Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 12, 2008
“Can You Hear the Voice of God?”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
In John 10 we read about Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
It says that He knows His sheep and He calls them “by name.”
It says His sheep “follow Him because they know His voice.”
John 10:27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice.”
So what is this thing about hearing the voice of Jesus?
How do you know that God is speaking to you, and it’s not just some random, crackpot idea that zapped across your brain? After all, some nutcases have gone out and killed people, then said that God told them to do it.
Well, that wasn’t God. Look at John 10:10. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
So if the voice in your head talks about stealing, killing and destroying – that’s not the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd wants His sheep to have life, and have it to the full.
Some people say they have heard the audible voice of God. I have not, but I do believe that God has spoken to me.
If it wasn’t audible, then how? I think that God has spoken to me through thoughts that pop into my head.
What makes me think that is God and not just my own thoughts?
Well, I can’t prove it. I am just believing that John 10 is true, and that I will know the Shepherd’s voice. Then as I draw near to the Lord in prayer, and I know He is drawing near to me like it says in James 4:8, I believe that He will speak to me.
Now let me say this. The primary way God speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible. The Word of God is the foundation for all of this. God’s communication to us starts there.
I don’t know about you, but I want more than that. I want and need God’s direction to be more specific.
We constantly run into forks in the road that the Bible alone doesn’t clearly illuminate. Now what? We need God’s specific direction.
Is that something God does? When you read through the Bible you find God often giving people very clear direction.
In John 14, Jesus indicates that this guidance is available to us through the Holy Spirit, also known as “the Counselor.” He said that the Counselor will teach us “all things.” John 16:3 says He will guide us into “all truth.” The Holy Spirit makes things known to us, with the end result being that Jesus is glorified.
So most of us would agree that God wants to speak to us. The tricky part is learning to discern His voice when He gives us specific directions.
So far I have mentioned a couple of guidelines. One is that the voice of God will not lead you to steal, kill and destroy, but instead the goal will be abundant life for His sheep. Another guideline is that when God speaks to you, whatever He tells you to do will glorify Jesus.
Here is another guideline for discerning the voice of God. John 16:8 is again talking about the Holy Spirit, and it says, “He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…”
I have heard people say that God told them their sin was okay. But again, that is the voice of the “thief,” not the voice of the Good Shepherd. When God speaks, there will never, ever be any approval of sin. Instead, the voice of God will always bring conviction for sin.
Now let’s move beyond the basics. You come to a fork in the road, and you want to hear directly from God what to do. For example, let’s say you are a new college graduate, and you have two job offers. You know that the job you take will affect everything in your life from here on.
You pray, “Lord, I don’t know which job to choose, but I must make a choice. I will have to pick up that phone and tell them something. What should I tell them?”
And then you listen for God to answer. And perhaps all kinds of thoughts come screaming through your head. “Yes!” “No!” “Stay!” “Go!”
How do you know?
All I can lean on is Jesus’ words that His sheep know His voice. If we are truly His sheep, then we will know. We will just know.
I know that’s not very scientific. But that’s the way I think it works. In my life, yes, a lot of thoughts bubble through my brain, but then sometimes a thought just jumps out head and shoulders above the rest, and I just know, that’s the Good Shepherd.
The fact that you are reading this Apples of Gold is the result from many years ago when I was praying and suddenly this thought stood clear in my mind, “Write and be creative.”
That was it. Just four words. It’s not something I was praying about. But all of a sudden the deck was cleared and that phrase stood alone, “Write and be creative.” It didn’t happen immediately, but it was in the back of my mind from then on, that God wanted me to “write and be creative.”
And I do it for the sheep to live life to the full, to bring conviction for sin, and for Jesus to be glorified.
I could give you several more examples from my own life, but go ahead and ask the mature believers around you. I think many will tell the same story, of times that they just knew that they knew that God was speaking to them.
And He will speak to you, because what Jesus said is true. His sheep will know His voice.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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