By Tom Gilbreath for
Harbinger's Daily
Most people believe in God, but the idea that He has spoken to humanity strikes them as a sign of insanity. They see design in themselves and in the universe. They know instinctively that design is evidence for a Designer. They acknowledge that a Higher Power exists, but they have bought the lie that hearing from Him is impossible.
Here’s the deal. Their belief in a God who cannot speak makes no sense. The One who created the universe obviously has the power to communicate if He so chooses. And why wouldn’t He make that choice? He created beings with minds, souls, and the capacity for two-way communications. Why not talk to us?
That raises a crucial question. How can we know that we have heard from Him? The Bible gives clear instructions about the credibility of those who claim to speak for God. It says to only believe those prophets whose words come true — every time and without exception. Deuteronomy 18:22 (NKJV) says, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.”
Isaiah 41 speaks to the futility of idols. Verse 22 asks if idols can “declare to us things to come.” The answer is obvious. Whether a woodcarving or a golden calf, the idol is literally dumb.
But God is not dumb. He has spoken. Ezekiel 12:25 says, “For I am the Lord. I speak…” Stop and consider the wonder and the beauty of that statement. God, the Creator of the universe, has chosen to speak to humanity. He has chosen to communicate with us. He declares to us “things to come.” In millennia past, He saw us today. Through His prophets, He told us about this time, and He did so with perfect accuracy. Our response should be a hearty, “Hallelujah!”
Your life may be fantastic. You may have family and friends who love you and are at your side. You may have great health and money galore. On the other hand, you may feel some or all of those things slipping away. Your family may have ghosted you. You may wonder how you’re going to pay this month’s bills. You may be sick, worried, grieving, or in the midst of a deep, debilitating fatigue.
No matter what your circumstances, know this: God has spoken! You can go to Him in prayer. You can go into His Word. There, you will find direction, challenge, solace, understanding, and meaning. Most of all, you will find Jesus. Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”
More than anything, God’s communication with humanity is wrapped up in Jesus, God the Son. The first chapter of John calls Him “the Word.” Verses 1-3 say, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
Rich or poor, lonely or at a party — the greatest thing about your circumstance is that God the Son came into the world as the Word. He has “spoken to us by His Son,” and He has spoken a message of love, grace, and redemption. For that, we give thanks.
Harbinger's Daily
Most people believe in God, but the idea that He has spoken to humanity strikes them as a sign of insanity. They see design in themselves and in the universe. They know instinctively that design is evidence for a Designer. They acknowledge that a Higher Power exists, but they have bought the lie that hearing from Him is impossible.
Here’s the deal. Their belief in a God who cannot speak makes no sense. The One who created the universe obviously has the power to communicate if He so chooses. And why wouldn’t He make that choice? He created beings with minds, souls, and the capacity for two-way communications. Why not talk to us?
That raises a crucial question. How can we know that we have heard from Him? The Bible gives clear instructions about the credibility of those who claim to speak for God. It says to only believe those prophets whose words come true — every time and without exception. Deuteronomy 18:22 (NKJV) says, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.”
Isaiah 41 speaks to the futility of idols. Verse 22 asks if idols can “declare to us things to come.” The answer is obvious. Whether a woodcarving or a golden calf, the idol is literally dumb.
But God is not dumb. He has spoken. Ezekiel 12:25 says, “For I am the Lord. I speak…” Stop and consider the wonder and the beauty of that statement. God, the Creator of the universe, has chosen to speak to humanity. He has chosen to communicate with us. He declares to us “things to come.” In millennia past, He saw us today. Through His prophets, He told us about this time, and He did so with perfect accuracy. Our response should be a hearty, “Hallelujah!”
Your life may be fantastic. You may have family and friends who love you and are at your side. You may have great health and money galore. On the other hand, you may feel some or all of those things slipping away. Your family may have ghosted you. You may wonder how you’re going to pay this month’s bills. You may be sick, worried, grieving, or in the midst of a deep, debilitating fatigue.
No matter what your circumstances, know this: God has spoken! You can go to Him in prayer. You can go into His Word. There, you will find direction, challenge, solace, understanding, and meaning. Most of all, you will find Jesus. Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”
More than anything, God’s communication with humanity is wrapped up in Jesus, God the Son. The first chapter of John calls Him “the Word.” Verses 1-3 say, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
Rich or poor, lonely or at a party — the greatest thing about your circumstance is that God the Son came into the world as the Word. He has “spoken to us by His Son,” and He has spoken a message of love, grace, and redemption. For that, we give thanks.
