RECOGNIZING GOD’S VOICE!

I’ve read that an unborn baby learns to recognize the voice of it’s mother – and even possibly it’s father. I remember getting close to Deb’s tummy and talking to each of our kids before they were born.

When I was allowed to start sitting apart from my parents during worship, I learned the sound of my dad’s finger-snap.  I could distinguish it from the finger-snap sound of every other man in the church! If I missed his signal – or ignored it – he would come and take me to the basement. You don’t want to go to the basement with my dad! 

But let’s face it, recognizing the voice of an ‘unseen other’ is a challenge!

Growing up in the church – as I did [almost literally 🙄] – I became adept even as a child at sensing the presence of God! Even while I was quite young, I frequently had a sense of my sinfulness and responded by going to the altar to pray! I was blessed to grow up in a church where we frequently experienced the presence of God!

When I responded in such a way as a seventeen-year-old senior in high school, I received my ‘call’ to ministry! Clearly, I was learning to discern God’s voice! 

I also remember the first time that God showed me something special in His Word! I was reading the book of the Acts of the Apostles. When I came to the martyrdom of Stephen in chapter 7, I felt God helping me to realize that almost everywhere in scripture, Jesus was described as being “seated at the right hand of God”. However, in verse 55 it tells us that Stephen “being full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven – as he was being stoned to death – and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”  It was clear to me - in that precise moment - that Jesus was standing as a sign of welcoming to Stephen as he breathed his last breaths on earth and entered Heaven! I believed that God had directed my thinking in that moment to give me a personal insight into His Word!

Over my years as a pastor and teacher, I’ve heard many others tell similar stories of discerning God’s voice in a personal way!

Some of us were blessed to be born into homes where our thinking was directed toward God early in our lives! But fortunately God will speak to anyone who is willing to learn to discern His voice!

This process is described to us in a childlike way in the first three chapters of I Samuel.  You really need to read it for yourself to get the whole, wonderful story!

The gist of it is that Samuel is born to his mother after a direct appeal to God by a previously barren woman! In response to his birth, she dedicates him to the Lord and allows him to be raised in the temple area under the direct supervision of the high priest at that time – Eli.

Young Samuel actually slept in a bed in the Temple of God, where the Chest of God rested [3:3  -  All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted]. One night – as he slept – God called out to him: Samuel, Samuel!

Samuel answered, Yes? I’m here [v.4]. Then he ran to Eli saying, I heard you call. Here I am [v.5]. Eli hadn’t called Samuel. So he sent him back to his bed.

A second time, God called out to the young boy: Samuel, Samuel! [v.6].  Again, Samuel responded by running to Eli. Once again, Eli sent him back to his bed.

A third time, God called out: Samuel, Samuel!  And, of course, once again the boy ran to the high priest. This time, however, Eli realized that it must be God calling to the child. He sent Samuel back to bed with the instructions: Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, GOD. I’m your servant, ready to listen.’

When God called again to Samuel, he responded as he had been taught by Eli, and God delivered a very special message to the boy that would directly impact the high priest and his family.

The point is that Samuel – like all of us – had to learn to discern the voice of God! 

AND HE DID!

Samuel grew up to be one of the greatest judges/prophets of the Old Testament! He anointed both Saul and David as the first kings over Israel! He ministered God’s instructions and grace to the people of Israel for many years.

But like all of us – HE HAD TO LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THE VOICE OF GOD!

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This same message applied to another great Old Testament prophet named Elijah.

Now Elijah did many mighty things at the hand of God! After one of his greatest contests with King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, Elijah killed hundreds of their prophets of Baal and Ashtorah. Then, he was suddenly overcome with fear and fled into the wilderness where God comforted him.

Eventually, God directed Elijah to go to the top of Mt. Carmel with the promise that He would speak to Elijah there.

When he arrived, there was a great hurricane of tremendous wind; but God did not speak through the hurricane.

Then came a great earthquake; but God did not speak through the earthquake.

Finally, a great fire swept across the mountain as Elijah watched from his cave. But God did not speak through the fire.

When everything finally settled down, God spoke to Elijah in a gentle and quiet whisper!

When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great coat and went to the mouth of the cave [I Kings 19.13] where God gave him specific instructions about his future ministry!

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Have you heard the voice of God?

Have you learned to discern His voice?

If, indeed, it is a still, quiet voice – do you ever quiet yourself enough to be able to  hear it?

TAKE NOTE!

God loves you!

When you begin to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit wants to direct your life too!

In spite of the fact that we have free will, we are not here simply to pursue our own agendas. We are here to serve the greater purposes of a kind and gracious God! You can be SURE that He will direct your path in a way that will positively impact others and encourage them to also serve God and His purposes.

Have you realized this yet?

GOD WANTS TO USE YOU TO IMPACT HIS WORLD WITH HIS GRACE AND PEACE!

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Now, go back to bed. And the next time God calls to you, say: SPEAK GOD! I’M YOUR SERVANT – READY TO LISTEN!

God only knows how your responsiveness and obedience might impact those in your sphere of influence!