Voice of God vs. Voice of Reason?!
So... A few weeks to a month ago, I was sleeping over at Alex's house, and in the middle of the night, I started praying, asking God for direction in my life. At the time, I wasn't sure if I was awake (it felt like it) or dreaming. But even so, God speaks to people through dreams. "Open my ears so that I can hear" I said. And then... well.. I heard something. A voice. Like rushing wind - not how you'd expect God's voice to sound - you know, that big, loving, booming voice in the sky on oh-so-many television shows? No no.. It was like a rushing wind by the sea or something more beautiful - and yet startling.
"You ha ave the power to ~silence~ love people" I heard. It was like a CD playing with a few skips. But what I got out of the message, whether I missed a word or two or not, was "You have the power to love people." It kind of freaked me out! It was exciting, but also kind of scary. I was seriously listening for an answer - and so I heard one! "What if it was God? What if it wasn't God? What if it was a demon?" I thought. Finally, I reasoned, that if what the voice said didn't go against God's teachings (which it doesn't) then it MUST be from God, or at least one of His messenger angels. Because, why would Satan want me to love people? Doesn't that go EXACTLY against everything he stands for?!
So, I figure now, it was either God, or an angel. So that's really exciting! I may have heard God's voice! Still.. I'm kinda worried like... "will I hear it again? What if I do and it tells me to do bad things? or what if I don't? Or what if it tells me to do good things, that I just really don't wanna do? (sorta like Jonah)?" But for now, I'm gonna just take it in stride, and try to do my best being genuinely nice and loving to people I meet, and people I already know.
I've always thought there are different ways to change the world for the better. You can be a hero and save thousands of lives by being a police officer, a firefighter, a marine. You can be obscenely rich and give money to the poor. You can be a doctor who finds a cure for cancer... OR you can just change people's lives for the better, by being courteous, and genuine in a day-to-day setting. I've always believed this to be true - just being a nice person to other people can really brighten their day, and in the long run, or maybe even the short run, change their life for the better, or even save it! I mean, you don't know if you brought them out of a depressive funk and they were seriously starting to have some suicidal tendencies.
So, make PEACE with your neighbour. Smile at people as you pass them down the street. Say "excuse me", "please", and "thank you". Don't be rude. Don't harass or poke fun at people. Don't talk behind other's backs. Don't backstab people. Try to think positively, and get others around you to do the same. Little things like this, and just honestly listening to others rant or whatever when they open up to you - whether you have advice to give them or not - can make a huge difference in someone's life!
Be filled with compassion, and share it!
I told Holly about this (FINALLY!) yesterday on the phone, when I had been meaning to tell her about 2 weeks before she moved. She really complimented me, when she said "out of everyone I know, you have the most tolerence for people's flaws" or something to that extent. I was like.. "whoa... really?!" I mean, I know I'm tolerant, and I think I'm a generally good and nice person, but I didn't think I was that tolerant. So, it was really flattering and encouraging. She also agrees with me that it doesn't make sense for the voice to be coming from an evil source. And Alex says I wasn't dreaming, because I woke him up, I was praying that loud. It kinda scared him! Heheh... So that means I was awake when I was praying. And I was awake when I heard the voice, and I was awake when I prayed some more afterwards.
The next day, I tried to look up as many verses I could about God's voice, and hearing God's voice. None of them really satisfied me, but then I remembered what Pastor Doug said to Alex about "if the ideals don't stand up to Jesus Christ" when he was talking about other religions. And the voice, DOES stand up to Jesus' teachings. I don't see anything contradictory about it. So I'm taking it as the voice of God or one of His angels.
Anyways, it's just exciting! And I really mean to take that to heart, and try my best to continue to love people with God's love.
1st Corinthians 13:4-8 says:
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ..."
That is God's love. And that's how I'm trying to act towards other people. It can be really hard sometimes, but it's what I have to do. It's one of my spiritual gifts, I'm sure of that now.
I hope everyone else here gets a chance for an experience like mine, and/or finds out what their spiritual gift or strength is, so they can start helping people and doing good in their own way.
Thankyou God, for that message! And thankyou for answering my prayer.
That is now the second time God has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to me that He is always listening, and that He answers prayers. I truly hope everyone can have a similar experience.
So... A few weeks to a month ago, I was sleeping over at Alex's house, and in the middle of the night, I started praying, asking God for direction in my life. At the time, I wasn't sure if I was awake (it felt like it) or dreaming. But even so, God speaks to people through dreams. "Open my ears so that I can hear" I said. And then... well.. I heard something. A voice. Like rushing wind - not how you'd expect God's voice to sound - you know, that big, loving, booming voice in the sky on oh-so-many television shows? No no.. It was like a rushing wind by the sea or something more beautiful - and yet startling.
"You ha ave the power to ~silence~ love people" I heard. It was like a CD playing with a few skips. But what I got out of the message, whether I missed a word or two or not, was "You have the power to love people." It kind of freaked me out! It was exciting, but also kind of scary. I was seriously listening for an answer - and so I heard one! "What if it was God? What if it wasn't God? What if it was a demon?" I thought. Finally, I reasoned, that if what the voice said didn't go against God's teachings (which it doesn't) then it MUST be from God, or at least one of His messenger angels. Because, why would Satan want me to love people? Doesn't that go EXACTLY against everything he stands for?!
So, I figure now, it was either God, or an angel. So that's really exciting! I may have heard God's voice! Still.. I'm kinda worried like... "will I hear it again? What if I do and it tells me to do bad things? or what if I don't? Or what if it tells me to do good things, that I just really don't wanna do? (sorta like Jonah)?" But for now, I'm gonna just take it in stride, and try to do my best being genuinely nice and loving to people I meet, and people I already know.
I've always thought there are different ways to change the world for the better. You can be a hero and save thousands of lives by being a police officer, a firefighter, a marine. You can be obscenely rich and give money to the poor. You can be a doctor who finds a cure for cancer... OR you can just change people's lives for the better, by being courteous, and genuine in a day-to-day setting. I've always believed this to be true - just being a nice person to other people can really brighten their day, and in the long run, or maybe even the short run, change their life for the better, or even save it! I mean, you don't know if you brought them out of a depressive funk and they were seriously starting to have some suicidal tendencies.
So, make PEACE with your neighbour. Smile at people as you pass them down the street. Say "excuse me", "please", and "thank you". Don't be rude. Don't harass or poke fun at people. Don't talk behind other's backs. Don't backstab people. Try to think positively, and get others around you to do the same. Little things like this, and just honestly listening to others rant or whatever when they open up to you - whether you have advice to give them or not - can make a huge difference in someone's life!
Be filled with compassion, and share it!
I told Holly about this (FINALLY!) yesterday on the phone, when I had been meaning to tell her about 2 weeks before she moved. She really complimented me, when she said "out of everyone I know, you have the most tolerence for people's flaws" or something to that extent. I was like.. "whoa... really?!" I mean, I know I'm tolerant, and I think I'm a generally good and nice person, but I didn't think I was that tolerant. So, it was really flattering and encouraging. She also agrees with me that it doesn't make sense for the voice to be coming from an evil source. And Alex says I wasn't dreaming, because I woke him up, I was praying that loud. It kinda scared him! Heheh... So that means I was awake when I was praying. And I was awake when I heard the voice, and I was awake when I prayed some more afterwards.
The next day, I tried to look up as many verses I could about God's voice, and hearing God's voice. None of them really satisfied me, but then I remembered what Pastor Doug said to Alex about "if the ideals don't stand up to Jesus Christ" when he was talking about other religions. And the voice, DOES stand up to Jesus' teachings. I don't see anything contradictory about it. So I'm taking it as the voice of God or one of His angels.
Anyways, it's just exciting! And I really mean to take that to heart, and try my best to continue to love people with God's love.
1st Corinthians 13:4-8 says:
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ..."
That is God's love. And that's how I'm trying to act towards other people. It can be really hard sometimes, but it's what I have to do. It's one of my spiritual gifts, I'm sure of that now.
I hope everyone else here gets a chance for an experience like mine, and/or finds out what their spiritual gift or strength is, so they can start helping people and doing good in their own way.
Thankyou God, for that message! And thankyou for answering my prayer.
That is now the second time God has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to me that He is always listening, and that He answers prayers. I truly hope everyone can have a similar experience.
