God wants to talk to you...did you know that?

I know you're busy and everything, Doctor, but he really does~                                   God really does want to talk to you.

You've just signed on to these Morning Briefings - what are they anyway? A way to get truths from God's Word, applied to our relationship(s) with him and everyday life.  Thousands of these briefings, in written and podcast formats, are archived at www.pastorwoman.com   Currently, I am drawing from the book of Acts, written by Luke, the gospel writer, about what happens after Jesus ascends into Heaven-how God empowers and guides individuals.

One thing I know:  God wants to talk to us.                                                                             He did so through the written Word.  In Acts 10, God significantly expanded Peter's territory.  Heretofore, the Christian church was comprised of Jews only; but now God lets Peter know, in several ways, that his grace was for all people, not just Jews.  God speaks to him in a vision and a quiet voice ... again, Acts 10.

Personally, I did not grow up in a faith that taught that God still speaks today, but as the years have gone by and my vistas have expanded,                                                                                       I do indeed believe that God speaks ... today.   

                               And, he has something to say-to you and to me.  You know, God sends us mentors to teach and train us up in matters of the Bible, prayer and living the Christian life.  Most of my mentors I have never met-several are deceased now in fact; no matter, I will meet them all one day, of that I am confident1.   

When I teach on hearing God's voice, the looks on faces are really telling.  Some people just can't believe that anyone could 'hear' from God, and that if folks say they do, well, they might be a little strange or possibly hearing voices which they want to ascribe to God or something else.  After all, we live in a day and time that has cultivated the notion that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who believes.  Ha, you can almost be a cabbage and be respected, as long as you doubt.2                                                   Isn't that the truth?

But once again, as in most things in our lives, it all goes back to what you and I believe about God, and who he is.  God created us for communion with him.  Communion or relationship involves communication-two-way communication.  So Friend, don't you see?            God speaks to those with whom he has relationship.

Therefore, we seek to hear from God because we long for closeness with him; it is a by-product.  Our desire to hear his voice is evidence of our love for him.  One can easily see into the heart of Brother Lawrence who said,                  

 "There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful                          

                           than that of a continual conversation with God.                                                   Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it;                                         yet I do not advise you to do from that motive.

It is not pleasure which we ought to seek in this exercise; but let us do it from a principle of love, and because God would have us."3

Communication with my friends and colleagues takes place through voicemail, e-mail, text-message, personal conversations, knowing facial expressions, eye contact, emotions, letter writing, and physical contact like hugs, pats on the back and kisses.  God also uses different forms of communication:  Creation - Paul wrote, "What may be known about God is manifest [made known] in them, They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."4

The psalmist talks further about the heavens declaring God's glory - that is, speaking to us about the nature of the Creator.5

God revealed himself through the birth of Jesus Christ.  Is there any louder statement than the giving of his only Son to communicate to mankind?  No indeed not.  Oh, how I love him!  Therefore it is to be expected, given the revelation of God in Christ, that if he wants us to know something, he will be both able and willing to communicate it to us plainly, just as long as we are open and able to hear .... 

God wants to talk to you ...

            Are you prepared to hear him?  Do you have relationship with him?

                        He will talk to you from the pages of his word as you read~

                        He may speak to you in a dream~

                        He has certainly revealed his great love for you in a very

                                    loud statement named Jesus!

God wants to talk to you . . . he really does.

 

1 - [In my mind's eye, I can see a few curious faces-hey, tell us who they are--Jim Cymbala and Lee Strobel lead the pack, followed by Dallas Willard, Anne Graham Lotz, Gordon MacDonald, Josh McDowell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mark Batterson and Priscilla Shirer

2 - Hearing God, Dallas Willard - brilliant!

3 - Brother Lawrence, Practicing the Presence of God

4 - Romans 1.19-20

5 - Psalm 19.1-4