Dr. Charles Stanley
“Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me! “Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god. “I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. “But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me. “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices. “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! “I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries. “Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him, And their time of punishment would be forever. “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:8-16)
Children have selective hearing, the ability to tune out an adult’s voice whenever they want. Either they are absorbed in their own activities and do not want to be disturbed, or they do not like what they are hearing so they ignore the voice. The adult is speaking, but you would never know it by the child’s response. At times we behave the same way toward our heavenly Father, don’t we?
The Lord speaks to us through the Bible today just as He always has. His Word contains the complete revelation of God and was written by His chosen people under the control of the Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16) If we are inattentive to the Bible, then we have turned away from our major source of hearing from God.
But if we open His Word, we will hear how much He loves us. God wants to fellowship with us, to express His love to us, and to receive our love in return. From Scripture, we will receive definite direction for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11) God knows that the world, our own selfish nature, and Satan clamor for us to choose their ways over His. God wants to provide us with His wisdom so we will make right decisions. God also talks to us to give us the reassuring and comforting words we so desperately need. He sees our trials, our failures, our humiliations, and our sorrows and wants to speak words of loving truth to us. And His Holy Spirit helps us understand what He is saying.
God still speaks. The question is, Are you listening?
“Is God Still Speaking?” by Dr. Charles Stanley appeared in In Touch magazine, March 2004. Copyright ? IN TOUCH MINISTRIES. P.O. Box 7900, Atlanta, GA 30357. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. Used with permission.
Dr. Charles Stanley
Dr. Charles F. Stanley is an author, speaker, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, and founder of In Touch Ministries. In Touch Ministries touches nations via radio, television, and internet. Dr. Stanley focuses on life issues such as parenting, finances, personal crises, emotions, and relationships and spiritual issues such as personal spiritual growth, prayer, the character of God, fellowship through the Holy Spirit, and the Person of Jesus Christ.
Dr Stanley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary, and Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees from Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta.
Dr Stanley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary, and Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees from Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta.
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