The Voice of the Lord: How Do We Know When He is Speaking to Us?

Question: 

How do we know when the Lord is talking to us?

Answer: 

This is a great question because for anyone who has a relationship with God, and Jesus, we really desire to hear and understand his voice. 

I want to start with a reading from Psalm 29:4 NLT, which says: 

“The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”

One of the first things that I would share is that you want to remember that God’s voice is powerful and majestic. Sometimes, when we are struggling, we wonder, “Is God speaking to me, or is He not?” Just remember that the voice of the Lord is powerful. 

I’m going to give you a few things to consider.

As I’ve taught a Bible study on this, I’m going to distill this down to some concise thoughts, but I want you to consider some components of the different ways that God speaks to us because God doesn’t speak in only one way.

I’ll start with the first one, audibly. 

God can and does speak, and we see throughout the Bible that he has spoken to people in a loud, audible voice, but that’s not the only way He speaks. We see that with Moses. I think it’s in Exodus 33 NLT, where Moses is having this conversation with God and hearing the audible voice of God. 

“The Lord said to Moses, “Get going, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Go up to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I told them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.”

But let’s consider some other ways God speaks.

Another way that God speaks to us is in Romans 1:20 NLT.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

We get a reference that God speaks to us through creation. Creation itself, as we go out and look at nature or when we go and look at the mirror, as you and I are a creation of God, allows us to see the creative handiwork of God Himself. And so, God can speak to us through creation.

God can speak to us through a sign or an event. 

I would direct you to the Book of Judges, 6:36-40 NLT:

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.”

We get this reference to a man named Gideon, who was seeking confirmation from God, and he did so through a sign. He would lay out his fleece and say, “God, if this is from you, let the fleece be dry and the ground be damp.” 

And it happened as it was. Then he wanted further confirmation and asked the reverse of that: that the fleece would be damp, but the ground around would be dry. God gave him the confirmation through a sign. 

I think that’s an important distinction, too. Sometimes, we feel like we’re hearing from God, and we just need confirmation. And so, creation can do that, and a sign or an event can do that.

Another way that God can speak is through a messenger or literally through people. 

In the Book of 1 Corinthians, 12:8 NLT:

“To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.” 

In this reference, God uses people to operate in spiritual gifts, somebody can come with a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom, and you can receive that as being directly from the Lord. 

Even as an expression from a believer in Jesus Christ who has the spirit of God dwelling in them, they can absolutely speak a word on behalf of God as an exercising of a spiritual gift. And so, God can speak to us through a messenger.

God can speak through a vision or a dream. 

In Acts Chapter 16:9-10 NLT, Paul was given a vision of where to go next in the ministry venture, even after receiving a closed door, what we call a closed door, he was prevented from going in one direction, but God gave him a vision to go another way.

“That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.”

And so, you can hear from God through a vision.

We can also hear the voice of God through our very conscience. 

This is referred to with Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13: 

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah heard the still, small voice of God. This is similar to the audible voice, which is that loud, powerful, tangible voice you can hear right now, but the still, small voice is kind of like that inner conscience or that still, small voice of God, who would almost be that whisper or that prompting and inclination that you get.

But the key way that God speaks to us is through the Bible. Through the written Word of God. 

The way that I can know for sure that this is God because he will never contradict himself is through the Word. 

I’ll share one more thing with you from 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT, and listen to what it says here: 

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

So, the primary way to know God is talking to you is by prayerfully reading God’s word. I hope that helps. 

source https://calvaryyouth.org/biblical-answers/the-voice-of-the-lord-how-do-we-know-when-he-is-speaking-to-us/

Navigating Between Lust and Innocence in Relationships

Question: So, how do you know the difference between going through with lust or just something innocent? Like if you’re checking someone out and you decide to pursue them, how do you know it’s not a sexual thing but something just fine?

Answer: 

We received a question about understanding the difference between acting out of lust or innocence in relationships. Essentially, it’s about discerning whether our attraction to someone stems from pure motives or sinful desires. It’s an important question that prompts us to examine our hearts and intentions, especially considering the Bible’s call to live in purity and holiness. Let’s dive into this topic and explore how we can ensure our actions align with God’s standards.

“Lust” is often defined as an overwhelming desire or craving, particularly in the context of sexual desires. It’s something that can consume our hearts and minds, leading to sinful actions. This intense craving is not the direction the Lord has called us to follow.

Lust focuses on pleasing oneself. It’s a very selfish thing. It often leads to actions without regard for consequences, and it’s just about fulfilling one’s desires and needs. So, looking at what the Bible says about it, I think lust, in a lot of ways, has something to do with possession, greed, and really unchecked desires of the heart. And we know that’s not from the Lord.

How do we guard ourselves against this overwhelming desire or craving in our hearts? I’m thinking about this because it can be challenging to navigate. God has given us desires in our humanity, right? He’s given us desires of food and water, comfort and shelter, and then even sexual desires. 

These are things that have been created by the Lord for us, but we’re told that we should give no provision to our flesh. Those are the things that should not control us, and they are not our main motivations in life. 

As believers, how do we walk in the spirit? By allowing the spirit to control the desires of our flesh and using those things in an honoring way to the Lord. And so, how do we know the difference? As this question asks, how do we know if it’s sinful lust or innocent?

Consider the story from Genesis 13, where Lot and his uncle Abram part ways, choosing land for themselves. Lot’s actions in this story illustrate a pursuit driven by selfish desires, which aligns with the definition of lust we discussed earlier. There’s a lesson for us to learn from Lot’s example.

In Genesis 13:10-12 NLT, it says: 

“Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain.”

There are a couple of keywords about what Lot was doing here. Number one, “He lifted his eyes, and he saw.” 

So, he saw something that he liked, and then he started to pursue it. It says that he chose for himself what he saw. It shows for himself what he liked, and he went all in after that. And so, I think that that’s where lust starts. 

In the context of this question, if you see someone that you’re attracted to and you respond like Lot where you’re just looking, you’re lifting your eyes, you’re choosing for yourself, you’re pursuing something for yourself, I think that that would be lust and that would not be an innocent motive, right? 

And then, Lot’s deliberate choice to go to that spot, to sit in that spot—he says he’d dwell there—and he pitched his tent. Everything he was choosing was going in that direction for what he liked and wanted for himself. He was not considering Abram, his uncle, at all, but it was all about what Lot wanted, what felt good. I think this is a great picture of what lust is.

Again, putting that back into the context of your question and the things that you might be walking through, specifically in just being attracted to the opposite sex or someone else, it’s this idea of, “Is it lust?” 

Think through that in your own heart: “Is this just something that I look at, that I like, and that I want, and think you’re just self-absorbed?” That would definitely be a sinful action. Jesus has called us to put others above ourselves, so we want to do so.

So, if you find yourself pursuing a relationship solely because it satisfies your own desires or feels good for yourself, it’s important to recognize that this self-centered approach mirrors Lot’s actions in Genesis 13. Instead, strive to prioritize the other person’s well-being and honor the Lord in your choices. Avoid following in Lot’s footsteps by making decisions that solely benefit you, and instead, seek to honor the Lord in all your relationships.

In 1 John 2:15-17 NIV, it’s highlighted that the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are tools the enemy uses to lead us astray. 

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

We must be cautious about what we focus on and pursue, as these can lead to spiritual decay and death. I hope this sheds some light on your question.

source https://calvaryyouth.org/biblical-answers/navigating-between-lust-and-innocence-in-relationships/

Ash Wednesday: Exploring its Significance and Biblical Perspective

Question: 

Do we celebrate Ash Wednesday, and if we do, why?

Answer: 

Before I fully address this question, let’s delve into what Ash Wednesday signifies. 

Traditionally, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, observed by Catholics and some Protestant denominations. Lent spans 40 days leading up to Easter, characterized by fasting, self-denial, and spiritual discipline. It’s a time to identify with Jesus and seek the Lord. 

On Ash Wednesday, believers often attend church to confess sins, where the priest marks their foreheads with ash in the shape of a cross. This ritual symbolizes confession, repentance, and self-denial as part of preparing for Lent.

But, as we look at this biblically, Ash Wednesday and even Lent are never mentioned in the Bible. And so, how do we approach this question, and how do we want to understand this Biblically? 

Looking back at the Old Testament, we find practices similar to those observed on Ash Wednesday:

• In 2 Samuel 13, Tamar tears her robe and puts ashes on her head.
• Esther 4:1 describes Mordecai hearing bad news, putting on burlap and ashes, and crying in the city.
• Job 2:8 depicts Job, suffering and mourning, sitting among ashes and scraping his skin with broken pottery.
• In Daniel 9, Daniel pleads with the Lord through prayer and fasting, wearing burlap and sprinkling himself with ashes.

We can kind of see where the tradition that Catholics and some Protestant denominations practice is Ash Wednesday. We see similarities in these Old Testament examples, but the question is, as born-again believers who follow Jesus, should we practice Ash Wednesday? 

So, the thought would be that the Bible doesn’t promote or really condemn Ash Wednesday, so you can take this prayerfully to the Lord if that’s something that you want to practice. But I think that there’s something that we should consider as we have the liberty to practice this. 

While Ash Wednesday offers a valuable time for fasting and seeking the Lord, shouldn’t this be our daily lifestyle with Jesus? We shouldn’t confine confession of sin and repentance to a six-week period. Instead, let’s make it a daily practice, inviting the Lord to examine our hearts and root out any sin or wrongdoing.

My attitude towards this is, “I don’t need a 40-day period to set aside to really confess my sins and seek the Lord. But I want to do this on a regular basis.” And so, that’s why I don’t observe Ash Wednesday. 

Jesus cautioned against making a show of fasting and spiritual disciplines, as mentioned in Matthew 6:16-18 NLT. These practices should be private between you and the Lord in the intimacy of one’s prayer closet.

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair[a] and wash your face. Then, no one will notice that you are fasting except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” 

Jesus emphasizes the importance of maintaining outward appearances while fasting. In Matthew 6:17, he advises, 

“When you fast, comb your hair and wash your face, so that no one will notice you are fasting except your Father, who knows what you do in private, and he will reward you.”

We want to explore the idea of our prayer closet, this time with the Lord. Ash Wednesday promotes the outward appearance that you’re living a spiritual life and doing things right. But God always looks at the heart. So, where’s your relationship with the Lord in that?

And then, the final verse I’ll share with you, Joel 2:12-13 NLT: 

“That is why the Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.”

So, God’s really speaking about this as we fast, as we seek the Lord to matter in the condition of our heart and not just an outwardly traditional observance. That’s kind of my approach to it. I want to just live for the Lord daily. I don’t need or want just to follow traditions and become stuck in a routine of traditions, but really give my heart over to the Lord. 

source https://calvaryyouth.org/biblical-answers/ash-wednesday-exploring-its-significance-and-biblical-perspective/

Understanding the Gravity of Suicide in Christian Belief

Question: 

Is suicide an unforgivable sin?

Answer: 

In responding to that question, let’s first just speak to the obvious that taking our own life is absolutely less than God’s perfect will and standard. And anything that is short of God’s perfect will and standard is exactly what the Bible calls sin. 

But we have to remember that “All have sinned,” Romans 3:23-24 NLT: 

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”

Romans 6:23 NLT highlights that everyone falls short of God’s glory and that the consequence of sin is death. However, the verse also emphasizes the gift of God, as it continues to say:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 Many things we do are considered sins, and God has forgiven them.

But we have to remember this: that suicide is an irreversible thing, that taking your own life is one of the most selfish acts we can do. So, is it unforgivable? Let me be clear and say, no, it’s not unforgivable because Romans 6:23 gives us this insight that “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.” 

And as mentioned in Romans 10:9 NLT: 

 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

So, you can be sure that if God grants you eternal life and the Spirit of God dwells in your heart, you can’t remove it by making a poor or bad decision.

It’s kind of like this question: if my last act in this earthly body was a sinful act, would God remove me from the kingdom of God? 

I would say no. God has forgiven us of everything past, present, and even future. But don’t use that as a license for suicide because suicidal thoughts are not from God. That would be one of the key emphases I want to give; to believe suicidal thoughts is to believe a lie.

John Chapter 10:10 ESV tells us, 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

If you’re contemplating suicidal thoughts, I just need you to hear the voice of God and hear the voice of God through my voice and say that it is not him who’s speaking that to you. That is your flesh, and that is even more severe than that. That’s the enemy lying to you and impressing things in your mind that are not from God. He does not desire for us to take our own life. God has ordained our days, and who are we to initiate them?

Reflecting on Paul’s words, “For me to live is Christ,” reminds us of the purpose and significance of our lives. While acknowledging that “to die is gain,” it’s important to understand that this doesn’t mean we should accelerate our departure from this earthly body to be in the presence of the Lord. Doing so would fall short of God’s perfect standard and would not be pleasing to Him. Instead, we should recognize each day as a gift from God and live it with gratitude and purpose. And that I leave behind a lot of hurting people.

And actually, suicidal thoughts and tendencies are one of those things that can spread like wildfire. If you’re contemplating that, seek help, and talk to your parents, a pastor, or someone who can help you through that. If you need another resource, you can dial 988 anywhere in the nation, and that brings you to a suicide prevention hotline. 

So, please reach out if you’re struggling with that, and God bless you.

source https://calvaryyouth.org/biblical-answers/understanding-the-gravity-of-suicide-in-christian-belief/