Deafened by Thunder

Moses heard from God. It was God's intent to speak directly to his people without any filter.

He wanted them to know him face to face, to whisper in their ears. That was always his intent. To have the written word of God as instruction to discern His voice, but then to cultivate the ability to hear him in the quiet and even in the storm.

It is my concern that we have become a people as Christians who say to our ministers, our prophets, our theologians, our professors, writers of books and teachers of the word - we say to them: "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

The problem is this. Many times they have not heard from God. They too have read books, taken classes, heard sermons. Just NO GOD HEARD.

They are terrified to hear the voice of God directly. They see the lightning and hear the thunder and tremble. That is the problem with much of the denominational church of America. Adrift in the world without the voice of God in their life and in their spiritual ears. "Let those who have ears to hear, HEAR what the Spirit of the Lord Says."

I know good men and women of God who have read all the books, taken all the classes, heard all the lectures and it becomes a poor substitute for hearing Directly from HIM.

I have cultivated hearing from God. He is always gentle, always kind, always loving, always ever like a Father. I never feel rebuked or ashamed. It's his nature. Read the book of Ezekiel. It's full of love and compassion, yet you and I will know where we stand with the creator of the Universe.

Today in Church Pastor Phil captured this truth. He advised his congregation to listen, quietly, no Bible on the lap, no praying, no nothing. Just a pad of paper a pencil and silence. For a long time. It was profoundly true. This is what it takes to hear from God.... Listening. Big profound truth I know. But most Christians NEVER develop this sensitivity. They read books, go to conferences, watch Christian TV, even go to church and never learn to hear the word of the Lord for themselves.

I think this is one of the lost arts. But then it was lost long long ago:

From Exodus 20:

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

²⁰ Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

It was and is ever so.....

It's time for Christians to learn to hear God for themselves.