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Friday, March 12, 2010

Does God Speak Only Through The Bible?

To suggest that our God speaks to us in any way outside the Bible is to walk on thin ice with many people. Make no mistake about the fact that your Father will never speak to you in a way that contradicts what the Bible says, but the teaching that He only can only speak to you when you read the Bible is a lie that will prevent you from hearing Him at many other times. Our God speaks in many ways and if we have the ears to hear Him speak in those ways we will find unlimited opportunities to hear His voice.

He can speak to us through nature. Have you never heard Him declare His greatness as you stared into the night sky filled with stars? He speaks through music. Remember the times your heart has been stirred as you’ve listened to somebody sing a particular song that you knew was speaking directly to you? He certainly can speak to us through other people. Haven’t you ever talked to a friend in a time of need, and found that they had said something to you that helped? Maybe they gave you advice or encouraged you in some way, and you believed you heard the voice of the Lord in it?” He can speak in too many ways to list. He speaks through culture, through art, through circumstances and in countless other ways.

The viewpoint I’m offering here may provoke some people to think that I’m diminishing the value of the Bible, but I am not. What I am doing is magnifying the ability of our Father to make Himself heard to us. Don’t limit Him by your perspective because you’ll do yourself a great disservice.

The Bible itself affirms the fact that God speaks to the human race in other ways. The Psalmist wrote: The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world (Psalm 19:1-4).

The Scripture says that the heavens declare the glory of God. As this Psalm says, there is no audible voice, but “their utterances” go out “to the end of the world.” The voice of the Creator comes through the heavens. It’s the Lord speaking, declaring His glory to us through nature. In Romans 1:18-21, Paul says that the whole world can see God through the things He has created. The evidence is undeniable.

However, there is much more. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, God, after He spoke long ago in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

The Father’s ultimate expression to us is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Our God hasn’t stopped speaking. He is still speaking to us because Christ is the Word of God and He lives and is still active. Remember how John described Jesus in the beginning of his gospel?

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Who is Jesus Christ? He is the living Word of God who has taken on a human nature and body, now the Word of God made visible and audible. And this same Jesus, now risen and glorified, lives in you and me!

One major reason it’s important to know that God speaks in many ways is because if you believe the lie that He only speaks through the Bible, then the only thing it takes to cause you to be deaf to hearing God speak is for the enemy to keep you from reading the Bible. But if you understand that your Father speaks in a multitude of ways then you can go through your day with your eyes and ears wide open, and you hear the divine lover, your Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus, speaking to you in many ways throughout your day. Don’t fall for the lie that God only speaks through the Bible. He does speak that way, but if you restrict yourself to that alone, you’ll miss hearing His loving voice many times throughout your day.

4 comments:

  1. If He can speak through both a pagan sorcerer and the donkey he rode on (Balaam & Balaam's ass) He can speak through anything or anyone He wishes, at any time He wishes, as He pleases!!! I only wish He would speak to me more. I have no desire in this world but Him, and to hear His voice, and to be permitted the privilege of obeying Him. How can I get closer to Him?

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  2. You are literally one with Him at this very moment :) (1 Corinthians 6:17) As is true with any loving relationship, sometimes He simply sits in silence, but even then He is holding you in His arms staring adoringly into your face.

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  3. Wow!!! Literally one with Him ... oh be still my poor heart!!!

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  4. and Christ contains the fulness of God and HE LIVES IN YOU!

    And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (Joh 1:16)

    For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Col 2:9-10)

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