Good Advice from God

In my daily walk with God, he tells me lots of stuff. No, a mighty voice does not boom down from on high and shake the very foundations of my office with its power. This voice is subtle -- almost imperceptible -- and I can't hear it unless I'm really listening.

Sometimes the voice comes as a gut feeling -- other times as the solution to a dilemma. The voice comes to everyone who seeks God's counsel. The voice of God can even be heard in our trials and tribulations. If you don't get something that you really want, maybe God's trying to tell you something. Maybe you'd better listen.

While God's voice reaches the Christian in many different ways, it's message is always consistent. You can always tell that God is talking to your heart instead of Satan whispering in your ear. This is because God never changes. His Word is the same today as it was 4,000 years ago when the Patriarchs were flourishing. If you have any doubts as to who is really talking to you, a quick flip of your Bible will provide the answer. If the message is true with Scripture, then the words are truly from God and not the devil.

There are times when our own wants and desires get in the way of God's message. I can't tell you how many times I have started one of my pieces only to have to stop in the middle because the message I was trying write wasn't going anywhere. Why? I simply did not consult with God before I started writing -- I tried to do it on my own. I asked him sometime back to guide my fingers for his glory and he took me literally. Writer's block and lost time are the penalty I pay for inattention. This has happened over and over again. I have scraps of paper littering my office to prove it.

If we stop to listen to God, those who ask his counsel -- those who really want to know -- will receive messages and advice from the Creator. You don't have to a prophet. You don't have to be anyone special. Those who will not listen will hear nothing -- at least, nothing from God. But if you are hearing God, implement his recommendations with confidence. It will be the best advice you'll ever get.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)

[ by Charles Edwin Price -- from 'Themestream' ]