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Note: This article is divided into two parts. I request the readers to study this material in its entirety in order to get a proper overview of my presentation.
There is a song in my vernacular language which goes like this – “You are the Lord who speaks. You are not a rock or a tree that cannot speak. You are the Lord who speaks.”
Truly, the God of the heavens and the earth about whom the Holy Bible reveals is the Lord who speaks. But about the idols of the nations, it is written, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see…” (Ps. 115:4-5, ESV)
If there is anything that distinguishes the Living God of the Holy Bible from the man-made gods of the nations, it is this—the Lord speaks. He speaks primarily through the Holy Scripture which the Spirit of God takes and seals on our heart. He also speaks through inner conscience, through people, through situations and even through miraculous means.
Although God is sovereign in how He communicates to people, there are two cautions I would like to present, which have come out of years of careful observation in Christian life and ministry.
CAUTION ONE:
Sometime back I happened to spend time with a man who seems to be a genuine believer. He is out of job for a couple of months. When I asked him why he is not working, he said he is waiting upon the Lord and believes that God is guiding him in this way.
Would God let a person to remain idle without work for months, particularly when he is healthy and fit? What did Paul write to the Thessalonians?
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (2 Thess. 3:7-10, ESV)When the Holy Scripture already says not to remain idle, not to be a burden to others, but to work and earn one’s living, why should people have to wait upon the Lord and remain idle?
Of course, there is a need to pray for God’s wisdom about which job to take and how to make wise decisions, but it is unwise and unscriptural to live without work for months in the name of waiting upon the Lord. In fact, it is disobedience to God’s word which says, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
It was Augustine of Hippo who said, “When Scripture speaks, God speaks.” Now this is the caution I would like to give: When the Holy Scripture already speaks clearly about something, don’t ignore it and wait upon the Lord for something else.
Some people when they come to believe in Christ Jesus and are told to take baptism, they say, “I will pray and think about it.” There is no need to pray but to obey God's word. There is no need to think more but to yield more to the word of God. Doesn’t the Holy Scripture already speak about taking baptism ones a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ? (Acts 2:38)
What else do we expect God to speak to us when He has already spoken about what we have to do in the Holy Scripture!
When God's word explicitly reveals His will and if people still seek for some extra revelations, they are simply despising the authority and supremacy of the Holy Scripture. Certainly, we need God’s guidance in the areas which are uncertain, such as where to work or serve the Lord...etc. But wherever Scripture obviously speaks, there simply has to be humble obedience.
Furthermore, there are some people who want to preach the gospel only when they feel the Lord is leading them. Did not the Lord already command, “Go and preach the gospel”? (Mr. 16:15) I don’t see in the book of Acts the disciples of Christ preaching the gospel only when they felt led by the Holy Spirit. In fact, the disciples kept on preaching the gospel wherever they went (Acts 8:4). And when the Lord saw the need to direct His people, He intervened and directed them to different place and people (Acts 16:6-10; Acts 8:26-40).
Remember, the Lord directs the moving vessels, not the still ones. There are many who remain still, do nothing, live idle and expect God to direct them. I suppose, they are ignorant of God's ways revealed in the Holy Scripture and wasting their precious life and time.
I have observed that many are excited to hear God outside of the Scripture than to obey His word in the Scripture. I think this is dangerous and even gives foothold to the enemy of our soul to deceive us.
So, I urge the readers to listen to this counsel: Don’t bypass God’s word to hear God. Don’t give more preference to other means of hearing God than the reliable and unchanging source of God’s word. Be prompt to obey the word of God and He will direct further and deeper in His ways. Be active in doing what God has already spoken in His word and He will guide specifically in situations that are unclear to us. [Click here to go to Part 2 of this article...] |
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