SHHH……GOD IS SPEAKING!

God speaks to His children – that’s us!  God wants to speak to you; in fact He longs to speak to you – are you listening?

If you’re like me, many times you want someone to tell you how to handle an uncomfortable situation or tell you which decision is best.  And who better to show you the way than your Heavenly Father, who has the best plan for your life!

We don’t have to go through life alone.  God wants to guide you and tell you which path is best.  He says in His word, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21.

God loves to answer our prayers.  However, sometimes we’re not tuned into Him and can’t hear His response.  Often when we pray, we think God is going to answer us in a mighty way like He did with Moses on the mountaintop when Moses was given the 10 Commandments – thunder and lightning clapping like symbols!  Usually, though, God speaks to us in a still, small voice, like a whisper floating softly to us over a light breeze, which is why we need to get quiet with God and sit before Him with expectancy that He will answer our prayers.

When we go through life’s storms we need only to lift up our requests in prayer and then listen for our Father – the God of the Universe – to answer.  God wants to speak to you – are you hearing Him?  Are you listening?

In 1 Kings, chapter 19 we find the great prophet, Elijah, running for his life and afraid of the Israelites who had turned to Baal, a popular idol and god of non-believers.  Elijah was lonely and so discouraged that he told God he wanted to die.  He needed to hear from God and be encouraged.  Elijah had gone into a cave to spend the night when he heard from the Lord -

“And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹²  After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”  1 Kings 19:9-13.

It’s interesting that Elijah expected the Lord to speak to him in wind and earthquakes and fire, but instead God came on the petals of a gentle whisper.

God responds and “talks” to us in many ways; through the Bible, through a Christian friend, through a church sermon, and through our prayers.  However, no matter which way God chooses to speak to you, you’ve got to position yourself to be able to hear Him.  You must listen with your human spirit, not your human flesh.  You must dig deeper into God.  The more time you spend with Him and in His word, the more you will hear from Him.

Our choices in everyday life often help us to either grow closer to God or fall a little farther away.  How are you doing in these areas?

Are you watching Christian TV shows or “Keeping up with the Kardashians”?

Are you listening to a Joyce Meyer CD in the car as you drive to work or the grocery store or are you listening to “Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits”?

Are you reading a daily devotional or “The Vampire Diaries”?

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”  Are you keeping “bad company” with what you watch on TV and listen to on the radio?

My purpose in writing this blog is to encourage you to read your Bible and spend more time with God in prayer so you can have a close relationship with Him.  This doesn’t come naturally at first, but with your continued diligence and practice you will be hearing from God on a regular basis and experiencing great benefits from this in your life.

Come before God daily and listen for Him; hear His wisdom.  Step back from your noisy life and get quiet before God who loves you.  He is whispering.  He is speaking to you.  Are you listening?