Comments from No. 2 - When God Speaks

John Jenkins
As I read through this article, I began wondering - are there differences in the way God spoke to certain individuals who are called for very specific purposes (Abraham, Moses, Paul, John, etc...) and the way He speaks to His people in general on a day to day basis? I don't mean a clergy v. congregation thing, but does God speak the same way to everyone all the time? Or does He also speak in special ways to certain people with specific callings?

And did God manifest himself differently in the way he spoke and revealed himself in the OT (with clouds and fire) than in the NT (Holy Spirit in our hearts)?

These questions come to the surface because of our current day hunger or quest for the supernatural. The present trend seems to be toward the outward experience focus - manifestations (holy laughing/shaking/quaking), seeing (golddust), or hearing (prophetic utterances). Compare this to the more traditional inward Bible focus - meditation or learning (carefully studying God's Word) or pondering (thinking critically with the Bible in hand). The more traditional approach is not outwardly visible.

2 Corinthians 3:7-11 and 17-18 offers some insight:
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (NIV)

It seems like we should be preferring the inward transformation of the Holy Spirit to the visible glory that Moses had. Does this passage relate to the way in which God used to speak and guide and the way He speaks and guides today?

John Jenkins

Mona Burleigh
No, God doesn't speak the same way to all people. He doesn't even speak the same way "all the time" to the same person. We shouldn't expect Him to either. Many times when we put God in a box we limit what He can do or say to us and through us. I believe God is always speaking; We're not always listening or receiving. Many Christians have missed God's speaking, not because He wasn't speaking, but because He didn't do it in a way they would/could accept and receive. Let's face it, God used a dumb ass (donkey) to speak to Balaam (NM 22:30). Surely He is not limited ... We're the ones who are sometimes limited by our own set of ideas.

I have heard people use the argument that "God never changes" to excuse not believing or receiving what God is doing or saying. It's true, "God never changes". His purposes, principles, and character never changes ... but ... His methods to accomplish them have changed all throughout the bible.

Now this brings us to where the caution lies. It is impossible to rightly discern prophecy without being a student of the Word and being in close personal relationship with God. Many have gotten off in error, even to the point of becoming flaky because they handled prophecy without these two important safeguards in place. Here is where we learn of God's purposes, principles, and character. This is also where God speaks to us the most. The bible warns us that in the last days many false prophets and false teachers will arise on the scene (MT 24:11). It is not hard to see that this is happening today.

We should not live in fear of being deceived however. If we are in close personal relationship with God we can be confident that He won't let us get too far off into error without the Holy Spirit revealing it to us.The Word also says that in the last days your sons and daughters will prophesy (Acts 2:17). We will see an increase of prophecy, both by individuals and from the office of the Prophet as the "Anointing meets the Fullness of Time". We just need to make sure that what we receive lines up with the Word, especially as it applies to the purposes, principles, and character of God.

This is truly an exciting time in biblical history, as the Anointing approcahes the Fullness of Time.

Mona Burleigh

Dick Jordan
God speaks to us through his actions and He reveals himself. Years ago I was traveling from Maryland to California for the Christmas holidays. Because I did not make my reservations far enough in advance, I could only fly as far as Reno, Nevada. In Reno I rented a car. I had two prayers that I wanted God to answer. First I prayed for a safe trip to San Jose California, and secondly I prayed that God would reveal to me that there were people who could speak in tongues and that it would be done as Paul described in Corinthians.

God answered both prayers. The first prayer was answered within a half an hour after leaving the airport. Before we left I told the family that we would say a prayer for a safe trip to San Jose. My Son Rich said Dad "No one prays in the car!" I said well, we will pray in the car. Shortly after we prayed, as we were proceeding down Donner's Pass, the day was sun-shiny and the roads dry and clear. But suddenly, within about 5 minutes, bucket loads of snow fell and the roads became instantly slick. My car turned 90 degrees and we began to travel sideways down the pass. The only other car was one quite a ways ahead of us that had come to a stop. I could not stop my car and I prayed silently "Lord I have no control over this car ... only you have ... please stop this car.... or something to that affect. The car came to a complete stop approximately 8 to 10 feet behind the Honda Civic. I just thanked God....did not turn around and say to my son ...see I told you so. God's love and power was certainly revealed to me in a very vivid manner.

On my last day there, God answered my second prayer. I was in a circle praying with my wife's family. As we prayed, all of a sudden my sister-in-law started speaking in tongues. I was very uncomfortable when this occurred. Then she, articulating in a tongue better than the King's English, interpreted what she said. The voice was nothing like her normal voice. It is hard to explain but it was a prophecy for Me and for my wife. Knowing how my sister-in-law, who was not very well educated, normally spoke, this was not her. So, God answered both of my prayers in a very powerful and vivid manner. But in the second instance, the answered prayer was actually God speaking to me, showing me that He really does gift people with "speaking in tongues."

Dick Jordan