You Not Listen?

14. Listening To God Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her." Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. Numbers, chapter 22, verses 31-35

15. Listening To God Balaam failed to discern the signs (of his donkey) cell phone commercial with the line, “Can you hear me now?”

16. Listening To God important questions to ask: Do you have a signal? Stay close enough to the tower Keep batteries charged

17. Listening To God important questions to ask: Is your ringer on? Don't silence the ringer Check voice mail for missed calls

18. Listening To God important questions to ask: Is volume turned up? Make sure you can hear the message

19. Video: Home Alone

20. Be Careful What You Ask For Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her." Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back." The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. Numbers, chapter 22, verses 31-35

21. Be Careful What You Ask For God's Permissive will vs God's Perfect will Story: Thanksgiving with Grandma

22. Prayer

23. My Praise

24. Lord I wish I could praise You with adequate words But You leave me speechless And I so long to sing You the song You deserve But it would be endless I long to move Your heart I bring You something new I tell how great You are till my praise to you

25. Is like an ocean breeze blowing on Your face Like a summer sun with its warm embrace Like a gentle rain plays a symphony That’s what I want my praise to be Like a fragrant rose in the early spring Like an eagle soars when it spreads its wings Whatever lord You may need from me That’s what I want my praise to be to You.

26. Everything I could give, You already possess Lord I’m so unworthy I’m just one of the millions to stand and confess And yet, still You hear me Your heart is open wide You long for what I bring I pray somehow You’ll find This simple offering

27. Is like an ocean breeze blowing on Your face Like a summer sun with its warm embrace Like a gentle rain plays a symphony That’s what I want my praise to be Like a fragrant rose in the early spring Like an eagle soars when it spreads its wings Whatever lord You may need from me That’s what I want my praise to be to You. (repeat)

28. You’re Worthy of My Praise

29. I will worship With all of my heart I will praise You With all of my strength I will seek You All of my days I will follow All of Your ways.

30. I will give You all my worship I will give You all my praise You alone I long to worship You alone are worthy of my praise

31. I will bow down And hail You as King I will serve You And give everything I will lift up My eyes to Your throne I will trust You Trust You alone

32. I will give You all my worship I will give You all my praise You alone I long to worship You alone are worthy of my praise (repeat)

33. You alone are worthy of my praise You alone are worthy of my praise

35. Open The Eyes of My Heart Lord

36. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord Open the eyes of my heart I want to see You I want to see You (repeat 4x)

37. To see You high and lifted up Shining in the light of Your glory Pour out Your power and love As we sing holy, holy, holy

38. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord Open the eyes of my heart I want to see You I want to see You (repeat)

39. To see You high and lifted up Shining in the light of Your glory Pour out Your power and love As we sing holy, holy, holy

40. Holy, holy, holy, Holy, holy, holy, Holy, holy, holy I want to see You (repeat)

41. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord Open the eyes of my heart I want to see You I want to see You (repeat)

42. I want to see You. I want to see You.

43. He Will Carry You

44. There is no problem too big, God cannot solve it. There is no mountain too tall, He cannot move it. There is no storm too dark, God cannot calm it. There is no sorrow too deep, God cannot sooth it.

45. If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulder I know my brother that He will carry you. If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulder I know my sister that He will carry you.

46. He said “Come unto me all who are weary and I will Give you rest.”

47. There is no problem too big, God cannot solve it. There is no mountain too tall, He cannot move it. There is no storm too dark, God cannot calm it. There is no sorrow too deep, God cannot sooth it.

48. If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulder I know my brother that He will carry you. If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulder I know my sister that He will carry you. He will carry you. He will carry you.

49. Prayer