Journey into Faith
Hearing the Voice of God: The Word and the Spirit-Part 2
In our series on Hearing the Voice of God, a foundation was laid in the first article, The Foundation-Part 1, in which we saw that the first witness of God's voice is found in creation—the heavens and the earth. It is a silent one, "no speech, no words...Yet their voice goes out into all the earth." (Psalm 19:1,3 NIV)
We also learned that in order to begin hearing God's voice, we need to be born into his family. (John 3:3 NIV). This birth brings us into a personal relationship with the Father. From there we begin the natural process of spiritual growth.
Finally we saw that we must become intentional in our practice of hearing His voice. We open our spiritual ears and listen for Him in everyday life. We expect Him to speak, and in our expectation, He does speak.
In this article, we will begin looking at specific ways in which God speaks to His children.
Hearing the Voice of God: The Foundation (part 1)
Most believers have asked this question at some point: Is God really speaking to me—or is it just my own thoughts? Some even ask if God still speaks at all. Still others, who believe that He does speak, wonder how they can recognize His voice. These are questions that have been in the hearts of seekers for generations, because the longing to hear God is as old as humanity itself.
When God Invites us into His Heart
Most Christians would say that to know God is the deepest desire of their hearts. Jesus Himself defined eternal life in these terms: “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 NIV) But what does it really mean to know God?
Meeting the Untamed God
“Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
The truth of Lewis’ words became reality to me one summer afternoon in my late twenties. That morning I had been teaching English at a local high school, a career that I loved and had dreamed about since my childhood. When I arrived home around noon, I intended to go straight to the kitchen to prepare my lunch, but as I was entering the house, I felt a gentle yet unmistakable tug in my spirit. A very clear thought came to my mind—skip lunch and pray.
Is There a Difference Between Reality and Truth?
What do we do when everything we can see, hear, and measure seems to contradict what God has promised? This tension—between what feels undeniably real and what God declares to be true—is one of the great stumbling blocks in the Christian walk.
Can anything good come out of suffering?
It has been said that suffering is the strongest argument that Satan has against the goodness of God. At first glance, that argument seems to have some merit. After all, we know from our own human experience that it would be unnatural for loving parents to allow their children to suffer if they could prevent it. How much more, then, would a good and loving Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things, desire to abolish suffering by a simple act of His will? Yet, suffering remains an undeniable reality of life on earth.