.... what makes one person more capable of hearing from God than another person?
I am going to eliminate 'theological training' right off the bat because:
- Any man can, on his own choosing, go to school to study and then teach God's written word ver baitem without ever really being called by Him; and in doing so, may even touch some souls. To me, those are some of them referred to by Jesus in Luke 13:27. 1
- I think that if man made schools were a condition for hearing from God (as is the case in any of the church buildings) then you have a clear case of the blind leading the blind. 2 [sidenote- Also, in that same passage, Jesus said that, "any plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted". Jesus said it is a 'plant' and it has 'roots' and it is a living growing thing. How many times do we judge a church by its growth? We think, "It must have God's approval if they are outgrowing their building", right?Yet Jesus said living, growing plants get uprooted by the Father. hmmm...]
- Also, In my opinion, if seminary schooling is a hoop you need to jump through to be able to hear from God then that would make God a respecter of persons 3 , and that is simply not so because the poor and un-educated would never hear from God and He has said that He has choosen the foolish of this world to confound the wise.
1 Luke 13:27 - "But Jesus will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from, Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity."
2 Matthew 15:14 - "Let them alone, they are blind leaders of the blind. If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
3 Acts 10:34 - "In truth, I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons".
So who hears from God?
I know I hear from Him. When I seek Him with all my heart. When I hunger for every word. When I am distraught over a situation. When I hurt. When I am alone.
I know people whom I believe hear from Him. They are my brothers and sisters. Sometimes they hear from God regarding my life and walk in the shoes of a teacher to me, sometimes they are a prophet to me; but they are always in a relationship with me.
None of us are holding a seminary diploma nor are we leading a congregation. Yet we hear.
I guess what I am really asking and what is really at the heart of my question is why we pay a ticket price to go hear from someone else with whom we are not relationally joined?
Is God only going to share a particular message with you if you show up at this speaking engagement? Will He withhold the message from you if you don't go?
I have always been of the belief (especially after 9/11), that if my Father means for me to go home in, let's say, an airplane accident, can I avoid that? Of course not. Who can refuse His will? Not me. That would be saying He doesn't know the beginning from the end, and He does.
Whenever, if ever, He intended for me to hear, wherever He has purposed for me to be, whatever He knew I would do.... He is in control. So, I guess, this would fall into that same field. I don't feel led to hear another follower tell a general audience (not me personally) a lesson from God. Did the speaker have a moving testimony? I'm sure. Most do. Was he sincere? Probably with all his heart. Did I miss out on a good time? Maybe so. But did I miss out on what God wanted to show me or tell me? I don't think so.
I am sure that because of this speakers known topic of discussion***, everyone who went thinks I have missed out on a revelation from God 'that I really need' right now. I don't think so.
I could tell you all that I have had a bad head and chest cold, and the kids have been sick, and I don't have a sitter I trust and I didn't have the time that night (or the money for that matter), but you'd probably say they are all excuses and that if I really wanted to be there I would have. The truth is, you would probably be right. They aren't technically excuses as they are all 100% true. The truth of why I wouldn't go would probably upset you and make you think I am looking down on you and what you believe and how you walk.
I am not. I believed nearly the same things and walked a similar walk when I was where you are now. God is showing me a different way to walk and I have to be true to what I know He is revealing to me now, at this moment. I am not saying that any one thing is right or wrong for everyone. Just for me. If I were not doing what He is telling me, that would be sin.
So, who hears from God and how?
We do. All whom He has called and we do it by earnestly knocking, actively seeking and honestly asking Him for more of Him.
It may sound boastful to you when I say I don't need a pastor, but it's not boastful sounding to God, for He knows I have the Shepherd Himself. It may seem arrogant to you when I say I don't need to go hear a speaker of the word, but it's not arrogant sounding to the Father, for He knows I have the Teacher Himself, the Word whom became flesh.
I never read in the bible where it says, "It is Christ in that Pastor Smith, whom has the hope of glory, and he shall teach you...."
NO.
It's Christ in me, the hope of glory*......
...and I need that no man teach me**.
*Colossians 1:27, **John 14:26
So, although it is getting away from the topic of which I began writing about today, I still have to say it, because it's my blog and I can.
- I missed a guest speaker, I did not miss God.
- If I need what the speaker had, God will get it to me. I am open to hearing from Him and from those around me whom He chooses to speak to me through.
- ***My kids may be off of the mark that others (and even myself at times) think they should be on, but Jesus said to me that if I pray for them according to the Father's will in heaven, I shall receive what I ask. I must believe in faith that I have the things I ask when it's according to His will.
- NONE of my immediate family and closest relationships were raised in an organized church, yet we are followers of Christ today. On the other hand, those I know who were raised in a church from birth (like PK's*) grew to be very rebellious teens and young adults. Even those I know today who were church goers as kids, are not in a relationship with Him today. (I don't know that one condition birthed the other and I'm not prepared to argue that either way, although I do believe that they may have had just enough religion, an adequate amount of churchianity to innoculate them against a living relationship with the real Jesus.)
* PK's are preachers-kids, ministers children, etc.
- I want real kids, with real emotions and a relationship with them that allows for that emotion to present itself without fear of retribution or consequence. Do they appear 'un-disciplined', 'free-for-all' ish, out of control? Yes, I am sure they do. And at times we are all of these at the same time. It is chaotic, and raw and insane and real.... but I would not exchange it for the 'stepfford' family in a million years.
- I read how we should train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are grown, they will not depart from it. I understand that between "train up a child" and "when they are grown" there is life. Pre-teen, teen, adolescence, young adult.... There are decisions, relationships, education, family, choices, consequences and Jesus. Merciful, merciful Jesus. I know that for myself, hind-sight is 20/20. I can look back and see the hand of God and how He may have been at work in my life long before I recognized Him.
So, I believe that if my children belong to Him, they will find Him because He will never forsake them. I believe life is hard and full of disappointments, confrontations, trials and hardships, but in each of those experiences is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to them an accurate response by accepting disappointments with joy and grace, speaking truth in the confrontations, standing under the trials and walking in love and peace through the hardships.
I do not believe that being in a church school every Sunday morning learning about Noah's Ark, Jonah's Whale or Daniel's Lions is going to prepare them for life or make them into more "Christ-like" individuals. It is our job to model "Christ-likeness" to them, not the church's.
I am walking this journey with Christ in my sights, not very far in front of me. I work out my salvation daily, in constant communication with The Giver of life. I give Him back these children almost daily in our talks. They belong to Him. He created them and He loves them more than I do and He can care for them better than I. I am doing my best to honestly live out my walk in front of them and I pray that they choose to follow Him.
When I have set the best example of what life in Christ can be, when I have preached to them the value of choosing Life, when I have spoken every word He has given me to give them, when I have taught all the cute bible lessons and their under-lying life giving truths, when I have lectured on the values and morals the Father calls us to .......
When I have done all that I know to do, I will stand.
Stand secure in the shadow of those who secretly (and not so secretly) think I have failed my children, myself and probably God.
Stand secure that my children are God's children and He is faithful.
Stand secure in knowing I have been faithful to Him to the very best of my ability.
When we know better, we do better. We are each doing the best we know to do at this time.
Amen?
