Does God Speak Today?
There’s an age-old discussion: Does God speak to individuals today, or is everything we need to know found in His Word? I would say the answer to that is both. It’s true that everything we need for life and godliness can be found in the Bible, but I have seen Him lead in personal ways as well.
The Bible has clear guidelines for how we are to live, the kind of people we should hang around, what God requires of His children, etc. If we are not doing the things He has already told us to do, then it is futile to ask for personal direction. However, for those who are full of His Spirit, He can give the wisdom needed for decisions you need to make.
For instance, if you are looking for a job, God can open and close the doors, but He can also warn you if you’re about to apply for a job that will not be good for you. He might know that the business will be closing down in six months or that the environment would not be good for your spiritual well being.
If you are looking to get married, He can make you aware that the person you are considering has a temper or won’t be faithful to the marriage covenant. These are things you may not see, but He does.
That said, He will never direct you to do anything that goes against His Word. I’ve heard cases where people insisted that God told them to divorce their spouse and marry someone else. God won’t tell you to do that because it goes against what Jesus taught about marriage. He won’t tell you to steal or to kill someone because He’s forbidden those things in the Ten Commandments.
I’ve had complaints from women who wondered why God allowed them to marry porn addicts or abusers instead of stopping them. In at least one of those cases, I talked with the lady before she married, and she had concerns; she just chose to overlook them. God will not usually physically stop you from making a decision; you will need to be listening for His still, small voice. And, when you hear it, you should take the way of escape. If you don’t, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Since we are human and often distracted with other things, it is possible to not hear God’s voice clearly. I believe this is one reason that people assume God doesn’t speak today. But I will also mention that if you make a decision that ends up being difficult, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you did not hear God’s voice. That would be a good time to do some soul-searching just in case, but it’s possible that God still wants you where you are for a reason. If you felt God’s leading, you will need to cling to that when everything in you wants to quit. Remember, though, that to everything there is a season, so be in prayer to know when that season is over.
The bottom line is this: If it doesn’t go against scripture and you haven’t heard a definite No from the Lord, you are not sinning by choosing what looks to be the best course of action. But if you are in tune with the Spirit, you will be right where God wants you which is the best place you can be.
Overcoming Pride with Thanksgiving
Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. ~Ezekiel 16:48
A few days ago I texted a friend to see how she was doing. She replied that God was showing her the pride that was in her heart but that He was weeding it out, for which she was thankful. We in America have so much, yet I believe it is that abundance that has made us proud. We complain about what we don’t have while the reality is that we lack for nothing.
Another friend posted on Facebook today about his work among homeless people. When he returned home, he noticed some of his blessings that many take for granted. He said he didn’t feel guilty, but he was thankful. I think gratitude is a big key.
James 1:17 tells us:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
We don’t have anything that our Father hasn’t provided for us. Sure, we may have bought it with our hard-earned money, but without God’s mercy, we could lose our jobs. Everything we have could be destroyed in a moment. Our blessings truly do come down from the Father of lights, and we need to not take them for granted
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to listen to the words that come out of your mouth. When you find yourself tempted to complain, switch gears and ask God to show you something for which you can be thankful. Let’s not be grumblers and complainers like the Israelites. Instead, let’s be a people of praise and thanksgiving, encouraging others and looking for ways to serve those who are poor and needy.
CD Report: Season for Believing (John Darin Rowsey)
I rarely buy Christmas recordings anymore since everyone seems to record the same songs. Last year, John Darin Rowsey released a solo Christmas CD featuring twelve original songs, eleven of which were written or co-written by John.
Songs included are: Christmas Day, Season for Believing, Down in Bethlehem, Who Came When Jesus Came, If It’s Christmas (with the Guardians), Mary Had a Baby, Light in the Window, Welcome Little Baby, Christmas and Family, Joy Has Come to the World (with Nancy Banfield and Pam Hall – formerly known as New Journey), Emmanuel, and We Need a Little Love.
YOU Be Faithful
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” ~John 21:22
For quite a while now, I have been burdened by the state of the Church as well as those I know who are not walking with the Lord. As I intercede for others, the Holy Spirit reminds me that my job is to be faithful. It is good, and even imperative, that we have a burden for the lost and look for opportunities to share our faith, but our words will fall on deaf ears if we are not living victorious Christian lives ourselves.
Throughout my life, I have been aware that others may be watching me. Whether in public or at home with my five younger siblings, I never wanted to do anything that might cause someone to head down the wrong path. My siblings are grown now, but I still feel that responsibility. And now I have nieces and nephews to make that feeling even stronger.
Although we are responsible for sharing the truths of God’s Word, we are not responsible for others’ actions. When you arrive in God’s presence on the day of judgment, He will evaluate YOUR faithfulness. He will want to know if YOU have been righteous, if YOU obeyed His commands. So don’t stop preaching and sharing with others what God has done for you, but as you do so, make sure that you are living the life that you are telling others to live.
Push Back the Pendulum
It’s sad to me that there is more emphasis today on God’s forgiveness than there is on the need for holiness. I understand the desire to reach out to sinners and assure them that God can forgive them no matter what they’ve done. There is a need for that. I also know that it’s important to extend hope to the Believer who lost his way for a time and now worries that God will have nothing to do with him. We are doing a disservice when we preach forgiveness without repentance, however.
Stories are told about preachers of old who would speak of hell fire and brimstone. No doubt some decided that there needed to be a balance, and so began the lighter preaching that we have today. Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far the other way. We should be preaching love and judgment, forgiveness and righteousness. The aim should not be to scare people into the Kingdom, but neither should we coddle those whose hearts are not where they need to be with the Lord.
I have come to appreciate churches who preach through the Bible since it makes it harder to gloss over the portions of Scripture that we would rather not talk about. I miss songwriters like Keith Green who challenged people not to be Asleep in the Light. We are living in an age of overall apathy and contentedness. I would like to challenge us all to dig into the Word, go back to the absolutes as the Freemans sang, learn what is right and what is wrong. God does forgive, and I am so thankful for that, but He first calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. If you are a pastor, worship leader, evangelist, or a layperson who has opportunities to share your faith, be sure that you are presenting a balanced message so that your listeners understand what it really means to be a Christian.
CD Report: Ever Faithful (Jim & Melissa Brady)
About a year ago, Jim & Melissa Brady released their first recording since becoming a duet, and it just might possibly be my favorite CD that Daywind released in 2021. Featuring all new songs co-written by Jim and/or Melissa, you will find this to be musically diverse. From progressive praise and worship to Great God of My Joy which has a black Gospel feel to it, everyone should find a song that they like.
Other songs include: To the King; Welcome; Jesus Stays; Good Things; He Will Carry You; Thunder, Ever Present, Ever Faithful; Covered; and When We All Get Home.
Strengthen Your Feeble Knees
I am constantly reading through the Bible, but I like to use a different Bible version each time I read. I cycle back around to some of the same ones, but breaking it up helps to notice verses that are easy to read over when I have them memorized. The latest verse that jumped out at me is Hebrews 12:12-13. The New King James reads as follows:
Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
I’ve always read this to refer to others, that it is my job to help encourage those who are downtrodden. Reading the same verses in the NLT the other day gave these verses a whole new meaning:
So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.
How many people feel ill-equipped to help others because they are struggling themselves? I get there easily. That shouldn’t stop us from reaching out to others, however. I think it’s important for weaker Christians to realize that everyone struggles. I have looked at others at times and wanted to be like them because they seem so strong in their faith, and some do better than others at holding on to strength, but we don’t see the fears and insecurities that may lie underneath the surface. If you, like me, find yourself struggling more than you think you should after walking with God for so many years, don’t give up. Strengthen your tired hands and your shaky legs and keep trudging the straight and narrow path so that others can find it and easily follow. Who knows? Maybe someone will catch up to you and help to carry you a while as you catch your breath. Regardless, we owe it to those following us to find us faithful so they do not become weary and lose heart.
Navigating Relationships
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ~2 Timothy 3:12
I hate it when people judge my motives or don’t understand a situation which I am not at liberty to explain in full. It’s hard when others have an idea of how they think a Christian should respond to such a case and, in their view, I am not doing the “Christian” thing. I am honest about the areas that I know I struggle in, but I fight hard to honor God in the way that I interact with other people. It’s just that everything is not so cut and dry. Following are some things that I have wrestled with through the years that not everyone will agree with, but I hope they encourage someone who feels as though they have failed someone. You may have … but not necessarily.
1) A relationship requires two people to make it work, but it only takes one person to tear it down.
2) Truth is not always in the middle. Sometimes one person is straight out lying.
3) Despite popular opinion, forgiveness does not always mean reinstating a relationship. It is important to forgive. Definitely. But sometimes you have to release a person into God’s hands and realize that you cannot help him or her. You cannot be everyone’s savior, so it’s important to know who God has placed in your life and who He hasn’t.
4) Sometimes bad things really do happen to good people. OK. We all know that no one is really good, but you understand what I mean. God can and does discipline His children, but you cannot judge your relationship with God based on your circumstances. Evaluate it, sure, but if you are at peace in your walk, know that sometimes God allows things to happen that you will never understand this side of Heaven. This does not make Him less good than He has ever been. If anything, it is a time to draw closer to Him than ever before and allow Him to comfort you and help you to grow evermore in trusting Him.
Back to my opening statement: You can’t expect everyone to understand every decision that you make in life. Rumors may fly as people judge you more harshly than they should. It’s hard not to be hurt during those times. These are the seasons you find out who your friends really are, and it may be painful to realize you don’t have as many as you thought you did. Keep going to the Word. Pray for God’s guidance. If you are convinced that you are doing what God is asking of you, don’t look back. Keep clinging to His hand and let Him fight your battles. It’s human to want to fight back or justify yourself, but sometimes it’s best to not answer a fool according to his folly (Proverbs 26:4).
I wish you well as you learn from the Father the best way to navigate your sticky relationships.
Keep Standing
Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ~2 Timothy 2:22
I was told of a man who had a sin issue. He had reportedly prayed for years, asking God to take away the desire to sin but, since it hadn’t happened, he came to the conclusion that God must be OK with it. Otherwise, the man was convinced that he would magically stop sinning. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have heard similar beliefs. People criticize Adam and Eve for blaming others for their sin, but even they knew better than to blame God.
In the above verse, Paul tells Timothy to flee youthful lusts and to pursue righteousness. That is the crux of Christianity, the part that makes us different from the world. If it were easy to stop sinning, more people would do so. The fact is that sin is constantly dangled on a string in front of us until it looks overwhelmingly tasty so that many lose their self-control and go after those youthful lusts which lead them straight to the gates of Hell. Some see what’s coming and turn around before they get there, but many refuse to see the warning signs until it is too late.
God is not a genie whose job is to obey our commands. He created us with minds, wills, and emotions. When you become His child, He begins to change your heart and your desires, but you have got to surrender those things to Him. You have to be willing to take the path of escape that He provides. If you don’t, He is not going to force you to do so.
The Bible is full of instructions for God’s children. It frustrates me when professing Christians excuse behavior or don’t believe that God really meant things that are clearly outlined in His Word. The Church needs to wake up and pursue righteousness! Don’t just open the door if it happens to show up; go hunt it down. Find people who have it and learn how to get it for yourself. The Christian life is not a passive existence; it is an active war. We need to be arming ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, the helmet of salvation, and the breastplate of righteousness. Don’t wait until the fiery darts of temptation are cast your way. Start now to equip yourself to stand. Then, having done all, keep standing.
What Do You Believe about God?
I have come to the conclusion that how you view God can greatly affect whether you stand or fall when trials come.
I have lost track of how many church leaders have fallen in the last several years. Whether they have turned their backs on Scripture, their families, or God Himself, I have struggled to understand why. If we don’t know where others are going wrong, how can we be sure to stay on the straight and narrow path ourselves?
I was visiting some friends a couple of weeks ago when the lightbulb came on.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John 2:19)
