How God Speaks

Before I begin to talk about this mission in Bolivia, I would like to lay down some foundational thinking that we have as a family about God and His call in our lives. Several years ago I did a study in a book written by Henry Blackaby called experiencing God and my Christian life has never been the same. There were many challenges that the book issued to the believer. One of the statements that was made was that if a Christian did not know when God was speaking, he was in trouble at the very heart of his Christianity; boy was I in trouble. Sure, God spoke to Moses through a non-consuming fire bush, Elisha in a still small voice, Jacob in a dream, and Balaam by a donkey, but these were great men of the bible and I was just an
average person who wasn't so good. I didn't think that God had much to say to me because I thought that that kind of thinking was reserved for the preacher and priest type only.
So the question, does God speak to anybody? began to eat a little at my soul. The Word plainly says that God speaks to all who have called upon His name. (1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.)
The next question is how does He speak to me and how often? I think that one of satan's greatest tools is to get a person to feel that they are not worthy or qualified to be used by God. To often the spirit of fear paralyzes the believer into thinking that he/she is incapable or not worthy of doing great things for the Lord. Just listen to the promise found in the Bible given by Peter in his first letter, "but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shewing forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Here's the revelation, that YE is ME and YOU! Anyone who has called on the name of the Lord has become part of a royal priesthood; you are called and accountable. It is not reserved for only a few whom have said yes, but to all. With the call comes the responsibility of advancing the Kingdom of God. So, since all mean all, then all are called to good works. The Blackaby study emphasized the voice of God and how today He reveals Himself to His people. It is by this, the voice of God, that we have measured this call to missions in our lives.
There are five ways in which God speaks to His people. The ways that He Speaks are through circumstances, His people (the Church), prayer, Bible, and the Holy Spirit. A little over ten years ago we began to lookfor God at work and then went to join Him in His work. The call that is placed in every believers life is GO. Many times folks can be busy on waiting on a personal invitation from God and miss the fact that He is already working and has given the invite. It was through these five ways that God continues to reveal Himself to us. When our son , Boyden, was two he asked his mom when wee were going to Africa. This was God speaking through a child to say get ready; not wait like waiting for a bus, but preparing by contiuning to advance the Kingdom. The Lord has used the Bible to impress upon our hearts scripture backing scripture calling to be prepared in season and out of season. (2 Timothy 4:1,2 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.) Those who have misunderstood our placement in the body of Christ or questioned our focus in our current ministry feel that part of the body of Christ is going to be affected by our call to missions, but as a good friend of mine once said, "God will not destroy one part of his body to advance another part. We are all called to be workers in the kingdom of God. I will try to reveal in these blogs in what way God is speaking during this mission trip to Bolivia.