SCRIPTURE: Acts (NIV) 7:2 And he [Stephen] said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
OBSERVATION: In chapter seven, verses 2 through 53, we read Stephen’s personal defense before the Jewish council. It is a recounting of Israel’s history from Abraham to Jesus. A common thread woven through these verses is that Israel had a God who speaks! God talks to His people. And He acts in accordance with His spoken promises. The same God who spoke in creation (Genesis 1), spoke to the Israelites throughout their history.
They heard God speak. They understood what God said. When they followed what God said they had good success. When they disobeyed, they experienced trouble.
APPLICATION: The eternal God is still a speaker. The Bible is THE WORD of God. In the WORD of God, I find words specifically directed to me. As I read the WORD of God, the Holy Spirit, who lives inside me, draws my attention to specific passages I am to apply to my life.
As I gather with other believers, God often speaks to me through a pastor, a teacher, a song, a gift of the Holy Spirit flowing through another believer, and other ways. The Holy Spirit focuses my attention on what I need to hear.
Throughout my day, and even as I sleep, my thoughts are captivated and locked into a subject, or a memory. I use the WORD of God to judge these thoughts. God will never speak contrary to His WORD.
It is good to write down what I hear God is saying to me. It is a way to let Him know that what He says is important and I do not want to forget it. When He sees I value what He says, He will be more inclined to speak to me again. It is good for me to review what God has said to me and see if I have done what He told me to do.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I am so glad you are a speaker. I am so glad I can trust you to reassure me with love and guide me with wisdom. I am privileged to hear you speak to me. Amen.
Pastor Leon
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