How Does God Speak To Us?

How does God speak to you? Through His Words in the Bible, your pastor, other people, circumstances, your conscience, dreams? The key is knowing when God is speaking. As our pastor preached this morning, Jonah knew the voice of God, and still made the wrong decision. But no matter how far or how fast you run, God is still there. Even in the belly of the whale, God used that situation for the people that Jonah was to talk to.

This morning I had a dream. People were gathered, practicing for a play. I could hear people singing in a room behind me. A group of people passed us in the hallway. One person from my group said that girl wanted to be Alvin; she had to be Theodore. (I take it this was going to be a Chipmunk play.) There were other groups practicing in other parts of the building, and I remember thinking how is all this going to come together? How will the singers know when to come in? When will the speakers know when to speak their parts? The speakers and singers can't talk at the same time. How about the other parts? When the play is performed, how will all these people know when to come in for the role they are to play?

Then I heard God speak: In church, we all have a role to play. We can't all be Alvin, the preacher, the worship leader, or other spotlight positions everyone would like to hold. But, everyone has a job to do. You have to practice your part for everyone to be in unity. You have to pray at home, get in your secret place and talk to God, to know what your part is. You can't do someone else's part; you have your own part to play. You don't know what so-and-so went through to get where they are. Would you want to? The worship team must practice. If they don't sing and play throughout the week, worship is warming up, and it's over before they've gotten into it. We must pray throughout the week. We must read God's Word throughout the week. That's what gets us ready for church Sunday morning. Each part comes together in beautiful unity when God is in the whole.

How has God spoken to you? What has God told you to do? Did you do it, or were you like Jonah from this morning's message, running from God's will? Jonah's disobedience put the others around him in a storm also. Do you feel like you are in a storm? Obey God and watch the storm dissipate. Our obedience brings God's favor, like a blessing magnet. Obedience is the key.

Ephesians 4:29-30 and Philippians 4:6-7

How many of you have a verse for the year? I saw this on facebook and thought it was a great idea.
Last year, my verse was: Ephesians 4:29-30 Don't say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. Don't give God's Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free from the world of sin.
Now, this verse, made me stop and think. Speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. We never know how what we say may impact whoever hears us. And, sometimes, we may be talking to one person, but someone else may overhear us. Is our speech at all times edifying, or building up, the people who hear us? When you're standing in line, and it is backed up, it is so easy to blame the cashier for being slow, or a customer for having too many items. But, have we stopped to think about what the cashier may be going through? Maybe she is having trouble at home, or just having a bad day. Maybe the customer has a spouse in the hospital, or a sick child at home, or is just having a bad day. We should be praying for them instead of complaining about having to stand in line. Our talk, whether at home, or with friends, or with coworkers, or just standing in line, should be building up, not tearing down.
My verse for this year is: Philippians 4:6-7 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.
God's peace. That is what I am seeking. In every situation, I can let God know what I need, not because he needs to know. He already does. But, sometimes, just talking about something, makes us feel better. And you're talking to God. It brings us closer. We don't have to worry. God is in control. We can experience His peace that will guard our thoughts and emotions. Can you control what you think or feel? No. But God can. Peace can cover us no matter what we are going through.
For this year, I also have a mascot. A cow. I love cows. When they are sitting in a field, under a tree, enjoying a breeze, chewing their cud, that is so peaceful to me. My sister shared a picture with me.

We get stressed when we are separated. After reading this, I realized if I have missed a service in church, or have not been around other Christians, I get stressed. God's peace surrounds those who know Him. God uses the pastor's messages, the worship team's songs, and what people say to you, to impart His Word, a word that you need for that day, or a word you will need in the very near future.
What scriptures have impacted you? How did they impact you? Was it because of a situation you were going through? Are there scriptures that you found while reading the Bible that spoke to you? What was going on that made that scripture dear to you?

Reason for this blog...

I have been reading some really great books lately. I have come across quite a few books that would make great Bible studies. This blog grew from that. Here, I will blog about books I've read and how they've impacted me, or conduct a series of posts relating to a book I'm reading, or post scriptures and how they've impacted me, my life, and what I'm going through. If you really enjoy a Bible study post, appreciate a Scripture I talk about, or can relate to a book, please comment. Let's have discussions!