Most everyone who has attended a Christian church service has heard the preacher say, “Then God told me…” With that statement many questions arise. How did God say it? Did he come appear on a gigantic throne like in Isaiah 6? Did He yell it out loud in a deep, thundering voice? Or was it the “still, small voice” that is mentioned is 1 Kings 19? While there are many different accounts of God speaking to people in different ways in the Bible, Christians can rest in the truth that God speaks clearly to His children so that they may know His will for their lives and live it for His glory.
In John 10 Christ gives the beautiful picture of Himself as the Shepherd of His flock (believers). Verses 3 and 4 states, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” As sheep of the flock of Christ we are told that we will know the voice of God.
It’s encouraging to know that believers are promised that they will understand the voice of God. But the question still arises, how do we receive this voice?
The first way we hear God’s voice is through the study of His word. The Bible is God’s truth written to mankind. It gives witness to the power of God and instruction to believers on how we must live our lives for His glory. Daily reading His word will grow our knowledge of His commands for our lives. It will bring us closer to Him and remind us that His goal is His glory.
One of my favorite authors is C.S. Lewis. If I want to learn about C.S. Lewis, what he enjoyed and loved, what made him who he was, I would read his autobiography Surprised by Joy. If I wanted to I could read biographies by other authors or I could talk to people who know a lot about C.S. Lewis. But no one can explain Lewis’ life better than Lewis. The same is true with God. I can hear sermons about God, read books about God, talk to people about God… These are all great things that I do. But they’re pointless if I don’t read and know the book that is actually written by God… the Bible.
Another way to hear from God is through prayer. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” If you want to know what God wants us to do, ask Him. One thing that every Christian has to realize is that Jesus isn’t an ATM machine. You don’t just come to Him when you want something, selfishly seeking your own agenda. Christians are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17), seeking God’s will for their lives. If you are seeking God and His will for your life the answers will come. They may not come when you want them. They may not be the answers you expected. But remember that life is all about God’s glory not man’s glory.
Personally, I have found that when I truly seek what God wants and not what I want, He speaks to me in many different ways. Maybe it’s through a sermon or a song. Maybe it’s through a conversation with a friend or relative. Maybe it’s a thought that comes to mind when I am driving down the road praying. No matter what it is, I must test it with God’s word and through prayer. I remember that God has given me the Holy Spirit, which lives in me, guides me, and convicts me. (John 15:26-27, John 16:13)
In Conclusion, we can sum up hearing from God with four important points.
1. The Shepherd’s Sheep Know His Voice: Followers of Christ have been promised the ability to discern whether or not the voice they hear is the voice of Jesus or another.
2. God Speaks through His Word: Followers should constantly seek to grow in their knowledge of God and His commands by spending time in His word.
3. God Speaks to Us When We Pray: Followers of Christ must seek God’s will for their lives through prayer.
4. The Holy Spirit is Our Helper: Followers of Christ must live in the truth that the Holy Spirit lives in each believer, guiding and convicting them along the journey of life.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
This is a great question that most people have asked at least once in their life. Part of the answer is found in a re-wording of the question.
The Bible clearly teaches that there are no “good people.” In Romans 3:10 the Apostle Paul quotes Psalm 41 by stating, “None is righteous, no, not one.” Because of the fall in Genesis 3, all men and woman are born into sin. It is important to note that the Bible does call many men and woman righteous. Hebrews 11 speaks of many who are called righteous by God. This righteousness comes not from the work of man, but from God. Verse 7 of Hebrews 11 addresses the issue: “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Noah wasn’t considered righteous for building an ark. He was considered righteous because of His faith in the only One who is righteous… God.
With this said, the question can be changed from “why do bad things happen to good people?” to “Why do bad things happen to bad people?”
Natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes cause many to question the existence or fairness of God. Tragic events such as 9/11 or Columbine cause many to wonder why such things would happen. Fortunately, Jesus directly addresses this issue in Luke 13:
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
The people were wondering why a terrible thing such as a ruthless mass murder could happen. Instead of giving an apology Jesus rebukes them for asking the wrong question. He says, in essence, “You shouldn't be asking, ‘Why did this happen to them?’ You should be asking, ‘Why didn’t this happen to me?’” Jesus even goes a step further when he points out the collapse of a tower that killed eighteen people.
Many read this and consider the words of Jesus harsh and unfair. If mankind received fairness, all would be destroyed! Mankind is evil and worthy of nothing but death and destruction! The word of Jesus in Luke 13:1-5 points out that everything mankind does is done by God’s grace.
Two major points can be taken from this to summarize the answer to this question.
1. Bad things don’t happen to good people, they happen to bad people.
2. Since we are all bad and deserving of death, the fact that we live and move and breathe should motivate us to praise God for His gracious gift of life!
Other Sources...
Is God Less Glorious Because He Ordained Evil? John Piper
September 11, 2001: Was God Present or Absent by Ravi Zacharias
If God is All Powerful then Why Does He Allow Suffering? by R.C. Sproul
The Bible clearly teaches that there are no “good people.” In Romans 3:10 the Apostle Paul quotes Psalm 41 by stating, “None is righteous, no, not one.” Because of the fall in Genesis 3, all men and woman are born into sin. It is important to note that the Bible does call many men and woman righteous. Hebrews 11 speaks of many who are called righteous by God. This righteousness comes not from the work of man, but from God. Verse 7 of Hebrews 11 addresses the issue: “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Noah wasn’t considered righteous for building an ark. He was considered righteous because of His faith in the only One who is righteous… God.
With this said, the question can be changed from “why do bad things happen to good people?” to “Why do bad things happen to bad people?”
Natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes cause many to question the existence or fairness of God. Tragic events such as 9/11 or Columbine cause many to wonder why such things would happen. Fortunately, Jesus directly addresses this issue in Luke 13:
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
The people were wondering why a terrible thing such as a ruthless mass murder could happen. Instead of giving an apology Jesus rebukes them for asking the wrong question. He says, in essence, “You shouldn't be asking, ‘Why did this happen to them?’ You should be asking, ‘Why didn’t this happen to me?’” Jesus even goes a step further when he points out the collapse of a tower that killed eighteen people.
Many read this and consider the words of Jesus harsh and unfair. If mankind received fairness, all would be destroyed! Mankind is evil and worthy of nothing but death and destruction! The word of Jesus in Luke 13:1-5 points out that everything mankind does is done by God’s grace.
Two major points can be taken from this to summarize the answer to this question.
1. Bad things don’t happen to good people, they happen to bad people.
2. Since we are all bad and deserving of death, the fact that we live and move and breathe should motivate us to praise God for His gracious gift of life!
Other Sources...
Is God Less Glorious Because He Ordained Evil? John Piper
September 11, 2001: Was God Present or Absent by Ravi Zacharias
If God is All Powerful then Why Does He Allow Suffering? by R.C. Sproul
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Aren't All Religions Basically the Same?
America has slowly become a place where many different religions and spiritual beliefs are openly accepted. People often find themselves asking the question, “Which one do I believe?” or, “Don’t they all say the same thing? Be nice, do good things, and you will go to heaven.” It has become very popular to take certain beliefs from one religion and a couple of beliefs from another religion and lump them into one. Spirituality seems, to some, to be a fast food menu. You pick what you want, buy it, and leave the rest. Another common metaphor is that of a mountain upon which God stands. There are many roads that lead to the top of the mountain (God/ Heaven). One of those roads may be Christianity, another Buddhism, another Judaism, another Islam, etc… It doesn’t matter which road you follow, as long as you follow one.
According to the words of Christ, this can’t be so. In John 8:24 He says, “…Unless you believe that I am He you will die for your sins.” A few chapters later Jesus states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6-7). In saying this, Jesus is rejecting any other religion that preaches a different message. He is rejecting the Mountain Metaphor and saying that there ARE NOT many roads that lead to heaven. There is only one road and it is found in Jesus Christ alone.
Because of this belief, many Christians are labeled as close-minded, and disrespectful of other religions. These are common attacks that Christians should not be surprised by. A proper response would be, “I am only obeying what the scriptures say in Galatians. ‘But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed’” (Galatians 1:8).
For more info...
Josh McDowell
John Piper
According to the words of Christ, this can’t be so. In John 8:24 He says, “…Unless you believe that I am He you will die for your sins.” A few chapters later Jesus states, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6-7). In saying this, Jesus is rejecting any other religion that preaches a different message. He is rejecting the Mountain Metaphor and saying that there ARE NOT many roads that lead to heaven. There is only one road and it is found in Jesus Christ alone.
Because of this belief, many Christians are labeled as close-minded, and disrespectful of other religions. These are common attacks that Christians should not be surprised by. A proper response would be, “I am only obeying what the scriptures say in Galatians. ‘But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed’” (Galatians 1:8).
For more info...
Josh McDowell
John Piper
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