God Speaks

While reading Acts 10 yesterday I was struck with the truth that God speaks. He spoke to a man named Cornelius about Peter who was in the town of Joppa. God spoke to Peter through a vision and also through the Holy Spirit revealing some men were coming for him.

As I shut the Bible for prayer and meditation, I cried out to God for the supernatural ability to hear Him speak. I yearn for that more than any other prayer request. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, and Paul all clearly heard God when He spoke.

The clearest place to hear God speak is in His word. That's why I get up day after day and read scripture. It is in the hope and prayer that God will speak. He does speak. I wrote previously about how God spoke to me on a back porch of some friends' house through [John 5:17]. That one quiet time will stand forever as spiritual marker in my life. God spoke clearly that afternoon and the effects of that time with the Lord still lingers.

There have been times when I have gotten it wrong. I thought God was speaking one thing and I turned out be wrong. I have also gotten it right a few times. Several years ago I was on a retreat with some college students. Our assignment was to spend one hour with God in prayer mainly listening to him. A girl from our church was there as a high school senior. She had big plans for college. God spoke to me gently about telling her He wanted her to go to Howard Payne University. Howard Payne University is a small school in a pretty small central Texas town. It is not a large prestigious school. I found the girl praying and walked up and delivered the message I felt God had given me and then walked away.

That girl ended up changing her plans and going to Howard Payne. She graduated this past weekend with some outstanding achievements. She made some lifelong friends and Howard Payne proved to be the right choice. She didn't go there just because I relayed a message. God took the message that I gave her and confirmed it in other ways.

On another occasion a man came to my office in west Texas to challenge me to hold a revival at FBC Seminole where I served as pastor. The kicker was he thought I should preach the revival. After days of prayer the Lord spoke to me. He led me to hold and preach the revival. He also instructed me to schedule the revival for ten days but then impressed on me it would last longer. He also gave me specific things to do in preparation for the revival. It lasted twenty-three days. O what glorious days those were. Many were saved including some senior adults and a Sunday School teacher. I never want to forget them and hope that I will live to see such days again before I die. I shudder to think how we could have missed all of it (the salvations and renewal of lives) if I had chosen not to obey what God spoke

I am working my way through the book of Acts and God has spoken clearly on multiple occasions. He spoke to me about the institution of the church from Acts 2. He spoke to me again about the ministries of prayer and preaching the word from Acts 6. He spoke to me about the power of the gospel in Acts 8.  He also spoke to me through Acts 10.

Just like God is always working He is also speaking. Somewhere and to someone God is always speaking revealing His will, communicating new directions, birthing new dreams, and offering words of rebuke and comfort. God speaks.

I for one want to hear everything He has to say to me. I want to hear Him clearly and obey Him promptly. I don't know what God will speak to me next. I am just glad that He speaks. I want to hear from Him for the rest of my life.