How Does God Speak to Us Today?

   In John 10:3 we read the words of Jesus, "The sheep hear His voice."  Then in John 10:27 we read, "My sheep hear My voice."

   God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).  As He spoke to individuals in the Old Testament, He desires to speak to us today.

   And as a father enjoys speaking to his children, so God our Father also enjoys speaking to us.

   Below are 11 ways God speaks to us.  The first ten are from Rev. Robert Morris, pastor of Gateway Church.

   1.  God speaks through circumstances.  When Jonah refused to obey God, Jonah was swallowed up by a whale.  Jonah was now ready to listen to God in the belly of the whale.  God again spoke to Jonah when the vine grew to provide a shade for him from the heat.  Circumstances that happen in your life are means for God to speak to you.

   2.  God speaks through wise counsel.  The book of Proverbs repeatedly states that a wise man seeks godly counsel.  Wise counsel may also confirm what we have already heard from God.  Prov. 15:22, "But with many counselors they succeed."

   3.  God speaks through people.  God speaks to us through godly people.  God spoke to the kings of Israel by the prophets that He sent. 

   4.  God speaks through peace.  Col. 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."  God is a God of peace.  When we hear God's voice and we have peace, we know it is from God.  In addition, the word "rule" means "to reign and be the deciding factor."  If we do not have peace, it is not of the Lord.  The principle is: Don’t move forward if you don’t have peace.

   5.  God speaks through dreams and visions.  Joseph, Solomon, Jacob, Peter, and Paul heard God through dreams.  This method is still available to us today.  Acts 2:17, "'And it shall be in the last days,' God says, 'That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams.'"

   6.  God speaks through our thoughts.  Amos 4:13, "For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts."  God places His thoughts into our minds.  But we need to be careful, for not every thought is from God.  Matt. 1:19-21 is a good example how God spoke to Joseph through his thoughts.  Note the phrase in v. 20, "But when he had considered this."  When Joseph was thinking of what to do, God then spoke to him in his thoughts.  So when we have a thought, we must judge if it is: from God; aligned with Scripture; and aligned to the character of God.

   7.  God speaks through natural manifestations.  In Rom. 1:18-20 God made Himself known to man through nature.  In John 12:27-30 people heard God's voice through thunder.  God can speak to us through thunder, floods, hurricanes, and other natural events.

   8.  God speaks through supernatural manifestations.  God spoke to Moses through a burning bush (Ex. 3:1-4); to Gideon through a fleece (Judges 6:37-40); and to Saul through a bright light (Acts 9:1-5).  God even spoke to Balaam through a donkey (Num. 22).

   9.  God speaks through the Bible.  2 Tim. 3:16.  Scripture is always the voice of God speaking to us.  God uses Bible passages to speak to us.

   10.  God speaks through a whisper.  God speaks to us through a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12).

   11.  God speaks through His Spirit.  God speaks to us through His Spirit speaking to our spirit.  Rom. 8:16, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God."

   May we become a people who have learned to discern, listen and obey His voice.

The forgotten church growth method

   We are bombarded with a litany of church growth methods: seeker service; loud, contemporary music; bright, colorful lights; dress-down attire; feel-good sermons; relevant video clips.  And the list grows longer each day.

   I have found one effective church growth paradigm for the church I pastor, and it is based on the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, "I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18).  The Lord, not I, will build His church: not just the universal church, the body of Christ, but the local assembly as well.   I have daily claimed this promise.  In addition, the Lord has given me another promise to claim: upon my knees He will build His church.  Daily I kneel before Him, asking Him to bring the increase.  I simply preach His Word: no powerpoint; no video clips; no gimmicks. The result of implementing this new concept of trusting Jesus daily on my knees is: within the last 3 1/2 months of this year I have seen more new faces show up, old faces return, and increase in membership than previously.

   Claiming Jesus' promise on my knees each day has been more effective than other church growth paradigms that I have relied upon in the past.  To Him I am thankful, and to Him I give all the glory.

Man's Constant Search for an Easy Religion

   In every man's soul is a search for God, evidenced by some form of worship or religion in all cultures, including the most primitive.  But for many, that search ends in the discovery of an easy religion, one that cost little.  We find this inclination in King Jeroboam, ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  God had commanded all Jews to worship in the holy city of Jerusalem.  Jeroboam was fearful that if Israel were to worship in that holy city, they would join forces with the Southern Kingdom and unite against him.  To prevent worship in Jerusalem, Jeroboam set up two cities of worship: one in the city of Dan and the other in the city of Beersheba.  The reason Jeroboam gave to curtail worship in Jerusalem was that the city was too far to travel. 

   We read in 1 Kings 12:28, "So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel.'"  In other words, the journey to Jerusalem is "too much for you" for worship.  I have built two cities of worship much closer to you; worship there instead.  Thus, the inhabitants of Israel worshipped in these two nearby cities rather than in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had appointed. 

   For many, this has been their search: a religion that cost little, offers minimal sacrifice, and least commitment.

   King David, on the other hand, sought a form of worship that cost him much with a price to pay.  In 2 Samuel 24:24 David uttered, "'For I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.'" So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."

   Herein is the contrast: disciples of the Lord seek a religion that is demanding; those who are not His disciples do not.

   True worship cost.

How does God react when we complain to Him?

   In Genesis 15:1 Abraham is initially called "Abram," (Heb. "Av-Ram"), meaning, "exalted father" or "lofty father."  Yet he is childless.  In verse 2 Abram says "I remain childless."  Then in verse 3 Abram repeats that he has "no children."  Here we see Abram complain to God, not just once, but twice.

   How does the Lord react to Abram's complaint?  Did God show impatience towards Abram?  Surprisingly, there is no rebuke!

   In verse 5 God speaks to Abram these words, "Look up at the sky and count the stars …. So shall your offspring be."  In the phrase "Look up" (Hebrew "habbet-na"), note the word "na."  this is a very important word.  The word "na" is a word of endearment, a polite personal speech, a word that shows the tender side of God towards Abram.  "Na" can be translated "please."  Here is the Almighty God requesting Abram to "Please look at the stars." 

   The lesson is clear: even in our complaints, God remains patient and tender towards us.  What a God we serve!

The relationship between my marriage 40 years ago and the immigration issue today

   My wife and I were wedded 40 years ago in a small evangelical church in the Philippines.  As we took our wedding vows before onlookers, a Bible passage hanged behind us in the background.  The passage was taken from Ruth 1:16-17, "For where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.  Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried."

   In this Biblical account, Ruth, a Moabite woman, left her homeland to accompany and live with her mother-in-law, Naomi, in Israel.  But note carefully the words of Ruth.  In entering her new homeland, she vowed to fully assimilate herself to the people of her new land.  She would make Israel her people and Israel's God her God.  She fully accepted the culture, tradition, and customs of her newfound country.

   It is undeniable that we are a nation of immigrants.  But, like Ruth, it is essential that immigrants who come to live in our shores, accept our values, acclimate themselves to our way of life, and adopt to our Judeo-Christian moral code.  My wife and I arrived in the United States as immigrants in 1986 and steeped ourselves in the American way of life, and we have never regretted that decision.  

Endued with Power from on High

    Apart from the Holy Spirit, there is no power.  The Lord Jesus, just prior to His ascension, commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were "endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49, KJV).

    Thankfully,  our Lord did not leave us in the dark.  He offered the prescription on now to be endued with spiritual power.  Acts 5:32, "… the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. " Complete obedience to God and submission to His will are essential qualities for the Spirit's filling.  The Holy Spirit will not fill a disobedient heart.  Obedience to the Lord must include what God wants, not what we want.

Biblical Prescription of Success

   The word "success" only appears once in the KJV.  Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."  Success is predicated on meditating on and observing the Scripture.  Obedience to the Word will result in success because it will help you make right choices.

   In the NIV, "success" appears 25 times and is predicated on walking faithfully with the Lord (Gen. 24:40); and obedience to His Word (1 Chron. 22:13).  Furthermore, success is from the Lord (Gen. 24:56, 1 Sam. 18:14, 2 Kings 18:7).  God gives success. 

   Every worldly success is ultimately from the Lord.  Therefore, all glory must point to Him.