Hearing God

I think when a lot of people think of listening to God they think of listening to some "still, small voice." Or they think of this audible voice that would come from above like in the story of Samuel. The funny thing is, there is a heckuva lot of people who try to hear GOd's voice and direction, but they don't even look at His Word. Since God will never speak contrary to His Word, to try to hear His voice without His Word is dangerous. Even if one is walking esp. close to God, it is very easy to be deceived. I was talking to a guy from a deliverance ministry, and he said that virtually everyone who TRULY pursues God, quits playing the games, and tries to obey Him in everything, becomes decieved on the matter of hearing His voice. I know it certainly happened to me when I finally got to that place. Thankfully, God lead me to Lighthouse (www.lighthouseministryintl.org) where I renounced this "voice of the Lord" and became free. Many people have the idea that the enemy is a roaring lion looking for who he may devour (note: on that passage, 1 Peter 5:8, it is not what most people think. Lions only roar in this context to try to instill fear in a prey that they could not take on their own. The devil can't take us so he tries to instill fear. Why do so many Christians fear evangelism? Why do so many Christians fear spiritual warfare? but I'm getting off topic). The enemy will counterfeit anything he can. He will try to counterfeit the works of the Lord. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. The enemy masquerades as an angel of light.

So what does "hearing from God look like." I would say a fundamental principle of hearing from God would be to meditate on His Word. Look at Psalm 1. Dwelling (meditating) on the law of the Lord day and night is key. WHATEVER HE DOES PROSPERS! All these people try to chase after prosperity in all of these ways but they fail to understand that prosperity has a lot more to do with ruminating on God's Word than throwing money at good causes (well, I would say that tithing is a critical step in prosperity, but that would be a different discussion). Look at Joshua 1:8. IT COULDN'T BE MORE CLEAR! "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Look at the order. Dwell on God's Word constantly, THAN you will be prosperous and successful. People chase the latter and ask God to do the latter for them, but refuse to do the steps that God orders. How can God bless those who are unwilling to do what He says to be blessed? How does a person expect to be full without eating? Is praying for fullness going to take care of the need?

Back to my favorite verse: John 8:32 And you shall know [as in the Biblical word for sex (hmm, I wonder if the firewall at school will stop me from getting to my blog) it is knowing THAT closely] the truth and the truth will set you free. If God's Word is the source of truth, than dwelling on His Word is essential to freedom from the wrong things that "can so easily entangle."

Spiritual gifts

So a guy in chapel was talking about spiritual gifts. He was mentioning how spiritual gifts can be supernatural not just a person's own talents. So I thought about that in my own life. The last time I did a spiritual gift inventory thing I came up with prophecy (not in the pentecostal sense) and wisdom as one and two. I like the word annointed better than supernatural. Cuz when God annoints either one of those gifts, that's where the action is. Just me cultivating them on my own, yeah, important, but it's both. A person has to cultivate their spiritual gifts, learn from those who are better than you, etc. But a person also needs to have that close abiding walk with the Lord. "The annointing comes from the love walk." -Joyce Meyer. So we are responsible for the love walk, the cultivating of the gifts, etc. But ultimately it is God who is responsible for everything (He gave the gifts, he annoints, etc.). We just need to live in such a way that we block him from working (by pride, sin bondages, etc.).

I saw this quote on a guy's facebook I met here at school. I thought it was good.

The moment we make up our minds that we are going on with this determination to exalt God over all, we step out of the world's parade. - A.W. Tozer

I'm a college student

Yep, that's right. I'm a college student again. Classes start tomorrow.

I wonder how college will impact my blogging. Will I blog more or less?

Pet scan results

I'm still cancer-free. Thanks for your prayers.

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Let's dig in. Basically once we renew our minds through abiding in Him and on His Word, we will THEN know God's will (instead of choosing to dwell on the pattern of this world - negativity and destruction). God's will is revealed to us as we renew our minds (ultimately Him doing that through us as we seek Him (If we seek Him we will find Him, when we seek Him with all our hearts & Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added on to you) and walk in truth (And you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free - John 8:32). Too many Christians think God's will is whether they go to college here or there, work this or that job, etc. While those might be included I really am thinking this is talking more about daily life (in fact, I see tons of Christians who are supposedly walking in God's will on these big things, but just by looking at the fruit in their life it shows that while they might be walking in the will of God on that one decision, they are far from it as far as their whole life is concerned). I used to just think that Romans 12:2 meant that if our mind is being renewed and we are abiding in Christ that we will be able to see what God would have us do on different things throughout the day. True. However, the insight that came to me, is more than that. By renewing our mind once we are in the abiding mode, we will see the lies of the enemy that would threaten to pull us out from the shelter of God's annointing. For example, renewing my mind exposes the lie of pride to me when a prideful thought comes. Then I can see that I would no longer be walking in God's will by taking that thought and choosing to dwell on it. So renewing our mind shows us what thought-lies will stop us from continuing to walk in God's will.

O.k. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else. But it made a ton of sense to me as it came to me as I was washing dishes tonight. And I thought it was incredible. I just hope I explained that well enough.