hearing god

Praise God!!! Matt Massey spoke as one with authority this morning teaching about hearing God. This stands in sharp contrast to the sad claim by the Pyro gang that "prayer is what you say to God" and Scripture is what He says to us.

Contrary to the satisfaction MacArthurites find in silencing God, we want to be a people that daily converse with God. Not only is it possible, but it is also not something limited to "the pastor", the foreign missionary, or some privileged few. This is available necessary for all of His children.

In Genesis 35, we see that Jacob has come a long way since uttering those sad words, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it" (Ge 28.16). He understand that God is alive and speaking.

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” - Ge 35.1

We don't need to wonder if it was audible. We don't need to ask what language it was in. We don't need to concern ourselves with whether it was a deep James Earl Jones voice or a squeaky Chris Rock voice. The bottom line - God spoke - only one of the many wondrous ways God reveals Himself. God was and is near.

The first time this happened to Jacob, he named the place Bethel, the house of God. Here in Ge 35, Jacob now speaks of El-bethel, God of Bethel, or God of the house of God. God is the God that reveals Himself to His people. It is His nature to do so. Scripture is teaching us not only God's will but also His ways. Jacob has come to a place where God speaking to him is not about a specific place, it is about God. Or, addressing MacArthurites reading this, it is not a specific time in history, it is about God.

Where/when is Bethel to you? Do you allow God to speak at all? Is your heart, mind, spirit ever quiet enough to hear Him? Do you take any time to listen? Is it only at some building you call Church? Are walls, borders, activities defining for you Bethel? Are you limiting Him to written pages?

In John 16 we see that this is not some unusual Old Testament activity. Jesus left to send the Helper to us. As the Holy Spirit dwells within us, He will speak. And He will "speak" what he "hears". Again, MacArthurites would like to limit this to something like "the Spirit reads Scripture and magically points us to it but then it's really not that magically because all of this is dependent on our studying and learning Scripture so really all He does is remind us or whatever" ... The more I listen to these guys the more I wonder what Bible they are reading.

This isn't a promise that the Spirit will come to the Apostles so they can write Scripture and then the Spirit will leave. It is that the Holy Spirit will now come to all believers to day-by-day, moment-by-moment point us toward Christ and toward Christ-likeness. And this is true in all that is the Father's (v. 15).

You and I are now Bethel. We are the house of God. He is the God of the house of God. His word is written and yet He speaks! This is His way that is revealed in Scripture. Prayer is now not our check list to God; it's our chance to hear from Him. That's why we need to and can pray without ceasing (1 The 5.17).

Personal relationship with God does not look like reading the Bible as an instruction book. That reduces it to something on the order of an automobile owners manual. Our Dad, Abba Father, talks to us. He did not die leaving us a will and and a list of instructions. He blessed us with His letters of love and His Spirit to dwell within us - and the Spirit is speaking, not just making us feel warm.

Massey always likes to leave us with principles. Here are three.

First, check motives, i.e., why do we want to hear from God? Is it just to predict our future? That's wrong! We are to approach God to know Him. His is our topic of interest not us. We are wanting to know Him more, not ourselves. Our desire is to grow in intimacy with Him and to know His heart.

"So long as there is some thought of personal advantage, some idea of acquiring the praise and commendation of men, it will be simply impossible to find out God's purpose concerning us." - Frederick B. Meyer, The Secret of Guidance.

Second, Scripture trumps, i.e., Scripture is the primary way God speaks. It is also the plumb-line against which to evaluate all other revelation. But Scripture is not the only way that God speaks to His people.

Finally, how we view God effects our dialogue with Him. It is within His nature, character and ability to speak with us. He gave us a love letter filled with instruction. He didn't leave us instruction and then leave.

I thank God for the God of the Bible not the god of the MacArthurites.