Deciphering God's Voice
2007-11-17

Read

1 Samuel 3:8-10

This is the God's call to Samuel. If I had been a casual observer of these events from the back of the room, I would have been smacking my head and saying, "No...don't go to Eli...he's not the one calling you, you dolt!" But Samuel had never heard a disembodied voice calling him before, so he assumed it was Eli calling him. Eli set him straight.

Think

I believe that hearing God this clearly is definitely possible. I also believe that, should he want, he would speak to me in an audible voice. As it is, we get calls from God through other "voices," which sometimes makes it difficult to hear exactly who is calling. I'm not sure I have any advice on how to discern if a "voice" is God's or not. The important thing is to stay in the Bible, reading and studying it daily. That is, in effect, his biggest "voice" to us, and if we know it through the Word, then it is easier to recognize if it shows up some other place.

It is also important to examine what a "voice" is telling you, in light of what the Bible says. If you feel you are being told something that contradicts Biblical truth, chances are, it's not God's voice.

There are people in your life who can help you discern. I have at least one. My good friend at work, Phillipp, is one of these. He and I discuss this sort of thing all the time.

Pray

The instruction here is quite radical. I'll just quote it exactly rather than try to paraphrase it.

Often the most effective way to hear God's voice is to still our minds and quiet our hearts for a considerable amount of time. Set aside twenty minutes in a quiet place and make yourself comfortable. Invite god to communicate with you. Don't read or pray. Just listen and be, bringing your mind back if it wanders.

IF it wanders?? How about WHEN it wanders? Ha. I'm going to give this a try, but I don't know when I'll have twenty consecutive minutes in any place remotely close to being "quiet."

Live

The book recommends doing the twenty minute thing again sometime during the next week.

"Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen."



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