What is God Saying to You?

[Clint]

With 90% of mankind’s communication being nonverbal and God having created us in his image it makes me wonder how much of what he is trying to say is missed. For most of my life, when someone asked about God I would immediately refer to the Bible as “what God says’. There is no doubt God communicates to us through the Bible but could it be it is only the verbal communication from him. I really didn’t consider the nonverbal part all that much.

When I see a bird pushing a baby out of its nest to make it fly I should hear from God that he pushes me out of my comfort zone so I can do greater things.

When I see a nymph hatch in a stream, only to live for the day, I should hear from God that eternity is a very long time and every moment counts.

When a grandchild looks to me as though I can do no wrong I should hear God telling me how important it that I do no wrong.

Without quoting the Bible, how does God speak to you?

[guppy]

often..the strongest words from god are how we present ourselves in life..and how we live..it speaks louder than anything anyone can ever say..

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by Clint

<Snip>

Without quoting the Bible, how does God speak to you?

After a weekend re-reading Matthew whilst discussing Mosaic Law with Jester, I'd have to say through the way of the world - by the fruits of his work shall yea know him.

Oops - not meant to be quoting the Bible. Oh it's OK, I was just paraphrasing :-)

I must say though, what I see does not reflect well :-(

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Bryn Mawr

After a weekend re-reading Matthew whilst discussing Mosaic Law with Jester, I'd have to say through the way of the world - by the fruits of his work shall yea know him.

Oops - not meant to be quoting the Bible. Oh it's OK, I was just paraphrasing :-)

I must say though, what I see does not reflect well :-(

Agreed, however I am trying to hear from God through his creation in addition to what he gives us in written word. I'm trying to learn from what he has set into motion and what he brings to bear on all that is. I don't think the behavior of man exercising free will gives us a clear view of God. It's the fruit God's work we should observe. I think we can recognize it because it's result is good.

[Ted]

I can agree that God does speak to us through the Bible.

I think he also speaks to us through nature as well as the fact of "anything at all". It seems to me that we get even more direct messages when we are placed in situations where we are called upon to do justice and to be compassionate. I would agree that actions speak much louder than words. Talk is cheap.

Shalom
Ted

[Bryn Mawr]

Originally Posted by Clint

Agreed, however I am trying to hear from God through his creation in addition to what he gives us in written word. I'm trying to learn from what he has set into motion and what he brings to bear on all that is. I don't think the behavior of man exercising free will gives us a clear view of God. It's the fruit God's work we should observe. I think we can recognize it because it's result is good.

Totally agree and that's exactly what I was suggesting.

Given the discussion centring round the God of the New Testament compared with the God of the Old testament I'm not sure that you can filter in that way.

God's creation is the universe and everything in it so how can we look around and say "that's good so that it God's work, that is bad so it cannot be"?

[theia]

Most of the time it seems like God says nothing. I'm caught up in my woes and ills and wonder if I'm just fooling myself into believing that God even exists.

And then, as if from nowhere, I have one of those beautiful moments when everything seems in perfect order, beautifully planned and crafted. And I know that all is well. These moments are wordless, but they say so much.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by Bryn Mawr

Totally agree and that's exactly what I was suggesting.

Given the discussion centring round the God of the New Testament compared with the God of the Old testament I'm not sure that you can filter in that way.

God's creation is the universe and everything in it so how can we look around and say "that's good so that it God's work, that is bad so it cannot be"?

It has a lot to do with how we view what God does. If an innocent child dies we would tend to say that isn't of God because it isn't good in our eyes. If however innocent children never died, what would motivate us to care for and protect children?

What a great thread, by way of the excellent question.

I have kept journals since I was a kid as young as 6 or 7 years old, I first started drawing pictures and later moved towards written journals and I still do it on a regular basis, I grew up with the understanding that God created everything I could see. My world consisted of the great plains of the United States, narrowed significantly to a farm right smack dab in the middle of it. My ‘back yard’ was the woods on about 25 acres that included several small lakes, creeks, and springs, green all year round except the white coat deposited by winter’s snap each year. I observed everything from the smallest to the largest events in my little corner of the world. In later years I wrote extensively about this. In fact my title page of several of my journals was ‘God Speaks to me’.

June 13, 1979.

My problems get greater, dad is on me all the time Lord, I feel like I am the only one in the world, except for when I see your order I know I am with you. Your Buck came back today, he stands regal as a King and he has no fear, he seems different as though you raised him to remind me that I am one single person that belongs to you as he belongs to you..

In the winter of 1972 I drew a picture of the snow piled up along the edge of an iced over pond. In the side of the page are the words “the Power of God” As I remember back I was wondering how and why God makes the snow, which falls so slightly and lightly and feathery light but when piled up weighs so much when you have to shovel it.

I have had many a time, when God speaks to me almost audibly and its so prevalent in my heart that I have answered back aloud only to be chastised for talking to my self. Inside me God speaks as I am reminded of all the things that point to wards His reality, from the examples above in creation and in my personal life to the word of God and how I’ve learned about Gods character. Long before the WWJD slogan I used to think ‘what would God say?’ I’d ask myself and God to help me see this situation with spiritual eyes, not with mans heart, or more specifically my own heart. The result is an almost instant recognition of what’s right to do in the immediate situation, God speaks to my heart that way and I then know what to do.

The battle begins at that point, will I do what it is I know is right to do? Or will I think about it through my humanity and not submit to it. The battle of will and heart where the choice to obey or stray exists is more real than the situation I‘m in, and in my opinion far more important to God than the satiation I’m in.

Originally Posted by theia

Most of the time it seems like God says nothing. I'm caught up in my woes and ills and wonder if I'm just fooling myself into believing that God even exists.

And then, as if from nowhere, I have one of those beautiful moments when everything seems in perfect order, beautifully planned and crafted. And I know that all is well. These moments are wordless, but they say so much.

Theia,

God is still there in all the disorder of the world and our own situations, in fact thats what we should be looking for is Gods Order, then we can see both our own mistakes and others, we fix our own first then be ready to help others through the same situations we've already been through.

The fact that you recognize there is disorder is proof that God has expressed in your heart there should be a proper order. Thats proof that in the situation God is still near.