I have often thought that it would have been wonderful to have lived in the time of Jesus. To have been able to have walked with Him and to have heard His voice. How amazing that must have been! I also imagine that it was probably scary when a bush started burning before your eyes with a voice coming from it, or if a donkey suddenly started talking to you like Balaam’s did. Even though we don’t live in those times, that doesn’t mean that the Lord is not talking to us.
I listened to a sermon this week from my favorite online pastor, Michael Todd, and he was talking about ways that the Lord spoke to us. Even though I know that the Lord talks to us, I still longed for the actual verbalization of His voice. I am so afraid that it is “me” speaking to myself and that it is “my” will that I am following.
This week, I read in Judges about someone else who wondered if it was really God he was hearing. Gideon was out threshing wheat, minding his own business, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him. I am sure that Gideon was a little taken back when the angel called him a “mighty warrior” and then proceeded to tell him that the Lord was going to use him to save Israel.
Gideon was surprised at the message, and he probably wondered if this person before him was really an angel or someone playing a trick on him.
Judges 6:17
17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
Once Gideon got his sign, the angel disappeared, and Gideon realized that He had been talking to an angel of the Lord. He was frightened, but the Lord told him to have peace and not to be afraid. Later that night, the Lord talked to Gideon and told him what he should do.
I have no idea if this was an audible voice, a voice in Gideon’s mind, or even a dream, but Gideon obeyed and did the will of the Lord. This tells me that Gideon was a believer. He had seen an angel of the Lord, and he had heard the Lord’s voice. Yet, he still had some lingering doubts because he again asked for confirmation in verses 36-40.
Judges 6:36-40
36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.
I don’t think that Gideon was testing the Lord; he knew that the Lord was more than capable. Instead, Gideon asked the Lord to confirm that what he was hearing was exactly what the Lord wanted him to do. You will notice in verse 39 he pleads with the Lord. He asked the Lord to not be angry with him for asking for that confirmation.
This week, Joe and I had decided to buy something. We had talked about it for months and finally decided to move forward. Yesterday was the day that we were supposed to go and make the purchase. But, Friday night I kept wondering if this was the direction that the Lord wanted me to go.
I remembered reading about Gideon earlier, so I prayed that the Lord would open my eyes, my ears, and my heart so that I could “hear” His will for me. The next morning, I prayed the same thing before I got out of bed. Then I headed down the hall to fix myself a cup of coffee.
As I walked into the kitchen, Joe said, “come in here and let’s talk.” He then went on to say that he didn’t think that this was the right time to be buying anything, and I am sure that he said some more things, but I had already stopped listening. I had zoned out because I was rejoicing. Joe thought that I was mad or irritated because he said that we didn’t need to proceed. But, I was thrilled instead because I knew that the Lord had answered my prayers.
I would have been aggravated in the past because I wouldn’t have associated Joe’s sudden change of heart with the Lord’s will. Instead, I knew that the Lord had used Joe to talk to me because I had asked for a sign. How many of us miss that it is the Lord speaking to us? We chalk things up to being a coincidence or bad timing when it is actually the Lord.
This week, invite the Lord into all of your decisions. Ask him to guide you in the direction that He has in mind for you. And then actively seek His guidance. I can’t wait to hear all of the ways that the Lord spoke to you. Write them down so you can share them with everyone next week. Or, if you already have an example, please share it with all of us here today.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have Blessed Day!
Hello Gurl Friends…
God is soo Good… I love when we hear his voice. Years ago when my adult daughters were still at home it was a Saturday, they had chores to do, clean their rooms, change their sheets and dust and vacuum the living room. My oldest had went outside to layout in the sun instead of cleaning..as I walked by her room the Lord said “mom, you change her sheets”. I told him, I will not, she needs to obey me. He told me 3 times to change her sheets before I said ” yes Lord, I don’t understand but I will obey you”. As I had my knee in the middle of her bed and reached to take the fitted sheet off the mattress…a brown SNAKE was up in the fitted sheet, landed near my knee with w the sheet as I screamed for my husband. We could not believe our eyes. Thank you God. My daughter may have been bit. I can’t tell you how thankful I was that day. Now, when he tells me to do something I don’t understand I do it right away🙂
Thank you Tania for a wonderful post today. I love following you. I too love JESUS, family and fashion ❤
May we all continue to pray for our Nation 🇺🇸
Reatta
Oh my goodness!!! Reatta, that is crazy. I would have never thought about a snake being in the bed. I probably would have passed out when I saw the snake, but I am sure that the Lord strengthened you at that time.
The Lord has spoken to me on several occasions in my life. The first was when my parents were going through a divorce when I was in high school. I asked the Lord for a fleece to show my something that He heard me. I told Him I knew He came 2,000 years ago to die on the cross to save us, and I knew He was coming in the future to take us home, but would He do something to let me know He heard me today? Just then, we rounded the corner to look at what was to be our government subsidized housing–a townhouse. There was all of the blue and green shag carpet piled up in front of the house and they had told my mom that they weren’t going to change the carpet–even though it was 10 years old and she was upset because her black and gold sofas weren’t going to match! I knew right then God heard me! Then when I got married, and my husband and I were going through a very rough time, and he had moved out, I filed for divorce and 6 months later on the day I was to go to court, I heard a voice speak and say “Diane, you know divorce is wrong”. So I didn’t go! I believe it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. The other time was when I contracted leukemia from breast cancer treatment, and was pregnant, I had gone into a coma and was transferred to Karmanos Cancer INstitute in Detroit. An infectious disease doctor told me that they had me on every antiviral, antifungal and antibiotic they could think of, but a day or two before I died, my body just kicked back in! Hallelujah! I credit the Lord Jesus Christ for my recovery. My family had people praying for me in 5 or 6 different states. I had to learn to write my name, and walk again. Very very tough. But I believe the Lord’s work wasn’t done for me. We are now raising a daughter, adopted at the age of 7 months from Vietnam, 11 pounds when I went over to get her and boy she’s 14 now! I’ve had many people tell me “the days are long, but the years are short” and are they ever right! The Lord gave us a beautiful gift when they gave us our daughter, and these have been the BEST years of my life hands down. My husband and I are so glad we are together still–33 years–and he is still my knight in shining armor! Praise God for all He’s done in my life and our lives! The leukemia I am grateful for because we never would have met our daughter any other way!!
My life has turned out better than I could have orchestrated it,…I was on the verge of starting a doctoral program in psychology but then found out I had breast cancer, and after that was over, was too tired all the time to even think of starting,…then leukemia and being a Mom,…our lives take surprising turns,….
Diane, you are a walking testimony to the Lord. If we follow His guidance, we will find that our lives are better than we could ever imagine.
Loved your testimony today about God using Joe to help make a decision!
Terry, you never know who or how the Lord will speak to us.
Love this! Thank you!
I am glad that you enjoyed the post, Pam.
A lovely post Tania.
I don’t know that I have heard the Lord’s voice but there are times that I know that he is directing me.
Hope you are having a lovely weekend.
That is how I feel also, Fiona. I feel His guidance, and it is up to us to follow.
I just started following you a few weeks ago and know the lord had a part in that. Thank you for bringing the scriptures along with your fashion. You are a light.
Alison, I am thankful that the Lord led you to me!
Thank you for this.
I am glad that you enjoyed the post!
Thanks for this great devotion! I need to listen more for God’s voice .
Sandra, I am sure that is what most of us need to do!
When in my 20s, I was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Shocking, as to others, I looked to be the picture of health and in excellent physical shape. Due to the size of the mass in my chest, a clinical trial was my best treatment option. The side effects of the first chemo treatment (three different drugs) were brutal, and I became very sick and weak. Around this time, the Lord spoke to me in a vision one night. In this vision, I was watching myself in a dire life threatening situation (on a barge at night – I am not a swimmer) pleading to be saved. I was lifted out of the darkness and from the danger of the water and placed on land, when it suddenly became daylight. I knew then that the Lord was telling me that I would survive cancer. Shortly thereafter, I was admitted to the hospital for a serious infection. After a battery of tests, my oncologist was beaming as he walked down the hall to my room. Despite being very ill, the tests showed that the mass in my chest had dramatically shrunk – more than ever expected after one test treatment. The remainder of the journey was not easy by any means but I knew what the end result would be, as God had already told me that night in the vision. Due to my experience with cancer, I’ve been able to help many other cancer patients over the years. I am so blessed! Praise God!
Liz, there are times when we wonder why something happens to us. In this case, it sounds like you were used so that you could share your testimony with others. It sure made an impact on me!
I love this! Thank you Tania!
Have a blessed day, LuAnn!
I loved this! Tania, girl you are blessed and Highly favored! Keep doing what your doing! I so enjoy “Father and Fashion”!!!
I am so glad that you enjoy both aspects of my blog.
I was driving on the freeway early one day in LA & I started to speed up & I heard this voice loud & clear-“Take your foot off the gas!” I did & then proceeded to watch this other car spin out of control cross the lane right in front of me & crash on the side. I sailed through it without a scratch, but if I had sped up I would probably have been killed. I know it was the Lord who saved me.
I had a similar experience. I was waiting at a traffic light, and when the light turned green, the car in front of me proceeded thru the intersection. I normally would have followed, but a “little voice” told me to wait – so I counted to three, then watched in horror as a car ran the red light. If I had not waited, my car would have been t-boned and I would have been severely injured or possibly killed. Thank you, Lord!
Oh my! This is amazing! How great is our GOD!!!
Holly, I was reading all of the testimonies of everyone, and it just gives me chills.