God Speaks

Early this morning during my "quiet time", I was reading through Luke 1 and 2. I have been trying to spend time lately studying and praying about the birth of Jesus and all the events that surrounded this amazing time in history. For good reason of course as Christmas is coming and it is top of mind. But this morning I was struck with a new truth. This truth is not a new "revelation" per se, but something I did not expect the Lord to be teaching me. This truth is the various ways that God speaks to us if we are willing to listen.

In the past decade of my spiritual journey with Jesus, I have experienced some pretty amazing things. Miracles I guess you could call them. But for me, they have been the undeniable leading of the Holy Spirit and God's ways of directing me where He wants me. God knows me so intimately that He knows EXACTLY how to reach me with whatever He is trying to teach me. When I look back over the past 10 years I can see a pattern. Being relatively young in my faith 10 years ago, God has shown me His power and has "spoken" to me that cannot be attributed to anything else but to His "voice."

I was reminded this morning of how God has spoken to me. Nine years ago I was at a turning point in my faith. I knew that God was real; I knew He wanted more for and from me; and I knew He wanted ALL of me, not just a portion. I was ready to devote all of myself to him (or so I thought then). The gifts He has given me to see something and make it better (in our fallen state) and to create something out of very little (graphic design) I was and continue to be determined to devote to Him for His glory and purposes.

I was reminded of this by how the angel Gabriel came to Mary and spoke to her and that she would give birth to a child and that He would be the Savior of the world, the Messiah that had been spoken of for centuries prior. The cross reference in this part of Luke took me to Hebrews 1 where the author describes Jesus. In Hebrews 2 it then refers to Psalm 22:22, "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." Chapter 22 of Psalms is a Messianic chapter, meaning it accurately describes the coming Messiah and what He will endure. It is prophecy. Not only is it prophecy of the coming Messiah, it was in a dream I had nine years ago. Very clearly I saw the word Psalm and many "double 2s" (22, 22, 22, 22...). God was telling me that, yes, I will use you to proclaim the coming of the Lord, that I (God) will use you to encourage and build up the body of Christ.

God has spoken to me in many other ways over the past decade, but one thing they all have in common is they are attached to God's Holy Word, the Bible. In every case, the leading I received from these "chats" with God were followed up by a scripture. I put all my trust in God and I believe that what the Bible says is literally God's words spoken to men, like you and I, and written down for all to read. I believe we are to take them literally and DO what they say. When Jesus said "GO into all the nations..." in Matthew 28:19, it was not preceded or followed by "if you want to." It was and is a clear command. I do not want to let down my Heavenly Father. I want to be used to the full extent of what HE intends for me, because I know there isn't a life worth living unless it is lived FULLY for God.

How are you "going" into all nations? How have you been blessed? God blesses with time, money, abilities, etc. so that we can use those to bless (and ultimately love) others. Are you using those blessings to further God's Kingdom? This is not only my challenge to you, but a reminder to myself to pick up my cross DAILY and follow Him where He leads. It's a reminder of how the creator of the universe, of life and all the incredible intricacies of it, has set in place every event and time for a purpose. It's a reminder of His love for me that He has set me apart for a purpose -- that He has spoken to me literally and that I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. It's a reminder of sacrifice and the blood that was shed for me. I am indebted to Jesus for what He did for me on the cross. He wasn't just a man. He was and is God. How can I give Him any less than all?