God Still Speaks To His People

In Jesus Holy Name February 28, 2010

Lent II Genesis 15:1,4-5 Redeemer

“God Still Speaks to His People”

The book of Hebrews begins with these words: “In the past God spoke to our fore fathers through the prophets, at many times and in various ways. But in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son…” “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Today’s message is not about the way to God… but about our walk with God.

Today we travel through the pages of the Old Testament and the life of Abraham. It should not surprise us nor be considered unusual that God spoke to Abraham. There was no written “bible”. Abraham was 75 years old and living in the Euphrates Valley, when the Lord God, spoke to Abraham and told him to travel to the land of Canaan. God promised to bless Abraham and make him into a great nation. (Chapter 12) In Chapter 15 when he was 85 years old, we read “The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision.” Later when God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham was in a discussion with God on the way do Sodom & Gomorrah and was answered by God. (18:16) When Abraham was 99 years old God appears and speaks with Abraham regarding the promise of Isaac.

Does God still speak to people today? If so, how can you recognize His voice? What do you think? Does God still speak to you and me, today? If so, how?

David Holwick tells a story that appeared in the Los Angeles times. It was about a man named Bob Haifly. It seems that Haifley spent 2,500 work hours over five years gluing together 65,000 toothpicks to build a life sized likeness of Jesus. It hangs from a wire in his garage against a black backdrop, illuminated by a spotlight.

What made Haifly, a humble water department supervisor and nonartist, start collecting toothpicks to build this life sized Jesus?

“God told me to do it,” he said. According to Haifly, God spoke to him one day while he was driving his pickup. Here is what God wanted him to do build a life sized statue of Jesus with toothpicks. God even showed him how to do the spiky hair on his toothpick masterpiece.

That was his testimony. He may be right, but I have to confess I worry when people say, “God told me to do such and such.” There have been people who have committed murder because allegedly, God told them to. Still the question remains, does God speak to people? If so, if yes, in what way? How can you know his voice?

God once spoke to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King said that he didn’t set out to be a leader in the civil rights movement. The truth was that he had gone into ministry mostly because his father was a pastor and he always did what his father wanted him to do. Dr. King wanted a quiet life as a college professor. He dreamed of possibly being president of Morehouse College some day. Through an odd turn of events, however as a young pastor he was thrust into the forefront of the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott.

One night in the midst of that boycott he came home late. He was tired and frightened because of the conflict between those boycotting and the police. The phone rang. An angry voice on the other end said… “We’re going to get you….” (along with a few other choice words.)

Young Martin Luther King stood in his kitchen, frozen by fear. He wanted to call his father for reassurance and advice. But his father wasn’t available. Then he heard what seemed to be a voice but no one else was in the room. And this is what the voice said: “Martin, you do what is right. You stand up for justice. You be my drum major for righteousness. I’ll be with you.” And from then on, Martin Luther King Jr. knew what God wanted him to do. Does God speak to people today… Yes, sometimes.

Author Charlie Shedd, told about a time when God spoke to him. Or perhaps it was an angel, he’s not sure. One evening Shedd drove into his garage at suppertime. He turned off the automobile ignition but found that his fingers just wouldn’t let go of the keys. It was like they were frozen. “What’s going on here?” He asked out loud.

An inner voice seemed to say to him, “Go see Roy.” Charlie Shedd believed it was the voice of God or, at least the voice of an angel in God’s behalf.