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GOD
SPEAKS TO US !
GOD SPEAKS TO US, BY HIS
GREAT POWER WE’RE LED; LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BECOME DISQUIETED.
YOU TRUST IN GOD, BELIEVE AND TRUST IN ME; YOU TRUST IN GOD, BELIEVE
AND TRUST IN ME. (Hymnal Page 124).
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Most
of us who God has called, yearn to hear God speaking to us. But the
question is?
Is
God speaking to us?
Is it possible to
hear His voice?
Does God want us
to hear His voice?
How does God speak?
How are we to listen?
Our
calling gives us a relationship with God; Every relationship is established
and maintained through communication. It is vital that we learn to
hear God speaking, so that we may deepen our relationship with our
heavenly Father. Jesus said to His Father, in John 17:3, “This
is life eternal, that they [the called] might know You [Father] the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” It is
God's plan for us to know Him intimately; therefore, we must learn
to hear and pay attention to Him when He speaks!
God
speaks to us in many ways. Our creative God is not limited to just
one form of communication. He is all-powerful; He is omnipresent;
and He is sovereign. The Bible is filled with accounts of God speaking
to us as individuals, and to us as a family, and to us as nations.
In the past He spoke to many in different ways, and that is true today
as well.
10
points of the way God speaks to us: 1. God spoke to us through His
Son; 2. God speaks to us through His written word; 3. God often speaks
in a "still, small voice;" 4. God speaks through circumstances; 5.
God speaks through others ; 6. With God nothing is impossible; 7.
You can avoid deception from Satan ; 8. Hear God's voice; 9. Maturity
requires discipline and obedience; 10. God keeps His promises!
God
speaks to all men through out His creation. “The heavens declare
the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handy work. Day unto
day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is
no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard” (Psalms
19:1-3). The heavens are God's preachers in the sky, who proclaim
24 hours a day the truth that God exists! Furthermore they speak a
universal language here on earth.
God
has communicated in various ways, He speaks through His angels, He
communicans through chosen prophets, and ordained apostles. He is
heard thru dreams, visions, miracles, and even through a donkey, that
He enabled to speak as a man! [See these related verses on this subject
Luke 1: 5-38, 2 Samuel 24:10-25, Genesis 40:1-23, Daniel 2:1-45, Acts
9: 10-18, Exodus 7: 8-11;) 6, and Numbers 22: 21-35].
On
numerous occasions, the Bible records that God's voice was heard,
but the exact way in which His voice was heard is not described. A
few examples of such descriptions: 1. “God spake unto Noah,
saying” (Genesis 8:15). 2 “The Lord had said unto Abram
...” (Genesis 12: 1). 3. “The Lord said unto Moses ...”
(Exodus 24: 12). 4. “Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah
...” (Isaiah 38:4).
God
the Father speaks to us through His Son. When Jesus the Christ was
on the earth, God the Father spoke to us through Him, and when Jesus
returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all
truth, and to be our "communicator" from God the Father. “But
beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the Councils, and they
will scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall be brought before
governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and
the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or
what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour
what you shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the spirit
of your Father which speaks in you” (Matt 10: l7-20). That is,
IF God's Holy Spirit dwells within you.
We
will be attentive to His voice, His living words of truth and life.
Once called and having God's Holy Spirit, it remains necessary to
nurture our relationship with our heavenly Father, in order to learn
how to be attentive to His voice. As we grow in faith and mature as
His servant, we will learn to hear God speaking to us.
Jesus
said, in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me.” It is clear God speaks to us through His
written word. The Bible is God's instruction book to equip us to do
His will. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in Righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) .
God's
word is alive; it is to be active in our lives. The Bible is an absolutely
essential part of our walk with God. We must not neglect His word.
It is one way that He speaks to us personally, and powerfully-today.
The Apostle Paul said, “For our gospel came not unto you in
word only, but also in Power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much
assurance; as you know what manner of men we were among you for your
sake” (I Thess. 1: 5). Notice chapter 2: verse 13, “For
this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when you received
the word of God which you heard of us, you received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually
works also in you that believe.”
Remember
Proverbs 23:23, that says, “Buy the truth, and sell it not;
also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. “ What does
it mean "to buy the truth"? We are to spend valuable time with God
and His word, studying, meditating, praying and fasting with purpose.
If God's Holy Spirit dwells in us, God will focus our attention on
particular verses -for our study. John 14:26, “But the comforter,
which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, it
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.” The comforter will have special
application to our life because of decisions we are facing, like character
goals we might be working on, questions we have, on life's pressures
we are experiencing.
As
one meditate on these verses, the spirit of God will lead us to understand,
and help us to obey them. In Psalm 23: verse 3,we read, “He
[the Lord] restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of Righteousness
for His name's sake.” Honoring, listening, and obeying God's
word is a key to hearing God's voice. It is through obedience, we
demonstrate our love for God, and failure to obey is a reflection
of a rebellious heart. If we resist His word, our fellowship with
God will be limited! Listen what Jesus said, in John 14, “He
that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that Loves Me:
and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love
him, and will manifest Myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto
him, if a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love
him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. He that
loves Me not keeps not My sayings: and the word which you hear is
not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me” (John 14:21-24).
We
must believe what the Bible teaches. The Bible says that God guides
us in Psalm 32: 8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the
way which you shalt go: I will guide you with Mine eye.” Psalms
48:14, For God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide
even unto death.” Psalms 73: 24 David said, “You shalt
guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”
In the New Testament. John 16:13, “Howbeit when it, the spirit
of truth, is come, it will guide you into all truth: for it shall
not speak of its self; but whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it
speak: and it will shew you things to come.”
Ask
yourself, am I willing to believe God's word? If so, then you are
prepared to hear God speak. But, if you reject what the Bible teaches,
Then it is likely that you will be unable to hear God speak, because
of your unbelief. For evidence read and study these verse: Matthew
13:57-58; Mark 6:5-7,16:9-20; Hebrews 3: 7-19; and I Timothy 1:12-16.
If
you are not hearing God's voice speaking to you, the Bible tells us
in, 2 Corinthians 13:5, to "examine [scrutinize, discipline] yourselves,
whether you be in the faith; prove [test, ] your own selves. Know
you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you
be reprobates [unapproved, rejected, worthless]?"
Ask
the Lord to reveal to you; anything that is hindering your relationship
with Him, then have patience for the answer and then obey His answer.
Ask God to give you ears to hear, because you want to be in His kingdom,
because you read in His word, “Then shall the righteous shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear,
let him hear” (Matt 13:43). And in Mark 4: 9, “And He
said unto them, he that has ears to hear, let him hear.” also
see: Matthew 5:8, 2 Timothy 2:22, and Psalms 24:3-5.)
God
speaks to us through our heart and prayers. Unfortunately, many have
the mistaken idea that the purpose of prayer is to change God's mind.
We think, "if I can just plead with God long enough and hard enough,
He'll give me what I'm asking for. Prayer is not a way to twist God's
arm. Prayer is God's means of getting through to us, so that we can
do things for Him! As we pray, balance should take our focus off of
our needs and puts our focus on His love and His power. Its through
prayer, God changes our perspective to conform to His purposes; He
establishes His priorities for our lives; He leads us into the truth.
God
often speaks in a "still, small voice." “And He said, go forth,
and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed
by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces
the rocks before the Lord; But the Lord was not in the wind: and after
the wind an rarthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and
after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and
after the fire a still small
voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in
of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, what
are you doing here, Elijah?”
Sometimes
God will speak through "the wind or an earthquake or a fire, but most
often He speaks in a still, small voice. So we need to be attentive!
When we pray, God will hear, and He will answer us, with "yes," "no,"
or "wait." Hearing God's clear answers to our appeals is essential.
As
we spend time with our heavenly Father through prayer, and as we learn
to know Him through His word, we will hear His voice; we will learn
to view the circumstances of our life with discernment and understanding.
God's answers to our prayers! In fact God always answers our prayers,
but unfortunately, we do not always recognize His answers. That takes
practice of the things we have been talking about in this article.
God
speaks through circumstances, we must be diligent to seek God and
to be attentive to His work in every facet of our life. As we focus
on the Lord, especially during difficult or painful circumstances,
God can show us His perspective about our circumstances. Rather than
trying to figure out everything, equipped only with our limited knowledge
and understanding, we can acknowledge the Lord in all of our ways
and rely on His love for us, His sovereignty, and His plan for our
good. “Likewise the spirit also helps our infirmities: for we
know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself
makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will
of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of His son, that He might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called:
and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified,
them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If
God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, How shall He not with Him also freely
give us all things?” (Rom 8: 26-32).
God
is totally trustworthy. God speaks through others. The Bible records
many instances in which God used one individual to deliver His message
to another individual. There are many examples of this in God’s
word. “Samuel said to Saul, you have done foolishly: you have
not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded
you: for now would the Lord have established the kingdom upon Israel
for ever. But now the kingdom shall not continue: the Lord has sought
Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be
captain over His people, because you have not kept that which the
Lord commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
God
may speak to you through another individual. A friend. a parent, relative
or a pastor. All of us would be wise to confirm what we hear God saying,
by seeking help guidance and direction through God's called family.
God can use their words to reveal or confirm His will, as the Holy
Spirit works in their lives. Also, as a member called into God's church,
you can observe what God is saying to the entire church family all
at one time. God often will direct you personally through the input
of others who are regularly in fellowship with you through Sabbath
services.
Remember,
with God, nothing is impossible! God is not limited in any way, He
is not restricted to certain methods of communication with His called.
Just as He creatively and dramatically used a donkey to rebuke Balaam,
God can just as creatively and dramatically communicate His message
to you – just as you hear of someone else prayers being answered
or as you read a weekly church newsletter, even as you suddenly understand
the full meaning of a song you hear. With God, nothing is impossible!
Luke says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible”
(Luke 1:37).
Many
in this world fear that they will be deceived by Satan's voice, knowing
he is the prince and power of the air, however, God's called over
comers can confidently identify his voice when he speaks. The way
to avoid deception is to learn to recognize God's voice well, by communicating
with Him often. Then, if Satan tries to counterfeit God's voice, we
will immediately recognize it as a deception.
In
John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, and know My
sheep, and am known of Mine. Verses 27 - 28 “My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand.” By staying as close as possible to the shepherd,
we will always know if He is the one whose voice we hear.
Reading
our Bible; and studying it, meditating on its writings, will help
us to learn God's personality and ways. We must learn to be still
and listen in His presence. That is investing in our relationship
with our heavenly Father and His kingdom to come.
Psalm
46:10 tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be
exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Lessen also to these verses: Psalm 119: 105, “Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psa 77:12, “I
will meditate also of all Your work, and talk of Your doings.”
1 Thess 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Tim 1:3, “I
thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience,
that without ceasing I have remembrance of Thee in my prayers night
and day.” John 4:23-24, “But the hour cometh, and now
is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit:
and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”
These verses lead us to be attentive to the ways God is leading us
as a member of His church.
We
are to heed the Godly counsel He gives us, as we do, we will learn
to recognize God's voice. There is no shortcut to learning to recognize
God's voice, just as there is no shortcut to mature from infancy to
adulthood! It takes time!
If
we really want to hear God's voice? Then we need to spend time with
Him. Reading and applying His word to our actions, communing in prayer
daily with Him. The more you are with Him, the better you will know
and recognize His voice and presence.
Maturity
requires discipline and obedience. Matthew 13:16 tells us, “Blessed
are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”
The depth of our walk with God is directly proportional to the zeal
with which we seek Him.
If
we seek after God in a halfhearted, inconsistent manner, we cannot
expect to hear Him speaking at the deepest levels but if we will discipline
our selves to be quiet in His presence, and if we diligently obey
everything He says, then we will be prepared to experience God at
an increasingly profound and personal level.
God
has invited us to go deeper in our relationship with Him. The depth
of that relationship ultimately rests with all of us individually!!
God keeps His promises! God made this promise to His people. “You
shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all
your heart” ((Jeremiah 29:13). God keeps His promises! Seek
Him with all of your heart, and you will hear His voice. ☜ James
Russell =====================================
John
10:27-30 ASV
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“My
sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall
snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who hath given (them) unto
Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch (them) out of
the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”
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