Of all gods, which one still speaks?

The Haiti earthquake. The Sir Lanka tsunami. The Florida hurricanes of '04. The Twin Towers bombing.

Disasters make us look up. Suddenly the God we ignore daily is accused, blamed and cursed. Cold, hard hearts become even more embittered at the idea of a loving God watching over us.

It's a gross misunderstanding of who He is, His plan and purpose for the universe. But there is no reason to be "in the dark."

There are 150 chapters in the Bible about the return of Jesus and the End of the Age. That's more than the entire New Testament. In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us the beginning of "birth pangs" is earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, famine. . .

In John chapters 15, 16, 17 Jesus exhorts us about the love of the Father and to be aware and alert. He tells us what's going to happen THEN gives us the Spirit, "the Comforter" who will do what. . .

"Disclose to us ALL things."

Christian theologians paint God as silent far too often. Folks I'd consider mature believers tell me, "God doesn't speak to me."

But John 10 is clear, "My sheep hear My voice."

Let's put it into the practical. If there was a disaster in your home, and your child ran into you with wide, scared eyes, "Daddy, what happened?" You'd tell them! Maybe not every detail, but you'd say, "Baby, we had a storm and the electricity went out. But the electric company will fix it. Let's light candles."

Now she's comforted. She understands. She can boldly face the trial because she had a glimpse of what is to come.

Why would God not speak in the same manner to His Bride? He died for us! We disqualify the Cross if we say He won't speak to us, comfort us. We are Kings and Priest before Him. I don't get the thinking that "we can't know what God is up to."

I'm a Word person. I love the Word. All hearing begins in and with the Word. Don't go around speaking for God then claim you struggle in prayer and the Word. I've honed my own ear to Him by reading, praying and singing scripture.

Even more, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me. Romans 8:11. We can and must hear God. Yes, He is Holy, high above me, His ways are not mine, YET, He chooses me as His partner, to live in me. This is the mystery of the ages. Col 1:27. It's a divine paradox.

Our God lives and speaks. Muhammad is dead and doesn't speak. Buddah is dead and doesn't speak. Jesus is alive and speaks. His Word is living and active, sharper than a two edge sword. Heb 4:12

God speaks. If you're not hearing, ask Him to teach you. What is God saying to you?

God in the market place

I was leaving an office building down town this morning and passed a woman reading a library book in a little alcove.

She kind of smiled. I kind of smiled. You know, the weak, "Hey. . ." and move on.

As I jogged down the stairs, I had a sense to go back up and talk to her. About what? To witness? To make sure she's having a nice day?

Maybe it's just me being weird because I didn't give her a big smile and loud hello.

Out the door and down the sidewalk, I still felt the tug. God? Then I knew, she was asking God for or about something and He wanted her to know He was going to do it.

I turned around.

"Hi, I'm Rachel." I offered my hand.

"I'm Teresa." She shook my hand before removing her glasses.

"Are you asking God for something?"

Smiling, she sat back. "Yes, I am."

"He says He's going to do it. Keep surrendering, keep asking."

"Thank you very much, I will."

Mission accomplished.

Look for God to use you in the market place today!

Hearing God, Part III

Hearing God takes time. Focus. Dedication. My personal experience is I can't hear God on the run (typically) and I can't hear God out of angst or anxiety.

My mind and emotions speak to me every time in those situations.

Yet, there have been times when I was in turmoil and as I went to prayer, asking God for peace and truth, I heard Him speak. I had to settle down, focus (that word again) and looking for the peace in my inner man. (Ephesians 3)

There a countless times I thought God spoke to me and I acted, not knowing if I "really" heard or not. You know, give that person a $20.

Once, I felt God asking me to stay home from work and hang out with Him all day. What? I can't call in sick - that'd be lying - and I couldn't take a vacation day. Or could I? To this day I think I missed an opportunity with Him.

Off and on, I've heard God speak to me most of my life. When I was in college, He spoke to me a lot. I'd wake up praying! But that was a different kind of speaking.

Many times, I've made decisions based on "it seems good to me." I trust the Spirit of God dwelling in me, leading me. Jeremiah 40: 4, Psalm 111, Proverbs 3.

I've prayed over decisions but had a sinful motive as I moved forward. Those never work out so good. Go figure.

But if I ask with a sincere, humble heart, He always responds with wisdom and goodness.

After my first date with Tony, I came home and felt God whisper to me, "that's your husband."

What? Fingers in ears, humming. No way. I'm not going to be the kooky girl who hears the cute single pastor is her husband.

Now, that did take a lot of prayer and confirmation. Since I'm married to him after a loooong ordeal, I think I heard God. ;)

God's spoken to me in dreams recently. While I seek understanding and interpretation, I see Him directing me.

My friend Chelle, a single mom living on a sub par income, believed God spoke to her to believe for a new car. It took a year of believing and praying, but God gave her brand new Toyota Camry.

Tony felt God nudge him to give his Bible away to this zealous new believer. The odd thing was the guy had a Bible. But Tony was obedient. Two nights later the young man called, ecstatic. He'd been reading Tony's Bible and the Word opened up to him and he felt Jesus was right there with him.

I was praying about a writing project once and felt God speak to me from "my spirit." My middle. Not my head. What he said did NOT line up with what I perceived and believed in my head. But I liked His exhortation! I received it and gave the promise back to Him. Less than a week later, it came about.

Last spring, I was mediating on the Lord as I was driving home from some place and felt the Lord said, "I promise you fruit." Okay!

About a month later, a woman at church was praying for me. She said, "Rachel, I see a big basket of fruit."

I laughed. Yep!

Tony was teaching high school when the Lord told him he was going to be on staff at Church On The Rock. He was a very young Christian, but believed God. He had no idea how he'd be on staff. There were no jobs open and no one asked him to join the team. Nevertheless, he quit his job in faith, and volunteered his summer to the youth.

In mid August they offered him the new position as youth pastor.

One Christmas I asked God for a thousand dollars to cover our Christmas spending. I was working a well paying corp job, but we'd had a lot of expenses that year and I didn't want to cut back on my Christmas giving. (We give to everyone in the family.)

Christmas came and went without my thousand. Money is not an area where we see a lot of obvious miracles, but I decided to keep believing God for the money.

On New Years, former youth, now married and good friends, were in town and came over to visit. They handed us an envelop. After awhile, I got up to get something from the kitchen and opened the card.

There was a check for a thousand dollars! Wow!!! I read closer. Made out to the youth ministry.

Oh well, close. I was grateful. I handed Tony the card, thanking our friends for the contribution.

Tony said, "You didn't look close enough."

Under the check to the church was a check to Tony and me for a thousand dollars. I was beyond thrilled.

When we shared our stories, we discovered they decided to gift us with the money the SAME NIGHT I prayed and asked the Lord.

Walking with God is such a great adventure. He wants to give to us and bless us, but we need to draw near with a sincere heart.

Come on, share you testimonies!

Hearing God, Part II

The other day I blogged about how to hear God. The main point I made was that we have to believe He speaks to us.

Second we have to have faith and believe He's who He says He is. The Bible is the one true place to discover God's character. Hebrews 4:12 tells us the Word is living and active, sharp! John 1 tells us Jesus is the Word of God made flesh.

Peter tell us it's inspired by the Holy Spirit, men being a mere conduit.

So, to hear God we have to have faith, believe He is a God of truth.

Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

Hearing God just means believe He is a rewarder. He wants to speak.

I John 4:8b tells us, "God is love."

How then would a loving God not want to share with us? Does He have to submit to our demands? No. Does He have to tell us everything. Absolutely not. We couldn't handle it. But we must believe when we go to Him with request, petitions, cares and concerns, He is listening. He will respond.

The Bette Midler song advocates God watching from a distance. But He's not beloved. He's right in us. He can't be any closer.

Colossians 1:27, "... Christ in us, the hope of Glory."

Now, you have to believe in Him, believe in Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life, but God gave us His Spirit.

Paul wrote, "it's the mystery of the ages."

Therefore, God must want to fellowship with us.

Luke 11 is my favorite verse on hearing God.

In the first part, Jesus speaks. "Hey, if you ask of God, He'll give to you. You're evil people and when your son asks for bread, you don't give him a stone, do you? No, neither will your Father in Heaven. He's good. Perfect. Kind and loving. In fact," Jesus says, "ask, seek, knock. You'll find, see and the door will be open."

Our problem is endurance. Patience. Learning to hear the voice of our Beloved.

Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice." Therefore we know it's possible to hear God.

Tomorrow or Monday, ways to learn to hear and testimonies!

Hearing God

Recently some friends were discussing the topic of hearing God. During prayer, how do we know the answer we seek is from God, ourselves or Satan?

Good question!

I know a lot of Jesus-lovers who say they've never heard Him speak to them. My guess is He has, they just don't know it.

But the older we become in our faith, the more we should be able to discern His voice. There are a lot of books written on hearing God. But the best one is the Bible. There are a lot of verses on hearing God.

First, though, we have to believe He wants to speak to us. Too many Christians, even pastors, claim God doesn't speak to them, and why should He? We are lowly, sinful humans and He's God of the Universe. He doesn't owe us anything.

Okay, yeah, good point. But that sort of thinking completely nullifies the Cross. If we are lowly, unworthy, sinful humans, why did Jesus bother to hang on the Cross? Endure the shame? Take the beating and humiliation?

Because He LOVES us and part of the plan is for mankind to be in relationship, fellowship with the Uncreated God. This my, friends, is an amazing, wonderful mystery!

So, let's go back to the premise of God wanting to talk to us.

We have to go no farther than Genesis to see God's heart for His creation, especially man. Genesis tells us God fellowshipped with Adam in the "cool of the day."

Song of Solomon is devoted to the heart of the believer, a picture of God's love for us individually as well as corporately. "Draw me after you and let us run together."

God created man for fellowship with Him. So why would He not want to speak to us? I know every friend I have, speaking is part of the deal. Sharing our hearts, our desires, our wants and needs.

We see Jesus, the God-Man, desiring the fellowship and comfort of His friends in the Garden before His betrayal.

That same God-Man now sits risen from the dead at the right hand of God the Father. Still desiring fellowship with us.

Yes, we are weak. Yes, we sin. But if we desire Him, desire to live Godly, say Yes to obedience, He draws us near.

Amos 3:7 says, "Surely the Lord does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets."

In today's world, that's me and you! Does God need to reveal His secrets? No! But I believe He's looking for hearts who are tender and yielded, believing and longing to stand in His counsel.

Don't know about you, but I want to be His friend, to stand in His counsel.

Tomorrow, part two on hearing God.

"He's not the distant God of a Bette Midler song."