i have been pondering the idea of how God speaks to me for quite a while.
i want to share my rambling thoughts, and hear yours.
i have always heard about how much faith Abraham had since he just up and moved when God told him to. (obviously the rachelle standard version) but let's face it. if God spoke to me in a loud, booming voice saying..."rachelle, pack your suitcase and get in the car. I will tell you where to drive"
i think i would, right?
the difficulty i have, is getting in the car and going based on virtually nothing more than a feeling.
what is so confusing to me is deciphering what is God's voice, and what is rachelle's loud, overpowering voice (aka satan)
so here are my thoughts just gushing out all over the place in no particular order.
does God speak clearly today? and how do i know when it is God and when it is me?
when there is a "closed door", does that mean that God doesn't want me to do it, or does it mean that God wants me to push a little harder and open that darn door up??
see...i was brought up baptist. you know, the ones that believe that God only speaks quietly? like that if you are feeling emotional about something, that feeling is nothing more than a feeling, and will probably pass?
so what i am asking i guess is, does God even speak personally now?
if you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you will know that everything i believe to be true is from the Bible.
i do NOT, i repeat, DO NOT ever want to get to the point that i think there are only certain topics that the Bible relates to, and some things we just have to figure out on our own.
with that being said, i know the verse in John 10:27. "My sheep hear my voice (the NIV says listen to...interesting) and I know them and they follow me."
so. i am Jesus' sheep. i know that. so it says that i WILL hear His voice. but HOW??????
i just want your thoughts.
i don't want christian cliches. i don't.
i don't want your experiences.
i want GOD'S word, ya know? no offense, it's not that i am not interested in your stories, because i am. it's just that i really want to know, based on the Bible how i can hear God's voice.
i guess the thing that confuses me is the fact that the way people usually say they know is when they feel a peace. well. my heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. couldn't my heart produce that feeling too??
i'm not talking about things that are sin issues, obviously. i am just talking about ministries...house purchases...things like that.
and i am not doubting God here, or questioning Him. that's what's bringing me to all these thoughts...the very fact that i DO NOT question Him!
i know that what He says is always true, so if He says i can hear His voice, then i know i CAN...i just want to make sure i am hearing the right voice.
i want to grow.
i make it my goal to please Jesus, and i make no apologies for that.
so let me have it. give me your thoughts.
Rachelle, you have such great topics! The church background I have would say that God speaks to us today in His Word. The Bible. In the Old Testament, God's Spirit had to speak to Abraham, and the Kings, and the prophets....but we have been given His Word. And His Spirit! :)
ReplyDeleteMy sheep will know my voice....well, my husband just said, when he hears false teaching, he knows it. Becuase he knows God's word. Does that make sense?
I KNOW exactly what you are saying though. There is no, "Thou shalt buy this house or take this job" in scripture. So I asked husband about that too---he said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." Oh boy, he's preaching over there now. I got him started. tee hee! Point being, he doesn't believe God is all that concerned with these things. Do you have the money for _____? Does taking that job violate his ways? Well, then make the decision. God is more concerned with the fields being harvested.
I think I have to agree with that!
Also, he said: Col. 1:9 and Eph. 1:9
I believe that God certainly speaks to us, primarily, through His Holy Word. However, I believe that He still speaks to His people in other ways, as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe that God CAN speak to us through dreams (just as He did in "Bible Times"). This does NOT mean that each and every dream is a message from the Lord. However, one of my daughters has heard directly from God in her dreams several times.
I believe that the Holy Spirit can and does speak directly to our hearts. We must listen closely, to discern whether it is Him (or our flesh) speaking. Several times in my life I have heard an almost audible voice from the Lord ... clear and concise sentences spoken to my heart, that I knew were directly from My Heavenly Father.
I must disagree on one point with the first commenter. I believe that the Lord IS concerned about the jobs we have, the houses we buy, etc... I believe that He wants to be intimately involved in all of these types of decisions. The question should NOT just be "Can I afford this house?" No. The question needs to be, "Where does the Lord desire for my family to live?"
I believe that sometimes the Lord "opens and closes doors" as a way to speak. However, an open door does NOT always mean that we are supposed to walk through it. And, a closed door may mean that we are just supposed to push a little harder. However, when we are knocking on those doors, we need to be seeking the Lord as to which doors to knock on and which doors to leave closed.
The Lord may speak through His Holy Word.
The Lord may speak clearly to our hearts, through His Holy Spirit.
The Lord may speak through the wisdom of another Believer. (I know that sometimes the Lord has given me a very clear message for a family member or friend.)
The Lord may speak through someone that He has empowered with His gift of prophecy. I DO believe that this gift is for today (and not just for "Bible Times"). However, I also know that the gift can be misused, and some Believers may "fake" a true gifting. But ... our family has been friends with a godly older man for 19 years, that has an anointed gifting from the Lord, and the Lord does give him prophetic words for people.
I KNOW that you did not want us to give our experiences. However, these experiences are backed up by God's Word.
God's Word says we will hear His voice.
God's Word talks about speaking to people through dreams.
God's Word talks about speaking to people through the prophets (those that have been given the gift of prophecy).
I believe ... and I have experienced ... these things to be true. The Holy Scriptures are confirmed through my experiences ... and my experiences are confirmed through God's Holy Word.
Great question! Hoping to hear more responses.
:) :) :)
joshua 1:8-9. it says that God is with us WHEREVER we go. and He will prosper us when we are meditating on His Word. now, i know He was talking about the israelites going into and possessing the promised land (something He had clearly commanded them to do), but that same theme seems to be carried throughout the OT. Psalm 1 for instance. when it talks about the righteous and "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper". look at the examples of some of the kings of israel. 2 Chron. 7:11 tells how God prospered all the ideas that came into solomon's heart. sorry to keep swamping you wih verses, but i only have one more. Psalm 37:4. God gives you the desires of you heart! whether that means he grants you wht you want, or if it means he plants desires in you (and then fulfils them - which is waht i belive is true), it works both ways. He talks about your desires in a posotive way! ok, i'm done preaching at you! very interesting and challenging thoughts there, thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeletePsalm 37:4 makes it clear, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." That is, He will make His desires our desires. That is God speaking to us.
ReplyDelete