God still speaks!

Bev and I went to see the movie, "Evan Almighty." It's a predictable, clichéd story about a man elected to Congress whom God tells to build an ark in suburban Virginia in order to save his family from a pending flood. Humor in the movie is not sophisticated, i.e., the Biblical command to Noah is "build the ark from gopherwood." Evan Baxter notes that the the delivery truck that supplies materials for his ark is from 1-800- Go-4-Wood. Ouch! (My recommendation? Save your money and see it when the DVD is released.)

There are some good scenes with loads of cute animal shots. It is fun family entertainment - aside from the fact that kids might get a warped concept about the true nature of God. (He is Spirit and not a man who looks like Morgan Freeman.) Here's what stuck with me. Why do we have such a hard time accepting that God speaks to people today? In the middle of the movie, I leaned over to Bev and whispered, 'why do people nearly universally assume that if someone claims to hear from God, they must be mentally unhinged?' Every character in the film assumes that when Evan Baxter claims to hear God speaking, he must have lost his sanity. I understand that grandiosity and hearing voices is often a sign of mental illness, but I also read the Bible and note that the Scripture is full of accounts in which people converse with God, are told to do impossible and amazing things, and who consequentially endure censure from friends and family.

I am certain that the work of God today is greatly hindered by our cultural assumptions about the 'reality' of hearing the voice of God. I wonder how many of us actually expect God to speak, or take time to listen for His voice, when we present Him with our prayerful petitions? There is a scene in "Evan Almighty" where "God" (ala Mr. Freeman) gives a great lesson to a doubter. He asks Evan's fearful wife how she expects prayer to be answered. "If you ask for courage," He says, " shouldn't you expect situations to present themselves that require you to be brave? If you ask for patience, shouldn't you expect circumstances that demand some endurance?" Take that point, which is true, a step further. IF we ask to be used by God to do His work in the world, and that is the point of being a follower of Jesus, then shouldn't we expect Him to lead into places of service?

Yes, if someone you know claims that God stopped by for a cup of coffee at breakfast time and gave them numbers to play in the lottery, or if they are saying that God has exempted them from the moral imperatives of Scripture so they can abandon responsibility for their family, or divorce their wife to marry the younger woman at the office, or buy a Lamborghini when they cannot afford the car they have- urge them to seek help! But, if they tell you that they have been hearing the whisper of the Spirit urging them to take a new course in life - such as leaving a lucrative career to serve in a ministry to those in need, or to sell their big house and invest themselves more deeply in spiritual matters - encourage them! Many will think they are just 'having a crisis' but I believe God still speaks!

He has spoken in His Word. That is the gold standard of Truth. No, He won't create new doctrines or contradict His moral law. To claim 'new revelation or new light' is a dangerous thing that leads people over the cliff of self-destruction. Every cult on the planet started when someone claimed that God had shown them new truth! That is not the direction I am urging you to go today. I do believe He speaks to us, to guide us and direct us day by day, by the voice of the Spirit. So, pray that the Spirit will speak to you about things like how you can better show love to your family, about the places in your life where you have grown careless about His purpose, about the things you have come to love more than you love Him, about who He wants to love through you, etc.!

". . .the Holy Spirit says, Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear
. . . So watch your step, friends.
Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes." (Hebrews 3:7-13, The Message)