How To Hear God Speak – Part 3

Sooo where were we? Ty’s the best ever!!! {{Haha —-guess who’s home and must have been on my computer while I was putting wash in. He, Graham and Daddy arrived with our “new” van late last night.}

Okay, back to hearing God speak….this time – with His audible voice.

Let me preface it this by saying: This post is not for the faint of heart or those easily offended, because it is not meant in any way to offend. It is me sharing my heart as to what I feel God is speaking to His sheep today….So if you are faint, or just don’t want to hear it, please feel free to hit the little “x” in the top right hand corner.

If you are still with me, here goes:

Of the many people I have talked to over the years, very few have said that they have heard God’s audible voice. Most of the time He seems to speak {1}through His word, {2} through words in the form of thoughts that seemingly come out of nowhere, {3} through impressions on our heart that seem to come from nowhere, {4} through dreams and {5}through others – confirming what He’s already been tellin’ us.

Here are my thoughts on God’s audible voice: I have felt for years that God will speak in one of the ways listed above if we spend time with Him. If He is the priority. If we are clean before Him. If we are waiting. But we must have been spending time with Him, prayer, listening and worshipping as a lifestyle…

At the heart of the matter…..I feel that the barometer for hearing God’s audible voice is this: the holiness of God. Friends, He is completely, completely, completely holy. He is righteous. He is not perverse in any sense. I am convinced that God’s holiness is not regarded today seriously. I feel like He and His holiness are cheapened. That very few people really take into account just what spending time with a Holy God is. Come to think about – how often do we even hear the word “holy”? In scripture it talks about how He loved Moses and He spoke face to face with Him. When “He spoke face to face” it was more than special – it was extraordinary!! And it was rare.

Of course today we have the Holy Spirit that was left with believers shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven. But, there are times where people still have heard His audible voice, but I liken it to the Holy of Holies….mentioned in the Old Testament. That today the “common” way to hear God speak is through His word, thoughts, impressions, dreams, through others…but like ‘entering’ the Holy of holies on rare occasion – God chooses to speak audibly.

If you were to stop, and I mean really, truly stop and think…the God of the Universe, the creator of Heaven and Earth, the Holy God who created man and woman wants, no really longs to spend time with you….well just really stop and think about that for a minute. I mean, seriously, stop and ponder it. I, personally, can hardly get my mind around it.

But there are so many things that seduce us away from spending time with God and worshipping Him. In fact Dw and I were talking about it the other day. When we were young God’s temple or house {the church} was at the center of the community life and the center of the family. It was where we met God weekly. We fellowshipped with other believers. We communed together. It was a time of worshipping His holiness. He spoke to me often while in church. He still does today, almost every Sunday.

But today, other things are the center of the family. In fact I am going to out on a limb here about the holiness of God. I may even lose some “friends” over it……but I have felt for a long time that the Lord would like me to say it….Church stopped being the center of community/family life….and the thing that has taken over? Sports and/or hobbies. Let’s face it, kids are in all kinds of sports, several teams even at one time in a family. We pastor and we hear it regularly: oh this kid has a tournament this week-end so we are driving x number of hours to spend the week-end at a tournament. And it’s not just one tournament a season….it’s almost every week-end….not even talking about the “traveling” teams. And all the while money is spent for teams, gas, uniforms, practices, hotels, tournament fees…..I’m like, “Are you serious? {And people wonder why they have no money?? Can you imagine the eternal consequences if that same time and energy was put into missions trips with your kids?}

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21 niv

These same folks can’t commit to anything at the church they attend, because they are committed to their sports teams. And all the while God is wondering what in the world they are doing. Hear God speak? He’d have to be screaming at the top of His lungs, or literally putting the handwriting on the sky for them to notice. Their world revolves around sports and only sports or their hobbies. Then one day their kid is grown and they wonder why church isn’t a priority for their kids. Friends!! It is out of whack!! Drastically – out of whack!!

Then there are those who just “don’t feel today like going to church..” absolutely ignoring the fact that a Holy God has invited them to His house…they can’t make it cause life has been busy, there’s not enough time, or “we have family visiting so we won’t be there” Just a thought: What would be wrong with bringing them? Or what would be wrong with showing them that God’s house is a priority and so you are going without them if they won’t go.

Now before anyone gets their boxers in a bunch, that does not mean that all sports is bad. BUT when the focus of our existence is sports or hobbies or our family and God’s house is a “when we have time” kind of thing….then yes, something is wrong…
For instance: We have friends. We have close friends. We go out to dinner with them. We talk. We laugh. We get to know them better. But there is something extra special about being invited to a friend’s home. When we are invited to their home, we feel that we are special, having been invited into their “secret” place. We are honored. It is extra special – far more enjoyable to us then going to the fanciest restaurant ever built. I remember many years ago we pastored in a place where we had some very great friends. We loved them. They came to our home every single week for a Bible study. We became really close. They invited us out to dinner on a few occasions. But never, not even once, did they invite us to their home {and we had far fewer kids then too}. I have to say, that although we considered them great friends, something, somehow, was different. We never really knew them, because we did not share anything at their home.

The same, I feel, it is with God. His house is special. It is His temple. He speaks to me almost every Sunday I am there, often through my husband’s teachings. God speaks to me about all kinds of things. I love going to His house and being with my brothers and sisters in Christ. What if I never went? I shudder at the thought. Many have been hurt or offended by “the church”….and one day soon I will address that. =)

But understanding the Holiness of God compels us to come to His house. His holiness compels us to gather with the body to worship. His holiness compels us to keep our focus on Him…and hearing Him speak at His house.

And yes, true enough one doesn’t have to attend church to hear God speak, but it is a heart matter more than anything, and God’s word is clear: a true worshipper is committed to a body and plugged in working for the advancement of the kingdom. So where’s your heart? What’s your heart pondering? What is your mind thinking about? Hard to be spending time with Him, when life is revolving around hobbies and sports or anything else that takes up vast amounts of time.

And the holiness of God? Ummm yeah. Not much left over for God. And yet Almighty God – the creator of mankind, the builder of Heaven and Earth is waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Is there time for Him? Not much. Squeezin’ it in when life lets us…if we aren’t too tired or so stinkin’ busy.

Anyway, I’ll let the Holy Spirit and you ponder that thought…..

All that to say that I am convinced that Holy God does not allow His holiness to be cheapened and “wasted” on those whose hearts are not seeking Him with passion and purpose.

So on to the audible voice of God…….in my life, it has only happened a few times. I will share with you a couple of them.

The first time I remember hearing His audible voice was the summer of 1979. Dw had radically come to Christ on March 2, 1978. He was a different man. It was amazing. We were married on August 12, 1978. We spent our days passionately pursuing Jesus. It was awesome. We had Bible studies with people we didn’t even know…inviting anyone off the street. We studied our Bibles all the time, we went to church all the time. We went to Bible studies…. We opened our apartment to the youth and had some kickin’ parties where we would blast Jesus music and play random crazy games and we would see kids come to Christ. Dw was in law school and we had no money but we shared all that we had. It was so amazingly fun!! In fact the whole time, with no money, the food of choice was deep-fried onion rings – made by me and the girls present. It became the thing we would eat every time the kids came over. Onions were dirt cheap – it worked and the kids loved my recipe!

Anyway, the following summer {1979} we went to spend a week at his parent’s cottage by ourselves. You guys would laugh if you had seen the pile of study books we took with us. We laid in the sun and played in the water during the day, but by late afternoon we pulled out the concordances, the commentaries and our Bibles and we studied together. We wanted to please God with everything – it was such a blast. And study we did.

Well one particular day we had swam and played and our bathing suits needed to be hung on the line outside. So I grabbed the suits and pushed the screen door open. I took about 10 steps out the door and for the first time ever I heard God’s audible voice say loud and clear, “turn around”. And do you know what I did?

I would love to tell you that I turned around and fell on the ground in worship, but I didn’t. Here we were studying and praying and studying and reading and wanting only to please Jesus and for the first time I heard His audible voice….and do you know what I did? I literally said, out loud – “no”. Can you believe it? What a stubborn and rebellious heart I must have had!! I even said it out loud too. And I kept walking toward the clothes line and I hung those suits. I remember thinking, “wow, what was all that about?”

About an hour later we were in the cottage with our Bibles and books opened on the table and we were wondering about something and I remembered a concordance or something that was still upstairs {where we slept}. I said to Dw, “Oh, I’ll go get that.” So I dashed up the stairs. I still can remember bounding up the stairs, two at a time. I flipped on the light, cause it was now dusky, and as I went to the table on the far side of the room to retrieve the study book something dove at my head. I screamed like a naked lady…and kept screaming as a bat dove at my head over and over….I was screaming hysterically. {Did I mention that bats completely freak me out? Still do.}

Dw had no idea what was going on but thought, by the way that I was screaming, that a man must be upstairs attacking me. He grabbed a chair and started toward the stairs. I met him coming down, almost airborne! I said, “It’s a bat.” I still laugh as I see him in my mind, slump his shoulders in complete relief and groan a sigh.

As I got downstairs I realized that when God had told me, “turn around” and had I been obedient, I would have seen the bat fly in the door. It probably was hanging on the back of the cottage screen door, but I had said, “no”….and the warning from my loving Father was not just ignored but rebelliously told “no”. Of course I repented by begging God to forgive me. I thanked Him for trying to warn me and I told Him that I would obey next time.

Now I have to say, that I have been working on this post, the Lord has spoken something to me about that very first time He spoke audibly…and here’s what it is: The audible warning would have spared me from the bat….but my response spared me from more pain. It revealed rebellion in my heart. It revealed a stubbornness that would not be seen by most around me. It showed me what was inside my heart…even though I was studying and desperately wanting to please Him. I was still stubborn and rebellious….I needed to get rid of that – which I worked to do. That was the most important part of His audible voice that day. {Hope that makes sense!}

Anyway, the next time God spoke didn’t come for about 3 years. It was April 12, 1982. I was laying alone in my hospital bed trying to sleep. The next morning I would be having surgery. {In fact I wrote about it a few weeks ago, as God spared my life when I had been bleeding internally.} Anyway, the night before surgery in that hospital room I had been reading my Bible, looking for a special verse that He alone would give me. I asked Him to give me something to cling to. Nothing came. I finally turned out the light and lay trying to sleep before surgery. No doubt, I was nervous. I was praying – hard.

The audible voice of God came out of nowhere. It was not a thought. It was real. I do not know if you would have heard it if you had been in that dark room. But it was clear and loud. He said: Hebrews 6:12 I quickly turned on the light, grabbing my Bible and turning to Hebrews 6:12. This is what it says in Hebrews 6:11-15

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
{verse 12} so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,
saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.”
And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.”

I knew then, that He was telling me to have faith and patience and one day I would birth a child. It was a promise I could take to the bank. Just like He had fulfilled the promise to Abraham and Sarah – He would be fulfilling His promise to me. I rejoiced at His audible voice speaking an unfamiliar scripture to me. The God of the Universe caring about me, laying alone in a hospital bed. He spoke – outloud. He came to comfort me. I went to sleep.
There have only been about 2 other times that He has spoken audibly. He has spoken through thoughts in my mind, impressions, dreams and through others literally thousands of times. I am convinced that He reserves His audible voice for very, very rare times.

I am certain that the key to hearing God speak is being willing, being obedient, having the crud cleared out of our lives, being free from sin, tender to His commands, being committed to a local body and serving Him with all our hearts. Then we are fertile ground, waiting for the master gardener to till the soil and we are ready, waiting to hear. But there is one other KEY to hearing Him speak – maybe the most important of all. It will be covered next time. Then after that we will talk about dreams.

Although I do not proclaim in any way to completely understand it all, I willingly share my journey. Please share yours in the comments below. Or if you have questions, please ask them. I am certain that others would love to read your experiences, if you would just comment below, I would love it.

PS I am posting this and heading out the door with Emma and Jubilee for Denver with her surgery scheduled for 9:45 am. Snow is expected most of the way today, as well as high winds.

47 thoughts on “How To Hear God Speak – Part 3

  1. I cannot tell you what these words have meant to me…God spoke audibly to me last week…but something I cannot share publically…but I know it was Him because he repeated it a second time as I questioned it the first. The peace that came afterwards was incredible. I praised Him the rest of the day!

    Thank you so very much for allowing us read from your heart and what God has been telling you as well.

    Blessings,
    Lynn

  2. Blessed in Uganda.

    Praying from Uganda.

    Love from the North,
    Summer

    P.S. I told Emma that I just "happen" to be coming to Kampala when the team is there–hoping that I can pop over and meet her, wouldn't that be neat?!

  3. I'll never forget the first time I heard God speak to me…not audibly…but through the Holy Spirit. I was sitting in the church basement waiting for my son to finish piano lessons. I was preparing for my Bible study with the book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. I was struggling with allowing God to work in His time, but while I was reading, I heard God say, "It's coming. It's coming." He said those words twice. The next day, my almost 5 year old daughter took her first steps. Two days later, the approval came to adopt our son from Thailand. I get teary everytime I think of that day and those words and what promises came true. The glory is all God's!

  4. Blessed in Uganda.

    Praying from Uganda.

    Love from the North,
    Summer

    P.S. I just left a comment on Emma's blog that the Lord saw fit to have us in Kampala at the same time as the team–how neat is that. How would I go about meeting up with her? I am happy to pop on over to where she will be ministering?

  5. Every time that I have heard God speak to me, and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was coming from God and not from inside my own head, I was in church. And it was when I was praying hard for help and in despair. I'm sure most people would be more than happy to tell me that it was in fact just coming out of my own head, but when you've had that experience, you know.

  6. I have said over and over for a few years now how we Christians are letting other "activities" interfere with the church. I would love to scream about it sometimes.
    Thank you for these posts they are touching and wonderful. God is using you in big ways.
    I will pray you have safe travels and that surgery goes well for your sweetie.
    Carrie
    http://www.hiswillandgrace.blogspot.com

  7. Linny, Beautiful post!!! You are such a beautiful person it absolutely must be in our plans to meet one day. You are even invited into my home, ONLY because you have more kids than we do and you've most likely seen it all,LOL

    I soooo agree with EVERYTHING you wrote. Church has taken a back seat to EVERYTHING these days.

    People, not all but a lot, even some very close friends just don't get it. How can you make time for sports and visits, work, vacation and on and on… and not be able to make time for God. For a visit to His home. Would you really trash an invitation from a King???

    Would you RSVP back saying no thanks I have an early baseball game?

    I see it over and over. And I feel bad. My schedule is insane. But i cannot and will not let it interfere with my time on Sunday or Saturday. (Catholics get it easy. We even have mass on Saturday night). Seriously no reason to miss.

    But even if we didn't have time options, as a lot of people don't, I wouldn't want to miss. I swear I can only get through the craziness of the week because I start it out with God. I draw strength from my time with Jesus and through the homily. Sometimes I swear it is just for me.

    I am not judging anyone. This is just how I feel. It's how we are raising our kids.

    And it's working.
    More than once Sophia has been either late to a sleepover or has left early from one in order to go to church. And she gets it.

    One time our day was just impossible. Too many things and not enough time.
    I was thinking out loud trying to sort it all out and fit everything in. Olivia my oldest was listening. She said, "When are we going to go to church, we can't just not go". I think those were the sweetest words to my ears.

    well now that I've turned my comment into a post I get going.
    LOL, sorry!!!

    Keeping Princess Jubilee in my prayers!

    And thanks for this post. Could you turn this into a regular? Like your Memorial Box Monday's. I'm loving this!

    Hugs and kisses!

  8. Wow Linny. I have only ever heard God speak aloud ONCE. And I can't say that my heart was pure and I was anywhere close to holy. I will have to ask Him to show me where I was at spiritually during that time.
    It was a tough time…I was struggling with post adoption attachment issues…me, not my son! I was physically sick and no doctors knew why.
    I wrote all about it on my private blog…please let me know if you want an invitation. It is not open to the public.
    Anyway…it scared me and shocked me greatly. But I truly believe that God knew what it would take to get me to be obedient and an impression, scripture, song on the radio, etc. would not have been ENOUGH to get me to go where He was calling me to go.
    I also recently read on Julie's blog (author of One Million Arrows) how to hear from God and she used the analogy of babies..and how infants don't recognize that people are talking to them, but as they get a little bigger, they understand their name, then more and more…it was a good analogy for me…as I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I can understand His heart more and more.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Email me or send me a message on FB if you want to read about the encounter…it is actually part of a much bigger story…a story of heartbreak and rebuilding…of redemption and forgivess, of darkness and light…and most of all, of His faithfulness and the lengths He goes to in order to reach His children.
    Love,
    Holly- Purpose Driven Family

  9. I agree 100% about people making time for everything else except church. Our pastor did a sermon on that not too long ago. A LOT of people were shifting in their seats. I am a firm believer that we make time for what we want to make time for. We can justify all day long but the truth is, we MUST put God first. Matthew 6:33

    Our family is not against sports at all but they are certainly NOT priority. Our kids have missed a lot of Wed night and Sunday morning games and practices.

  10. All I can say is THANK YOU for a thought provoking, soul searching post. Oh and also thankyou for posting the P.S thats an answer to pray for me as wanted to know Miss Jubilees operation time but when I tried to e-mail you it failed my end!!! Now I just have to work out the time difference between you in Denver and the UK!!!!! As I want to pray for Miss Jubilee and you as a family whilst she is in theatre. Thinking and Praying for you all, thanks once again, from Becky x

  11. Great post! I have heard God speak twice, both times when I was driving the car. The first time we were having marriage trouble and God said "Go to church", so we went. The second time he said that I had to quit my job and homeschool. I went home and told my husband that I was quitting my job and homeschooling so we better find out what homeschooling was because we didn't know a thing about it or anyone who did it.

  12. I love to read your writings. I am usually a "lurker" but have come out of the dark to post a comment today.
    Your humble journey with the Lord inspires me. Like everyone else, I am going thru a few strugles right now. The two most concerning to me are my unemployment and the fact that while my husband says he believes in the Lord, I can only remember a handful of times he has been to church with me. Lately, I have been struggling with church attendance as well. Mine is mainly because of the whole "hurt by the church" thoughts, except mine are not specifically with any church, but with some of the folks that attend the church. I got my last job thru a "friend" at church, and just a few months ago this same "friend" was the same one to fire me (without cause). I have been struggling with folks that talk the talk, but not walk the walk, but are the loudest to tell everyone they are the strongest Christians.
    I look forward to reading your post about those that have been hurt or offended by "the church", and look forward to seeing if any of it applies to my situation.
    I look forward to your posts! You are an encouragement to me =)

  13. My husband and I are Youth Pastors at our church here in Alabama and you've just totally summed up everything that is in my heart about the conflict of a heart that truly is committed to the Lord vs. allowing sports to rule and reign. Thank you for putting into words what my heart has been screaming! We've faced the battle of sports being top priority for years now and I feel that it's only going to get worse (mainly because the parents are pushing the issue more now than ever before).

  14. God Bless you on your journey, God Bless the doctore, and safe home.

    God has spoken to me through dreams and thoughts. I have never heard his voice, although I cannot say for certain that He hasn't tried. I follow His lead even though it is not exactly what I have thought best. Tonight in my dreams I am sure that He will point out what I have not followed and how I should bave.

    You are a Blessing to all of us! Thank you for taking the time for His lost sheep.

  15. the thing about the Lord's voice, once you have heard it… you know, that you know, that you know, that you heard it and there is absolutely no question. It's a beautiful thing when this happens because our Father is the same yesterday, today and forever and we can count on His word to be the same as who He is. Quite comforting!

  16. Wonderful series of posts. I long to hear God speak in an audible voice BUT I have a lot of cleaning up and clearing out to do first. Praying for travelling mercies and a successful surgery. My God's Holy Spirit fill you with His peace.

  17. Totally agree, Linny! Our culture (even the religious culture) thrives on being the center of attention–God should WANT to speak audibly to ME. But, we so forget about being in tune with the Father. If we are studying His Word, praying, contemplating His awesome Holiness, relying on His direction, fellowshiping with His people, He has many avenues through which to speak to us.
    I've had one audible voice from God and I treasure that time. Hubby was going through a very difficult milit*ry school and had done poorly on a test. The standard procedure for this was getting booted out of school. Then, what would we do? Would they let him stay in the mil? We had only been in 3 years. Would they kick him out completely? Where would we go? How would we live? And, on top of it all, it happened on a Friday and we had to wait the whole weekend to find out what was going to happen. After lots of prayers and soul searching, we went to bed. And in the quiet of my silent prayer and anxiety, God spoke–It'll be OK. It wasn't a loud clap of thunder or a booming "King James" voice. I immediately asked my hubby–Did you say that? Did you hear that? No, he was totally asleep. Right then, I knew it was God and whatever happened over the next days, weeks, years, it would be OK. I am reminded of this many times when things get tough. Things will not always go my way (profound thought, huh?), but God has promised that "It'll be ok." That's quite a comfort for me.
    This is so long you may not want to post it. And it should probably be a MMB post for me. (:
    Praying for Jub's surgery and your trip.

  18. Oh my word Linny!! I have recently started reading your blog and love it by the way! So I hadn't had a chance to read your whole series yet on How to hear God speak. So I know what I am about to share is because He asked me too. I just blogged about this YESTERDAY!! So if your willing please take a look at my blog on how God Spoke to me Audibly! Amazing stuff His voice! The blog entry is God loving on me. Please leave a comment if you read it, or just post on Linny's which ever way. May God Bless you today!! Praying for Jubilee's surgery and your safety in travel.

  19. The only time God has spoken audibly to me I heard it not in only my ears, but every pore and cell in my body stood at attention to their maker. I heard it through every pore, not just my ears. At the time I thought that must be what the angels feel, God in every pore of their body. I also hear Him in loud thoughts that are not mine. My husband left 4 months ago after 38 years, and as I pray continually I have heard Him more and more. Sometimes He tells me what to do, sometimes he's cryptic with the message. I want to hear Him more and more as my emotional needs are so great right now, but I have to be satisfied with what He gives me. The couple 'commands' He has given me, I have to say, I popped right up and obeyed! I have also experienced an instant answer to prayer and felt the healing in my body, as a bathtub draining, as all my anger and bitterness over a situation drained out from my head to my toes. This was years of anger and bitterness,and during another one of my husband's betrayals 12 years ago, and although I am emotionally spent over my husband's leaving this time and his actions, I can find no lasting anger and bitterness even now. You don't need to publish this, but please pray for my husband and his hard heart and my marriage. I would appreciate any prayers for us at all. I don't know God's will or plan for me yet, and I pray he will reveal it soon.

  20. I sooo agree with you about holiness. have you read Henry Blackaby's book called, 'Holiness?" I read it a few years ago and it is so awesome. It's really short–you can read it in an afternoon. In fact, I think I should get it out again and read it. 🙂 I only remember one time that God spoke audibly to me. I should blog about it sometime. It was regarding adoption and it was so amazing.

  21. Wow! Thank you as always for your honesty in sharing. This was great! I absolutely believe you are right. I was actually thinking about it tonight before I read your post – that what we spend our time on is what is foremost in our hearts and what should be foremost in our hearts is the Lord. I certainly struggle often with life's daily work and not finding enough time. It's all about priorities! Got it! Will be working harder on it. Thank you Linny!
    I also just wanted to say that Jubilee and you and Emma are in my prayers for a safe journey, for wisdom for the doctors, for understanding and peace for Jubilee, for a successful surgery, for strength and patience as you wait for the results, and for each of you to feel God's love around you on this journey.

  22. The Lord speaks to me mainly through His word. I have literally opened my Bible and turned right to something that spoke exactly what I was just praying about. I know people dissuade you from just opening up and looking for something, and I don't do it alot, but He has spoken like that before.
    Thats why I love to underline in my Bible. My eyes are drawn to a specific verse that way and most always it is always spoken to me for a purpose.
    He has also spoken to me through a picture He gave me in my mind one time. I felt so honored that He would do that and its times like those that I feel humbled that the Lord would be that specific with me.
    I agree with Linny with the busyness clouding up our minds and lives. I am struggling with the tv at the moment. I'm staying with my mom and she has cable (we never did before). I have felt convicted that I am trashing up my mind with some of that reality tv.
    Thanks Linny for sharing your story without holding back.

  23. Wonderful post- we have been guilty of many of the things you have referred too.

    I do have a question- with all the children and all the things you have going on in your life how do you make time to clear everything out and give the Lord the time he deserves. I am struggling with that and our girls aren't even home yet. I get discouraged and I don't want to be. I want to be joyful and serve God.

    I have never heard his audible voice. I have heard God speak to me in the other ways.

  24. Linny – I have enjoyed this "series" so much. Thank you for speaking truth to my heart. I am so encouraged to walk closer with my Jesus.

    I have never heard His voice audibly, but I have heard Him in other ways. I am eager to hear Him more…

    Listening close…

  25. hi Linny, thank you so much for sharing your post on hearing His voice audibly. I did hear it once, it was about 20 years ago. I have tried to pray and hear Him again, 20 years later, and still, nothing 🙁 How I'd love to hear Him again, and on a daily basis! 🙂

    What happened was a relative of mine died, he used to be a believer, but seemed to live an ungodly life and reject Him, and seemed to reject Him right to the day he died. I was in anguish when I prayed to Him and asked Him about this relative's salvation. As I prayed and waited intently to hear from Him, really listening in silence, waiting on Him… then His words came, audibly in my mind, it was one sentence, but oh, in that sentence, it carried His presence – as righteous judge and peace, His presence and authority was in His spoken words, and at once my fearful thoughts stilled and I was instantly comforted, trusting in Him, the One who knows All.


    Regarding sports, I guess what really makes me distressed and perplexed, is television, I can't get it how people watch it with a good conscience, seeing that Yahushua (Jesus) said that a person is sinning even if he looked on a woman to lust after her in his own heart, and here we see the TV is *showing* more than half of the time these thoughts and acting out on murder, violence, hatred, lust, even open sins… by people who DO NOT follow Him… and most Christian people just watch as if it is ok… UGH. Just not compatible with Him AT ALL!!! (neutral programs such as gardening, home improvement, etc are ok… I'm talking about the soaps and movies).

    Thanks for letting me share my 2 cents in this comment under your blog 🙂

  26. Thank you, thank you , thank you….for allowing God to speak through you. Thank you for your honesty. You are so completely and totally right…..we allow so many things to come between us…..to come before God these days. I'm ashamed to say….myself included. Your words have inspired me. I'm gonna get myself IN whack!

    Oh….and if you ever get back to the Maryland area…..I'd love to have you and your family over for a cook out at my house!!

    Love Them Like Jesus,
    Dorothy

  27. This is so lovely! God has spoken audibly to us and I think I will save our stories for our blog! I am gettin really close to setting it up. I am pathetic!! We closed on our 4 bedroom ranch today!! Our payment is 82 cents less a month than our current rent! How's that a miracle for you!!! Now making a social workers salary look good to an adoption agency and we are set!!! Sheri

  28. This is so lovely! God has spoken audibly to us and I think I will save our stories for our blog! I am gettin really close to setting it up. I am pathetic!! We closed on our 4 bedroom ranch today!! Our payment is 82 cents less a month than our current rent! How's that a miracle for you!!! Now making a social workers salary look good to an adoption agency and we are set!!! Sheri

  29. Thank you… you helped me feel better about my decision to keep my kids out of sports so they dont miss Wednesday night church. I really struggle because they dont have a daddy and now I am holding them back from sports when all their friends are involved. Yet I could not find peace to sign them up.

    I have heard God speak quite often… as a widow with no male supports I needed confirmation so often and have found it by praying hard and spending alone time with God. I have only once heard God speak audibly and that was when I really really wanted the baby brother of my siblings and He told me clearly and loudly. That is NOT YOUR BABY!!! Ok God Ill listen!

    Thank you for writing this. I have friends who think I am just loony because I will say things like God told me this or that…
    Praise God for his Greatness

  30. p.s. I read again your post, Linny, and I can't wait to read your post about "the one other KEY to hearing Him speak – maybe the most important of all." …. 🙂

    praying for everything to go smoothly for Jubilee and your safe travels.

  31. Linny, I have been a blog lurker for sometime but want to post this request. A fellow adoptive family's house was destroyed by a tornado in Little Rock tonight. They are the VanDruffs and they adopted 2 from Ethiopia a year ago. They also have 4 other children ranging in age from 17 years-4months.

    None of the children have a scratch and the mom has a minor cut and may need stitches. I'm sure you know the devestation of losing your home (especially with new additions to the family). Pray for their needs to be met spiritually and physically.

    I found out about this on the Facebook Page We Have Room (http://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Have-Room/145754619039.)

    Amy

  32. Dear Linny,

    First, I've been praying for Jubilee and you all day and have followed your tweets to know how to pray specifically. My goodness, you must be worn out. I'll keep covering her in prayer as she recovers.

    Thanks for taking the time to write part three as you were heading out of town (although I'm about to pop waiting for your post about dreams). I just love hearing how God has spoken to you–esp. giving you specific scripture. Amazing! (By the way, amen on all you said about activities, church attendance, etc.)

    God has spoken to me twice. It wasn't audible, but the thoughts were so specific, it felt like the words were whispered in my ear. Once it was when I was shopping for a baby gift. I was very pregnant myself and picked up a new post-partum nightgown to wear in the hospital. God told me to put it back. I thought it was silly and let it continue to ride in my cart. Again the words came to mind, "Put it back. You won't be able to nurse your baby and it will be too painful to see that nightgown." I put it back.

    Just a few hours later we were at the hospital being told our baby had died. I don't really think the big deal was that God didn't want me to have that nightgown. I think He wanted me to know that He knew what was about to happen, He knew that it would be painful, and He would be with me every second.

    The only other time I've had that kind of communication from God was when I was at my son's orphanage in Guatemala. I was with a mission team and we were doing a craft camp. There was a girl with her back to me and I heard God say, "Get ready. You are about to meet your daughter." When she turned around, it was like I recognized her. I'm crying as I type this because, three years later, she and her little sister are still in that orphanage. They aren't adoptable because they have an aunt who visits a few times a year. Over the years we have grown to love them like daughters, but we are still praying them home.

    I'm praying that you have a weekend of rest! And thanks for your sweet comments on my last post. (All protractors have been safely put out of my reach.)

    God Bless,
    Kathie

  33. Hi Linn,
    What a brave woman you are!This post (as you said up front)may be offensive to some but I applaud you for stepping up and speaking out. Pastoring (even via blog) is not for the faint-hearted, is it? Thank you for this, and the million other things you do as you minister to folks here at home and around the world!

    Praying for Jubilee today – will look forward to hearing good reports! Love ya – Liz

  34. Please please pray for us. We leave in one week (on Mother's Day! how stinkin' cool is that?) to go get our 13 year old daughter from China. We booked flights last night and they were way higher than expected. We were already praying for the $3000 that we were short of for the trip. Now we are $6000 short. Please pray for a miracle for us. Thank you, my friend.

  35. Thank you for posting this. I love the way you explain things. I believe God is speaking to me through this post. Today, I opened my bible randomly and I began to read. Well I opened to Hebrew 6, began to read it and or some reason I though, "Oh I don't want to read this right now and I flipped the page." Well, I think God wants me to hear and meditate on this. Don't you??? Wow, I love how incredible our God is. I don't know why I get so surprised every time He speaks to me but I do. Thank you again for this and Thank you God for using you to speak to me.

  36. Now you have me questioning my life (again) as I haven't gone to church regularly since I was a kid. I grew up going to 1 church in my small town and left it when I was a young teen due to the people/leaders preaching intolerance & hate. I've been to several other churches in town and while in college and haven't found one that feels "right" for me. I've prayed for God to point me in the right direction but I just find myself receiving his guidance in other ways.

    Guess I'll just keep asking and see what happens…

  37. Linn, yes i too feel so strongly about our sports and hobbies have become the "idols" today. People seem to think it's Money or gold or budha statues that are idols but it is really ANYTHING that we put first in our lives instead of God.

    it takes such a leap of blind faith to turn our busy lives around= to stop the train= and get back onthe right track. thank you for bringing this up!

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