Showing posts with label knowing God's voice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knowing God's voice. Show all posts

Monday, November 30, 2015

God Speaks Through a Police Officer


Some years ago my husband was pulled over by a police officer as he made a right hand turn onto the street leading to our house. After the officer took his license and registration, he asked,



 “Do you know why I pulled you over?”

“I really don’t.” my husband answered.

“Well, you didn’t have your turn signal on. But that is not the main reason. Did you know someone is selling drugs out the back of your store?”

“No, I don’t know what you are talking about. I have never seen anyone selling drugs.”

“I have to ask you, do you do drugs?” the officer asked.

“No Sir, I don’t.”

“Our substation has been monitoring the activity going on in the alley behind your store and we believe someone inside your store is selling drugs and the transactions are taking place outside your back door.
My recommendation is that you halt all activity out that door and in the alleyway. Because, the next time we see it happening we will raid your store and take everyone in for questioning.” he said.

The next morning my husband called the three men who worked in the back of the shop, and used the back door frequently, into his office. He told them he was locking and bolting the door, and all activity, smoking or having “friends” drop by to visit them in the back alley was to cease. They were only allowed to use the front door where everything was visible and no one was allowed to visit them during work hours.

He had a strong suspicion as to which man was selling the drugs, but no actual proof, besides the officer’s words. Bolting the door solved the problem or at lease moved the problem somewhere else.

We were grateful to God for sending that police officer to warn us about what was happening in our store. We had no idea, but our God, who sees everything, knew and interceded on our behalf.

Throughout the Bible God used people and circumstances to warn people.

God used a dream to warn Joseph and the king of Egypt of the coming famine in the land.

God used Moses to warn the Egyptian Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free.

He used an angel to warn Mary and Joseph to flee Bethlehem with baby Jesus.

He used Balaam’s donkey to warn him not to curse the Hebrew people.

And He used a police officer to warn us of the illegal activity going on in the back of our store.

The Bible is filled with warnings for us as well:

“These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.” 1 Corinthians 10:11

***********************

Has God ever used a person or event to warn you of something? We would love to have you share it in the comments below.


Sunday, October 18, 2015

What Others Say About Hearing God

          “We often miss hearing God’s voice simply because we aren’t paying attention.” Pastor Rick Warren

“Being able to determine the voice of God is powerful beyond all measure, but your actions after hearing His voice are what truly define your faith in Him.” Josh Hughes

          “Most Christians don’t hear God’s voice because we’ve already decided we aren’t going to do what He says.” A.W. Tozer

“The value of persistent prayer is not that He will hear us but that we finally hear Him.”

          “Are you experiencing a sacred echo? A moment where God speaks the same message again and again to your heart.” Margaret Feinberg 

“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.” Brother Lawrence

          “The Bible is not just a book of doctrine and abstract truth about God . . .something that a person can study endlessly without actually encountering God himself or hearing His voice.” Dallas Willard

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do and everywhere you go; He’s the one that will keep you on track.” Proverbs 3:6

          “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 3:15

“The voice of God will never contradict the Word of God.”

          “He leads us. He doesn’t push us. He doesn’t hand us a map and send us on our way without Him. He wants us to keep our eyes on Him, and follow Him one step at a time. Step by step. Step by step.” Joyce Meyer

“Listen in silence because if your heart is full of other things you cannot hear the voice of God. But when you have listened to the voice of God in the stillness of your heart, then your heart is filled with God.”  Mother Teresa

******************** 
Do you know any great quotes about hearing God? Please share in the comments below if you do. 


***This is Day 18 of the series 31 Days of Hearing God. I am joining others in the October writing challenge at write31days.com. To read more in this series click here for all the topics.

Monday, October 5, 2015

How Do We Know God's Voice?


          The biggest roadblock to hearing God’s voice, is not knowing how to recognize that it is Him, through the Holy Spirit, speaking to us. We all have our own thoughts and ideas in our head. How can we tell if that is our idea or God’s idea? Although the enemy of our soul can never live in us, if we have the Holy Spirit living in us, he can certainly tempt us in our minds. He is the one tempting, condemning, telling us to go against God’s Word, or do the things we know we shouldn’t do. So, how can we determine whose voice it is?
          Pricilla Shirer in her excellent book, Discerning the Voice of God, says five things characterize God’s voice.
God’s voice is:
1.     Persistent. Just like in the book of 1Samuel when God’s voice persistently called young Samuel, God is persistent when He has something for us. When we have a thought that won’t go away, we should consider if that is God trying to tell us something. Shirer says, “God persistently calls me in an attempt to turn my ears and actions in His direction.

2.      Personal. Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” Isn’t it great that the Holy Spirit leads us personally and individually?

3.     Peaceful. James 3:17 says, “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds.” We know it is God because God’s voice and His Word lead us to peaceable relationships with others.

4.     Verifiable. Anything God’s Spirit reveals to you will always match up with what the Bible says. Scripture provides the boundaries into which all of God’s fresh words will fall, even those words concerning our everyday life.

5.     Authoritative. The voice of the Holy Spirit has an authority that can only come from God. Your own conscience will justify and rationalize, but God’s voice comes with such force and weight that it makes a firm impact on our human conscience.

          Have you had a persistent thought that is personal to you and lines up with what the Bible says? Will it bring peace to a relationship? Does it have authority to it, not your own rationalization?

          Sit down with your Bible and as you read, pray and ask God if that thought is Him speaking to you.

“Those who do not believe God speaks specifically will simply ignore or explain away the times when God communicates with them. However, those who spend each day in the profound awareness that God does speak are in a wonderful position to receive His Word.” Henry Blackaby


                              ********************************************
If you have heard a specific word from God recently, we would love 
for you to share it with us in the comments below.

**Join me here tomorrow for: A Young Mom, Toddler Toys & Hearing God


This is part of a community called write31days.com where bloggers write and post everyday for the 31 days of October. There are many topics and categories, so after you finish reading here, click over to read the great blogs there!