Communications is not supposed to be complex. God, in the garden, walked with Adam and Eve and had intimate conversations with them. Not to them or them to Him but rather WITH Him. Then there was the Tower of Babel debacle. So it goes throughout the Old and New Testament and on to today. WE make communication complex by making that communication on our terms. What happens when we look at communication from God's point of view? We know he speaks to us and we know that he wants us to speak with him. The methods by which God communicates with us vary with each individual and each occasion. There was the still small voice that is still there today. There was the thunder and lightening that is still there today. There is the Word of God that is still here today. There are Christians who are still here today. There are dreams and visions that are still here today. There is silence that is still here today. There is God's audible voice and his physical touch that's still here today. There is the word of knowledge that's still here today. Nothing has changed but mankind. God remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Can't say the same for me. How about you? How does God speak to you.
Yesterday I was reminded of the communication with God an myself. About 3 weeks ago I was awakened from my sleep with complete memory of what took place. The dream had two parts equally terrifying. The dream was a warning to make a change in my plans. I didn't make a change and yesterday found the first half of the dream coming true in all of it's detail. I left the engagement knowing that the dream was really real and that I needed to prevent the second half of the dream from taking place. This morning I did so. I've heard God's audible voice on two different occasions. The first was his asking me to pray when I had neglected to do so. The second was to assure me that I was on the right track. Listening to God's voice can and has saved me from harm. I was about 2 years old in the Lord and was praying at a remote location with three brothers in Christ. Suddenly I heard inaudible the Lord telling me to get away from where we were. I obeyed and on the way down to our housing encountered a man we knew. He was carrying a knife and had been on his way to kill us. I commanded Satan to leave and called upon Jesus to exorcise the man. Nine demons were sent on their way. It was then that the man was saved and described the control that Satan had on his live. At another occasion a brother in the Lord was leaving the Christian coffee house where I worked. I was coming on for my shift. We met in the hallway and it was very obvious that he was very ill. I asked if I could pray for him. He agreed and as I prayed for his healing I felt all of his symptoms go through me and dispense into the air. God had healed him. The brother was amazed at what God had done.
These are just a few occasions where God has communicated to me, through me and about me during my Christian life. Perhaps they ring a bell in your life? Maybe they terrify you. In either case, God is talking. The real question is if we are listening. Do we selectively listen? Does our listening to God operate sporadically an then only on our terms? These are important questions we need to answer. We know the truth but don't want to go there for fear of this or that. Mostly our fear is that we would be viewed as a peculiar people set apart for His good pleasure. We care more about what people would think than what God thinks. His mission to the lost, hurting and sick is through us who believe. Are we listening? That can be answered simply by examining the fruits of His love through us towards others. Do we lay hands on the sick, speak words of encouragement as well as discipline? Do we take care of the orphan and the widow. If you aren't listening then you are probably not doing much of anything for God. Remember when you listen that there needs to be an action reflecting that listening. It's always your choice.
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