What’s God Sayin

Over the last several years, I have provided a written tool to help evaluate last year and plan for next year. My son, Jonathan, has kept a digital record of the decision that he and his wife have made. At the same time, I have asked the Lord to give me a phrase or theme for each new year.

When Pam and I are making decisions, both big or small, she ask me this question, “What’s God sayin?”

The question presupposes several different ideas all at once. 

• First, God’s children have the capacity to hear God speaking to them. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3-4 NIV
  • It is my conviction that a true child of God should be able to “hear” Jesus speaking to them. I put the quotes on “hear” because, I do not mean an audible voice, but another internal voice speaking to your spirit. 
  • The most important step that we can help a new believer learn is the ability to discern how the Holy Spirit speaks to them and the obedience to follow His leading.
• Second, God is continually speaking to His children today
  • If you have never gone through Henry Blackaby’s study of Experiencing God, I encourage you to walk through the material with a few others.  His premise is that God is always at work and He invites(speaks) us continually to join Him. His insights will help you tune into what God is saying to you.
• Third, God dialogues with you over the matters of your heart and mind.
  • God is never….never…never too busy for you to talk with Him. He is not on vacation. He is never disinterested. He longs to engage in the matters of your heart
  • Read Psalm 139 slowly and realize that David penned the words for each one of us personally. 
  • Totally amazing that the God who created the heavens and the earth loves us so intimately that He talks with us about the concerns of our lives.
• Fourth, God speaks…
  • In agreement with His word
    • The most important gift that God has provided to learn the tone and content of His voice is the Bible which we refer to as His Word.
    • He always speaks in agreement with His word. He will never ask you to dishonor your parents or “lie to get ahead of others”. Why? Because He has already revealed that we should honor and we should not lie.
  • Through the Holy Spirit
    • Jesus told His disciples to wait for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew they needed the guidance of the Spirit for everything. The Spirit would help them know what to speak and the power to live holy.
    • When Holy Spirit speaks, it is God speaking to you. He also only speaks in agreement with the revealed word of God
  • Through others
    • Holy Spirit grafts each person into the one body of Christ, with Jesus alone being the head. Every joint and part of the body needs one another to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. We can’t do it alone.
    • This means that He ordained a need for others in our lives. AND they need you in their lives. 
    • As each part functions, the body will be healthy. 
    • God uses others to speak to us and will use us to speak to them
  • Through His prophets
    • I believe prophets are still needed and functioning in the body of Christ today – they are one of the 5 fold gifts Jesus gave to the church – So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:11-12.
    • They also speak in agreement with God’s word…that is one of the ways to discern the validity of their statements.
      •  I find it amusing that so many prophets foretold of Donald Trump becoming president again. He did not in 2020 and so many were considered false because their word did not come true…but it did come true in 2024…just later.
    • There is an uncomfortability in words spoken by prophets. This was true in the Old Testament times and its still true today.
      • The Bible helps us by saying the word of a prophet is subject to the prophets. 
      • One voice of a man or woman is not definitive…”Follow me or else” is not the way God speaks.
    • Prophetic words are many times like a line in the sand. They force you to stand on one side or the other…there is no middle ground. 
    • I believe Prophetic words can help us realign to move in the direction that God is moving…in agreement with His word.

Okay, who remembers where we started?  “What’s God Sayin’”

Today’s blog addressed the topic that God is speaking and we have the ability to hear Him.

Over the month of January, I would like to walk with you in discerning the voice of God for the times and seasons in which we are living. Hopefully we can all adjust our steps -both the direction and the cadence – to align with the Holy Spirit’s leading for each of us personally. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 NIV

Today I offer the Year in Review tool “And Jesus Grew” as a gift to prime the pump. Let’s develop the heart of flesh which is responsive to Holy Spirit’s voice. Let our Yes and Amen be full of obedience

Blessings Love y’all