Here's Your Sign

Over the past few years I have grown weary of a comment I hear repeatedly, especially from young people. They tell me how they "prayed to God for a sign" of what to do in their lives and then expect me to be excited/proud when they mold everyday occurrences into "signs" from God. They sometimes even ask me to help them pray for signs and for someone to give them "words of knowledge" to help guide them. I'm not saying God doesn't do this from time to time, but here's the problem...

I know God can send signs because He already did...in fact, He sent us a whole book of them! And even more shocking, that book contains thousands of words that are full of knowledge! Say what?! I know it's a crazy concept, but the truth is the answer to nearly every question can be found in its pages, the problem is that many of us are just too lazy to search out the answers for ourselves and would rather have the Lord write it on the wall than take the time tearing through the Word for His inspired truth. 

So why do I have a problem with wanting someone to bring words of knowledge? Well, nothing really,  except that...

1. if you are relying on someone else to hear the voice of the Lord on your behalf then I have to wonder what's wrong with your communication with the Lord. Last I read, ever since the veil was torn, I don't have to rely on anyone else to talk to God for me. I have received several words which I believe were given to others as a "confirmation", but they were given to me in conjunction with the voice of the Lord which also spoke directly to me. 

2. in my experience people who seek out signs are often the ones who haven't sought out the Word first. As stated above, if they had consulted the Word first, their answer probably would have already come. The people who fall in this category are in serious danger because they don't know how to try the spirits as we are instructed in 1 John 4:1. When someone speaks their "word" to a person who hasn't taken time in the scripture, the hearer won't know what lines up and what doesn't. In this way, these seekers turn the speakers of these words into glorified fortune tellers. A true word from God will line up with God's Word, ALWAYS.

3. we are in a time of "itching ears". 2 Timothy 4:3-4 tells us, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." I can't help but notice that people chose to accept the "word" and "signs" that benefit them and toss aside those that don't mold to what they have already set in their heart to do anyway. 

If you want to hear from God, then you have to know his voice for yourself. How can you know His voice? By spending time with Him and His Word. I've often explained that it's much like the way many of us would know a friend's voice on the phone before they told us who was on the other end. You know their voice because you have listened to it so much. Likewise, you will know what God sounds like only when you have spent time not only giving Him your list of desires, but when you sit quietly until He speaks back. Reading His word gives you insight into His nature because you will know what words are characteristic of Him. If you have read many of my blogs, you know the type of things I write and the way I communicate. If tomorrow you found a blog advocating abortion or gay-marriage or any other thing you know I am opposed to, you would know I had been hacked, that an impostor was at my keyboard. So it is with God's Word. When you study it, you learn His positions and will be able to spot an impostor. 

Let me end by saying once again, that I am not writing off "signs and wonders" OR words of knowledge, but I am saying that we should proceed with caution and that these should not be our go-tos when hearing from the Lord. 

Job 33:14-18 reminds us, "For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death."

 Remember God is always speaking, it's just a matter of whether or not we know His voice well enough to hear Him over the noise around us!