Jesus or Adam?

This is a great message from Pastor Ron Beatty at Life Connections Church in Lawrenceville, GA. When God looks at you, does He see Adam or does He see Jesus? Listen in...

The Hearing God series post is coming in a couple of days. Stay tuned!

Hearing God for Yourself, Part 2

Last month's message was very simple: Yes, God does speak and you can hear Him. This month I will dive further into the concept and discuss ways in which He speaks.

Let me start by telling you how I know he still speaks. Joel 2:28 says:

And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:

You see, when God pours out His Spirit, you begin to see things the way He does. You feel what He feels. Of course, this means that unbelievers also hear Him. What inevitably happens in this case, though, is often times the recipient responds in an ungodly manner. They apply human responses to a God-given situation. This almost always leads us astray because as God states in Isaiah:

Isaiah 55:9
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

There are several ways God can speak to you:

1. His Word: This is the primary way He speaks. If you aren't studying your Bible, it is often difficult to know what God's will is for a situation.
2. Other People: Sometimes if we just listen to other people and let what they say to us simmer in our spirit for a while, you may hear the Lord telling you to follow that advice.
3. In your spirit: It can be an impression on your mind, an "idea that suddenly pops into your head"

Now one thing to keep in mind is that anytime you follow the latter two sources, you must remember: If it doesn't line up with Scripture, it's not to be followed. As a good friend of mine says, "If it's not in Scripture (the 66 books of the Bible), you are not obligated to believe it.

Spend time in God's Word today and get to know Him better. As you draw closer in that relationship, you will begin to know, understand and appreciate His good and perfect will.

Feel free to write to me below and give me feedback on what you are hearing and how your listening is coming along.

Until next time, blessings and WOOHOOO!!!

Joel