Tag Archives: God’s guidance

Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 4

Posted on May 6, 2019 | Comments Off on Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 4

My name is Laurie-Ann, and I’m a missionary. During my mission travels, I have ministered with people in Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the USA.  I’ve also ministered in African countries like Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. But at this time, we live in the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa.

During our last three articles, we began to learn how we can seek guidance, and some of the ways that God guides us.  The list isn’t exhaustive, but Nicky Gumbel compiles main groups of the ways under the term CSs.  These include Commanding scripture (like when scriptures come alive to us personally), and Compelling Spirit (which includes some of the many ways the Holy Spirit can speak more directly).  We were caught up in more of the supernatural ways under compelling spirit.  We can hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a whisper.  We can be given impressions, full movie-like visions, dreams, and inner knowings, which is similar to intuition.  We can be helped and strengthened by angels, and some people have even had experiences of the audible voice of God.  Some of these people include Jesus, the prophet Samuel and Heidi Baker, upon her conversion when she was 16.  Heidi shared in the Compelled by Love movie that the voice told her that she “was called to be a minister and a missionary, and she was to go to Africa, Asia and England.”

The other three CSs that Nicky Gumbel mentions in the Alpha Course are common sense, counsel of the saints (or wise, praying Christians) and circumstantial signs.  Last time we journeyed through the next two – common sense and counsel of the saints.  These two keep our feet grounded in relationships and thinking things out.  Life experience is important when considering your life’s direction.  It’s important to be naturally supernatural – remembering that we are more than a thinking mind, but also not to ignore the supernatural.  After all, God IS supernatural. We are encouraged to use our minds, although with divine inspired ideas. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7 to learn and grow. He told him to “think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.”

Just five months ago, I struggled about whether to help my parents during my mother’s illness. She was in the hospital for over a month, just as my father had been three years before that.  At that time, I left behind my volunteer work in Ottawa, to help my mother care for my dad, but also to help her, because she is frail. She still is, since normally my dad is her caregiver, despite his own health.  I reasoned out whether I should go by considering my options.  Leaving South Africa is a lot more expensive than leaving Ottawa for Toronto.  This was a big factor.  So was leaving Tony behind in the pre-Christmas season, right before school exams, where we are two of the teachers.  I also had remembered a dream that I had where I was promised that God would basically take care of my parents while we were on our mission.  So between the reasons of finances, mission work, our school and the dream, I had to trust God.  And it turned out well in the end.  Strangely enough, I got quite sick myself here in South Africa, but that’s a different matter. What kept me in South Africa, apart from the dream I had been given, came down to two things: common sense and trust in God.

The next CS is Counsel of the saints, where we seek wise mature Christians for prayerful advice.  These people could be mentors, pastors, other family members and people you are drawn to for their godly wisdom.  Proverbs 12 verse 15 reminds us that “A wise man listens to advice.”  However, Nicky Gumbel shares that while seeking advice is very important, we need to remember that ultimately, our decisions are between us and God. They are our responsibility. We cannot shift that responsibility onto others or seek to blame them if things go wrong.”  The counsel of the saints is part of guidance; but it is not the only part. Sometimes it may be right to go ahead in spite of the advice of others, particularly if there is other guidance that leads that way.

Now to the fifth CS of God’s guidance, which is Circumstantial signs.  Some people in church history have made it their ‘mantra’ to seek signs, particularly if they don’t know the other ways that God can guide us.  Signs can be surprise answers to prayer, and other times, they can seem like perfectly ordinary situations that are what you need right now.  Sometimes it’s as simple as a door opening with favour in a job search, and other times, more supernatural, like a manifestation of favour.  Some people are skeptical of obviously supernatural things like the occurrence of gold or crystal dust appearing on people during meetings, as well as gemstones and feathers.  These are signs of God’s glory, giving us a little peak into the wonderful aspects of what heaven is – creative, colourful, and beautiful.

However, signs also can be simply directional.  They point us towards the way we should go, like a signpost on the highway.   If you are driving on the N1 in the Karoo, you need to know where the next town will be.  You may need to stop for petrol and something to eat.  You are looking for a signpost, and direction on where to find what you need, without getting lost.  We need a map, a signpost, and assurance that we’re going in the right direction.  It is the same with our lives.  We plan our route, but sometimes there are a few detours.

God is in ultimate control of events. The writer of Proverbs points out in Proverbs 16:9: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Sometimes God opens doors, as the Apostle Paul mentions a door of opportunity 1 Corinthians 16:9. He says, “There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.”  So opposition isn’t a no to a great opportunity, it’s just a challenge.  Sometimes God closes doors.  In Acts 16:7, Luke shares: Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.”

Nicky Gumbel shares in Alpha about two occasions where God firmly closed the door on something he really wanted, and he also believed at those times that it was God’s will for the doors to be open.  He said, “I tried to force the doors open. I prayed and I struggled and I fought, but they would not open.  On both occasions I was bitterly disappointed. But I understand now, years later, why God closed those doors.  Indeed, I am grateful that he did. However, I am not sure we will ever know this side of heaven why God has closed certain doors in our lives.”

I distinctly remember a door closing to me before I came to faith in Jesus Christ.  I was a semi-professional artist and was keen to work in set design and props for theatre, film and television.  After all, I was from Toronto.  Toronto was known as Hollywood North, although that term has expanded to include Vancouver as well.  Even though I had contacts, those doors slammed tighter than ever.  If my art career didn’t come to a struggle, I might not have begun seeking God as I did.

Then later, after my third attempt to start a career ended; this time in radio broadcasting, I was stuck in a hallway with closed doors. I had been told in radio school that you normally get three opportunities as a professional in that industry.  Many people struggle with the first job, which is usually in promotions, or in the studio as a board operator.  I was a board operator.  I wasn’t the best, but I was consistent and loyal, at least until the time that I had to be away while driving my then-housemate to Alberta for a new radio job.  While I was in Alberta, I visited radio stations and creative directors to gain contacts for future jobs.  After I returned, I was let go, because one of my bosses really needed me one weekend.  It didn’t matter that this was an act of kindness to another radio person, and helping another radio station in the same company.  I was devastated.  However, I found a full-time job doing what I trained for – in creative writing, audio production and scheduling of ads.  I moved across the country for this opportunity, and carried as much as I could hold in my little car.  I found a beautiful walk-in basement apartment in Nelson, British Columbia, and commuted to Castlegar, where the creative office was.

My enthusiasm and talent carried me a long way, as well as good nutrition and vitamins.  However, after a time I burned out, simply because I stayed in the station for hours and hours at a time.  The job was more than one person could handle. Although I did have help at times from a creative pool, it really was too much for one person, especially someone who was new. So after four months, I was let go.  By this time I had given up so much to be there in BC, including a bariatric by-pass surgery, since I was now in a different province.  My flat rental lease also meant that I had to stay for nearly two more months.  Then I got some beautiful referrals from a creative director I met earlier that year in Red Deer, Alberta.  He referred me to the creative director in Lloydminster, Alberta, and I applied for a vacant position as a writer.  Two months previously he referred me to another creative director in Medicine Hat in southern Alberta, but I had told this man that I didn’t think it would be fair for me to leave my new job yet.  He accepted that explanation and told me he would ask me again at another time.

Since I had glowing references and some experience, I thought I might have a chance in a job writing ads.  This job didn’t require me to schedule ads or produce; it was one position rather than three.  I could have done this – and he seemed excited about my references. This director must have dug deeply in my past jobs, because he wasn’t happy that I was let go twice within the industry.  Unfortunately, he didn’t give me that third chance that I was hoping for, and I had to move back across the country to rejoin Tony.    Upon my return, there was a job opening as an administrator in the community radio station that I had been a part of since 2001, as a volunteer radio host and audio producer.  I thought I would have a chance at that, due to my years there, over fifteen years in admin, and two years of radio school.  I was on the short list, but I didn’t come in first.  The girl who got the job apparently had more than fifteen years admin experience, although no radio school.  So the door again closed.

I spent some time in prayer and sought wise counsel from a prophetic lady, who is now part of a pastoral team at the Ottawa Vineyard.  I told her that I was still seeking radio work in some way, although I knew I would eventually return to consider full-time ministry.  She prayed and told me, “All I see are closed doors.  It’s useless continuing in this hallway – you need to seek a different direction.  Sure enough, I had further confirmation about that. Three months later, the Medicine Hat employer emailed me again and asked if I would consider working for him.  I did consider, although I had to be honest and tell him that it didn’t work out in BC.  Unfortunately, he never replied to my email, so I expected that door was indeed shut, as my pastoral friend told me.

Sometimes God opens doors in a remarkable way!  The circumstances and the timing point clearly to the hand of God (for example, Genesis 24, where Isaac’s servant was given specific directions to find his master the perfect wife for him).  He brought home Rebecca, who was smart, loving and willing to go).   Nicky Gumbel shares a special story of open doors in an unusual way.

“Michael Bourdeaux is the head of Keston College. (This is) a research unit devoted to helping believers in what were communist lands.  His work and research are respected by governments all over the world. He studied Russian at Oxford. His Russian teacher, Dr. Zernov, sent him a letter that he had received because he thought it would interest him. (This letter showed) how monks were beaten up by the KGB and subjected to inhuman medical examinations. (It showed)  how they were being rounded up in trucks and dumped many hundreds of miles away.  This letter was written very simply, with no adornment. As he read it, Michael Bourdeaux felt he was hearing the true voice of the persecuted church. The letter was signed, “Varavva and Pronina.”

In August 1964, Michael went on a trip to Moscow. On his first evening there, he met up with old friends who shared how the persecutions were getting worse.  In particular, the old church of St Peter and St Paul had been demolished. They suggested that he go and see it for himself.

So Michael took a taxi and arrived to the location at dusk.  He came to the square where he had remembered once housed a very beautiful church. He found nothing except a twelve-foot fence, which hid the rubble where the church had been. Over on the other side of the square, were two women, who were climbing over the fence to try to see what was inside.

He watched them, and when they finally left the square, he followed them for a hundred yards, and eventually caught up with them. They asked, “Who are you?”  He told them, “I am a foreigner. I have come to find out what is happening here in the Soviet Union.”  They took him back to the house of another woman who also asked him why he had come. He said he had received a letter from the Ukraine, via Paris. When she asked who it was from, he replied, “Varavva and Pronina.”  There was silence.  He wondered if he had said something wrong.  A flood of uncontrolled sobbing followed.  The woman pointed and said, “This is Varavva and this is Pronina.”

The population of Russia was over one hundred forty million.  The Ukraine, from where the letter was written, is over eight hundred miles from Moscow.  Michael Bourdeaux had flown from England six months after the letter had been written. He and the women would not have met had either party arrived at the demolished church an hour earlier or an hour later.  That was one of the ways God called him to set up his life’s work.” If you want to learn more about Michael Bourdeaux’s story, read his book “Risen Indeed.”

Sometimes we hear God correctly, but we get the timing wrong.  Don’t be in a hurry when you are seeking direction. Sometimes, God’s guidance seems to come immediately when it is asked for.  Yet often, it takes much longer – sometimes months or even years. One example of this time lapse concerns a calling I had, to go to Sierra Leone.  I was encouraged by a career missionary named Gladys, who prayed for me a year after I returned from my first mission trip in Kenya.  Gladys shared prophetically that I was to return to Africa, and I thought she meant Kenya.  But no, she meant West Africa. She asked me if I had ever heard of Sierra Leone.  This was in 1994, and I prayed into the opportunity and found that there were no current opportunities.  A few years later, Sierra Leone descended into an awful civil war.  So I put that prophetic promise on the shelf.  Later, I discovered that Tony’s spiritual mother was from Sierra Leone, I thought that was interesting, but didn’t figure that would be a future clue.

Then 11 years later, Tony tells me that he was very blessed by his first mission trip in western Kenya.  He had no idea that it would be so fulfilling to help plant the Alpha Course in Migori, Kenya.  He told me, “hey, let’s do this again. We can do this again somewhere.”  It was then that I had a word impression from the Holy Spirit.  His still, small voice told me, “Sierra Leone.”  Sure enough, in 2009, Canadian Alpha people were offered different international opportunities, and Sierra Leone was one of them.  We were to give two Alpha course conferences in the east and west ends of Freetown – the same city where Tony’s spiritual mom, Emma, lived.   A huge door opened up for us – despite circumstances that threatened to cancel our journey.  This was the Iceland volcano eruption that cancelled all flight traffic across the Atlantic for well over a week.  We eventually arrived, but that is a whole other story, where we made it despite adverse circumstances.

So, we may have a sense that God is going to do something in our lives, but have to wait a long time for the fulfillment, as it did for me going to Sierra Leone.  It took sixteen years! On these occasions, we need patience like that of Abraham. The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 6:15, that Abraham, “after waiting patiently … received what was promised.”  While he waited, he was tempted at one point to try and fulfill God’s promises by his own means – with disastrous results.  Just read Genesis chapters 16 and 21 and see what I mean.  Ishmael represents doing something in the wrong time and in our own strength.  Ishmael was not the planned promise.

Sometimes we hear God correctly, but we understand the timing completely wrongly.  The Holy Spirit spoke to Joseph in a dream about what would happen to him and his family in the future.  He probably expected immediate fulfillment, but he had to wait years. Instead of being promoted, he was sold into slavery, was dishonoured by his employer’s wife, and he then ended up in prison.

Indeed, while he was in prison, it must have been hard for him to believe that his dreams would ever be fulfilled. It took thirteen years after the original dream, to see God’s fulfillment. The waiting was part of the preparation. If you’re not familiar with Joseph’s story, read Genesis chapters 37 to 50.

In this area of guidance, we all make mistakes.  Waiting is HARD.  Bethel Music has a song about taking courage, where they sing “Take Courage my heart, stay steadfast my soul, He’s in the waiting.  Hold on to your hope as your triumph unfolds, He’s never failing.”  This song has given comfort to many a person trying to figure out how God will fulfill his promises.   They may believe him but are confused as to HOW and WHEN this will happen.  There is a reason why we are reminded in Proverbs 3:5-6 to  “trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Sometimes, like Abraham, we try to fulfill God’s plans by our own wrong methods.  Or like Joseph, we get the timing wrong. Sometimes we feel that we have made too much of a mess of our lives, by the time we come to Christ, for God to do anything with us. But God is greater than that.

Joel 2:25 reminds us that God is able to “restore to you the years which the swarming locusts have eaten.  He is able to make something good out of whatever is left of our lives – whether it is a short time or a long time, if we will offer what we have to him and then cooperate with his Spirit.  It’s this same verse that gives me comfort for lost time due to my recent illness with boils, which is still ongoing. It curtails my work here in Worcester, but not completely.  God is using the circumstances to show fruit in the lives of the teens we disciple. I’m trusting that God will help us work out the details of what must be done while he’s still healing me.  Thankfully what I am able to do, is still a blessing to those we are serving.

Here’s another example from Nicky Gumbel.  Lord Radstock stayed in a hotel in Norway in the mid-nineteenth century. When he was there, he heard a little girl playing the piano down in the hallway.  She was making a terrible noise: “Plink, plunk, plink, plonk”  It was driving him mad!  Then, a man came and sat beside her at the piano bench. He began playing alongside her, and filled in the gaps.  The result was the most beautiful music!  He later discovered that the man playing alongside was the girl’s father, Alexander Borodin, the composer of the opera Prince Igor.

The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” As we falteringly play our part, seeking his will for our lives: the Holy Spirit comes alongside us, and helps re-story our lives in the most beautiful way.   While I waited for the Iris Harvest Missions school to accept my first application, I was shown an impression that Jesus was weaving together my three dead careers: art, ministry and radio, into something beautiful.  He was taking these skills, talents as well as other abilities, and weaving them together into something unique.  It was this weaving that helped create my ministry here in South Africa – and he’s not finished the weaving.  He’s creating more and more in me, and in Tony too.  It’s all been a learning curve.

So likewise, when you are seeking guidance from God, you begin to open yourself to the ways that you can be led.  There are many, but the main ones include reading (commanding scripture), listening (compelling spirit), thinking (common sense), talking (counsel of the saints), and finally watching (circumstantial signs and waiting).  While we open our hearts, and explore these ways, God comes and sits alongside us.  Just like the composer came alongside his daughter, he works all things for our good.  He takes our plink, plonk, plink, plonk, and makes something beautiful our of our lives.

So it’s a matter of trusting him and being open to the many ways he guides us. Be still in your heart before him, for he does hear our prayers.

Lord, I ask that you will bless those who are seeking you.  Direct them in the way they should go.  Open the right doors.  Give them dreams, impressions and let them hear your still, small voice guiding them. Let them find encouragers who can give them wise advice, and figure out what they must do through good common sense. Give them confidence, hope and a spring in their step as they sense you walking with them.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you missed the first three parts of this message, we have it available as podcasts on our Copples Western Cape website.   You can also take the Alpha Course.  Much of my series on God’s guidance is influenced by the talk on “How does God guide us?  This is my favourite talk on the entire course, no matter which version I’ve viewed.  If you are seeking and need to learn more about the Christian faith, please do attend an Alpha Course. You won’t be sorry.

As for our podcasts, you can visit audio versions of this talk (and many others) at the WTGIG podcast page on Coppleswesterncape.ca.  Scroll down to podcasts 44, 45, 46 and 47.  It’s free, although we gratefully receive any free-will donations through the Iris Ministries Canada Canada Helps portal.  We are missionaries who live entirely by faith, with the exception of my husband’s pension.  God does supply our needs through surprising ways.

I hope that you’ve been blessed by this message and other articles as well.  Please do share with me if this has impacted you.

Blessings,
Laurie-Ann

 

 

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Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 3

Posted on April 6, 2019 | Comments Off on Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 3

My name is Laurie-Ann, and I’m a missionary. During my mission travels, I have ministered with people in Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the USA.  I’ve also ministered in African countries like Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. But at this time, we live in the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa.

During our last two articles, we began to learn how we can seek guidance and some of the ways that God guides us.  Nicky Gumbel compiles the main groups under the term CSs.  These include Commanding scripture (like when scriptures come alive to us personally), and Compelling Spirit (which includes some of the many ways the Holy Spirit can speak more directly).  We are caught up in the more supernatural ways under compelling spirit.  We can hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a whisper.  We can be given impressions, full movie-like visions, dreams, and inner knowings, which is similar to intuition.  We can be helped and strengthened by angels. Some have had experiences of the audible voice of God, such as Jesus, the prophet Samuel and Heidi Baker, upon her conversion when she was 16.  Heidi shared in the Compelled by Love movie that the voice told her that she “was called to be a minister and a missionary, and she was to go to Africa, Asia and England.”

The Holy Spirit can also touch our hearts through anointed Christian music and prophetic art.  I know that some people are comforted with some of my own prophetic art.  It speaks to their souls and gives them hope.  It makes them feel loved.

The other three C.S’s that Nicky Gumbel mentions in the Alpha Course are common sense, counsel of the saints (or wise, praying Christians) and circumstantial signs.  We’ll journey through the first two.

Some Christians seem to put common sense to the side, but this kind of wisdom is important.  We learn this through life experience, and it’s also important when considering your life’s direction.   It’s important to not get “spooky spiritual” and act like every aspect of our lives is supernatural.  We need to be naturally supernatural.   We may be blessed supernaturally, and include this as a daily part of our lives, but we also live in a physical world.  We also have been given minds to think, learn, meditate and reason out things.    Psalm 32:9 reminds us to “not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” We are encouraged to use our minds, albeit with divinely inspired ideas. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7 to learn and grow. He told him to “think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.”

Earlier I mentioned it’s important to be naturally supernatural, and not “spooky spiritual.”  Praying out loud in a weird voice, and being overly religious in routine matters are silly things that abandon common sense.  Nicky shares a story in Alpha about one lady who asked God for guidance on which shoes and socks and other clothing items she should wear.  Some things are left for us to decide.  As long as our clothes are clean and modest, there shouldn’t be a problem!

Nicky says, “It is true to say that God’s promises of guidance were not given so that we could avoid the strain of thinking. Indeed, John Wesley, the father of Methodism, said that God usually guided him by presenting reasons to his mind for acting in a certain way. This is important in every area – especially in the areas of marriage and jobs.”

Some people choose to take a certain course of action that seems to be in line with scripture.  They may pray to be given reasons not to go ahead If it is not His will in that case, and to be given peace if it is is the way they should take.

Back in late November 2018, my mother was in the hospital, after some emergency bowel surgery.  I prayed on whether I should return to Canada, and stay with my parents, as I had done three years previously.  My dad had been in hospital for over a month.  My sister begged me to come and care for them, since she could not.   After my dad was released, I cared for him in dispensing the right kind of medicine at the right time, while Mom and I worked on his meals.  I’m glad that I was there for them during those months.  Coming forward to last November, my initial thought when Mom was so ill was that I would be needed to help my dad care for her.  They do have a personal care support worker, although this isn’t always enough.  So I prayed.  I prayed for wisdom, a dream, an impression, and had nothing.  However, back in August 2016, I was given a dream, where I had died, but my parents continued on and even thrived without my care.  I remember sharing this dream with Marie, one of our Iris Western Cape leaders.  Marie was given the insight to say, “You’re worried about your parents.  Holy Spirit is saying that he will care for them while you are away on mission.”

I did remember this dream, so it did give me comfort, and I did have peace that they would eventually be OK.  My cousin and aunt stepped in, I had people pray, I texted Mom’s care company with a heads up, and I was able to use my iPad to Skype both parents.  I did all I could from a different continent in a different time zone.  Later, when I shared this story, my friend and colleague Maggie was given the insight that it was actually MY choice on whether I should return to Canada to help.  Yet, what kept me in South Africa, apart from the dream I had been given, came down to common sense.

I weighed pros and cons against each other.  The pros were that it would be helpful to my parents and would bless our relationship.  The cons included the cost of airfare, other transport, and food.  It also included the extra load on Tony being alone in ministry here in South Africa.  While he could have managed, there was also our western coast holiday that he would go on alone, not too exciting.  So I chose to stay and pray.  After I made that decision, I had peace.  Two other missionaries gave me comfort.  One of them told me that she had lost both parents while she was away on missions, first in Asia, and second in Africa.  It was not an easy decision.  Thankfully, Mom had good care, and my dad had some help, although he was out of his element.  We look forward to our time with them on our home visit.  We’ll have four days in July.

Common sense is one of the factors that need to be taken into account  when we choose a partner for life.  It is common sense to look at three important areas:  Note, there are exceptions to the rule, but being in line with these helps.

These include spiritual compatibility, personal compatibility, and physical compatibility.  If you are a Christian, it is best to marry a Christian, preferably at a similar level in their journey of faith.  The Apostle Paul advised that your spouse should be of the same faith, so there is no battle on whose world view comes first.  This example is more extreme, but it does state the point that there is a dissonance that happens when there is such a difference.  1 Corinthians 6: 15-17 says,  Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.  That’s the negative aspect.  People of different faiths and world views will likely clash, or one will succumb to the other.  It’s not always a happy story, although there are exceptions.

On the positive side, two Christians with like callings grow closer when praying, ministering, and studying the Bible together.  As a couple, you are drawn together not only by a shared life and sex, but by a strong spiritual bond that deeply blesses both spouses.  Tony and I acknowledged that bond in our wedding theme from Ecclesiastes 4:12:   A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”  Can you imagine what the third strand of the cord is?  One strand is the husband, the second strand, the wife.  The third strand is Jesus. If God is at the centre of the marriage, the marriage will be strong and held together by him.

Potential spouses also need personal compatibility, such as a strong friendship with shared interests that have nothing to do with sex.  Tony and I are married, but we are also friends.  We share music, faith, humour, stories, shared ministry with children and teens, a love for prison ministry and radio.  We both love many kinds of music, although we aren’t joined at the hip in all we do.  We try to support each other in our different talents and interests.  Tony encourages me in my art, and I support him and ask for his wisdom in many things, including engineering matters (his original discipline).  We enjoy each other’s company, without jealously guarding the other for each waking moment.  We do have other friends.

And we do need physical compatibility – to be attracted to each other.  Nicky Gumbel jokes in an old Alpha video that “God does not expect you to marry someone you’re not attracted to.”  This doesn’t take into account pre-arranged marriages, where couples grow to love each other, but I am thankful that these couples do find happiness that grows in their shared lives together.

Common sense is also needed in finding jobs and careers.  If you are in a specific career when you come to faith, it’s best to stay there unless you are called to something different, for a different season of your life.  When I came to faith, I was an artist, but my income was as a grocery store cashier.  I stayed there for another seven years, before I became an office worker.  But that wasn’t my career, it was my job.  Somewhere between coming to faith and giving up my cashier job, was my call into ministry.  I called it ministry with a Big M.  I didn’t know what that would look like at the time, whether I would be a hospital chaplain, assistant pastor, or a missionary.  However, coming to faith does not mean that you will be a pastor or a missionary.  You could be, but God can use you where you are.   We need godly people in all professions.

The Apostle Paul also encouraged the Corinthians who had become Christian to stay in their profession at least for a season.  Here is what he says in 1 Corinthians 7:17, and 20-24:   17 Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.  20 Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you.21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. 23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.[a] 24 Each of you, dear brothers and sisters,[b] should remain as you were when God first called you.”

Yet, if you feel increasingly uncomfortable in your job, then ask yourself,  “Where is this job taking me?”  What is my long-term vision, and does this lead to it?  Or should I go in another direction?    Write out your pros and cons list, but be open to other ways that may confirm the way you go.  Just before I left my cashier position, the company told us that they were giving everyone a pay cut, and for those who would leave, they would get $750 Canadian dollars for every year they had worked for the company.  This was a buy-out.  The pay-cut was over five dollars an hour, and I wasn’t given that many hours as it was.  I was tired from long hours on my feet, and while they originally said no to my request for the buy-out, they eventually relented.  I was given enough of a pay-out to buy a computer and nice office clothes. At the time I was learning word processing and computers in between my first degree and studying for my second.   I remember at the time, that while I chose the route of leaving the job through common sense, this was confirmed by the still small voice of the Holy Spirit telling me that “this was the end of an era.”  And so it was.  I had worked as a cashier for fifteen years.

The next CS is Counsel of the saints, where we seek wise mature Christians for prayerful advice.  These people could be mentors, pastors, older family members and people you are drawn to for their godly wisdom.  When I mention the word saints, perhaps for some of you, you picture paintings or sculptures of heroes and heroines in church history.  Some of these have been canonized in the Catholic church.  I don’t specifically mean these people.  Saints in a generic sense means anyone who has come to faith in Jesus Christ.  Some of these people are very wise and very godly.  Wisdom is regarded as an excellent virtue to live by, and is elevated in the book of Proverbs.  Generally though, we can all agree with Proverbs 12:15, which is “A wise man listens to advice.”  We really don’t know everything.  We need help from each other to not make mistakes that will cause pain.   Proverbs 15:22 also reminds us that “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they will succeed.”   Proverbs 20:18 advises that we need to “make plans by seeking advice.”

However, Nicky Gumbel shares that while seeking advice is very important, we need to remember that ultimately, our decisions are between us and God. They are our responsibility. We cannot shift that responsibility onto others or seek to blame them if things go wrong.”  The counsel of the saints is part of guidance; but it is not the only part. Sometimes it may be right to go ahead in spite of the advice of others, particularly if there is other guidance that leads that way.

When Tony and I were preparing to come to South Africa for three years, we were not sure what to do with our condo.  We wanted to rent it out and live there on our return.  We were advised by our financial planner to sell the condo, invest that money, and not worry about the other overhead.  This meant that on our return to Canada, we would have to rent an apartment.  Tony initially seemed OK with this, but I grew uncomfortable and even angry.  It just didn’t seem right.  So I asked my Facebook prayer group to pray into whether we should sell or just rent out our place.  We also made a pro-con list, so we were also using common sense.  Tony told me that if we sold, we would lose our equity line of credit and would not qualify for another one on our return to Canada.  Then the prayerful advice rolled in from many in the group.  Some had words of knowledge “not to sell.”  Others just had an inner knowing that it wouldn’t be right to sell.  One friend telephoned to tell me so, and that to sell would be a major distraction.  It was hard enough renting and clearing out our condo for the couple who eventually did rent.   We would have been moved significantly off our timetable if we sold.  I am thankful now that we have a place to return to when we go back from our South African assignment.

So when we are faced with a decision where we need advice, whom shall we consult?  We need wisdom.  The writer of Proverbs tells us in Proverbs 9:10 that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  This is especially the case when advice is from those who love and revere the Lord.  Nicky Gumbel says that the best advisors are usually godly Christian people with wisdom and experience whom we respect. It is also wise to seek the advice of parents whom we are to honour, even if we are past the ages of being under their authority.  Even if they are not Christians, they know us very well and can often have important insights into situations.”

Nicky has found it a real help throughout his Christian life to have someone who is a mature Christian, whom he respects and to whom he can go for advice on a whole range of issues.  Often God’s insight has come as they talked through the issues together.

When it comes to bigger decisions, it is helpful to seek a range of advice. When Nicky was facing whether to become an ordained Anglican priest, he sought the advice of his parents, his two closest friends, his pastor, and those who were involved in the official process of selection.  The people whom we ask for advice should not be chosen on the basis that they will agree with what we have already planned to do!  Don’t just choose “yes” people who will rubber stamp your leaning.  We should consult people on the basis of their spiritual authority or their relationship to us, regardless of what we may anticipate their views to be.

Take your time when you are choosing.  You don’t need to be in a rush, unless the decision is time-sensitive, as ours was for selling or renting our condo.

During this article, I’ve shared some of the more practical ways that God guides us, through common sense and counsel of the saints.  Thinking things through logically on what works best in your situation is extremely valuable. Seeking godly advice is scripturally and practically important as a foundation.  Wisdom is a godly virtue that at best points to God.  I also remember an evening in Harvest School where were learning about the prophetic ministry from David Wagner.  He called up people who had either never had a prophetic word given to them, or had never given one to someone else.  Tony went up and David took him under his wing.  By the end of the evening, Tony was prophesying over people, loving them and encouraging them.  His ears just needed to be fine-tuned.  In the midst of this teaching, David stunned everyone by these words, “I want you to know that if any of you are lacking wisdom and want it, ask Tony.  He has the gift of wisdom.”  And David wasn’t just talking about common sense, logic and compassion, which Tony has in abundance.  Now he was given a deposit of godly wisdom, in tune with the heart of the Father.  Yet still, we as a couple still need the love, and guidance of God through our Christian community, and our Iris family. We are not meant to live our faith on our own.  This is all what the counsel of the saints is all about.  We need each other.

I pray that you have been blessed by our journey through some of the ways that God has guided us.  What I’ve shared is only a taste of a much larger menu.  I encourage you to seek the scriptures yourselves.  Ask Holy Spirit to still your heart, fill you with peace and enlighten your common sense as you think through your decisions.  Also listen to his promptings on whom to seek wise advice from.  You’re not alone.

Lord, I ask that you will touch every heart that reads this article.  Point them to you. Open their inner eyes and ears to see you with them, in whatever circumstance they are in.  Surround and fill them with your love, as they seek you.  Show them that you have plans to prosper them, and not to harm them.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you’d like to hear an audio version of this article, please visit the Ways to Grow in God podcast page on coppleswesterncape.ca and scroll down to #46

Do you have a favourite way that God speaks to you?

Blessings, Laurie-Ann Copple
Worcester, South Africa

 

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Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 1

Posted on February 18, 2019 | Comments Off on Growing in God: Learning how God guides us part 1

 

During our last article, we learned that we can fast from negativity.  As we continue the process of rooting out lies we believe, and ongoing complaints that draw us down, we become more free.  We learn a higher perspective, and see life with promise and hope.  I hope that you are continuing to live, think, see and speak positively.  While we may encounter difficult times, we don’t need to make it worse. In fact, we can receive blessings and joy even in times like those.

There is one commonality in all seasons: difficult and easy – God’s faithfulness.  He does not change and continues to carry you through thick and thin. We also discover the depth of God’s love, since this really is all we have.  We need to hear and listen to God’s voice. This is a time for learning deeper identity in Christ, where we learn that he does fulfill our deepest needs of significance and security.

It’s good to bring our major decisions to God.  We need to make decisions every day – but we have potential to grow in these decisions.  One is in how we spend our money.  Another is in how we spend our free time.  These resources are not endless, but while we can grow our finances, we can’t gain more time.  And then there are our really big decisions.  Where to live?  What career should we work towards?  Which church or ministry do we join?  If we are to marry, whom should we marry?  We all need God’s help. Guidance is part of our relationship with God.  Psalm 32:8  gives us the promise that the Lord “will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”  So we need to seek him.  Jesus taught that he is the shepherd and we are his sheep.  He was originally speaking to country folk, but he also speaks to us, today.  We must learn to know his voice.  John 10:3-4 shares that “the gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.

We need to understand our purpose and why we were put on this earth.  The first commandment is to love God. But we all have callings. Some will be creatives, others engineers, some pilots, others entrepreneurs. But that is not all we are.  The future possibilities are more varied than we think.   God has a plan for our lives.   So we are encouraged to follow the Apostle Paul’s advice in Ephesians 5:17. He said “don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”  And in Ephesians 2:10, he shared: For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  God has a unique job for us?  Yes he does!  And it’s not always to be a pastor or work in a church.  Most of us are called to something in the marketplace.  You could be a godly businessman, a teacher, a writer, an astronomer, musician, chemist and so much more.  What makes your heart sing?  The prophet Jeremiah shared in Jeremiah 29:11,  “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Nicky Gumbel shares, “God is saying, ‘Don’t you realize that I have a really good plan for your life? I have prepared something wonderful.’ This cry from the Lord’s heart came because he saw the mess his people had got themselves into, when they didn’t follow his plans.  All around us we see people whose lives are in a muddle. Often people say to me after they have come to Christ, ‘I wish I had become a Christian five or ten years earlier. Look at my life now. It’s such a mess.’ If we are to find out about God’s plans for us, we need to ask him about them.”

We make mistakes when we fail to ask God for help.  We stumble on our own past mistakes, bad advice, and confusion.  Sometimes we try to please our parents instead of following the path we’re meant to lead.  One example is Vincent Van Gogh’s physician, Dr. Gachet, whose father wanted him to become a doctor, but his dream was to be an artist.    And then there’s the case of rebellion.  How many of us pull a Jonah and run from God, and then end up in the belly of a fish.  Isaiah shared God’s heart in Isaiah 30:1-2:  “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,    thus piling up your sins.  For without consulting me,  you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade.”  Pharoah in this example is a symbol for leaning on worldly help, rather than God’s help.

Jesus led the way by consistently following the Holy Spirit.  In Luke 4:10 and John 5:19, he said that he only did what he saw the Father doing.  He also knew his purpose from the beginning, although he also had to trust the Father.

When I was baptized as an adult, I was given a scripture by my then pastor, Laurie Barber.  It’s Proverbs 3:5-6, which is, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  This has been one of my guiding words, so  I return to these verses often. Psalm 37:5 “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

This guidance works whether it’s in finding a life partner, ministry partner, job or where to live.  Nicky Lee met his wife Silla in university. During that time, he came to faith, but Silla did not at that time.  He wanted to pursue his relationship with her, and asked God for guidance.  He prayed that if the relationship were to continue, she would come to faith by the end of the term. On the last day of the term, they attended a party, and at the end of it, Silla asked Nicky to go for a drive. She blurted out random directions, which brought them to a place that had great significance to her.  She turned to her boyfriend and asked to be led to Jesus.  At the very end of the term, just before midnight, Nicky had his prayer answered.    Sometimes the answer is gradual. Other times the guidance is instant, although it takes time to work through the details.

God’s guidance, as described in the Alpha course, comes down to Five CSs.  This isn’t CS Lewis, but rather: Commanding scripture, Compelling Spirit, Common Sense, Counsel of the Saints, and Circumstantial signs.  We’ll journey through the first two.

Commanding Scripture usually involves general guidance. Some general guidance shows that we can be sure about certain things that are wrong.  Here’s one example. If a married man falls in love with another woman and wants to leave his wife, can this be God’s will?  No, he is not being led by God.  It says in Exodus 20:14, that you shall not commit adultery.  Another example relates to the justification for paying our taxes. We’re shown in Romans 13:7 that paying taxes is our civic duty, and what is due to the government should be paid.

Then there is specific guidance – through scripture illumination.   There are many examples in Church history of missionaries who were given their calling and direction through one verse.  The original call and context was to Abraham, but others had a similar call to leave their homes and trust God.  They were given comfort in the Lord’s call to Abraham in Genesis 12:1, “The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” This same call was repeated in Genesis 18, since Abraham had moved but still had not left yet his country. This was a common call to the Irish missionary monks that travelled all over Europe from the seventh to eleventh centuries.

However we need to be discerning when seeking scripture illumination. Nicky Gumbel  says “Sometimes a verse seems almost to leap off the page at us.”   But don’t just open a Bible at random and expect a message – it could get very confusing. Imagine if you open a Bible to the verse where Judas decides to hang himself, and then you open to the verse where Jesus says “go and do likewise.” That’s not God’s leading – it’s scripture confusion.

Let’s go back to general guidance. There are scriptures saying that we should marry a Christian and not someone of another faith. One of these is 2 Corinthians 6:14, where the Apostle Paul advises, “don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?”   But the Bible doesn’t say specifically who to marry!  God will guide you another way for that.  Paul also advises about whether you should change your job when you become a Christian.  He generally advises not to.  Job changes do happen in scripture, but it’s more common to remain in the same job with kindness and influence.   Peter and some of the disciples changed their profession of sorts. They were fishermen, and then they became fishers of people.  Levi the tax collector left his job for Jesus, but others are called to live faithful lives where they are.  Paul advises in 1 Corinthians 7:20-21, to basically, bloom where you are planted unless you are called out of your job into something better.  Paul was speaking about being an indentured slave or servant, which in his days was not like the brutal human trafficking of current days.  We can liken this scripture to employment.  Paul says,  “Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it.”

Not everyone is called to be a pastor, priest or missionary.  One of the leaders of our Afrikaaner church believed she was called to full-time ministry in music and teaching.  Her outreach has touched many people, and she was the first speaker we saw in our church.  I still remember her talk about the colour purple and our identity in Christ. It tied in with a vision I was given three times in our church.  Jesus is indeed calling us into our true identity.  However, that doesn’t mean that your calling is to go into long-term full-term ministry.  Sometimes it’s for a season, and other times, it’s a part-time thing.  All of us are called into ministry, not just those who are clergy.   It turned out that Erika’s call included her very much needed medical skills.  I applaud her for having a re-think and confirming that she has more than one ministry.  Caring medical professionals in their places are indeed fulfilling a calling.  I have great respect for the South African doctors who have listened and treated me.

Nicky Gumbel has his own calling story.  He comes from a family of lawyers – barristers in particular.  He still has a very logical way of describing faith and life stories. He had fifteen different occasions where he was spoken to about leaving the law profession to become an Anglican priest.   Many of these were various scriptures in circumstances that led him to his final decision to say yes.  He finally was given a prophetic word by someone later that gave confirmation to his call.

Compelling Spirit is the second CS.   Sometimes the Holy Spirit seems to grab us through dreams, impressions during prayer, godly desires, and supernatural enlightenment of our minds and hearts. The Holy Spirit works in different ways. Some are quiet, some are not.

Sometimes this compelling comes in a way that strikes our consciences. The Apostle Paul tried to go to two provinces in what is now present day Turkey to preach the gospel and minister to the people there. Twice they were given strong leadings that said NO to going there. While these areas later accepted the gospel, God had other plans at that time.  It was then that Paul was given a strong dream of a man from Macedonia, and they knew they must go there instead.  Read Acts 16 and you’ll have the story.  If Paul had not listened, he wouldn’t have met key future leaders in the church, like Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. And there are more examples.  So listen!

God actually speaks to us when we pray.  Imagine going to a doctor and sharing a list of current and past illnesses, along with all their symptoms.  It’s like you’re reading a shopping list. Then you decide at the end of the list that it’s time to leave, so you thank the doctor and leave without hearing what they have to say.  Can you imagine how that doctor feels? They wanted to help but weren’t given the opportunity.   So if we do stop and listen, after we share our hearts, what will we hear?

God often speaks in impressions.  These can be a thought that comes into our minds, or a picture. Tony gets thoughts, I get pictures, although sometimes we can get both.  These need to be tested, since the thoughts or pictures aren’t always from God.  Sometimes they are from ourselves, or somewhere else.  Does the impression promote love?  Is it in line with the Bible?  Does it lift up Jesus?

Paul Cowley is a man who God has inspired to work with inmates, the military and the homeless.  His past life of brokenness brought him through prison, the military, two divorces and finally to a life in Christ and a loving family.  He has encouraged many inmates, ex-offenders and us personally when we drove him around on a visit to Ottawa back in 2006.  He shared in a recent Alpha Course video about how he was given an impression to bless his complaining, bitter father.  His dad was also sick and he helped care for him in hospital.  When it was time to send him home from London to Manchester, Paul was given an impression on his heart on how to bless his dad.  He brought him to Euston station, “put him on the train and sat him down.  Right in the middle of the carriage (he says he) had this overwhelming feeling of love for (his) dad.  It was really weird.  (He) almost started to cry in the carriage. Paul looked at him and felt really sad for him, that they had never really had a relationship.  (He remembers) having a meal with his father.  All that stuff came up for him. And in his mind, came this idea, to upgrade his ticket, to a first-class ticket to Manchester. Paul bought a very expensive single first-class ticket back to Manchester.  He walked him into the first-class compartment; he sat him down and kissed him on the head.   Then as Paul stood on the platform with his wife, Amanda, she asked “What on earth are you doing?” He said, you know what? I have no idea.  I just really wanted to see my dad happy.’  And as Paul looked at him through the window of the carriage, he saw his father took his hat off and put it on the table.  He hit the recline button and went back in his seat.  Then he clicked his fingers, and some of the waiters brought him a cup of tea and biscuits.  And he got his newspaper out and started to read it. And as he was doing that, he just turned to look at Paul out of the window.  He had the biggest smile on his face that you could ever see.  It was like every birthday, every Christmas had all come together.  And he was beaming.  That was the last time that Paul ever saw his father. Three weeks later, he died of a massive heart attack.  Paul then thought, “was that me, making up an idea that I might buy him that ticket?  Or was that God guiding me?  Paul has a real peace with his father now.  Despite years of heartache and grief, Paul’s image of his dad is of his beaming face from the train carriage as he drove off.”   This is a beautiful example of how a loving impression that’s acted on can bring great blessings from God.

God sometimes speaks to us by giving us a strong desire to do something. An example of this is from Philippians 2:13, “God works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure.” This was a scripture that Nicky Gumbel battled with for some time.  When he first came to faith, he didn’t want to be a priest. Eventually he came round and was very happy to be one.  In time he felt it was all he wanted to do.  When God gives you a strong desire to do something, it doesn’t mean that he will give you your worst fear.  It just means that he has something for you that you will love, and he will help you prepare your heart for it.

Tony also experienced this change of heart three times.  The first time was after I encouraged him for weeks to go on a short-term mission in western Kenya.  We were invited to Migori, Kenya to plant the Alpha Course and my own early Ways to Grow in God teachings.  After a month or so, the two of us went on a Daniel fast, which is to be vegetarian, for eight days.  Many people also prayed over us, and yet Tony believed he had not yet heard from God on whether to go with me.  He kept saying no. He told me it was my thing and not his, even though this particular trip was tailored to have him encourage and teach Alpha leadership, which is and was his heart. He didn’t see that aspect of it at the time.   So I eventually put my heart’s desire and what I believed was God’s call back into God’s hands.  Only God could make it happen. I’m not God.

I went away for a weekend to Belleville, Ontario and stayed with a close family friend.  That morning I prayed with a ministry team member and shared my heart.  I finally felt peace.  That afternoon, Tony called me with a different tone in his voice.  He wasn’t harsh but rather, full of joy.  He came right out with, “I have something to tell you. We’re going to Kenya!”   I couldn’t believe my ears.  Apparently Holy Spirit spoke to him and changed his mind within a few minutes. Everything made sense to him.  What the Holy Spirit said to him floored me.  He said, “Hey you.  Your wife gave up her missionary career to marry you.  The least you can do is to make her dream come true and go to Kenya short term with her.”  It was like Tony was hit by a cricket bat.  He hadn’t always recognized the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.  It takes time to recognize his voice.

Tony went through a similar process again before applying for Harvest School after his retirement, although he had two prophetic words spoken over him about a new ministry that would start a new chapter of his life.  He relented and applied for Harvest School, along with my own re-application from the year earlier.  It was the right time, and Tony was willing to go through the experience. He thought it may enhance the many different lay ministries he already did in Ottawa.  There’s nothing wrong with his ministries.  It’s just that God had a new season for him, as well as me as a couple.  It was time for us to jump into ministry together.

Tony’s experience at Harvest School began with resistance, since Heidi Baker spoke a bit too soon on the long-term call for his comfort.  She was to speak on our identity and calling, which is an essential foundation of our faith, let alone ministry.  However, there were so many young students keen on a long-term call, that Heidi responded to their yearning. So Tony was annoyed and told me that he didn’t want to be a missionary.  This upset me and I grew very sad and quiet.  People noticed, but I didn’t know what to say in my frustration.  I felt like I was stuck, but all I could do was to stay still, while the Holy Spirit refined my own heart.  Though the school, he learned to speak in tongues, recognize prophetic words, release them in ministry and he grew comfortable in stopping for the one.  By the end of the school, he told our house parents that he was “ready to be a long term, full-time missionary.”  Isn’t it amazing how hearts can change in God’s leading.  Tony’s a lot more fulfilled now in this new season, even though he enjoyed the last season in Ottawa.  God gave Tony the same desire that was in line with his life purpose – to encourage, uplift and empower people.  The only difference was a different location – from Ottawa, Canada to Worcester, South Africa.  All his skills, wisdom, knowledge would be used to teach and in other practical ways.  His love of music, internet and prison ministry would all be used.  The ministry to children however, would be a stretch, but that’s another story.

So God speaks through scripture, either directly or indirectly.  We need to know the whole Bible and its message.  Pray as you read, and listen.  Understand the message in its original context by learning about the cultures of the time.  But also read the scripture again and ask how Holy Spirit would speak to you.  Sometimes, it’s a message of love, wisdom and peace.  Sometimes it’s conviction of sin that leads to changing your mind and coming to him.   Sometimes it’s a direction leading.  It’s a wonderful adventure.

And then there is the compelling of the Holy Spirit.  We’ve shared the examples of the Irish missionary monks, Nicky Gumbel and Tony.  The Holy Spirit speaks in so many supernatural ways.  We’ll share more about that in our next article, as well as common sense, counsel of other prayerful people, and circumstantial signs.

Lord, thank you for the many ways that you guide us.  Thank you for not leaving us in limbo, but patiently drawing us to our purpose here on earth.  Thank you for your wonderful plans for us, and how you put love in our hearts. I ask that you would open our eyes and ears to hear and see you and your direction in scripture and begin to recognize your voice.  Help us to journey and experience the other ways we can hear and see you, through your Holy Spirit and the Bible. Surround and fill us with your love.  In Jesus’ name.

If you’d like to hear the audio version of this article, please listen on Ways to Grow in God podcast page, and scroll down to: #44

https://www.coppleswesterncape.ca/wtgig-podcasts.html

Blessings, Laurie-Ann

 

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