So much noise.

Too much information.

Bombarded by distractions….

and then God’s voice breaks through.

Clear.

Strong…..

making more sense than all the chaos around me.

One of my favorite images of God comes from the story that Jesus tells us in the 10th chapter of John about the Good Shepherd.  “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them on.  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.

I’m one of his sheep. I recognize his voice.  How?

It’s simple but not easy.  After reading the entire Bible 13 times, I know when God is speaking to me because he is speaking his words – the words I have read over and over.  I recognize his truth because I have seriously studied the Bible for over 30 years.  I’m not a pastor or a theologian.  I’m just an average person who really wants to hear God and know the truth.

I have been asked, “How do you know it’s God and not just your own voice telling you what you want to hear?”  When what I hear lines up with what I’ve read and studied in God’s word, I have no doubt that it’s his voice.  He often brings scripture into my mind to answer questions I have.  Many times God tells me something I’ve never thought of or even wanted – then I definitely know it’s him.

Important point – messages from God will be consistent with more than just one verse in the Bible.  The only way to really know it is from God is that it lines up with what God says about this topic over the entire Bible.

One verse can steer me in the wrong direction.  One or two verses used without regard to where and when and how it was presented in the Bible can tell us lies – nothing close to what God meant. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone quote a verse to me and then use it totally out of context with no regard to what God REALLY said.

Do we want to know the truth? Or are we trying to use the Bible to support our own views and opinions?

Be very careful with the ‘life verse’ concept.  The only way that works is if you understand what God says regarding the subject in that verse through the entire Bible.  Otherwise, it can be a shortcut that takes you down a dark, slippery slope – a path where you hear what you want to hear because you don’t know his voice.

The closer I get to God, the easier it is to hear him.

Thank you for being my good shepherd, Abba Father.