I know this what I’m about to say isn’t a new concept. I am sure there have been no less than 10 million sermons, blog posts, and books about it already, but I just want to say this because it has been on my heart through conversations I have recently had and things I have seen over my years in ministry.
The Bible is God’s word to us. It is God-breathed and inspired. God always speaks to us through His word. He speaks at life, love, and any other topic, motive, or struggle you can think of. If you’ve thought it, the Bible references it and that means that God has something to speak into your life through His word.
It still amazes me when people will say something contrary to the consistent messages in the Bible and than saw its what God is telling them. Here are a few examples…
Last night I had a conversation and my friend was telling me that someone had recently told him “I’ve prayed about it and I just feel like God is telling me to leave my wife and go start something new and be happy with this other girl”. I am not one to put God in a box, but let me just tell you right now that God is not telling you anything like that. I don’t even need to get into all the ins and outs of the “is divorce ok?” discussion. I will just simply say that you will not find any passage in the Bible that says to take your covenant lightly that you made before God, your friends and family and your wife, and to already have a new girlfriend lined up when you leave your wife. That is not consistent with his word.
Another favorite of mine is the family excuse. I had someone tell me “We’ve been so busy with soccer games and practices that we just need to stay home from church some nights so we can be together as a family”. Again, not to put God in a box, but all through His word he tells us that the local church is His bride. If you love someone you also love what they love. If you love God you will love and value His church. I don’t doubt that your family needs to slow down, or that you need down time, but its probably soccer you need to cut so you can attend church together as a family.
The last example of this I heard the other day was in reference to someone being challenged to share their faith by a spiritual leader. This person said that they wouldn’t share their faith because it was expected but they only did this when the Holy Spirit prompted them. I understand that you could read that think its ok because this person wasn’t to live Spirit lead, but they that wasn’t the state of their heart. I wanted to ask them what they thought of the multiple times in scripture where we are told to share our faith or take light to the world.
God does speak to people, every Christ follower has been given the Holy Spirit to indwell them and illuminate things to them as they live a Christ-filled life. I am not saying that we are not lead by the Holy Spirit, I am only saying that often people title the desires of their heart and the things they want to do as the work of God even when it is contradictory to His inspired consistent word He has given us.
Is God asking you to do something through His word that He has given us and you are ignoring it?
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