To Whom Do You Pray?

DISCLAIMER:  I recognize only one true God in three persons and one essence, known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  But in some cases praying to one's own idea of God is unbiblical in corporate prayer, even though I realize that God hears and answers all the prayers of the saints.

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father"  (Eph. 2:18, HCSB).

Jesus didn't just give suggestions in the Sermon on the Mount on how to pray, but directives (by the way, I will mention in passing that Jesus was the first person in the Bible to teach us how to pray!).  He called God the following each more than once:  Father, Our Father in heaven, your Father, your heavenly Father and each is appropriate and scriptural.  Note that in the Old Testament it wasn't considered "wrong" to pray to "God" because they had less light, but Jesus showed us the way to the Father.

Don't pray like an Old Testament saint, or like an angel or servant of the Lord, but like a child of God!  When we address God in a nondescript, generic way such as "O God in heaven" it seems we don't really know God too well.  God wants us to call Him Father (the Christian name for God,  N.B. that I am primarily speaking of corporate, not private prayer).  "I thought you would call Me Father" (Jer. 3:19).  When Jesus felt alienated or estranged from His Father He called Him "My God."

 It is the same with your parents; would you think of calling them anything but Mom or Dad?  That's unheard of; well, we are in the family of God and have the privilege to address God as Father and claim our sonship and honor and accept His Fatherhood.  Gal. 4:19 says:  The Spirit cries out, 'Abba, Father.  Christians should just naturally call God this because the Spirit leads them to, and it shows an intimacy with the Almighty.  When Jesus called God His Father, the Pharisees got mad because He was making Himself equal with God, but Jesus said to Mary after His resurrection:  I am going to My Father and your Father.

Jesus made the promise in John 14:14 that if we ask anything in His name He will answer it; Jesus also hears prayer, but His primary focus is on interceding and the Holy Spirit's to put our words into groaning which cannot be uttered.  It is not wrong, per se, to pray to Jesus, but note that He Himself taught us to pray to His Father.

Only after Pentecost can the believer now boldly approach the throne of grace to the Head Honcho      (the Most High) and get access into God's dimension, another world, as it were.  We enter into God's very presence--His dimension!  "Let us boldly approach the throne of grace...."  (Heb. 4:16).  The angels are not in the family of God like we are and are not the children of the Heavenly Father. In summation, go to the top of the Most High, as they say.  No one comes to the Father, except through Jesus the Son.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Praying Like A Son

"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6). We are to avail ourselves of the whole Trinity in our prayers, utilizing the power of the Spirit, the authority of the Son, to approach the Father.  We often accept the lordship of Christ (which is usually exercised through the body, the church), but often fail to realize our potential and privilege to step into the Father's presence and accept His Fatherhood.

When we pray we should pray as if it all depends on God and we should live as if it all depends on us.  But how many of us pray like Jesus meant us to incorporate our sonship rights and privileges to claim what is ours in Christ?  Some pray to unknown deities or generic titles, not really knowing to whom they are praying ("O God..."); this sounds like they hardly know their Savior--which member of the Godhead do they mean?  Any god would suffice in such a case and it is not specific enough to show our familiarity with the Godhead as we employ the proper formula for prayer:  to the Father, in the name of the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Why not go to the top?  The Father is the Most High and He has an open-door policy with us so that we can gain access or entree in His Son's name.

The true son of God is acquainted with the Father in prayer and utilizes the filling of the Holy Spirit to pray with power.  "Pray in the Spirit," says Jude.  Some believers are indeed servants of the Lord, but Jesus commanded us to pray to the Father (He doesn't give recommendations or suggestions).  In the church body or assembly of believers, it is only appropriate to pray as taught and any violation is disobeying God, not just some doctrine.   "...' You shall call Me, My Father.." (Jer. 3:19 NASB).  I once went to a Bible camp where Pentecostals prayed to Jesus;  I objected and insisted on praying to my Father in heaven.  It is absolutely to pray for the salvation or sinner's prayer to the Lord Jesus, though.  Remember that God is not the author of confusion, but a God of order, organization, and authority! "Let everything be done decently and in order," says Paul to the Corinthians.

 Satan knows we are children of the King and tries to confuse us and derail our victory in prayer.  We are "Children of the Heavenly Father," as the hymn goes.  Putting on Christ means to assume our sonship and pray like a son with boldness:  "Let us boldly approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).  We don't have to beg God; He is more than pleased to hear our requests and petitions.  This is faith, not a presumption on our part.

Note that God hears and answers all the prayers of the saints and our prayers demonstrate our relationship and familiarity with our God.  A disputed verse that some "Jesus only" believers use is John 14:14 that says, "If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it."  The word "Me" is not in all manuscripts and is in question, and even if it is there, it is not wrong to pray to Jesus, per se, but we should also pray to our Heavenly Father as taught on the Sermon on the Mount in obedience.

Finally, we must have the attitude that we don't need a study on prayer or a course, but just need to pray!  "I don't have a theology on prayer, I just pray!"  You already know enough to be a prayer warrior and this study is only how we get started in addressing God in a biblical manner. Now, in conclusion, avail yourself of your God-given rights to pray as a son and take advantage of the opportunities it affords in everyday prayer!   Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is A Significant Prayer?

The most perfect and ideal prayer we can make is to commend ourselves unto God's care, let His will be done in a prayer of relinquishment, and have the faith to mean it when we say, "Amen!"  We must dismiss the notion that we can change God, but let successful prayer change us.

Jesus rebuked the vain repetitions of the Pharisees and the meaningless long-winded prayers they were wont to do, then He formulated the Lord's Prayer because the disciples asked Him "Lord, teach us to pray," of all things to want to learn.   This prayer was never meant to be a recital or vain repetition, but the answer to the question, "How shall we pray?" (not "What shall we pray?).  It is never wrong to go through the petitions and pray them as long as one comprehends it and meditates on it while doing it.  Therefore, everything we need to know about prayer is in this paradigm or framework Jesus gave us if we understand and apply it rightly.  The vital link is, "How big is our God?" because this affects our prayer life and our faith in the answers--that is why it is said, "Be it done unto you according to your faith."

God's name or reputation is holy and worthy of praise; for He exalts above all things His name and His Word (Psalm 138:2).   Prayer, by definition, is communion or communication with the Almighty and that means it is two-way--not just us doing all the talking.  We have to learn to listen like Samuel who prayed, "Speak LORD, for your servant hears." The more we listen, the more we hear; we must practice this fervently because hearing God, as well as a prayer to Him are like muscles one must exercise to be fit--we don't want to become unfit or turn a deaf ear to God by negligence or because we are remiss or derelict doing our part.  

The book of Job says that God speaks to man, but he doesn't hear.  God always speaks to me when I read the Scriptures because I have trained myself in this discipline.   Sometimes God has much to say and we do all the talking.  One way God speaks to us is by verses we have committed to memory, something a believer told us in edification, or some circumstance.  Being cognizant of His control or providence shows our faith and how we will interpret the answers.

Psalm 100:4 says to "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise."  For the LORD "inhabits the praises of His people" according to Psalm 22:3.  The essence of prayer is communication and to change us, not change the unchangeable one!  The purpose of prayer is prayer--we should love to touch base with God and stay in fellowship with Him by keeping short accounts of our sins and confessing them ("If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the LORD would not have listened," says Psalm 66:18)  and we should "pray without ceasing," which means that we keep the conversation going (our attitude and fellowship) as Brother Lawrence, the humble cook in a monastery, did in the 16th century when he wrote The Practice of the Presence of God, which is a classic on the continuity of daily fellowship  in our labors.

When we do corporate or public prayer one goal is to be a witness to others and teach them how to pray and be an example; and, if possible, to convert any unbeliever by our witness.  All prayer should be in the power of the Spirit, as it says in Jude 21:  "Pray in the Spirit."  We should strive to put our hearts into our prayers, but sincerity is not everything if we ask amiss or are wrong.  Just because we can put a lot of emotion into it is no guarantee that God will answer affirmatively.  Prayer is, in summation, acknowledging God for who He is and what He has done; thanking Him for what He has done, and praising Him for who He is.  The better we know God, the better our prayers.

 When we pray we should think of putting on Christ and assuming our role and position as a son of God and having the authorization to use Christ's name and permission to call the Most High our Father--the angels don't have this authority and power to influence God--remember prayer is the ordained means that God uses to accomplish His will and we are acting as vessels of honor, being used for His glory.   This implies intimacy and the more we pray, the closer we get to God--if we don't pray much, it is because we probably don't believe God is listening or answering our prayers.

Finally, our prayers are in the power enabling the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who puts our feeble words and baby talk or lisping into groans too deep for words to the Father. "For we know not how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us."   We go to the top in our prayer, the Most High, who is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has an open-door policy, which means we are always welcome and God is never inconvenienced.

We should think of the attributes of God when we pray:  His greatness or awesomeness (nothing is too great, nor too small for God--they are all small); His sovereignty (we can be assured that He is in control and we are on the winning side); God is omnipotent or almighty (nothing too big for God--"Is anything too hard for Me?" says the LORD in Jeremiah 32:17);  God is eternal and everlasting (He has all the time in the world to answer our prayer and time is no object, because He is not bound, defined, limited, nor in the time/space continuum that we are slaves to--this means God knows the future from the past and can forgive our sins past, present, and future as an example.   God is worthy of praise, worship is essentially "worth-ship" because only God is worthy to be worshiped--we can't praise God too much, in fact, there is power in praise!

Prayer is where the action is and is the acid test or the so-called litmus test of our spiritual relationship. Many people have weak prayer life because they take themselves too seriously; we should pray as we can and not as we can't.  It is a trick in prayer to learn to pray the Word and claim its promises.   It is not to be seen as a duty but as a glorious calling and honor. Learn to be sensitive to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit and the promptings He will give.  God does speak; it's just that man doesn't listen.  "Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it"  (Job 33:14).   In sum, the greatest prayer is one of relinquishment, uttering in the manner of Jesus, "Thy will be done!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Answering the Mystics

In reference to believers who claim an inside track or hear God's voice: I suggest this disclaimer, I do not doubt the validity of these episodes nor the veracity of the witnesses to God's audible voice, but what I question is, is their motives and spiritual maturity.  Mystics are those who interpret God's Word or His will by their experiences rather than their experiences by the Word of God.  There are flaky Christians out there and many seem to get into the act--I have seen many in mental hospitals who hear voices and end up "cured."  We test our experience by the Word, not the Word by our experience.

I used to be in a church where believers  commonly said that "God told them, this or that."  I don't see any precedent in the Scripture that warrants a special class of believer that doesn't need to read the Bible to have God speak to him--and I don't mean having an existential experience like goosebumps, chills down the spine, or a burning in the bosom.  God spoke to Samuel the prophet through the Word as it says in 1 Sam.3:21 as follows:  "...and there He revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word." It seems that the way it works is that we must accept God's Word first and not expect special messages or a special pipeline, as it were, to God, that others don't have.  I am not precluding God's prerogative to speak to us any way He chooses--He can use the air vent if He wills--but He has ordained His Word to be His focus.

The trouble with people speaking to individuals is that they get puffed up as being an elite Christian or a special class of privileged ones.  If we have an experience with God, it is meant to be between us and God and not to brag about as to promote ourselves or seem like we are "closer" to God.  What pleases God is faith, according to Hebrews 11:6:  "For without faith it is impossible to please God."

Now Paul experienced more than any other Christian and had bragging rights you might say, even having been caught up to the third heaven--but he didn't willingly admit this, but was forced to.  God didn't answer his prayer to remove his "thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble and said, "My grace is sufficient for you..."  My conclusion is that some of us have been given great minds and God expects us to use them and we should not compare ourselves with other believers according to 2 Cor. 10:12, nor commend ourselves and feel inferior; we are all individual works of God for His purposes.

I would rather have great faith and a great mind than just have some existential experience or hear "voices" from above--which, by the way, can be duplicated by Satan and some people are really fooled by the voices of spirits and mislead into heresy. It's not wrong to hear from God audibly, but that is not normative, We shouldn't depend upon it nor expect it.  If one hears from God he should be able to quote Him word-for-word and not have any doubts that it is God--does it line up squarely with the Word?

God always confirms His Word--He's not going to tell you some personal message that isn't verified by other witnesses, the Word, or circumstances (cf. Isa. 44:26; Jer. 1:12).  That's the litmus test! Also, Isaiah 8:20 says that if they speak not according to the Word, it is because they have no light in them.  The problem is that they may very well be convinced God spoke to them, but how do we know that?  Soli Deo Gloria!

How To Address The Deity Or The Godhead

I have heard prayers to every kind of deity imaginable as a Christian, having had fellowship with many factions, sects, and denominations.    The Mormons, for instance, like to think of God just as their "Heavenly Father."  They put God in a box, and fail to see Him as Redeemer, Judge, and Counselor as well.  God is multifaceted like a diamond and we shouldn't just see God as "the man upstairs,"  the "Great Spirit in the Sky" or "the Old Man," for instance.  We don't invoke God like the Greek pagans, who said, "O mighty Zeus, judge of the right, protector of the innocent, power behind the lightning bolt, ad infinitum; we don't try to butter up God, but simply call on Him as He gave us the right to do via Jesus' instruction in the Sermon on the Mount.

Suppose one person addressed the president as President so-and-so, another as John, and another as Dad; who do you suppose had the greatest privilege and intimacy?  There is power in knowing God as Father, and we have the right to be called the children of God (John 1:12).  In prayer, how would you feel if someone prayed in the name of the "Man Upstairs?"  Wouldn't it show more respect and intimacy to use Jesus' name?  Angels don't even have this authorization to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit--which is our formula for prayer,  Let your prayers show your intimacy with the Almighty and not alienation or unfamiliarity.  We go to the top, and the Most High has an open-door policy for us.

"...I write to you dear children because you have known the Father" (1 John 2:14).
"So if you call God your Father..." (1 Pet. 1:7).

God has given us His covenant names to claim and to realize His divine nature, but He loves it when we address Him simply as "[Our] Father" (this is the most honorable appellation He has given us as His children--see 1 John 3:1).  Note:  There is no universal fatherhood of God--only believers can claim God as their  Father.  When Jesus introduced this, it was radical and revolutionary; it was a breakthrough and taking new ground or territory spiritually.  "The Spirit cries out with our spirit, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15). Per contra popular thought, Abba doesn't mean "Daddy," though abi does.   We have this divine privilege that angels don't have a family!  We are adopted into God's family and born of the Spirit.  If we pray simply:  "O God in heaven," it sounds like we don't know our Lord very well.

Surely God is in heaven, but He is here too! "Am I only a God nearby, and not a God far away?" says Jeremiah 23:23.   He is the "YHWH Shamah" or "the LORD who is there."  Case in point:  "Surely the LORD was in this place and I knew it not."  God is the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord is upon us to pray "in the Spirit" (Jude 20). The formula, I reiterate, and that the Bible sanctions are to pray in the name of the Son, in the power of the Spirit,  to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Note that I am not saying we cannot intersperse other forms of address in our prayer, like LORD God, but the primary focus is on His Fatherhood.

We are to "boldly approach the throne of grace" as Hebrews 4:16 exhorts and have faith.  When we take ourselves too seriously and take our eyes off of Jesus it is hard to penetrate His dimension ("Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise" per Psalm 100:4).   Jesus ushers us into the very throne room of God and we have access and the right to go to the top with God's "open-door policy."  Jeremiah 3:19 says that God was disappointed that Israel didn't call Him "Father"  ("I thought you would call Me Father.") Father is a term of endearment or gesture of intimacy.

When Jesus cried out, "My God, my God," he felt distant from His God and Father. There is no greater honor (every human father is proud to have his son call him Dad and would be insulted if he were called "Mr. so-and-so," or even "Sir");  there is no greater privilege.  We should take advantage of this right and not feel estranged from God anymore.  When we pray we are to "put on the Lord Jesus" and that means to pray as a SON!

In conclusion:  It is not wrong to pray to Jesus or the Holy Spirit (though it is sinful to pray to any saint or invoke the Virgin Mary, which is Mariolatry); but there is little precedent for praying to Jesus (the text in John 14:13-14 is dubious),  or the Holy Spirit it in Scripture and we should really pray as the Lord taught us in obedience.  We are ushered into the dimension of God, His very throne room, and presence, by the virtue of Jesus' redemption on our behalf.

The scriptural formula is expressed in Eph. 2:18, NKJV:  "For through Him we both have access by one spirit to the Father."  Soli Deo Gloria!

Can We Claim All God's Promises?

Modern-day evangelicalism believes that there are over 5,000 promises at last count in the Bible that can be appropriated by the believer by a so-called "name-it-and-claim-it" theology.  This is rampant and leads to "prosperity theology" that teaches that it is always God's will for the believer to be prosperous (what is meant by true prosperity is that one is blessed by God in his endeavors and they bring forth fruit) and for the Christian to be blessed in a material way.  2 Cor. 1:20 is often quoted to raise the issue:  "For all the promises of God are "Yes" in Christ..."  Or: "For, no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ."  This really means that Christ has fulfilled all the promises and according to Joshua  23:14 all of God's promises have been fulfilled (past tense); not one has failed!  God keeps His Word on account of Christ.

One thing about promises is that some appear to be and aren't, e.g., in  Proverbs, where there are just many wise pithy sayings or observations, such as if you work hard you will be rewarded with wealth. (Cf. Prov. 10:22 which reads, "The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it").  Many promises are conditional and we must meet the condition:  For example, "Delight thyself in the Lord, and He will give thee the delights of thine heart."  Some are exclusively intended for the nation of Israel and not the church per se.   Some are individualistic, like to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or David. Some are for all mankind, like to Adam, who represents all mankind and is the head of the race.

One very popular verse that is often quoted out of context and intended for Israel in captivity that He will restore them and bless them as a nation again is Jeremiah 29:11, which is so often quoted as follows:   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope."  God's Plan for some of His directive will is to be martyrs or suffer for the kingdom of God and not necessarily find their so-called "city" in this life--for the patriarchs didn't receive what was promised either.  ("For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God"--Heb. 11:10.)   God does indeed have plans for His people and His intentions are good toward us and we have a future and hope for living in Christ--namely, to bring glory to God, live for Christ, and die to self.

But mark these words:  God does prosper many believers (He blesses some in all ways, but all in some ways), but prosperity is not to be looked upon as a sign of God's approbation.  Look at the prosperity of the wicked in Psalm 73 and the rebuke of the rich in the book of Amos!  Psalm 17:14 says that some have their portion in this life.   Some people leave their reward behind, and others go to their reward in heaven.    The only true and valid test of a believer is Christian love in action   (Note Gal. 5:6 as follows:  "...the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.") and the telltale sign is not achieving the American dream or any other material factor-like fame, power, or riches. When we suppose that godliness is a means of financial gain we have missed the boat, however, godliness with contentment is great gain!  (Cf. 1 Tim. 6:5-6.)

CAVEAT:  BEWARE OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY THAT SEES THE CHURCH AS THE HEIR TO ALL ISRAEL'S PROMISES.   Soli Deo Gloria!

How Should We Address The Most High?

"...I write to you, dear children because you have known the Father"  (1 John 2:13).  Act and pray like you know Him!  We invoke the name of the Father who is on the throne ruling in heaven and can call Him Lord and God, but we have the sole privilege of also calling Him "Father."  We should never invoke the names of saints or "The Blessed Mother or Virgin Mary."  Only God hears prayer!
"To You who hear prayer, to You all men will come"  (Psalm 65:2).  The vital thing is that we know the one we are praying to and have a relationship with Him.

I have been around a lot in different so-called Christian circles and have heard many types of prayer. My earliest recollections are of going to a charismatic Bible camp and everyone praying to Jesus.  I told them that I pray to the Father like Jesus told us to.  They thought I was a kook.  I'm not saying that Jesus doesn't hear prayer, but that in the Lord's Prayer the precedent is to pray to the Father in heaven.  They can point to the example of the first martyr Stephen praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  But I don't see any conflict of interest or contradiction at all--of course, He can receive our spirits upon our demise.   Show me one legitimate example of a prayer in the New Testament to Jesus,  We are to pray to the Father (our spirits cry out, "Abba, Father"), in the name of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit--that's the formula.  And so we should pray to the Father, plain and simple.

Pentecostals that I have been around prayer to the so-called "Father-God" and this moniker or title is nowhere to be found in Scripture.  Of course, we assert the deity of the Father and any suggestion otherwise is heresy and damnable.  But why give God a nickname that seems to have an exclusive mindset that you are "in."  They don't seem to accept you unless you pray like them.  For this reason, I refuse to pray to the so-called "Father-God," not that I deny Him, but I don't see any precedent. Let's simply pray to the Father and there will be no reason to be critical.  Jeremiah 3:19 says, "...I thought you would call me 'Father'..."

Jehovah's Witnesses pray to Jehovah and believe sincerely that that is His real name--actually God has no name that we can comprehend and also many names, but His covenant name is "I AM WHO I AM"  or "I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE." "I AM THAT I AM."   I don't pray to Jehovah for this reason, I don't want to be in solidarity with a cult.   Jesus said to Mary, "I go to My Father, and to your Father."  He is our Father and corporate prayer should address Him so.

I know of a brother who always prays to "O God, in heaven."  I have been taken aback by figuring this out.   Naturally, there is a God in heaven, but nowhere in the Scriptures does anybody pray to this God as named.  It is simply not biblical and some are sticklers about being aligned with the Word of Truth so that no one can say anything to judge us.  The above name person sounds like he doesn't know his God very well, that he prays to such a generic title for God.  Muslims can pray to a God in heaven and claim Allah is just His name.  No legitimate religion gives the stamp of approval to such a prayer.  Why not pray to God using His covenant name.  Only Christians can pray to the Father, angels cannot address God this way!  We are part of God's family and have the "privilege" to pray using this name for God.

Now there are Old Testament prayers that don't pray to the Father:  But they didn't quite grasp God as their Father yet and the revelation wasn't made manifest until Jesus came.  They always thought of God as their Father but dared not presume to be too friendly or familiar with God.  But this is what God wants:  that we should feel comfortable and familiar with God and pray freely in the Spirit.

To conclude, you might think I'm being too picky or splitting hairs and this is not important, but the proof is in the pudding and I have found God answering my prayers since I have called upon the name of the Lord and address Him as He desires--i.e., Father--a familial and familiar formula.  Jesus is the one who laid down the law and gave us His example to emulate, as it were, not me.   It's a matter of reverence and devotion:  "Come, my children, and listen to me;  I will teach you the fear of the LORD"  (Psalm 34:11). Let's not be lax in our prayer life!    Let's err on the side of caution and obedience. Note that I am not saying that something is true because it works, but if it's true it will work.  (TM works, but is not true, for example.) [The modern test of an idea according to John Dewey is not whether it's true, but whether it works!  That's pragmatism.] Soli Deo Gloria!

Making Time For God...

The Navigators taught me about setting a specific time each morning to hear from God, through prayer and Bible meditation.  They taught me that God would keep His part of the appointment but I must keep mine.  If we fail to find God during the day it is not His fault--we must seek Him early to find Him ("O, that I knew where I might find Him [says Job 23:3]") or you may not find Him all day!
When you wonder about the whereabouts of God, it is you that moved!

That's the secret--start your day off with Jesus.  Martin Luther would pray for hours to open his day, and if he was busy, he would pray all the more.  Prayer is a reliable time-saver and investment. This is the joy of abiding in Christ and being in fellowship with Him through the day, but there are other factors to consider and enter into the equation that may trip us up and they are as follows:

We all seem to live hectic schedules and sometimes people seem to be an interruption of "our" time (words like "interruption" and "bother" shouldn't even be in our lingo).  I don't think Jesus ever felt interrupted but made time for people in their time of need.  We don't want to disoblige someone on purpose, of course, but it is nice to know that they affirm their friendship by saying they can be "bothered" 24/7 if we ever need them.  We don't want to give God the leftovers of our money, and this is a way that we don't give Him the leftovers of our time.  We have decided to drop all and follow Jesus, as sit were, and this is an application to that.  Love is spelled T-I-M-E and a person feels wanted and loved when we give them our time, a valuable commodity and resource.

Being busy is not a virtue, in fact, if the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy.  We shouldn't relegate others to our convenience but should be willing to make a sacrifice.  Love is sacrificial.  We should seek another's audience, for instance, at their convenience, not ours, to be polite--"Please return the call at your leisure!"  It's one thing to take advantage of some one's generosity, and another to be in sincere need.  I like to give the benefit of the doubt and would rather err on the side of letting me be taken advantage of.

We all have priorities in our relationships, but Jesus said to love our neighbor (the person in need)--He didn't think He'd have to tell us to love our family, which is only normal, and even the heathen do that.  When we shrug a person off and refuse to give him attention we can make him feel like a persona non grata.  That means they can feel like a nobody and it affects the self-image of a person, among other things as a natural consequence.  Sometimes God puts an unlovely person or challenging person in our path to see if we really do love--this is real "tough love."

In conclusion, I'm not saying we should be a doormat or let ourselves get taken advantage of on purpose, but be apologetic, courteous, and humble in declining any opportunity that we cannot meet, since, in view of Providence, God allowed this to happen and there must be a time and purpose behind it.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Getting What You Want...

It has been said that when the gods are angry with us, they answer our prayers.  Some Greek philosophers taught to only pray for good things because we don't know what good things are!   Many a preacher has done an exposition on unanswered prayer or when God says "no."  Remember that He said  "no" to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, so He certainly can do so to us.  Jesus does sympathize with our plight or dilemma. Usually, they say that God is just telling us to wait, or that He has something better;  a negative reply is for our own good.

God also says "yes" to our prayers when He is really saying,  "Okay, have it your way." As they say, "Be careful what you pray for; you may get it!   He alone knows what is best for us and is always interested in our welfare and works on our behalf, whether we want it or not.  Some of the ancient Greeks would only pray for good things because they didn't know what good things were, and they left the option open to God.  Just like wondering why God says "no," we should also wonder why He says "yes," just the same.  Are we praying, "Thy will be done?"

Some people get all they want and still aren't happy.  God has His glory in mind front and center:  We should always respond, "Why me Lord?"  Living hell has been described as the place where everyone gets what they want--and have no capacity to enjoy it.  I've heard of millionaires who have everything to live on and nothing to live for.

Some brethren believe God gives us a carte blanche or a blank check to get from God what we want as long as we abide by the right formula.  God isn't a genie or a vending machine!   Prayer is not to get our way, but to tap into God's will and get done through us. "I venture not to speak of but what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).    Psalm 106:15 says, "He gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them."   Another translation renders it:  "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls."  Think of the parable of the prodigal son who got what he wanted only to finally come to an end of himself and return to God in repentance.   God is really teaching Israel a lesson to trust in Providence.

We should always pray for God's will to be done, not ours; believe me, we would mess up our lives if we always got our way--"Father knows best."  The best prayer we can pray is simply:  "Thy will be done!" Even Jesus had to struggle whether He'd submit to the Father's plan or not.   I am an example of a  person who usually got his own way and now realizes the wisdom of God despite myself.   We need to thank God, that in His wisdom, He denies  some of our requests and we cannot  boastfully say, "I did it my way."   Soli Deo Gloria!

Issues Concerning Hearing God

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams" (Joel 2, Acts 2).
We cannot be dogmatic about a lot of issues concerning someone who says he hears God. First, was it with his ear as an audible voice, or an inner voice? The Bible gives no examples of someone hearing an inner voice and the still, small voice that Elijah heard was audible, though quiet. When one hears from God he can quote God verbatim and has no doubt it is God--there is no mistake. Sometimes we tend to say that we think God is telling us something. Does it contradict Scripture or is it in line with sound thinking?

To be sure, we must realize that God has chosen to speak through His Word and we are to learn to depend on this medium. However, there are exceptions to the rule and we cannot preclude God doing whatever He chooses to and breaking the mold, so to speak. Heb. says that God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. I believe we live in the latter days, though I do not necessarily believe the rapture is imminent because of the revived state of Israel, among other fulfillments of prophecy. John says, "...it is the last hour" (cf. 1 John 2:18).

I believe that the prophecy of Joel 2 was fulfilled at Pentecost as Peter asserted. However, the closer we get to the 2nd coming of Christ, the more we may see these phenomena again. I do not believe God has retired dreams or visions and have had personal experience of brothers having these. We must remain skeptical, however, and be Bereans and not base any doctrine on them. I refuse to call some brother a liar, but still, take it with a grain of salt. The tendency is to jump to the conclusion that brothers who have so-called experiences in the Spirit are spiritual giants or have special favor from God--this is not so as they may be baby Christians even. God is God and can do as He pleases and what He wants and we must humbly accept this.

A Christian who has a vision or hears a voice may also be mentally unstable (mentally ill), may be deceived by Satan, a liar, or just honestly mistaken. Some people who hear voices are cured by medication and some are set free by prayer or intervention by Christians. If someone has a message from God, it cannot be a new revelation, as the canon of Scripture is closed and everything we need to know is the Bible. The people I have heard do not claim any of this but simple messages like "I want your cigarettes," "I love you this much...." If they said, "I have a new interpretation or revelation about the dinosaurs," I would be incredulous.

There are some Christian leaders today, a la John MacArthur and Charles Colson who have been called modern-day prophets; however, they are just redefining the term and these men are not the equals of biblical prophets. These men are not receiving messages from God, but are just gifted in spiritual insight. Being a member of a charismatic, Pentecostal church I recognize all the gifts of the Spirit except someone who says he's an apostle (the Bible says apostles are to demonstrate miracles and signs as verification). I have seen brethren prophesy or speak in tongues (glossolalia). My doctrinal interpretation is strictly experiential and not because I can prove or disprove it from Scripture--I am aware of the position of cessationists (who say this has ceased), like John MacArthur and their positions. I would simply invite him to visit a Pentecostal church and see if he can judge them.

To hear God, we must learn to listen to Him and realize that God doesn't make cookie-cutter Christians and treats us all as individuals and we must see how God speaks to us. The most obvious way with me is to have an existential encounter or "Aha!" moment with Scripture and the impression it makes on me is not in doubt. God speaks through preaching by convicting the sinner, et alia. I have many times said, "Boy, God sure spoke to me in that sermon!" Rom. 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and by hearing of the Word of God." To be sure, no matter how clever the sermon or articulate the speaker, God honors His Word and we are to depend on that and not our own wording. I've heard it said that God can speak through the air conditioning vent if He wants to but count on Him speaking through the Word itself. The more we pay attention to the Spirit "speaking" to us the more sensitive we get and our spiritual ears are tuned in to God. Jesus said, "Let him that has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

In conclusion, don't let someone bully you are spiritually one-up you by claiming so-called spiritual credentials of experience (though we all can experience God in a manner of speaking). I can fully understand why God treats me the way He does: He has given me a sound minc and expects me to use it. Would I rather me otherwise just to hear a voice? Jesus said to Thomas that they are blessed who have not seen and yet believe; it can be deduced that they are blessed who believe despite not hearing a voice.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Are We Hearing From God?

N.B. Reformed theologians do not believe God is revealing new revelation in our age, but I am not talking about a new doctrine or message per se, but something that can be confirmed by other believers and the Scripture and does not conflict with any known doctrine, et cetera Also note well that having an experience with God in the Word or hearing a voice doesn't make one a better Christian and he can brag about it. Blessed are those who have not [heard] and have believed (cf. John 20:29).

I don't want to dishearten any soul that believes God is speaking to their heart in a sermon. "Faith comes by hearing and by hearing of the Word of God" (Rom 10:17). God honors His Word and it will bear fruit.

One of the leading theologians of the twentieth century, Karl Barth, said that the Bible becomes the Word of God when one has an existential experience with it. Mormons believe they get a burning in the bosom to verify that the Book of Mormon is inspired. I have had experiences reading John Grisham novels and this doesn't prove anything divine per se. I also recall that Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, heard the voice of God through a child--or what he thought so to be.

Many a believer claims to have heard a word from the Lord in some notion.  The Quakers listened to their "inner light" and got quite mystical.  If you get a hunch or premonition or thought from somewhere outside your head be sure to test it by Scripture--the devil put evil thoughts into Peter's mind and Jesus said, "Get behind me Satan!"  Francis Schaeffer wrote on the subject,  "He is there and He is not silent."  God is alive and well in His communication to us and hasn't retired dreams or visions speaking of which will be more numerous in the latter days.  We don't want to become mystics who rely on feelings or secretive thoughts that others aren't confirming.

God speaks to us sometimes audibly but there will be no doubt it is Him!   God can speak through the air vent if He desires but His primary methodology is through the Word; so learn to seek God's word to you in the Holy Writ itself because this is better than relying on sporadic or infrequent messages from heaven.   God never contradicts Himself and all words from the Lord must be tested by the standard of Scripture.

Normally God isn't going to tell you something that He isn't telling others because by the same token "no Scripture is of any private interpretation" and this goes for instructions from God that involve others.  To sum it up, we may be hearing from God--I don't want to discourage the seeker of God's will--but it also may be the pizza, if you know what I mean. I believe Christians may hear from God, but it is not normative and God's SOP (standard operating procedure) is to illuminate the Word and confirm it.   Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Prayer?

"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples..."  (cf. Isa. 56:7).  When we pray we enter and gain access or entrée into the throne room of God and into another dimension.   We are not overcoming His reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness--not so much getting our will done in heaven as His will done on earth.  The best and most complete prayer is simply:  "Thy will be done!"  This divine power lies dormant in all believers and they don't realize their potential.  Prayer is where the action is and the goal of prayer is prayer, i.e., it has its own rewards!  We should enjoy dialog with the Almighty.  The problem with most prayer warriors is that they don't listen.  "But for me, it is good to be near God"  (cf. Ps. 73:28).

 It is better to be plainspoken than to preach and it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.  Indeed, we must learn to be straightforward and bare our souls to God.  If we really want the glory of God we have the right attitude and motive.  It is more an attitude than a dialog when we say we "pray without ceasing."   Prayer doesn't waste our time, but someone has said it is "the ultimate time-saver."  Saying "Amen" is not a magic word or formula, but an expression of faith and means essentially "so be it."  My tribulations and trials have kept me on my knees--so how's your prayer life?  Lincoln said that many a time he was driven to his knees, simply because he had nowhere else to go." 

One keynote:  Keep short accounts with the Father they say and remember the most important verse to keep the conversation going is 1 John 1:9  which says:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

Did you know that we can't pray for too big a request or to small a matter--His love is great enough for everything and nothing is too great for an infinite God.  How big is your God?   He has not given us a blank check or carte blanche but must ask in Jesus' name, which means we seek to honor Him and are asking on His merits, not ours.   Other provisos are abiding in Christ (cf. John 15:7) and obedience (cf.1 John 3:22).   "Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live"  (cf. Psa. 116:2). 

Seek God with all your heart!  Call upon His name in the day of trouble (cf. Ps. 55:22)!  Cast your burden upon the Lord cf. (cf. Phil. 4:6).  Continue in prayer (cf.Col. 4:2).  And above all be thankful!  This is only Prayer 101!  Some wise believer said to work as if everything depends on you, but pray as if everything depends on God. 

By definition, prayer is a two-way dialogue with the Heavenly Father or one of the other members of the Godhead, in the name of Jesus, according to God's will, in the power of the Holy Spirit. There are conditions: Prayer is communion (we bare our souls) and the Lord's Supper, or Communion, is an analogy or type of prayer whereby we cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit and renew our fellowship with God. "If we regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not hear us" (cf. Ps. 66:18). Peter said that a lack of harmony in a marriage can be an impediment to a person's prayer life and may hinder effective prayer. It is the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that avails"(cf. James 5:16) and so we must meet all the conditions of prayer: humility, reverence, and sincerity, for example.

Prayer is only to the Deity of the Trinity of Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit and invocation to any other person, saint, or deity is idolatry (cf. Ps. 5:2). We must pray according to God's will to be heard according to 1 John 5:14. We must pray in Jesus' name (our mediator) according to John 14:13,14, and not give up but importune according to Luke 18:1 ("One ought always to pray and not to give up"), and Matt. 7:7 ("keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking"). To gain entrée into God's presence, as if to another dimension, we must "enter His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise" (cf. Ps. 100:4).

Brother Lawrence wrote a book, Practicing the Presence of God. He learned to keep the conversation going. We aren't always uttering prayers, but the channel is open and we are in fellowship in an attitude of prayer, sensitive to His promptings. President Lincoln is quoted as saying that many a time he found himself on his knees, simply because he had nowhere else to go! It is well said that Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees. Posture is not that important per se, but the attitude in prayer: i.e., we don't always have to lie prostrate or lift our hands to heaven.

 Scripture teaches both the efficacy of prayer and the sovereignty of God and we conclude that God ordains the means of prayer to His glorious ends. When we say "Thy will be done" this is not a cop-out but faith and it isn't trying to make a loophole if it isn't answered, but this is commanded by God and His will will be done despite our prayers, but He has chose as the means to His ends, that He will use our prayers. The prayer of relinquishment is the greatest prayer one can say.

Yes, indeed, prayer is the "acid test" of one's spirituality and as the famed follow-up counselor of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc., Charlie Riggs was known as one who could only pray and quote Scripture, and look at his success to become the head of follow-up. Many famous saints spent a lot of time in prayer, Martin Luther would spend at least 2 hours to start the day in prayer, and if he was busy he would spend more time! Yes,  again:   "Prayer doesn't just take time, it is the ultimate time-saver."

Prayer is entering God's presence (like into another dimension) or His sanctuary: We are to seek His face and His presence continually. "The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him" (cf. Hab. 2:20). "Be still and know that I am God" (cf. Ps. 46:1). Genuine prayer will always be answered: sometimes no, sometimes yes, and sometimes wait or I have something better! God does answer prayer: "Call unto Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Me" (cf. Ps. 50:15); "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (cf. Jer. 33:3); "Before they call I shall answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear" (cf. Isa. 65:24).

My pastor keeps reminding us that prayer is where the action is and one cannot have a healthy relationship with God without a growing prayer life. We either grow or go backward; there is no treading water or standing still spiritually. To open prayer, it is helpful to just praise God for who He is and thank Him for your blessings. He is interested in everything ("Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you"). No problem is too big or too trivial; they are all small to God. The best single prayer I have ever seen is the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

In summary, prayer is seeking God and aligning ourselves with His will--we don't change God, prayer changes us! "Seek the Lord while He may be found" (cf. Isa. 55:6). "You shall seek Me and find Me, when you seek for Me with all your heart" (cf. Jer. 29:13); "The Lord has not forsaken those who seek Him" (cf. Ps. 9:10). "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me" (cf. Prov. 8:7). "Sow for yourselves in righteousness, break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness on you" (cf. Hos. 10:12). Prayer is a blessing to God and to have a vital relationship with Him we must thirst after His Spirit and yearn for His presence, and seek His face. The Lord's Prayer is a paradigm prayer, not meant to be uttered word-by-word, but as a model and it is the prayer par excellence of Jesus. It is important to say, "Amen!" (So be it!) to our prayers as a confession of faith and relinquishment to God's will.  To reiterate let me say emphasize my point.   A word to the wise is sufficient: the goal of prayer is prayer.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are We Keeping In Touch?

I'm not talking about keeping in touch with family and friends, though this is vital to a healthy and fit spiritual life--for if we are awry in our human relationships we are ill at ease with God too. They can be distinguished but not separated; we need both the vertical and the horizontal relationship to be well spiritually. Many would assume that a long articulate prayer will automatically get results and since it impresses those in attendance, it expresses God's will more explicitly. We need not draw attention to ourselves; the best prayers get lost in the presence of God. Job said, "O that I might know where I might find him."

Prayer is like entering another dimension where we approach the throne room and God's gracious presence and the Holy Spirit just uses us as a channel or conduit of grace to pray on our behalf. "...The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." [Better feelings without words, than words without feelings, it has been said.] And so God translates our prayers in spite of ourselves--no need to impress God with high sounding words or thinking that with many words we will be heard. Recall the publican who simply prayed, "God be merciful to me the sinner!"

Preachers tend to sermonize and preach in their prayers and think that it is the time for a doctrinal exposition or want to elaborate the best they know-how even if the average Joe gets lost in the shuffle. Some believers have a special anointing of prayer-works and are the exception to the rule; J. I. Packer says that his prayers are feeble as it were and nothing to brag about but they are his private matter.

The test of prayer is the result, not that we are expedient, but we must realize that it is done to us according to our faith. The Pharisees were very articulate and pompous in their prayers and Jesus called them hypocrites. Psalm 116:1-2 shows us that the psalmist prayed because he knew God heard him. This is my experience: the more I realize that God hears me, the more I pray. Psalm 119 is the longest prayer in the Bible and shows that prayer can be refined and polished and doesn't always have to be spontaneous, extemporaneous, or be an ad lib effort.

 Now the best players put the focus on God and not on ourselves; the more they dwell on Christ the closer we draw to the throne of grace. We are not to always be uttering prayers, but be in the attitude of prayer with the line open, as it were. Finally, it is important to "pray the Word" and by this, I mean utter the prayers of the Bible and personalize the text to your own life situation.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Does Prayer Work?...

"Prayer works," the preacher says, "so come on up and we'll pray for your needs."  (A spiritual vending machine.)   The objection I have is that TM works and yoga works, but we don't try them. Just because something works doesn't mean it is true, that is not the criterion. Lee Strobel says that Christianity works because it is true, it is not true because it works. We should pray, even if we don't feel we are getting from God what we want, as it were, our genie giving us our so-called "felt needs" or wants.

"We pray for the sake of praying," says Steven Brown "not for ulterior motives." I've heard it said that prayer is the goal of prayer!   Someone has wisely said that we should love God even if there were no heaven and fear God even if there were no hell! Well, we should have the desire to commune with God, even if we don't get our way. God is looking for a relationship, not someone just praying for needs.

The paradigm of prayer  (most clearly seen in the so-called Lord's Prayer) should always include the phrase "in Jesus' name" (it is for his sake and will that we really want to pray). Now, some preachers think their prayers are more "effectual" (James. 5:16) than others, but they are not--all Christians are righteous in God's eyes and no believer has a privileged status. Any Christian can pray without giving up and "fervently" to get his will aligned with God's. We don't change God, he changes us. You see, we are all on an equal footing in prayer--that is the beauty--God is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality.

Some say that worry works because 90 percent of what we worry about doesn't happen! Well, with that kind of logic prayer isn't as effective as worry, because I don't think anyone can say that 90 percent of their prayers were answered in the affirmative--if they are, they are not very challenging prayers. God can answer in the affirmative, negative (usually for our own good or He has something better for us)  or tell us to wait. But we should never give up hope unless God clearly says "no" like he did to Paul's thorn in the flesh.

But bear this in mind: God has arranged it so that we can explain away answered prayers if we so desire--he doesn't force us to believe, but faith pleases him. Well, prayer does work, but that is not why we pray!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Let's Compare What?

"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.  But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise"  (2 Cor. 10:12, NKJV).

Paul advises against us comparing ourselves with each other (2 Cor 10:12)--Jesus is the one to compare ourselves to, e.g., goody-two-shoes Pharisees were proud that they fasted twice a week and could conduct long public prayers, but they were hypocrites. God wants "unfeigned," not perfect faith. It isn't the amount--but the object. We could compare fasting, witnessing, Bible studying, offerings, tithes, alms, or worship, and any other form of piety. To be called pious is not necessarily a compliment.

We all have areas were we need improvement and areas of strength. One cannot assume that because someone prays 1 hour every day he is more righteous or holy than someone that prays six times during the day for ten minutes The Bible merely mentions praying (persistently) without ceasing, not for any specified time. Muslims think they are holy praying five times daily, but that isn't "in the Spirit" as we are commanded to do. Daniel prayed three times a day and it was common for the Jews to pray at 9:00 AM, noon, and at 3:00 PM (the hours of prayer). Martin Luther prayed for three hours each day and if he was busy he prayed more. But many of us are not in his league and we need to set realistic goals. We can emulate others but Christ is the standard of perfection.

Prayer is where it's at (the action). "We should pray as we can not as we can't." "God takes our prayers as seriously as we do." "The goal of prayer is prayer (communion)," not to see what we can get out of God. It's not changing Him, but us! When I was in the Army I was very pious and zealous and would often pray over my lunch hour for an hour, but now I have learned to pray continually (always in an attitude of prayer and ready for it is sensitive to the inner voice). One thing I learned from the Navigators was to pray the Word! Psalms is almost all prayer (the first 72 are the prayers of David). Prayer is so important that it is not to be looked on as merely a duty, but a glorious calling.
   Soli Deo Gloria!

Hearing God's Voice

I think some Christians are awful mystical and seem to think that they hear God talking to them when they are really mentally ill and need medications. I know of patients who take medications, and it sure seems to cure them. I don't doubt that there are legitimate prophets who are spiritual giants but this is not the norm. The normative way for God to speak to us is through the Word of God. We hear the still, small voice that is the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirit. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice...." We may get impressions, hunches, or something may strike us as odd or providential; in the final analysis, God speaks to all Christians in some way, but let's be careful not to get too mystical or open ourselves up to the demonic activity.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Hearing God Part 2

Many Spirit-led believers get "impressions" or hunches from the Holy Spirit, but some actually quote "their God" verbatim, for instance, "Turn right at the next intersection!" One can be in a near death experience and explain how God saved him. They don't seem to be mentally ill, but I wouldn't rule out hearing voices like a schizophrenic person claims. I don't believe his experiences make him any better of a Christian and that this is highly unusual and not the norm. Our experiences are not the measure of our maturity, but our obedience is.

Some claim to have been "slain in the Spirit" (like falling backward in the power of the Holy Spirit). So they are really into having experiences and talking about them.

I don't think they claim to be prophets with divine revelation, just that God speaks to them with an audible voice on occasion with messages that have no doctrinal relevance. I don't buy into everything so-called self-proclaimed prophets say. Samuel, the founder of the school of the prophets, was the first "prophet" who talked with God as did Moses and Joshua and Gideon and the prophet Nathan relayed messages to David, the man after God's own heart, who was God's anointed, had great faith and also heard audibly from God on occasion.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Hearing God Part 1

Hearing God through the Word of God, I believe is the main way God speaks today. But I know of one that many times says, "God said to me..." and so forth, quoting him verbatim just like you would hear a voice as clear as any one's. I know that the Bible says not to compare yourself with other believers and this is unwise (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12), but sometimes it seems like we are missing something or not doing something right. It is obviously no measure of maturity to hear God's voice audibly, I recall the words of John that quoted Jesus as saying, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed ...."  God is impressed with faith, not experience.

Those who have had strange experiences like to brag about them. Col. 2:18 warns against the mysticism of this sort. Many similar cases are mystical or mentally ill, like so many in the asylums who claim to hear "voices."

I guess it could be said, "To whom much is given, much is required." God says, to my heart, "My grace is sufficient for you...." Jack Hayford, a missiologically-oriented teacher (and spiritual warfare specialist to boot) claims to hear from God audibly from time to time.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Voice of God

I think that some Christians are mystical and think they are hearing God when they are mentally ill, or hearing spirits or voices from within, usually medications will relieve this phenomenon. There are some so-called "prophets" who are "in touch" with God in a special way, and to hear from God and can speak "prophetic utterances"; however, this is rare and not the norm.

The normative way for God to speak is through His Word. "In these last days He has spoken to us through His Son" (cf. Hebrews 1:2). Let us not be skeptics, though, and find ourselves opposing God. Even the Pharisees who opposed the apostles said that may be a spirit or an angel had spoken to Paul. Hearing God's voice doesn't necessarily mean superiority, but possibly being a prophet, as David heard God's voice audibly on occasion, but relied on Nathan the prophet.    Soli Deo Gloria!