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...

After speaking on how to hear God's voice at a church where I was providing regular pulpit supply, an Elder contacted me the following week, furious about what I had said. "I can't believe what you said," he said, "that all we need to make decisions is the Holy Spirit and the illuminated Word of God." Another active member in the church said that my view on divine personal guidance amounted to "blasphemy of the Spirit," and that I should repent or be forever condemned. Yet, for some reason they continued to invite me back to speak. Yet no one was able to refute the points I was making biblically. The Word of God is the voice of God. The scripture is clear, that God has given us His Word, the Bible, to be our guide and His Holy Spirit to empower us to live godly lives: [3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has g...

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...

Many years ago, I visited my primary care physician about a medical problem. He examined me thoroughly, ran a battery of test and referred me to a specialist. After yet another thorough examination and a review of the data from my primary doctor, the specialist diagnosed my problem saying, "After 30 years of practicing medicine in this state and reviewing the test data I am 99% certain based on my experience that you have ..., but I want to run more tests to be sure." How is that an accomplished physician who had been an expert in his field for over 30 years and who knew how to interpret the data needed to confirm his own educated opinion and vast experience? Perhaps My doctor understood that the best most qualified practitioner can be 99% certain about what their experiences and be 100% wrong. It is possible to be sincerely wrong about your impressions and what you think is "the voice of God." Our experience with God is not revelation, it is not his voice to us, as...

A friend of mine once told me how God told her whom she was to marry. When her car broke down on a traffic-circle near the Chrisian college campus she attended, she knew that a man, a fellow student, who had romantic interests in her would likely be following the same route on his way to work. She "put out a fleece" asking God to confirm whether she should pursue a relationship and marriage with the man. She prayed that God would lead him to pass her, stop, and rescue her from her distress, if he was the man, she was supposed to marry. In this way God would speak to her about his purpose for the relationship. Within minutes of her prayer the young man did pass, saw her, stopped, started her car and went on to work. Nearly a year later they were married in the college chapel. It was hardly a "happily ever after" story. The marriage was troubled from the start. The young man had substance abuse issues, practiced criminal activity and was involved in multiple extra-mar...

  Just before Labor Day of 2012 my wife, youngest son, and I completed our move from Vestal, NY to Indianapolis IN. After a long day of unloading a truck and unpacking things I sat down to watch our first local news broadcast. The first complete news item we saw was of a raging house fire where a young mother and her infant had been trapped. A neighbor walking the street saw the fire, knowing that both mother and child were in the house, she rushed into the inferno to rescue the victims. She successfully saved the infant, but the blaze was too intense for her to return to aid the mother. The local media focused their story on her heroic action. The correspondent asked, "What caused you to rush into that blazing fire?"  The woman responded, "I was walking down the street and God said, 'You run in there and rescue that baby!' I'm a Christian, and Christians need to hear God when he speaks. People die when we don't obey God's voice."  While I agree ...