Experience God's Voice, pt 2

Experience God's Voice pt 2

Scripture: 

1 Kings 19:11–12, “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. The voice was not in the fire or thunder, but in the still, gentle wind.”

Thought:

Every once in a while it would be nice for us to hear God in a burning bush or some other dramatic fashion. It happened in the Old Testament; God spoke through earthquakes, fire, angels, prophets, and visible writing on the wall. Why can’t he talk to us in dramatic ways today?

Today, God speaks to us in much more subtle but no less important ways. In the New Testament, God spoke in a dramatic fashion only a few times, and most of those times, the purpose was to affirm that Jesus’ divinity. We hear reports of that still happening, especially to Muslim Background Believers who have seen Jesus in a vision or dream. Although these accounts are incredible, we are still left with the question: how we can hear God’s voice in our life on a regular basis? We know He is not silent. 

In 2013, on a mission’s trip to Argentina, I felt God speaking to me about giving part of our church’s building fund money away to the local Bible school. At first, I thought it was just my own internal voice, so I waited and prayed. When I got home, I ran it by Esther, and we prayed together. I processed the idea with our board, and we also prayed together. Because this money was designated for another purpose, I needed to ask the Centerpointe membership. In that meeting, we could sense that God was in this. We voted together to send the money. In this example, we can see a filter for us to discern if we are hearing from God:

1. Do we have a sense that the Spirit put this decision on our hearts? We ask God for wisdom and discernment.
2. Is it in line with Scripture? God will never go against His Word.
3. Does it lead others and us into a closer walk with Jesus?  
4. Is there confirmation from trusted Godly people?
5. Is there a sense of peace? God also speaks to us in the negative, by withholding a sense of peace.

Reflection:

Name a time when you clearly heard God asking you to do something but you questioned whether or not it was God speaking. How did you come to the conclusion that it was God?

Besides the filters listed, what are other ways we can know if God speaking to us?

The Holy Spirit doesn’t always ask us to do the dramatic; He even speaks to us in our daily routines. How does he do this?

Decision:

Based on your reading and reflection, what decisions do you need to make?  

Prayer:

Lord, may your people slow down enough to listen to your voice and live in obedience to it.

Experience God's Voice, part 1

Day 18: Experience God's Voice, Pt 1

Scripture:
1 Samuel 3:1–10, “The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel.  Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”  Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.””

Thought:
Emphasizing each word in the last sentence of our text helps us understand Eli’s instruction and apply it to our lives.

Speak – Samuel invited God to speak to him. 
Lord – Samuel recognized God’s authority over his life
Your Servant – Samuel positioned himself as a servant
Is listening – This word suggests more than hearing, it includes obeying.

As one continues to read, what God asked Samuel to do was difficult. God asked him to speak a word of condemnation over Eli’s disobedient sons. Reluctantly, Samuel obeyed. God eventually elevated Samuel as Israel’s primary prophet and leader.

The prayer of Samuel served him well his whole life and is the same prayer we pray as we follow Jesus. What God asks us to do may be difficult, but God’s ways rarely are easy.

Reflection:
Take a moment and repeat the prayer of Samuel several times, emphasizing each word. Let this prayer be a commitment to serve and obey God’s voice.

What difficult things is God asking you to do?

Decision:
Based on what you read, what decisions do you need to make?