"The Lord told me . . ."

The most important aspect of a sound, Biblical church is the content of its preaching. If what the church teaches is corrupt then everything else is tainted and suffers. Preachers are human beings and will make mistakes or misspeak on occasion. Corruption from the pulpit is when false or heterodoxial teachings are systemic. Perhaps the Vice President was playing fast and loose with his terminology in order to have a broader appeal to people. I expect that from a politician. I do not expect it from a minister of the gospel (Jas. 3:1).

 

It is possible. However, I start with the preaching-teaching first.

 

Wrong choice of words?

Rather than "the Lord told me to bring the Gospel to Cuba",
How about "the Lord is leading me to bring the Gospel to Cuba".

 

I agree that preachers should be much more careful when they share about any supernatural encounters with God. Having been in the Charismatic movement and out of it for good, I can say that if you start a sermon with "God told me..." it is likely a bad sermon.

That said, two things.

First, I agree with Hank that preachers with an honest supernatural encounter with God are framing things wrong. Such experiences among us Baptists has been extremely rare. For now, I talk of things like supernatural leading into missions or ministry; a bible verse that magically popped into your head at the perfect time; a bona fide miracle, or the like. Things that do happen to us.

To me, it is an easy test for preaching on such stuff: Do you sound like a Charismatic preacher or a genuine human being that might get something like this once in their life? Because, if you sound like Mike Bickle you have it wrong, when talking of a genuine experience from the Almighty as opposed to Satan.

Now, back on point, IMHO instead of assuming you know something and then follow up with a message based on your experience where you do all the interpretation and make it like you got the "Bruce Almighty" treatment. I hate to reference an unholy movie, but it communicates my point clearly. Just go into what happened and relay what God did in a bluntly honest way. God wove the story, not the speaker. God worked the wonder and the speaker should concentrate on what God did and how it changed things.

Second, I have to disagree with the idea that God does not talk to people. I in no way am referring to the vile Charismatic movement, but to testimonies where God clearly communicated something to someone in a way that bore good fruit.

Betsie ten Boom is a good example when she receives the revelation Corrie will be out of the concentration camp by year's end just before Betsie dies.

Another good example is Samuel Morris, who was told by a voice from heaven to run just as his chains magically came off just before he was to be executed by a hostile African tribe. He survives and becomes a Christian when he walks into a church for the first time and hears the story of Paul on the Road to Damascus, he converts readily knowing he had heard that same voice.

If you read Voice of the Martyrs or Open Doors materials you will encounter other more modern stories. One that got to me was the story of an imam in Pakistan who hated Christianity and persecuted Christians. One day he decides to read the bible to use it in Islamic apologetic against Christians. Suddenly one night, he sees a bright light in his bedroom and out of it a voice speaks "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." The imam doubted that it was real. It happened every night for three nights before the imam gave in and became a Christian and later an evangelist in Pakistan.

Such are real examples of God told me, but as we can see, they are so mind numbingly powerful to hear of, it is beyond all words.

So, pastors who treat lightly an encounter with the Lord are either lying or so full of themselves it is beyond all belief.

 

2“But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.”​

Truly sad that it seems in this modern times some have so little fellowship and prayer life that they have never "prayed through" until they hear that very peace filled voice of the Redeemer.

It isn't enough that one know the Lord Jesus Christ. He must know the one.

For many will make that claim. He must know that one as His sheep. Not by appointment, but by fellowship in follow ship. It is truly sad that some will hear, "Depart, I never knew you."

But that fellowship and follow ship that binds the sheep to the shepherd is His voice. His voice heard first in the study and application of His word. His voice found in the earnest prayers of those who seek His heart. His voice in which the Holy Spirit brings because He will not leave the believer without direction and peace.

Building reliance upon that voice of leading, distinguishing that voice from all others in the cacophony of the Way, and responding to that voice knowing that with it is peace.

How can one be a believer and not know the voice of the Redeemer?

 

I think many imagine the Lord saying what they would like to hear. But does God speak audibly to us? I think He moves us into the right position through our motives. If love is our motive, Jesus is Lord of our life. And love tells us what to do at every fork in the road.

 

Actually, we rely upon what the scriptures say to us, not some vague love direction!

 

God speaks to us perfectly int he inspired scriptures already!

 

The scriptures are like a Rorschach Test with a different Jesus for every occasion. But God is Love, and Jesus is God, so Jesus is Lord when Love points our way. Legalism leads astray.

 

The truth of the scriptures are due to them being inspired by the Holy Spirit, not how I feel!

 

But you cannot understand them in the flesh. If you walk in the Spirit as Christians who never had a bible did for eons, you will understand them when you read them.

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Word of the Lord stands of course. Honestly, I do not know why God uses supernatural calls, miracles, supernatural events that lead to salvation or some task for the Lord, and the like after the scriptures were written in the 1st century. I know that He does, I trust fellow children of God and my own experiences. It is just beyond my understanding, given we have the Word.

 

The good news is that God is always speaking to us thru the Bible, no need to guess if he is or not!

 

Y, Where would I look to in the scripture to find out whether to buy a Ford or a Chevrolet?

 

Proverbs 32, right after finding out what color of socks to wear for each day!

 

Actually I like Buicks and black socks.

But what then is the principle for making common choices without a direct scripture?