Reality #4 Part 2 God speaks in the Gospels, Acts, and yes even Now!
In the Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, God spoke through His Son, Jesus.
John 1:1-4,14
The Word Became Flesh
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
It would have been foolish for the disciples to say, "It's wonderful knowing You, Jesus; but we really would like to know the Father."
Look at this example between Philip and Jesus:
John 14:8
"Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.'"
John 14:9-10
"Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.'"
Just as Moses was face-to-face with God at the burning bush, the disciples were face-to-face with God in a personal relationship with Jesus. Their encounter with Jesus was an encounter with God, and to hear from Jesus was to hear from God.
In the Gospel accounts, God was in Christ Jesus. God spoke by Jesus. When the disciples heard Jesus, they heard God. When Jesus spoke, that was an encounter with God.
God spoke in Acts and to the Present
When we move from the Gospels to Acts and to the present, we quite often change our whole mind-set. We live as if God quit speaking personally to His people. We fail to realize that an encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter with God. God clearly spoke to His people in Acts. He clearly speaks to us today.
The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of a believer.
1 Corinthians 3:16
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
1 Corinthians 6:19
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own."
Because He is always present in a believer, He can speak to you clearly at any time and in any way He chooses!
God speaks through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, will call to your memory the things Jesus said, will guide you into all truth, will speak what He hears from the Father, will tell you what is yet to come, and will glorify Christ as He reveals Christ to you!
Does God really speak to His people in our day? Yes!
Will He reveal to you where He is working when He wants to use you? Yes!
God has not changed. He still speaks to His people. If you have trouble hearing God speak, you are in trouble at the very heart of your Christian experience. Go back and continue to build your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Part 3 = How do I know when God speaks?
In Christ,
David
John 1:1-4,14
The Word Became Flesh
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
It would have been foolish for the disciples to say, "It's wonderful knowing You, Jesus; but we really would like to know the Father."
Look at this example between Philip and Jesus:
John 14:8
"Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.'"
John 14:9-10
"Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.'"
Just as Moses was face-to-face with God at the burning bush, the disciples were face-to-face with God in a personal relationship with Jesus. Their encounter with Jesus was an encounter with God, and to hear from Jesus was to hear from God.
In the Gospel accounts, God was in Christ Jesus. God spoke by Jesus. When the disciples heard Jesus, they heard God. When Jesus spoke, that was an encounter with God.
God spoke in Acts and to the Present
When we move from the Gospels to Acts and to the present, we quite often change our whole mind-set. We live as if God quit speaking personally to His people. We fail to realize that an encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter with God. God clearly spoke to His people in Acts. He clearly speaks to us today.
The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of a believer.
1 Corinthians 3:16
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
1 Corinthians 6:19
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own."
Because He is always present in a believer, He can speak to you clearly at any time and in any way He chooses!
God speaks through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, will call to your memory the things Jesus said, will guide you into all truth, will speak what He hears from the Father, will tell you what is yet to come, and will glorify Christ as He reveals Christ to you!
Does God really speak to His people in our day? Yes!
Will He reveal to you where He is working when He wants to use you? Yes!
God has not changed. He still speaks to His people. If you have trouble hearing God speak, you are in trouble at the very heart of your Christian experience. Go back and continue to build your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Part 3 = How do I know when God speaks?
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 11:46 AM
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