Samson's Jawbone

Recently I had a friend call me for counsel about a problem at their work. A few days later they called me to tell me that God had told them how to handle the matter, which was different from my biblically based counsel. I said to them, "Oh really, tell me about that." The person then described a restless night full of dreams, through which they said that God had redirected them. This is an experience all too common in pastoral counseling. People believe that God directs them through an encounter  rather than through conforming their lives to God's Word. How do we hear the voice of God? Does God speak to us today? The scripture is clear that God directs and often redirects our experience:           [3] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness. for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3ESV) [9] The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9ESV) [7] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, a...

Several Years ago, the speaker at a conference I attended related his experience with someone who believed in private revelations.   While he was travelling to speak at yet a different conference, his wife received a call from the Vice President of one of North America's prominent Christian University's, he related the conversation like this: When his wife, Betty [a pseudonym], answered the phone, the caller identified himself as Dr. Mort [my pseudonym] of the university, and asked to speak to her husband whom we will call Dr Johns [also my pseudonym]: "Hello, this is Dr. Mort," of the prominent Christian university "is Dr. Johns available." "No," said Betty, "he's out of town on a speaking engagement. [This was before the cell phone era.] I can relay a message to him and have him call you." "Oh, that would be great! ...Would you let him know that I, and a group of our faculty, have been fasting and praying for a month, in our la...