Topic: Four Ways God Speaks to You [RICK WARREN Devotional 24 March 2020]
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“God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another—even though people may not understand it.”
Job 33:14 (NCV)God is speaking to you, but are you listening for his voice? Today’s verse says God sometimes speaks one way, sometimes another.
The question to ask is, “How do I tune in so that I can hear him?”
Here are four of the channels that God uses:
1. God speaks to us through the Bible.
It’s your guidebook for life. It shows you the right step to take. That is why you need to read God’s Word every day. If you’re not having a daily quiet time and reading the Bible, God is getting a busy signal when he wants to speak to you. You need to keep a constant connection because God’s will is found in God’s Word.
2. God speaks to us through teachers.
There’s no way I or any other teacher could figure out exactly what to say to meet every need of those we’re teaching. But God knows. So before every service I pray, “God, you know the people and the needs out there. Give me the right things to say.” Somehow, in the way only he can, God uses my teaching and the teaching of other pastors to meet the needs of the people who are listening.
3. God speaks to us through impressions.
There are two extremes to this. One extreme is the rationalist who believes no impression can be from God; it all has to be logical. The other extreme is the mystical belief that every impression is from God. You need to get in the middle and realize that every impression has to match God’s Word.
4. God speaks to us through our circumstances.
If we’re going to live a life of significance, God will make constant course corrections, and one of the things he uses to do that is the circumstances of our lives. When you start listening to God through circumstances, impressions, teachers, or the Bible, he may lead you in ways that you don’t understand.
Hang in there! Following God is not always easy, but it will reap more blessing in your life than you can imagine.
- When was a time that God used one of these channels to speak to you about his will for your life?
- How do you think God wants you to test an impression to see if it is from God?
- How do you need to change your perspective on your circumstances so that God can use them to speak to you?
Today is the day. This is the day you need to step across the line and say to Jesus Christ, “I want to have a relationship with you.” How do you do that? Just start by talking to him in prayer. He’s listening to you right now! He’s already done everything that needed to be done. That’s why he came to Earth, died on the cross, and was resurrected. He wants to give you a gift, and the way you accept it is by telling him in prayer, “Today, Jesus, I want to take the first step toward you. I want to get to know you. I admit I don’t understand it all. But Jesus, as much as I know how, I want to open up my life to you. I want to receive your gift for me. Replace my guilt with your gift of forgiveness, worries with your gift of peace, and fear of death with your gift of eternal life. Right now I invite you to come and make your home in my heart. I pray this in your name. Amen.”
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.