Hear

I don't know about you, but I've always been a "straight from the horses' mouth" kind of guy. I like to hear things from the source rather than through the telephone game. You know what I mean? That's why it has been so difficult for me at times to take the Bible as God's Word. I want to hear God's perspective, but I just wish God would tell me directly what God has to say.

We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. (2 Peter 1:18 NIV)

I would get jealous of passages like the one above. Peter, my name sake, got to be there. He got to walk around with Jesus. He got to hear Jesus preach and teach. He got to stand on the mountain with Jesus when the transfiguration happened. He got to hear God's voice from the heavens. It took him awhile to realize it, but he got to hear God's voice through Jesus as well.

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19 NIV)

But even Peter had God's Word that he relied upon that wasn't a part of his day-to-day experience. Peter had the "prophetic message" that was passed down to him from his ancestors. Peter's Scripture was the Law and the Prophets. Peter's writings were the equivalent of our Old Testament today. We have the same writings Peter had. He "heard" God speak not only through the clouds and the voice of Jesus, but he heard God speak through Scripture as well. He trusted Scripture as God's Word, too.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV)

You see, God does speak directly to me. His Spirit dwells in me just like He dwells in every other believer. The problem is that I don't know how to recognize His voice in comparison to all the other voices in my head. I need help recognizing God's voice.

When I read Scripture, I'm reading the writings of different men throughout history. I recognize that they are men. I see that they wrote in different languages, different cultures, and even with different styles of writing and educational levels. They wrote, though, through the direction of God. When they wrote down their stories and prophecy and wisdom, they were really writing because God prompted them to do it. They were inspired by the same Holy Spirit who now dwells inside me. When I read their writings, I learn to recognize the Spirit's voice. It helps me hear.

So, how about you? Do you hear the voice of God? Does it match the voice of the same Spirit who spoke through the writers of Scripture? Do you read God's Word to learn how to hear God's voice?