Post by drcaleb on Mar 3, 2009 20:27:36 GMT -6
Hello Everyone,
I am glad to be a member on this website. I will try to post a message every week or so.I am quite busy with the Healing Ministry, but this is not an excuse. I will paste a message on this post.
Shalom
Dr Caleb
HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TODAY?
[1]INTRODUCTION
How does God speak to us today and how do we know that it is Him speaking to us? Recently, I was asked this question at a Christian Rehab Center where I minister on Thursday mornings. My next message to them was basically what I have written here. I realize that what I have written does not cover the subject completely. There are other ways that God speaks to us than what I have written here, but we do not have the time to go further. At a later time, I will plan on giving a message that explains in some detail the latter part of this question.
[2] GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
Jesus is the Word “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word [Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [Himself]” [John 1:1, AMP].
“And the Word [Christ] became flesh [human, incarnate] and tabernacled [fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile] among us; and we [actually] saw His glory [His honor, His majesty], such glory as an only begotten Son receives from His Father, full of grace [favor, lovingkindness] and truth” John 1:14, AMP]
He speaks to us through His written Word: “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life [soul] and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest part of our nature] exposing and sifting and analyzing, and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart” [Hebrews 4:12, AMP].
[c] Quite often, God may speak through a combination of two or more ways, e.g. Audible voice and a vision; a still small voice and the Word of God; an audible voice and the Word of God, etc.
[3] GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OTHERS
Through prophets, office of a prophet. A prophet is one of the five-fold ministry [Ephesians 4:11-12]. In the Old Testament, prophets received the Word of the Lord, word for word. In the New Testament, prophetic people perceive the Word of the Lord. To “perceive” means to become aware of, to gain an understanding, to become aware of through the five senses.
Through the gift of prophecy. The gift of prophecy is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:1-11].
[c]] Fellow believers
[4] AUDIBLE VOICE
Occasionally, God will speak to someone in an audible voice. Here are some Biblical examples: [1 Samuel 3:1-12]; Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, [Genesis 3:8-9] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, The Apostle Paul on the Damascus Road [Acts 9:1-6].
This is still happening today from time to time, but is unusual. A friend of mine who is now deceased, heard the Lord speak to him while fishing one Sunday. This man was D. P. Johnston. He didn’t get saved until he was 65 years old. Before he came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, he would often go fishing on Sunday instead of going to church. On this particular Sunday morning, he was under deep conviction. While fishing, he cried out to God, “Lord, what is it that I am doing that is not pleasing to You? Brother D.P. said that God replied in a loud voice, like thunder, “It’s not what you are doing, it’s what you are not doing.
[5] GOD SPEAKS THROUGH ANGELS
In the New Testament, there are quite a number of instances where God spoke to His people through Angels, “And the angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the very presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news” [Luke 1:19]. [See also Luke 1:26-28, Hebrews 1:14].
In the Old Testament, there are a number of instances where God spoke through Angels, [See Genesis 116:7, 9, 10; Genesis 22:11; Exodus 3:2].
[6] GOD SPEAKS TO US IN DREAMS AND VISIONS.
[Read Genesis 15:1; 1 Samuel 3:15; 2 Samuel 7:17; Psalm 89:19; Daniel 8:2; Luke 24:23; Acts 9:10; 10:3, 17, 19; Acts 2:17].
[7] GOD SPEAKS TO US IN THAT STILL SMALL VOICE
I believe that most of the time, this is the way that God speaks to us. It is that voice in our spirit that hears the Holy Spirit speaking. Sometimes, it is the Spirit speaking to our spirit, but it is loud and clear, but we don’t hear it with our natural ears. Usually, it is that still small voice [Read 1 Kings 19:11-13].
There are three sources where we hear the still small voice: Our own thoughts, the devil, and the Lord. We have to learn how to distinguish which thoughts are from the Lord. [See John 10:4, 14].
[c] If the voice is harsh, or condemning in any way, it is not the voice of our Lord. The voice may be loud at times. It may take a loud voice at times to get our attention, but the voice of God will give life, not death, never evil [See John 10:10].
[d] The voice of the Lord will always harmonize with the Scriptures. Remember, Jesus is the Word of God, the living Word., [See John 1:1, 14]. Of course, we have the written Word, the Bible.
I am glad to be a member on this website. I will try to post a message every week or so.I am quite busy with the Healing Ministry, but this is not an excuse. I will paste a message on this post.
Shalom
Dr Caleb
HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TODAY?
[1]INTRODUCTION
How does God speak to us today and how do we know that it is Him speaking to us? Recently, I was asked this question at a Christian Rehab Center where I minister on Thursday mornings. My next message to them was basically what I have written here. I realize that what I have written does not cover the subject completely. There are other ways that God speaks to us than what I have written here, but we do not have the time to go further. At a later time, I will plan on giving a message that explains in some detail the latter part of this question.
[2] GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
Jesus is the Word “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word [Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [Himself]” [John 1:1, AMP].
“And the Word [Christ] became flesh [human, incarnate] and tabernacled [fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile] among us; and we [actually] saw His glory [His honor, His majesty], such glory as an only begotten Son receives from His Father, full of grace [favor, lovingkindness] and truth” John 1:14, AMP]
He speaks to us through His written Word: “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life [soul] and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest part of our nature] exposing and sifting and analyzing, and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart” [Hebrews 4:12, AMP].
[c] Quite often, God may speak through a combination of two or more ways, e.g. Audible voice and a vision; a still small voice and the Word of God; an audible voice and the Word of God, etc.
[3] GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OTHERS
Through prophets, office of a prophet. A prophet is one of the five-fold ministry [Ephesians 4:11-12]. In the Old Testament, prophets received the Word of the Lord, word for word. In the New Testament, prophetic people perceive the Word of the Lord. To “perceive” means to become aware of, to gain an understanding, to become aware of through the five senses.
Through the gift of prophecy. The gift of prophecy is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:1-11].
[c]] Fellow believers
[4] AUDIBLE VOICE
Occasionally, God will speak to someone in an audible voice. Here are some Biblical examples: [1 Samuel 3:1-12]; Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, [Genesis 3:8-9] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, The Apostle Paul on the Damascus Road [Acts 9:1-6].
This is still happening today from time to time, but is unusual. A friend of mine who is now deceased, heard the Lord speak to him while fishing one Sunday. This man was D. P. Johnston. He didn’t get saved until he was 65 years old. Before he came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, he would often go fishing on Sunday instead of going to church. On this particular Sunday morning, he was under deep conviction. While fishing, he cried out to God, “Lord, what is it that I am doing that is not pleasing to You? Brother D.P. said that God replied in a loud voice, like thunder, “It’s not what you are doing, it’s what you are not doing.
[5] GOD SPEAKS THROUGH ANGELS
In the New Testament, there are quite a number of instances where God spoke to His people through Angels, “And the angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the very presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news” [Luke 1:19]. [See also Luke 1:26-28, Hebrews 1:14].
In the Old Testament, there are a number of instances where God spoke through Angels, [See Genesis 116:7, 9, 10; Genesis 22:11; Exodus 3:2].
[6] GOD SPEAKS TO US IN DREAMS AND VISIONS.
[Read Genesis 15:1; 1 Samuel 3:15; 2 Samuel 7:17; Psalm 89:19; Daniel 8:2; Luke 24:23; Acts 9:10; 10:3, 17, 19; Acts 2:17].
[7] GOD SPEAKS TO US IN THAT STILL SMALL VOICE
I believe that most of the time, this is the way that God speaks to us. It is that voice in our spirit that hears the Holy Spirit speaking. Sometimes, it is the Spirit speaking to our spirit, but it is loud and clear, but we don’t hear it with our natural ears. Usually, it is that still small voice [Read 1 Kings 19:11-13].
There are three sources where we hear the still small voice: Our own thoughts, the devil, and the Lord. We have to learn how to distinguish which thoughts are from the Lord. [See John 10:4, 14].
[c] If the voice is harsh, or condemning in any way, it is not the voice of our Lord. The voice may be loud at times. It may take a loud voice at times to get our attention, but the voice of God will give life, not death, never evil [See John 10:10].
[d] The voice of the Lord will always harmonize with the Scriptures. Remember, Jesus is the Word of God, the living Word., [See John 1:1, 14]. Of course, we have the written Word, the Bible.
