God's "Whispers"

 

Be still, and know that I am God...

Psalm 46:10a

A particular subject has been bouncing about in my mind for several days. I think most Christians have experienced special times with God when He seemed to speak so clearly to their spirits to the point of it being rather surprising. For a long time, I didn't quite know what to make of these experiences with God, but with the aging process, I believe many things spiritual in nature are becoming more and more clear.

What do I mean by “God's whispers?” Perhaps we've all experienced a stirring in our spirits... the voice of God that seems almost audible, but isn't. However, these stirrings seem very clear and pronounced in the way of some kind of instruction or even warning. We look back in review and see that such appears to be a word that could only be from God. I'm not talking about something kinky and crazy, but is a quiet thing occurring in the stillness of our own spirits.

For example, my friend Sandy is such a blessing in my life. I learn spiritual things from her all the time. Just today we were sharing some things spiritual in nature. She has in recent days gone through the heartbreaking loss of a dear friend. Although the friend had some health issues, her Home-going certainly didn't seem eminent. Not even two weeks ago, Sandy was at a hospital with another dear friend who was having surgery. After her friend was taken into surgery, while sitting with other friends in the waiting room, Sandy felt almost like she was being spoken to in a very quiet voice. The message was: “Go see Becky.” Becky was her ailing friend who was in a different hospital from where Sandy was at the time. Sandy couldn't quite grasp why there should be a feeling of urgency.

Sandy obeyed the prompting and went to the other hospital and found her friend, sitting up in bed doing some usual activities and for the most part looking well. Sandy had a wonderful visit with Becky and left feeling good that she had made the visit. I'm not sure if it was evening or the next day Sandy received a call that Becky had gone to Heaven. Some complication had crept up and Becky didn't survive it. Sandy said she was so glad she had listened to that prompting from the Lord. She would have forever regretted having not made that visit.

Many times in days past when I left our house to go to work, it wasn't unusual to feel that I should go a different route from my usual one. There were times when I learned I had avoided getting stranded behind a wreck site. Perhaps I could even have been at that site when the wreck occurred. How many times did I avoid any kind of mishap of some kind I didn't even know anything about. I have been prompted in my spirit, just out of the blue, to pray for someone. I didn't necessarily know what was going on in the person's life nor would I pry, but often learned later there had been a crisis of some kind for that individual.

When looking at God's voice in Scripture, no matter how it came to various people, there was one word I found to be associated with it a majority of the time and that word is OBEDIENCE. No matter when or how God chose to speak to people, He had an expectation of those He spoke to. He didn't want them second guessing, considering or thinking about His voice or His prompting. In every instance I saw, God expected action...instant obedience.

There are some things very important to think about when we look at this topic. One of the most important things I can think of is the importance of being honest. Hand in hand with this is one's relationship with the Lord. I've heard people speak of the Lord speaking to their hearts who are living in the depths of sin. They don't attend church, some curse God's name, while others are living in immorality (even declaring that God said it was okay). This I know about God...HE HATES SIN. God will not bless or condone it. In this process though, God gets blamed for a lot of what folks say He has said when He didn't speak to them at all.

God loves to speak to an individual who is in close relationship with Him. When friends walk together, they talk and share. God's desire is to have that kind of relationship with us. When we are people of the Word and of prayer, He feels He can entrust us with personal and more intimate instructions. We may not understand His leading at times, but He will never be wrong. He will never speak anything to you and me that goes against His Word. He will only lead in ways where He is glorified.

I wrote prior to this blog that we often use the phrase, “Just thinking about you.” I'm so grateful for promptings from the Lord when my friends have sensed that I needed a phone call. I've often received a call from a friend saying, “I was just thinkin' about you and thought I'd call.” Something (Someone) prompted her to call. Invariably it was a call I needed.

My suggestion is for us to be more alert to that still, small voice that often speaks to our spirits. If we are sensitive to our Lord as we should be, that voice may be His leading, often in ministering in the lives of other people. As Sandy and I sat talking about her visit with her friend, I shared some things in that same vein of thought I had experienced. She smiled through her tears and simply said, “It's God's whispers.” How precious when He chooses to whisper sweet somethings in our spiritual ears.

Dear Father, forgive the times I haven't been sensitive to your voice and the opportunities I've missed in following your bidding. Give me an ear to hear Your every word whether in Your written Word or in one of your special “whispers” into my spirit. In Jesus' name...Amen

Thy Word

Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11

When I was a young girl in grade school, I asked my Mother if I could have a Bible. My friend Donna had a Bible. She even underlined things in her Bible. Can't tell you how much I wanted a Bible, but it didn't have to be like Donna's Bible. Today, even babies receive New Testaments. Receiving one's first Bible was a very big thing. My Mother said I could have one when I “joined the church.” That was her way of referring to my accepting Jesus as my Savior. To be honest, I forgot about it. It was only a year or so after that when on a sunny Sunday morning, I went forward in our church and accepted Jesus as my Savior.

Surprise, surprise...in about a month after that, I received a package from my Aunt Lee. It was a brand new Bible. It didn't look like Donna's Bible, but that was okay. I dearly loved that Bible, but I have to tell you that since that time, I have had several Bibles. Some of my Bibles are different translations, different colors, and different sizes. All are marked in with notes galore in the margins. Recently, Caleb, one of our grandsons passed by the book case in our living room where I keep most of my Bibles. He said, “Boy Grandma, you have a bunch of Bibles.” I told him, “Yes...and I use each of them at one time or another.”

Reading God's Word serves several purposes in my life. I never want it to just become routine to sit and read it. I love reading it when I'm happy, seeking counsel, preparing a Sunday school lesson or Bible study curriculum, reading it when speaking to a group of ladies, but love it especially when I'm reading it just for recreation. No matter what my state of mind or circumstances, I always want to walk away from it having learned or benefited from it's reading in some way. Most of all, it keeps me in right relationship with my Lord. There are times when I find great pleasure in just spending time looking at it's pages.

I recently came across a verse in Psalm 119. It had special meaning and still does because in the last few weeks, I've gone through a bit of a difficult time. I don't do well with change and am going through a major change right now. Verse 71 stood out as if in neon lights.

It is good for me that I have been
afflicted; that I might learn thy
statutes.

The key word for me in that verse is the word “afflicted.” When I think of that word, I think of someone who has been in a bad car wreck or who has come down with a terrible illness. “Affliction” is a word that has always indicated to me something that is physical. However, the definition, although involving something physical, can also be something that is emotionally troubling.

Change...how I hate it...and it was troubling, but how could it possibly be a good thing in my life? That verse spoke to my heart like never before. I've read it many times as I love Psalm 119 so have read it often. I saw that even in the tough times, be they physical or emotional, God's plan is that in those times, I will learn more about Him and more about His Word. The word “statutes” in this verse has to do with being obedient to God's commandments. Even in times of trouble or affliction, God wants us to walk in obedience.

One major thing I know for a fact, that although I detest change in almost any form, Hebrews 13:8 tells me that Jesus will never change. I see in that verse that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. My relationship with Him can only grow in positive ways, ways that will change me for His good and glory. That verse also says to me that if Jesus never changes, His Word won't change either. Oh, there are Bible translators I wouldn't trust to translate my last first-grade Dick and Jane book, but when it comes to the basic and trusted translations of God's Word, I can base my very salvation and life on them.

Another precious Bible I received was prior to my leaving for college. My Mother and Grandmother bought me a bright red Bible with the what we called “onion skin” pages. I still look at it and all of the markings I made while in various Bible classes. Another precious Bible I received was from my future husband for the Christmas before our February wedding. I bought him one at the same time. It would seem that for many of us, our Bibles indicate some landmark events in our lives.

No matter where my Bibles have come from, they are each precious, not because of the giver, color or types of paper. Each is precious because they are God's Word to me, His love letter to me. It's His love letter to all of us. God's Word continues to be my source of guidance and direction. Psalm 119:105 says: “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Can't make it in a difficult world without it. Remember the chorus we used to sing?

“The B-I-B-L-E
Yes, that's the book for me.
I stand alone on the Word of God.
The B-I-B-L-E”

Thank You, dear Father, for the privilege of owning a copy of Your precious Word. May I never take for granted that privilege. Forgive my laxity at times when I don't read it as often as I should and for not obeying what You say to me through it. Help me to do better. In Jesus Name...Amen

Thinking of You

But I am poor and needy;
yet the Lord thinketh upon me:
thou art my help and my deliverer;
make no tarrying, O my God.
Psalm 40:17

All of us want to be thought of by someone...anyone. We live in a busy world where it would seem in the cluttering of our minds there is little thought for family, friends or acquaintances in general. People can work full time with co-workers for long periods of time without saying a kind or encouraging word. It's not necessarily deliberate, but is thoughtless to say the least. Families are spread all over the country these days. In most cases, such moves haven't been deliberate; it's just the way it's turned out with a mobile society. With that has come a lot of “out of sight, out of mind” thinking. People get busy where they are and keeping in touch can become slack.

Just because I don't live near any three of our children and don't have the privilege of seeing them as often as I'd like, doesn't mean I don't love them or don't think about them. I am happy for those who have had parents, grandparents in the same town or even neighborhood. I haven't known that kind of thing since leaving for a college in Kansas after high school graduation. However, I have found from what some ladies have told me that living near family doesn't mean that relatives give loving thought of one another.

I have received cards, letters and even e-mails that may say the usual in a closing statement: “Thinking of you.” I have said that very thing under the same circumstances and I try to be honest when I say it. If I say I'm thinking of someone and haven't, then I've lied. That I know of, the governor of my state hasn't been thinking about me. I know the President of our country hasn't been thinking anything about me. I could name spiritual leaders in our country that I'm sure as I can be who don't even know my name and that's no fault of any persons I've mentioned.

Here's the unbelievable fact of my life, and by the way, of yours as well:

God thinks about me!

Yes, me...one of millions...God thinks about me. In various places in Scripture I read from God: “Thinking of you.:” For instance:

How precious also are thy thoughts
unto me, O God! How great is the
sum of them.
Psalm 139:17

What a precious thing that the very God of the Universe, Creator, Protector, Provider and every other characteristic of positive note, thinks about me. He thinks about me not just once in awhile, but thinks of me more times than can be counted.

                For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts
of peace, and not of evil, to give you
an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11

I get chills as I read the above verse. God is firm in His thinking. He wants me to have His peace in my life. I'm also assured God knows my end because He's in charge of my life and the lives of everyone else. In that process, He's thinking about me.

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful
works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts
which are to us-ward: they cannot be
reckoned up in order unto thee:
if I would declare and speak of them,
they are more than can be numbered.
Psalm 40:5

The Psalmist, David, had more enemies than he knew what to do with. He was on the run for a very long time. If it wasn't King Saul, it was his son Absalom who was after him. David loved both, but that love wasn't returned. With little love, there is generally little thought for someone. David consoled himself in the fact that if no one else on the earth thought of him, God did...in abundance. He saw God's wonderful work on his behalf and the thoughts of God toward him that were more than he could comprehend. He states in his words that those thoughts couldn't even be counted. I pray you and I will realize that God's thoughts toward David weren't just for David. Those same thoughts and good works shown toward David are available and available in our lives as well.

On my loneliest day, even though it may be a time when I don't think anyone in the world is giving me a thought, I can rest in my mind and spirit that THE God of the universe thinks about me. He thinks about me because of His love for me. No, I don't see a face as we know faces, but I can see Him by faith, I sense His face turned toward me as He lovingly showers me with His thoughts. Every day...in every way...my Heavenly Father says: “Thinking of you!”. By the way, He says the same thing to you as well. You can hear Him in nature around you and through His precious Word.

Thank You Father for thinking of me like You do. I know Your thoughts come as a result of Your love and I so love You for loving me. I'm not deserving of that love because I let You down so often. You see everything about me and yet You consistently shower You thoughts and love on me. I can't express to You how much I love You....in Jesus' precious name....Amen

Go Wash Again

Wash me and I shall be
whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

I can remember really struggling with the hand washing before a meal when I was about it. It really came to a crisis point then. Mother would tell me to wash my hands which I did. However, upon checking, she was clean hands...at least on one side. I then had to go wash again so that both sides of my hands were clean. She could also tell if I had used soap by looking at the towel on the rack. If I hadn't used soap, the towel revealed where the dirt on my hands had gone.

Since that time, I've learned the importance of clean hands. Working in a hospital and doctor's office taught me that I would have to wash my hands what seemed like every ten minutes. As hard as we may try though, our newly washed hands don't stay that way. We have to wash them consistently to keep them clean and even then, we can never wash them to where they are totally germ free.

We are all very well acquainted with David, the second king of Israel. He had everything going for him, we know the unfortunate events that occurred in his life, much of his own making. Through a long sage of events and heartaches, David managed to survive even when God's prophet called him out regarding his sin. Rather than rationalizing and making excuses, David went before God in true repentance. We get just a glimpse of David's sorrow over his with Bathsheba. For instance, David cries out to God:

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. (v 2)

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be
clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter
than snow. (v 7)

I don't get the impression from David in his prayer that he thought just one side of his sin would be cleansed or any of it left on a towel. I get the impression that the cleansing God does is thorough, even to the point of a clean that is whiter than snow. How can anything be whiter than snow, but God can do anything.

Jesus did a lot of washing that we can list here. He put clay on the blind eyes of a man and told him to go wash it off. When the man did, he found he had perfect vision for the first time in his life. He also chose during that eventful Passover meal with his disciples, to wash the feet of the disciples. Culturally during that time, even slaves weren't required to wash the dirty feet of anyone. Jesus chose to do this task. Probably the disciples' feet had already been washed as they entered the room but now, Jesus chose to wash their feet. It would appear that the washing wasn't so much for the purpose of cleaning dirty feet but was more symbolic of being a servant.

Paul spoke of washing as he wrote to the Corinthian church. At one point, he spoke why the unrighteous won't inherit the kingdom of God. In I Corinthians 6:11, he wrote:

And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God.

Notice that washing is listed first. The sin problem has to be taken care of or there can be no sanctification or justification. Washing of one's sin is just that important.

Paul also wrote to the Ephesians with regard to washing. He spoke of how husbands are love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it...

That He might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word. (5:26)

Recently heard something interesting I don't think I'll ever forget. Brian and I were in a conference where Michael Card, the composer (El Shaddai) and in-depth Bible teacher was speaking. He turned to a portion of Scripture and asked us to not turn to it with him. As I recall, it was a lengthier portion of Scripture. As he said we didn't have to turn to it, he said:

“Let me wash you with the Word.” I had already turned to the Scripture and had it on my lap but found myself relaxing and taking in that Scripture like I've not done before when hearing Scripture read. “Let me wash you with the Word”...I think even when we sit with our Bibles open in the privacy of our own special sitting spot, I believe that statement is at the heart of what the Holy Spirit wants to do with His Word in us.

How is all of this possible? Read with me Revelation 1:5:

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead, and the
prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him
that loved us, and washed us from our
sins in His own blood....

All is made possible through Jesus, His dying for us, raising from the dead in victory and providing us with victory in our lives through His washing us and cleaning us up.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to ransom my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

AMEN

The Big "IF"

This then is the message which we have
heard of Him, and declare unto you,
that God is light, and in Him is no
darkness at all.
I John 1:5

Little words in our English language are interesting. Our little word “if” is no exception. It has even been stretched into a little longer word...”iffy.” If something is “iffy” in it's use, the indicator is usually that something is uncertain, or something that could go either way. Otherwise, “iffy” indicates uncertainty or what is questionable. I don't like anything that is “iffy,” especially when someone tries to trip me up with a spiritual question or statement.

“If” is a conditional word and we've all used it or heard it used in some familiar ways, such as:
“IF you get your chores finished, THEN you can go with your friends.”
“IF you study hard, THEN you will pass this test.”
“IF you accept Jesus as your Savior, THEN you will have a home in Heaven.”

I think you get the idea of the word being used in a conditional way. Also notice that with”if” statements, the word “then” may appear after the initial statement. Otherwise, an “if” statement almost always requires a “then” reply. Scripture is full of “Ifs.” As I've been studying in the book of First John 1:5-10, I found, as I love to do, a pattern in many of the words.

The opening verse 5 lays a foundation for the rest of what John wants to say in this chapter and each of the last five verses has an important “if” statement. Three of those verses (6,8 and 10) are “If we say” statements. The other two verses (7 and 9) are “if” statements that requires action on our part. No matter the type of verse, we are still confronted with conditions we are called on to meet. As you read, you will see a * in each verse, that indicates where the word “then” should be.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him,
and walk in darkness, * we lie, and do not the truth. (6)

If we say that we have no sin, * we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (8)

If we say that we have not sinned, * we make Him
a liar, and His word is not in us. (10)

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
* we have fellowship one with another, and
the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin. (7)

If we confess our sins, * He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (9)

I have in my possession a very tiny book, written by Amy Carmichael entitled IF. Some college friends gave it to me in January,1991 as a birthday gift. The first time I thumbed through it, I thought it surely wouldn't take long to read. After some introductory pages, I found, through the rest of the book, only one sentence on each page. Every sentence begins with the word IF. Each sentence is meant to really pry into the heart of the reader. It probes the depth of one's Calvary love, (a love Jesus had for us on the cross) in many of life's situations. In fact, one is instructed to not move to the next page until the one page being read has been fully absorbed. For instance:

“IF I covet any place on earth but the dust
at the foot of the Cross,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

Back in 1991, I could never have thought of coveting any place on earth. But now I live in one of the most beautiful places on this earth that I dearly love. I was forced anew to consider that page.

Here's one other of several probings from this little book:

“IF I can write an unkind letter, speak an
unkind word, think an unkind thought
without grief and shame,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

These and the other statements in this book are all “If/then” statements. The “if” parts of the sentences aren't meant to make excuses for oneself, but to force one to come face to face with Jesus and His sacrifice of love for all.

Most of us don't need to use the word “if” when it comes to the spiritual. We basically know who and what we are before God, what our shortcomings are and what we need to do about them. I love that Scripture brings us to the basics; nothing terribly hard to understand of the issue of sin. Our problem is being obedient to the Word of God because of our love for Him with no Ifs, ands or buts about it.

Dear Father, I don't want there to be any “if's” on my part in my relationship with You. Help me to be transparent all the time with You and respond with obedience to Your Spirit's convicting prompts in my life. Thank You for not giving up on me. I love you. In Jesus' name....Amen.