Does God Speak Today?

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.To him  the  door  keeper  opens,  and  the  sheep  hear  his  voice;  and  he  calls  his  own  sheep  by  name  and  leads  them  out.  And  when  he  brings  out  his  own  sheep,  he  goes  before  them;  and  the  sheep  follow  him,  for  they  know  his  voice.  Yet  they  will  by  no  means  follow  a  stranger,  but  will  flee  from   him,  for  they  do  not  know the  voice  of   strangers.” John 10:1-5. 

“Then the  word  of  the  LORD  came  to  me,  saying;  “Before  I  formed  you  in  the  womb  I  knew  you;  before  you  were  born  I  sanctified  you;  I  ordained   you  a  prophet  to  the  nations”. Jeremiah 1:4-5. 

 “And  it  came  to  pass  at  that  time,  while  Eli  was  lying  down  in  his  place,  and  when  his  eyes  had  begun  to  grow  so  dim  that  he  could  not  see,  and  before  the  lamp  of  God  went  out  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  LORD  where  the  ark  of  God  was,  and  while  Samuel  was  lying  down,  that  the  LORD  called  Samuel.  And he answered, “Here I am!” 

“So  he  ran  to  Eli  and  said,  “Here  I  am,  for  you  called  me”.  And  he  said,  “I  did  not  call,  my  son;  lie  down  again.  Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!”  So  Samuel  arose   and  went  to  Eli,  and  said, “ Here  I  am  for  you  called  me”.  He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down  again”. 

(Now  Samuel did  not  yet  know  the  LORD,  nor  was  the  word  of  the  LORD  yet  revealed  to  him).  And the LORD called Samuel again   the third time.  So  he  arose  and  went  to  Eli,  and  said,  “Here  I  am,  for  you  did  call  me”.  Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 

Therefore  Eli  said  to  Samuel,  “Go,  lie  down;  and  it  shall be,  if  He  calls  you,  that  you  must  say,  “Speak,  LORD,  for  your  servant  hears”.  So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 

Now  the  LORD  came  and  stood  and  called  as  at  other  times,  “Samuel!  Samuel!   And Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant hears”. 1st Samuel 3:2-10. 

What if Eli had said to Samuel, 'You must have had too much to eat last evening that is why you are imagining you are being called. Go back to sleep and ignore it.'  But without doubt, Eli knew that God does speak to his people, so he advised Samuel on what to do. Because every prophet in the Bible heard directly from God. That is how they had a message for the people. Much of the Bible is God speaking to an individual or a group of people and giving messages for the majority.  However, God also warns of those who call themselves prophets, saying they have heard from God, when they have not.  

Jeremiah chapter 23:16, NKJV, “Thus  says  the  LORD  of  hosts:  “Do  not  listen  to  the  words of  the  prophets  who  prophesy  to  you.  They  make  you  worthless;  they  speak  a  vision  of  their  own  heart,  not  from  the  mouth  of  the  LORD” 

Verse  25,  “I  have  heard  what  the  prophets  have  said  who  prophesy  lies  in  My  name,  saying  “I  have  dreamed,  I  have  dreamed!”  

One of  the  big  deceptions  of  the  last   days  is the  increase in  the number  of   false  prophets.  There is the main one, the false prophet who is Satan’s  mouthpiece.  

In 1981, a man I knew from a friend who claimed he used to be a priest, before becoming a mystic, tried to sell me what he said was a message from God. He said troubles were going to come my  way,  and  asked for something to bless for my protection , and  may  I  add,   for a fee. I asked him to leave.  He left in anger, saying that when the day comes, I better have something to protect me or else, I would be finished.  I made him understand that when the day comes, God would protect me. Sad that after his training as a priest he didn't see what was wrong in trying to sell me protection instead of presenting the Gospel that saves and protects.

I believe  Satan  was  hoping  to  use  him  to  derail  God’s  plan for  my  life,  but  failed. 

I have an inheritance in Jesus Christ that never fails. 

My grandfather taught me that you can hear from God for yourself, no one needs to be deceived.

I will run a mile from anyone who preaches that you cannot hear from God. That is the doctrine of demons. Test the spirit, the Bible warns.

Much of the Bible was received and written through the inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit.   In the Garden of Eden, God came in the cool of the evening to spend time with Adam. Genesis chapter 3:8, “That night they heard the LORD God walking in the garden.” 

The  Bible  uses  words  such  as  “Stood”  and  “walk”,  activities  we  are  familiar  with. 

Let’s reason, the God who made mouth, how will He not speak? If He died and resurrected, giving us the Holy Spirit, how will He not care enough to commune with us.  Why, if He is the Comforter, would He not speak comforting words in times of trouble when He is the Word of God.  

The Holy Spirit has existed from the beginning. The difference now is that He is no longer in a few. God now ensures that all those He receives as children now have His Spirit living inside of them.  By the death of One, that is Jesus, God has brought forth many children, and He enjoys our company as we enjoy His, rebuilding the relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden. 

 In Joel chapter  2: 28 &  29;   “And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward  that  I  will pour  out  My  Spirit  on  all  flesh;  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions.  And  also  on  My  menservants  and  on  My  maidservants  I will  pour  out  My  Spirit  in  those  days”. 

Yes, God speaks and is always in communication with His children as He teaches by His Spirit both male and female, young and old.