Our most natural approach to God in prayer is as Our Heavenly Father, because Jesus instructed us to pray that way (Luke 11:2). Paul added, “ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). Abba is a term of endearment, like daddy. Father is a term of authority showing position and priority. We are attracted to pray because He is our Father. Not only has He given us the gift of salvation through Christ, but He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit as our New Covenant birthright. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13 KJV).
Author: Ken
All of Creation Speaks to Us
God is separate and distinct from His creation, yet He speaks to us through it. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1-3 KJV). Someone views a scenic panorama and another asks, “What does it say to you?” Tom Hanks in Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), standing on a steamer trunk floating in the middle of the ocean, in front of an enormous moon rising on the horizon, semi-deliriously remarked, “Dear God, whose name I do not know — thank you for my life. I forgot how BIG [you are]… thank you. Thank you for my life.” In that scene, John Patrick Shanley’s cinematic parable on mortality communicated what he heard God say about God’s vastness. Can we say nay?
Is That Really God’s Voice?
Why all of a sudden this discussion about God’s voice? Because we need to rethink what has always been setting before us. If God is really speaking to us in more ways than we thought, we would behave differently. For example, in the OT, the young child Samuel heard someone’s voice at night. He thought it was Eli the priest calling to him. This occurred two more times, until “Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child” (1Samuel 3:8 KJV). The next time Samuel heard the voice, Eli instructed Samuel to say, “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth” (3:9). We are like Samuel, when we adjust our thinking about God’s voice. But, this means God is preparing us for something special. Amen?
Analysis: ‘He Gets Us’ Super Bowl Ad
Super Bowl LVIII ended with an overtime touchdown win for Kansas City over the 49ers. Congratulations Kansas City! Two ads for $100 million promoted a non-sectarian Jesus washing the feet of the needy — “Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet. He gets us.” It drew criticism from those who felt the money would have been better spent on the homeless than informing us that Jesus gets us. Perhaps the ad was more directed to the religious. It is true Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38 KJV), but the True Good He did would be lost, if the abundant life Jesus represents is not embraced. The True Good of our existence is our knowledge of Christ. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8). May the Spirit of God teach our hearts the richness of the knowledge of Christ for every complexity of life.
Voice of the Good Shepherd
I was always taught that the Voice of the Good Shepherd was simply listening to the Word of God to direct me. But, I didn’t think God was audibly speaking to me. I still don’t think He has to audibly speak to me, but He can. The important point is listening for His voice. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27 KJV). God does not need sound waves to carry His voice. If it comes from God, it will not contradict His Word. It may sound basic, but we should not stumble, if someone tells us, “God said this to me.” We are His sheep, aren’t we?
Good Thoughts: Only From God
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17 KJV). Substitute “thought” for “gift,” and it becomes clear our “good” and “perfect” thoughts come from God alone. What about all the other thoughts? We choose to whom we subject our thoughts — all of them. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness” (Romans 6:16). Thought warfare is Total Warfare for God.
Conscience: God’s Small Voice
God’s voice thunders marvelously through the sounds of His natural creation, but He also chooses to communicate quietly using His small voice directly with our conscience, since He alone knows with absolute certainty the “thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12 KJV). Our supernatural enemy may uncannily guess our probable thoughts and reactions, but he does not know for certain. He can win battles, but final victory for him is impossible. Like the prophet Elijah, the LORD speaks to us undramatically with “a still small voice” (1Kings 19:12), but are we listening?
Who Doesn’t Root for the Underdog?
Later today, Brock Purdy #13 quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers will take the field in Super Bowl LVIII against defending Super Bowl champ, Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15, who has won two Super Bowls. Most everyone knows about Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce #87’s dating relationship with Taylor Swift, the world renowned pop singer. But, 49ers Brock Purdy is an underdog, who has flown under the radar as a player overlooked in high school, given a chance at Iowa State University, the last player drafted by the 49ers, one of the 49ers’ lowest paid players this season at $934,252, and still drives a Toyota Sequoia. As one of the pass completion leaders in the NFL (2023), Purdy took the place of injured starting quarterbacks, demonstrated calmness under stress on the field, has been praised for humility by fellow players, and is a professing Christian. David was an underdog, a young man, who as a shepherd killed a bear and a lion protecting his father’s sheep (1Samuel 17:36). When the giant, Goliath of Gath (a Nephilim) defied Israel, David volunteered to kill him. “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee” (17:37 KJV). David won. We, too, may be underdogs. But, may our desire for God to be magnified in the earth cause us to dream, work, and pray for His Kingdom to come, and His Will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.
Conscience: God Speaking in Our Thoughts
Conscience is God communicating with everyone’s thoughts. Of course, we can stifle and overrule conscience, but not without injuring ourselves and becoming less able to hear God. Perhaps the best way to understand the voice of God speaking to us is the promised Holy Spirit quickening our conscience. “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11 KJV). The Holy Spirit admonishes us about sin, righteousness, and judgment through our thoughts. Because we are loath to admit ourselves to be of so tender conscience, we resist. Thus, ourselves, our families, our churches, and society become hardened and jaded to our own hurt.
Do Not Relinquish Your Life Lightly
Though Christians may be willing to lay down their lives for Christ, we must be willing to endure the often difficulty of living for Christ. I’ve heard stories of Christians competing for the honor of sacrificing their physical lives for the cause of Christ. This is noble, if we are just as willing to endure the suffering for Christ, should we live. “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My [Christ’s] strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2Corinthians 12:9 KJV).
We Need A Miracle 
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