In the Details

Luke‬ ‭12:6-7‬,23-24 - Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

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God is in control of all things, even the little things of each of our lives, if we take the time to acknowledge it and look for it. Some may say some things are coincidence, others it's just "luck." But then there's the word that comes out of the scripture above. The very hairs on our head are numbered. He's in the smallest of details. He puts things together, holds things together, raises up and takes down, sees to every facet of life in all places, all manners, all things. It takes faith to believe this. 

If He has a place in your life you will recognize these moments. It can be comforting. If you recognize God's voice, His Holy Spirit, you can be used by Him. That is an exciting thing. To speak into someone's life, to encourage, to bless by word or deed. Anyone can do this without knowing God. When God "issues the orders" it's even more special. 

There were a couple of situations this past week where He had to have been in the details because what could have been annoyances, even a bad experience, came to good ends. God gives wisdom when needed and just sets things in place. 

This was posted on Facebook and it's worth a view. This is a woman who knows the still small voice of God that comes to our spirits from His. If we do what He urges us, we do it in faith. We won't always know the outcome like this woman experienced, but sometimes God likes to reveal these things. Perfect example of faith. Let me add, things like this don't happen like this every day either, it there may be multiple small things that we don't even realize we do that He's in the midst of. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

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Yes, God's in the details. In all the details of life. Who says He can't  raise up kings (leaders) and depose them? He tells us He does. I'm not going to argue with Him! He's the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I will put my trust and faith in Him over any man. Not any man, but The Man. But we must first believe that He is able. Able to do all and more than we could ever imagine. He is in the details.

1Peter 5:7 - Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Listening for God?

1Kings 19:12 - ...and after...a still small voice.

There's an account in the Old Testament about the prophet Elijah. He had been warning the people of Israel, and this is just as relevant today as it was then, about worshiping anything other than God.

He'd been faithful to speak the words God had given him to relay to these people. They weren't listening; they weren't hearing God's voice through this prophet. He was tired. What's more, Israel was threatening to kill him if he didn't stop. He stole away for safety and to complain to God that his work had not panned out. He needed a word from God for himself. 

He was met in the desert by an angel of the LORD. He was told to search out a certain mountain and he would experience God's presence. So Elijah traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he came to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God, where he would have this encounter. The next day he was told to go to the top of the mountain and stand there and wait. God would pass by. As the account states:

1Kings 19:11-12 - and behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the  LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice.

I'm often curious about the disasters in the world. Could it be He wants us to warn us? The warning might be that He has told us in His Word that days like we are now seeing will precede Jesus' second coming. Could these things be considered the voice of God? Like we read above, He is not in the strong wind, earthquake or fire, but it's after these things...that still small voice that comes out of the disaster as a warning.

With the world so filled with noise and busyness, with radios and televisions, CDs and the everyday racket of phones, cars, trucks and the endless barrage of people talking (loud enough for everyone to hear) on cell phones everywhere, is it any wonder we can't hear Him? I know many do not want to hear, do not like quiet, do not want to understand the things of God. But for those of you who are curious....

Have you ever wondered if you've heard Him? Try spending time without all the clutter of noise around you. Try quieting your environment and try listening. You might just hear Him. You might be surprised to find He's been wanting to get your attention for awhile but you've not allowed yourself to slow down and be in a quiet place.

I love my quiet time. A lot of people know this. When I'm alone I'm always in some sort of discussion, whether it's with God or myself thinking about Him, maybe a form of talking to Him. Sometimes these discussions produce a blog! 

I like to take a few days every so often and just drive the back roads of Wisconsin. No radio, no CD. Horrors, some might say. No music? No talk radio? Yes, just the quiet and God's creation...and a camera. I covet these times too. His voice is very quiet on these road trips...sometimes all I sense is His magnificent artistic style in what I see. He doesn't need to say anything! It's all right there for me to see. I can recall what His Word tells me about His creation. I might sense a voice showing me where to look.

In a book I'm reading for Sunday school called The Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels, he tells us that Elijah met with God through His creation and it changed his life forever. Like the event from 1Kings above, our lives can be impacted by a word that is just perfect for us to understand this amazing God we have. Elijah found out two things about Him: He's relational and He is near. Listen to more that Hybels writes:

He's all-powerful, yes. He is righteous and holy too. He is sovereign, he is majestic, he is magnificent, he is just. But what stunned Elijah on the side of that mountain--and what will stun you someday if it hasn't already--is that the same God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-everything, yearns to be in relationship with us. The God of the Scriptures is irrepressibly communal, hopelessly familial, and his whispers are still ours to hear. 

Imagine that. He wants to talk to us. He created us for this very reason...and the people of Israel tuned Him out. They wouldn't listen to Him; not even through someone else. Are you listening? Do you long to hear His voice?

Doesn't this pique your interest? To hear the voice of God? Wouldn't you like to know what He has to say to you? I remember that this was the one thing that sold me on going to church one Sunday. Little did I realize that I had had a form of desperation that afternoon. I was drawn to church the next morning and I received Him. I heard His voice in church through the words of the pastor and life's never been the same.

We can hear His voice in the smallest of things. It doesn't have to be a booming voice that will knock you to your feet. I believe it can even be in the small things that happen around us, like in His creation. He can be seen and heard in it all. But He especially wants to whisper to you. Spending time in prayer can bring a word if you can silence yourself and listen instead of always wanting to speak. He wants your attention so He can talk to you. Listen, do you hear Him? What is He telling you? 

His Word is a good place to "hear" Him speak also! Receive the Word of God with an open heart. Receive the Lord and His Spirit will help you to hear His voice. He will show you what you need to know, help you understand the things of life. Listen to what He has to say. Could He be talking to you?

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? ...blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear... (Jeremiah 6:10, Matthew 13:16)

God's Relentless Whispers

1Kings 19:12 - and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 

Well, this is quite late in getting written. It's still as powerful today as when it all happened. It was a wonderful day last Sunday at church. I could feel the Spirit of God. I'm amazed, will never cease to be amazed either, how He works. Quite often our Sunday school class parallels or mimics the sermon. It's not like our pastor and Sunday school teacher collaborate either.

During class Tom, our teacher, asked Chris to tell us about a progression of things that happened to him. Chris told us how he had been a hard rock musician and wanted nothing to do with God. When he came to Christ, in a moment of elation, he said he would use his singing and talent to sing for Him. Later he changed his mind. And he did not! Years passed.

A year or so ago one of his daughters asked him when he was going to do as he said about singing for the Lord. He wouldn't talk about it. It obviously was hard for him to even talk about it now. A short time later Tom felt led to call Chris and tell him he thought he should use his talents for the Lord, not knowing his daughter had already spoken the same words! Again Chris didn't want to talk about it. 

As his story progressed Chris shared how last summer an incident occurred that caused him to reconsider, not realizing that in the end God would heal him of some old wounds. Chris knew what he had been, done and sang. For years he clung to the guilt of what he had been and couldn't imagine God would want to use the talents he'd been given to glorify Him. He was too ashamed, too bruised. He recorded the song into his home answering machine since he didn't have all the fancy recording equipment! And the healing began. God spoke to him.

All that to say God speaks to us in so many ways. He can use a song, friend (Tom), spouse, child (daughter) or His own Word. You can look at His creation and He might speak volumes. I'm convinced He speaks to all of us but many don't hear or don't recognize His voice. A thought that comes into our head might very well be His. I have to say that a few times I have heard what was an actual voice. I could have sworn it was someone standing right behind me when no one was there! It was not my thinking voice; and it was a solid word. Before I knew Christ I wept when someone told me she heard God speak. I wanted that. And the next day I received it!

I believe one of the most common voices God uses is the still, small voice. It's barely audible, a whisper of sorts. That's the voice Pastor Rory Grooters spoke about. It's the voice we can be unsure of at times. 

He told us about five filters that come from the book, The Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels, we can use to judge if it is God's voice...the Holy Spirit: 

Question if this is the urging of God...1John 4:1-6 (Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God...)

Does it line up with scripture...2Timothy 3:16 (All Scripture is given by inspiration of God...)

Is it wisdom for my life...James 1:5 (If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God...) various Proverbs regarding wisdom

Is it in tune with who I am...1Corinthians 14:32 (And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.)

What do trusted Christian friends think...1Corinthians 14:29 (Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.)

And Pastor Rory added one of his own: Does it stick and stay and won't go away? God is relentless in His pursuit of us and what He desires for us to be and do. 2Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. He knows what we are capable of and it is His desire to see us do it. If it is His will, He won't back down.

Pastor talked about the prophet Elijah and how he was dedicated in his work for God but when he heard that there were those out to kill him, he shrunk back. He went off by himself pleading with God to let him die. He was having a little pity party with himself.  God told him to arise and eat because he needed his strength and asked what he was doing in that place. Elijah explained how he had been zealous for Him and done mighty things for Him but now someone wanted his life. 

God asked him to go stand on a certain mountain where He would meet with him. As Elijah did winds blew, the earth quaked and fires raged but God was not in any of them. It wasn't until after the fire that a still, small voice could be heard. It was God again asking him what he was doing there. Elijah repeated his tale of woe. God told him to go back where he came from and do as He told. About this time Elijah had to have known that God had not abandoned him and would not certainly allow his life to be in jeopardy. 

Is this how we react sometimes in our lives when insecurities, doubt, fear, or discouragement hit? I can tell you unequivocally yes! I went through it last week...insecurities, doubt, even a touch of fear, partly relating to what I thought was my not be hearing God's voice and that I wasn't good enough! I felt ashamed as I went through my own pity party. 

Before Sunday's service I spoke with a woman I'd not seen in awhile. She was just leaving and obviously the sermon was still running through her mind. Of all the things we could have talked about, she just had to share something with me. She, too, had questioned whether she had heard the Holy Spirit's nudging  for her to say something to someone...which she did with a good outcome. As she related the incident tears began to form in my eyes. God was already doing something in me and between her little story and the message I was about to hear that morning, and our Sunday school class, I believe God had a right now word for me. He used all these things to help me realize I have been hearing His voice, but rather doubting it.

Pastor spoke about how God knows our name. He has our name written on the palm of His hand. Like with Elijah He will listen to our complaints but He'll also tell us to go back where we came from and He will be there for us. He is the same God who called out our name to join in fellowship with Him. If we are in Christ we are a new creation... We heard His voice then and it hasn't changed. It's our selective hearing that gets in our way. We need to remember a time when we heard Him speak and He worked something marvelous into our lives. 

Like sheep know the voice of their shepherd, we know (or should) our Shepherd's voice. If the fears creep in it might be we have allowed other voices to replace His. We need to realize that He will never leave us or forsake us. We need to remember He knows us each by name. Imagine how many names He knows and each one is as important as the next!

He has given us His Spirit. His Spirit is there to nudge and remind and teach. It's that still, small voice.

John 16:13 - However, when He, 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 hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.