Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 2
So Lois is asking, does God speak directly to his people today? Oh, I love this question.
Speaker 1
Yeah, it is a great question. And I think it’s one definitely that we might think think it’s easy to think God doesn’t speak with us and that we’re so far from him. But let’s talk about that. So first, we look at the Bible and we don’t see profits all the time, or we compare it to today and we don’t see profits today. Right. I mean, it seems like we’re in a dry spell, you could say, and that’s actually a biblical concept. And you look in the Bible and there were times where prophets were all the time speaking God’s word and speaking to Israel, and then there was this huge dry spell, for example, between the time of rebuilding the temple after leaving Babylon and when Jesus came, there was no Prophet for hundreds of years. And you could say, maybe we’re in a spell like that and still maybe we have people today who are inspired. But if you look at Amos eight, verses eleven to twelve, it says, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.
Speaker 1
They shall stand from sea to sea and from north to east they shall run and to and from seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. So there was a time at least in history, where there’s going to be this huge famine and word of Lord is going to be so hard to find. Fortunately, I think we’re past that point. We are now in this period where we have access to it. God’s word is back. And God says in Joel 2:28-29 says, and it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also my men’s servants and my maid servants will pour out my spirit in those days. So what are those days if you read the Book of Acts? I believe it was Peter who said, hey, we’re seeing this verse and Joel being fulfilled. But I think that was just one time when that was going to happen at the beginning of the Christian Church. And I believe at the end of the Christian Church, before God comes again, we’re going to see that coming again where God’s just going to pour out his spirit abundantly, and we’re going to see the speaking words of God and truth coming out like we’ve never had.
Speaker 1
But that doesn’t mean we can’t hear the word of the Lord today. So how does God speak to us? Well, first and foremost, he speaks to us by his Holy Scripture. So we have Hebrew four, verse twelve, it says, for the word of the Lord is living and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So you might take the Bible just this book. It’s just a static document, and that it’s not doing much, that the Bible is just there. You can do whatever you want with it. No, the Bible is alive. And it’s interesting, there’s other religions. There are like the Sikhs believe that their Holy book is actually alive, and they treat it like a living person in a sense. I’m not saying we take the Bible to that level, but it is alive in the sense that the Holy Spirit helped write it. The Holy Spirit is going to help you interpret it, and it wants to be a part of that process. So when you’re taking in the Bible, you are, in a sense, taking in Jesus, you’re taking in the Holy Spirit, and it’s going to change you and transform you.
Speaker 1
And you could read the same verse 100 times and get impacted a different way every time because of this. So next verse, I want to highlight John five, verse 39. And Wendy, would you like to read this?
Sure.
Speaker 2
You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life. And these are they which testify of me.
Speaker 1
So Jesus here is telling the Scriptures, they’re testifying. I mean, they’re giving witness to Jesus. God wrote it there to tell us about him. This is how he wants to speak to us first and foremost. But how else does he speak to us? So we also can have the Holy Spirit that might more directly intervene and speak to us beyond even what’s in the Bible. There’s John 16:12-13. And it reads, I still have many things to say to you. And this is Jesus speaking to the disciples. He says, but you cannot bear them right now. So Jesus wanted to do in person speak to disciples, but they couldn’t handle it. But he didn’t worry, right? So Jesus says at verse 13, however, when the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority. But whatever he is, he will speak and he will tell you things to come. So Jesus is promising to his disciples, and I believe whatever he promises to the disciples, he’s promising to his disciples, disciples and forever to even us today, the continuation of the discipleship.
Speaker 1
And so if we have that relationship, if we’re listening to that still small voice, God can’t also speak to us, but not always. Again, if God has given us other ways to speak to us, he might not need to speak to the Spirit. But if there’s times where God really needs to intervene, we need to hear him sometimes that will approach he will take. And similarly, God, maybe instead of the Holy Spirit, he might send an angel to do it. So you have Revelation 19:9-10. And this happened to John, the Revelator. And it says, then the angel said to me, Write this, blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. And he added, These are the true words of God. And at this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said, don’t do that. I’m a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus. So this angel is just like as a messenger. And that angel was given. Actually, if you read the very beginning of the book, Revelation, it says, this is a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1
Give it by the Father, who then passed it to Jesus, who then give it to the angel who then gave it to John. You have this whole chain of passing on the message. So it’s cool. God likes to have his creation be involved as much as possible. He doesn’t just cut everybody out and say, don’t worry, I’ll do all of it. No, God gives Angels a role, just like he also gives his people a role. Let’s talk about that. John 13:35, Jesus speaking. He says, by this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. He wants us to be speaking. We’re going to be the ones testifying about Jesus. And our calling card is even how we treat people. And then John 17:20, Jesus says, he’s praying to the Father. He says, I do not pray for these alone, referring to the disciples, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. So we’re going to learn from the disciples. And then we turn around and we’ll testify. Revelation 12:17, it talks about this Dragon that was angry at the woman representing God’s Church, and he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, the people of God Church which kept the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.
Speaker 1
They have the testimony. And yes, part of that testimony is they have the Bible, they have what’s been passed down and their own experiences, their own personal lives can be a part of this testimony. And the Holy Spirit can speak to them what they’ve learned from Angels. Like all this come together. And last but not least, God can also speak to us through nature itself. Romans 1:20, it says, Wendy, would you like to read that? Sure.
Speaker 2
Since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse.
Speaker 1
So there you go. God reveals himself even in nature. There’s been times where I was just looking at the trees and then I saw this gorgeous blue sky, the clouds and the birds, and I just got hit with this reality of there’s this God of amazing love, of beauty, of wisdom. And I was just overwhelmed by it. I got that just by nature and seemed from my eyes what’s there testifying about God. So all sorts of ways God can speak to us today. We just have to pause for a moment, let him speak to us, read his Bible, listen to those around us who by love reflect God nature, so many awesome ways we could connect with him.
Amen.
Speaker 4
And you know how much I believe God speaks to us today and even our relationship. He spoke to us throughout to confirm for us that this is the way we are to go.
Speaker 1
Exactly.
Speaker 4
But God speaks to us. And the more important the matter, the more the louder he often speaks.
Speaker 1
Tina, what are your thoughts?
Speaker 3
You know, I was thinking about how God speaks to us today. And the thing is, I think God speaks us all the time. It’s just if we take the time to listen and I think it’s in the Bible that draw near to the Lord and he will draw near to you because God is not about to force himself on anybody. But if we take the time to find a quiet place and spend time in prayer with him, God will speak to us in a very direct way. And it might like you’re saying, be through his word. It might just be through an inspired thought of a Godly person. It might be in your mind just like the Elijah was on the mountain. It says, God set him up on this mountain. And he said he saw whirlwind, but the Lord was not in the whirlwind. There was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And says, but then a still small voice. And I really believe that we can hear that still small voice. If we just take the time to be open to the Lord and believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him and hear his voice.
Speaker 1
Amen.
Speaker 3
Definitely forgot to speak to me as well. And he speaks to us in dreams, too. And I think that’s another way that the Lord speaks to a lot of people. That’s how I knew my husband was the one. That’s a long story.
Speaker 1
That’s right. You had more an outright vision where you saw things. Right.
Speaker 3
Well, what happened was I was starting to date my husband, and I said, Lord, if this is your world, make it very plain to me. And it was like I just fell into a deep sleep. It was kind of weird. And then in my dream, it was just him and me getting married. And it was just a pastor. And I was like, that’s weird. I always thought I’d have a wedding, like, with people. But it was just him and me the pastor and then a year and a half into a relationship my husband was like, well, I always wanted to just get married with me my wife and a pastor and that’s it. I remember the dream at that point I was like, all right, this is the one and it all worked out so beautifully it’s unreal like the story how God led like the pastor that married us I was friends with and he was friends with at different times and we didn’t even know that we had known each other like my husband and I didn’t know that we both knew the same pastor who both led us back to the Lord in such a beautiful way and it was just such a miracle that it was just so obvious God was leading and it’s just really beautiful that again if you take that time to pray and close to God He’ll very clearly speak to you in multiple ways in different ways yeah.
Speaker 1
Exactly and yeah, for us I think for both of us Wendy and I is more of this Well, Wendy I actually had words spoken to her too but for me it was this firm impression this firm conviction where I just knew I just felt God’s assurance God’s saying like.
Speaker 4
Wendy’s the one so no words or anything but this indescribable firm conviction is the only way I can I had that same kind of thing God just kept giving me that firm conviction that he was the one But I was still resisting it for a long time Because I had been hurt a lot in previous relationships And I was afraid of getting hurt again and so I was like until I know for absolute certain I’m not going to give this guy an inch Because he’ll take a while. I know it. And then one day God spoke to me so clearly it was just like, this is the one let him in like practically shouted it at me and that was the morning of my first date.
Speaker 1
Yeah, God is good. He’s a good matchmaker. Let him do a thing.
Speaker 4
Exactly.
Speaker 3
Amen to that.
For full episode:
https://youtu.be/k0p6PyT5Fps
Would you like to have your question answered live? Submit your question at bibleask.org/live
Visit: https://bibleask.org for answers to hundreds of Bible questions. You may ask a question and get back the answer in your email. You can also make prayer requests and our team would pray for you.
If you like our work, please consider supporting us:
https://secure.bibleask.org/donate/
Follow us on:
https://www.facebook.com/bibleask
https://twitter.com/bibleask
https://instagram/bibleask
https://pinterest.com/bibleask
Share this video with a friend:
https://youtu.be/Z9saLvFH5uA
IN HIS SERVICE
BIBLEASK TEAM
