Hearing God

In my last post I said I’d share some of Loren Cunningham’s points to remember on hearing the voice of God. For the rest of them, click here to go to Amazon to buy your own copy of his book, “Is That Really You, GOD?”

Mr. Cunningham points out that if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you, in fact, have already heard God’s voice. For it was that inner leading that led you to Him in the first place. Through story, he unfolds how he learned to listen for and to God’s voice. And at the back of the book, he summarizes the points he’s made. He backs up his points with scripture.

He, by example, shows us that we need to submit to God’s lordship; asking Him to help us silence our own thoughts and desires and the opinions of others that may be filling our minds. (2 Corinthians 10:5). He candidly says that even though we have been given good minds to use, right now we want to hear the thoughts of the Lord, Who has the best mind!

Next, he tells us to resist the enemy; this point is backed up by one of my favorite scriptures in God’s Word. James 4:7 tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee from us…” But, too often we dismiss the beginning of the verse, almost not seeing it there at part of our instruction, the part that says, “submit yourselves to God, therefore…” Without submitting ourselves to God and His lordship, we resist the enemy in vain. We need to use the authority that Jesus has given us to silence the voice of the enemy. He indicates Ephesians 6:10-20 here, as well.

And then: expect an answer! Mr. Cunningham declares that after asking the question that is on our mind, we need to wait for Him to answer! We need to expect our loving heavenly Father to speak to us in whatever way He chooses. He will! (John 10:27; Psalm 69:13; Exodus 33:11).

I found this book to be very encouraging and promising. I recommend it to everyone who needs to hear from God. Be prepared, He will call you…..

In My Impatience

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Having just finished reading Loren Cunningham’s journeys through learning to hear God’s voice, I’d like to share with you a few points from his book, “Is That Really You, GOD?”

I bought the book a few Sundays ago, after listening to what Fred Markert had to say to our congregation about the days we’re living in. I’ll admit, both emotions of excitement and angst mingled within me that day, and have in the days since. I so want to be sure I’m hearing from God, and not submitting myself to any voice with a thin disguise begging at my senses to be the voice of my Father.

His stories filled me with awe, though some sounded so surreal as to be concocted in his own mind to fill the pages of his book with God-sounding sagas. Yet, I believe each story he told with conviction and feel them stirring an eager anticipation in my own soul.

Lately, I’ve grown weary waiting on God to move me to do something, or to plainly display before me the plans He has for me to fulfill; anticipating doing something worthy of a child of the great King. Yet, admittedly, the responsibility or being called to some noteworthy feat is more than overwhelming. I hate to advertise it, but some might rightfully consider me to be a rather lazy person.

That said and out of the way, I’ve been listening for God’s roar or His still, small voice to resound in my ears this week, as I’m away on a trip, mostly by myself with time to focus more on Him and less on day to day routine.

I began to fret as the minutes turned into hours and even days, without as much as a whisper from on high. As if I could hurry God and needed to spell out for Him that my alone time here is limited, I read through scripture, sifting His Word for some special nugget that would speak to me now.

Yes, the words in Loren Cunningham’s book have satisfied my hopes and I plan to share some of his points…..tomorrow. But, more so, my dear friend Desire Cruz sent me a text this afternoon, clearly prompted by God that saturated my hunger and encouraged me to tears. Right away, I sent it to my husband, who quickly ate up the message as a prophecy from God just for him. Timely words from a devotional book called, “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young:

“I am the firm foundation on which you can dance and sing and celebrate My Presence. This is My high and holy calling for you, receive it as a precious gift. Glorifying and enjoying Me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy structured life. Give up you’re striving to keep everything under control, an impossible task and a waste of precious energy. My guidance for each of My children is unique, that’s why listening to Me is so vital for your well being. Let Me prepare you for the day that awaits you and point you in the right direction. I am with you continually, so don’t be intimidated by fear. Though it stalks you, it cannot harm you. As you cling to My hand, keep your eyes on Me, enjoying peace in My Presence.”

Selah. (Ponder THAT!)

Disclaimer: Distortions Abound

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Don’t confuse my personality with my God.

I can be withdrawn. I can be rude. I can be oblivious to your problems and concerns.

But don’t allow that to cloud your perception of my God.

I can be cheerful and complimentary. I can be caring and attentive.

Don’t allow that to influence the picture you have of God.

Though I was created to reflect the image of God, I can warp that image tremendously, because He’s given me the freedom to do so.

I can manipulate what you see; I can persuade you to drop your guard.

I can also drive you away or draw your focus to things that appear to be unfair.

As a human being, unconditionally loved by the God that created the universe, I have the advantage of a gifted mind and the good I’ve gleaned from what I’ve gone through in life, but I also have the flaws brought on through human experience and emotional roller coasters.

The bottom line is – I’m not God.

But, I’m not the only example of His love; He’s surrounded you with His beauty and grace and mercy and compassion and forgiveness. Remove your hands from your eyes and your fingers from your ears. Look. Listen.

Surrender.

To surrender to love is not a bad thing. It doesn’t mean you lose, it means you win! When you yield yourself to all the good you’ve ever longed for, you become immersed in God Himself.

I’m not making excuses for my failures; just pointing out that your answers are not found in me or in any other Christian, but in Jesus Christ only.

John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)

On a Rainy Day...You Can See Eternity

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 There’s something cleansing about watching raindrops pelt against the window, even though it’s not getting us wet. It’s almost like something in us is liberated as the water is set free from the clouds. Before long, it makes you want to close your eyes and immerse yourself into something bigger. Whether it’s a vicious storm or a gentle shower, rain has a way of quieting something inside of us. (Unless, of course, you’re running for cover.)

How can anyone deny that we’re all part of something much bigger than ourselves? Is it really possible to be so disconnected that we can deny the existence of the God that gives us breath each day? Can we reach out and feel absolutely nothing to connect with? Have we really been severed off and pushed aside, or have we done the severing? Or is it all an elaborate illusion, created to deny us the love we so violently crave? How can we know?

I recall many years ago when I asked the question, “…how can I know for sure?” I wanted to believe there was a God and that He loves me unconditionally, just as I’d heard. But, I reasoned that if He loved me, surely He must know me; and if He knew me, He could surely not love me.

After I asked the question, the man sharing God’s love with me smiled and quoted this scripture: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. ~1 John 5:13 (KJV)

God knew way back when He inspired this scripture that I’d need it to answer my question centuries later. In a way only He can do so, He quickened my heart and I came alive. His Word spoke to the inner-most longing of my soul.

Even, from time to time, as I’ve turned my ear from what He speaks to my heart, He continues to love me unconditionally, wooing me and providing for me.

Salt and Light

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When someone says they’re on a low-salt diet, what comes to mind? The first word that pops into my head is bland. Then I wonder if they have high blood pressure.

But, yes, bland. Who doesn’t love salt? Well, I’m sure there are a few of you out there, but the majority of us love our salt. It not only seasons our foods, but can preserve it, as well. Meat is ‘cured’ with salt, so that it can be stored longer.

So what becomes of foods not preserved? Eat ‘em quick or they’ll rot.

Follow my logic here. Since we, as Christians, are the salt of the earth, per Jesus Himself, when we pull ourselves (or allow ourselves to be pushed) out of the goings on of man, i.e. government, education, media, arts and music, family structure, and day to day life in general, it, too, begins to rot.

Because the Spirit of God lives within us, we are the preservative that prevents rotting and deterioration and breaking down.

When that deterioration begins to infiltrate the church, which it has, we’ve let go of the heart of God and pursued our own lusts and interests.

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.” He also told us that we are the light of the world. Because He lives in us, we are to shine His Light into the dark places of our world.

When I flip on a light switch in my home, I don’t look around the room for dark pockets that remain. The light causes the darkness to disappear.

Yet, when I look at my world, I see darkness everywhere. Where is the light? It’s there – but it looks like pockets of light that are not casting away the darkness.

When the light is turned off or removed – darkness overwhelms with chaos.

Our world is very overwhelmed with darkness and chaos.

What have we done with our light?

We’ve “hidden it under a bushel”.

We’ve done so by allowing sin to become acceptable, not only around us – but in our own lives. We pursue our own desires, rather than share God’s heart. We deny Him before man. We neglect His Word and seldom spend quality time with Him. Without quality time, any relationship becomes weak. As our relationship with God weakens, our strength fades and our impact on the world around us becomes less ineffective.

Am I beating a dead horse by exhorting us to commune with God, to study His Word and to seek after His heart?

It’s all essential if you’re a Christian. We need to live up to our name and not allow the world and the enemy of our soul to render us powerless and ineffective in our daily lives or within our societies.

John 811-13 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Matthew 5:13-15 (KJV) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Tired?

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Tired. That’s the first, and frankly, only word that’s coming to mind right now. Who wants to read a blog post about being tired? We’re all tired of being tired, aren’t we?

Sometimes I don’t want to look for the cause of it – nor for a remedy for it. I just want to go upstairs and succumb to the voice of my bed calling me.

But even in my weariness, my ever churning brain begs to ask, why?

Sometimes it’s our diet, our lack of exercise, the side effect of a medication we’ve begun taking – it could be any number of things.

Sometimes the body just needs more rest than we’re giving it.

But, sometimes, it’s from carrying around burdens we were never meant to carry in the first place.

Two scriptures come to mind:

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV): “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all our anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Our cares, or anxieties, become like a bag of heavy rocks we drag around with us, constantly making it harder to take another step. If God meant for us to haul those thing around ourselves, He’d have built us more like a horse or pack mule. Because He cares for us, He does the caring and carrying FOR us.

I painted this scripture on our bedroom wall, since it’s generally in our bedroom that I do my resting. (It got painted over, I need to put it up there again!)

Mark 6:31 (NIV): “…he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quietplace and get some rest."

Taking a little liberty, I changed the word ‘said’ to the word ‘whispers’ and the word ‘them’ to ‘me’ – making it personal, because my relationship with Jesus is a personal one.

Soon, I’m taking a week-long trip where I’ll be completely by myself for most of that week. I look forward to going with God to a quiet place and getting some rest. I’m excited about casting my cares on Him in a new and telling way during this week. I expect to write as many blog posts as I can during this quiet time with Him, taking note of all He shows me, though I may not share them all here.

I challenge you to find the time God has already etched out for you to spend with Him, quietly resting before Him, or digging into His Word – however He leads you, and cast off that heavy bag of rocks.

Then tell me how He lightens your load!

Can You Choose?

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God wants you to choose. 

I want you to choose.

However, you need to know what you’re choosing between. You not only need to know you have options, but you need to be informed about what those options are.  When one side or opinion seeks to quench the voice of opposing views and opinions and beliefs, an unsafe, unfair situation arises where not only our voice, but out choice disappears.

We read in Joshua 24:14-15 (KJV), “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua made the choice clear before all the people. He didn’t ignore the fact that the people had served other gods. Though he gave them a choice that would give them abundant life, he didn’t insist that his God was their only option.

We put ourselves in the role of God when we determine that which the choices of others will consist. Ironic, when the people who insist on determining our choices often deny there is a God.

God Himself encourages us to choose life – but allows us to choose death. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” - Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV)

When Creationism isn’t allowed to be taught in school, but Darwinism is forced down children’s throats as absolute reality, when in fact, it’s a theory that’s never been proven – choice is destroyed. The only ‘reality’ being taught, is one that’s taught forcefully.

When abstinence isn’t allowed to be taught in school, but deviant sexual acts and extreme forms of birth control are blatantly plastered before the face of every student attending said school, again, choice is destroyed.

You cannot choose between options when options are denied.

Informed choice ensures freedom, the very foundation of our nation.

There are many other choices and freedoms being taken from us or threatened here in America and across the globe.

Logically speaking, we won’t all make the same choices.

Find your voice – and let it be heard.

Don’t deny other’s their voice.