“God Spoke to Me…”

“God Spoke to Me…”

Many today believe that God speaks to them personally. I have had women tell me that God told them to get a job and put their children into preschool. Others have told me that God told them to divorce their husbands. God never would speak to anyone something that is contrary to His Word. Many popular speakers and teachers tell about what God said personally to them. Does God speak to us individually?

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1,2). In this verse, we are told that up until Jesus, God did speak to people (specific prophets for His purpose) but once Jesus came, He spoke through His Son and now we have the Word of God and we are told that this is all we need for life and godliness. I will never listen to a teacher or preacher who says, “God spoke to me…” Are they saying this is the inerrant and infallible Word of God? They can’t and if they can, then they would be considered false teachers who we are taught to be aware of as this article so clearly teaches.

“Those who believe in personal words from God that are taken to be binding and authoritative, whether given to the church or one’s own self, are false. All words that claim to be God’s inerrant and authoritative word when they are not are false prophecies. Those who speak false words in God’s name to their own selves and thus bind themselves to those words have become false prophets to their own selves. They should quit listening to themselves! One great section of Scripture that every Christian should learn and apply is Romans 8:26-39. It describes the doctrine of providence and various implications of it.

“The most important implication is that all of the Lord’s people shall stay safe in Him and shall be brought to glory and conformity to the image of Christ. There is nothing in the section that requires specific revelations beyond Scripture. Our security in Christ is not dependent on our gaining revelation or personal guidance. In fact, that section begins by telling us that we do not know what we need: ‘And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God’ (Romans 8:26, 27). Beyond Scripture, we do not know God’s future, providential will for us. But the Holy Spirit prays for us ‘according to the will of God.’ There is no indication that if we gained personal words from God, we then would know how to pray as we should. The Holy Spirit Himself prays for us according to God’s will.”

We had this discussion in the chat room and Emily wrote: “I say all of that as a former believer that God ‘spoke to me.’ I’m not trying to be rude. I am saying it because I was in that exact place just over a year ago. I was a weak woman.. ‘always learning but never able to arrive at the knowledge of the truth.’

“I ‘heard’ God speak to me almost daily. Since I’ve been listening to good teaching (thanks to your blog which got me started on this road to biblical literacy), I have completely stopped hearing from God with those vague impressions that I thought were God. What does that tell you? Can my simply not believing that God does something stop the God of the universe? No! It tells me that I was leaning WAY too hard on my own mind/impressions and attributing everything to God.

“I ignored clear biblical principals (the borrower is slave to the lender = debt is not good) and took out massive loans to go to school because God ‘told’ me to. If I had read my Bible, I would have stayed home with my children and not taken out debt that my husband now has to work hard every day to pay back.

“Our Bibles give us all the knowledge we need to get through life as a Christian and if we doubt that then we are doubting 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.’

“Depending only on the Word for my direction has been an incredible blessing for me. I’m so thankful for the faithfulness of teachers who keep speaking truth. I was enslaved to poor teachings for far too long and I could never thank God enough for bringing me out of that.”

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1 John 4:1

48 thoughts on ““God Spoke to Me…”

  1. That’s an important lesson – one of the most practical lessons you can learn and one of the most important to teach your children. So much mischief occurs when people “hear from God.”

    If you want to hear from God, read the Bible. If you want to hear audibly from God, read the Bible out loud.

    And don’t read garbage like “Jesus Calling,” a New Age book full of lies. How can people read that book and not realize how fake it is? It reads like Jesus is speaking from a romance novel. Yet it dominates the Christian best seller lists.

  2. Amen and thank you! Many women love “Jesus Calling” and love learning from all of these female preachers who “hear from God” new revelation. Women are easily deceived and need to know the truth found in God’s Word concerning this matter.

  3. I guess I’m a little confused about this post. Do we not get answers from God when we pray? I totally agree with the fact that you’re not hearing God if you think he’s called you (as a woman) to be a pastor because that clearly doesn’t line up with scripture. But what about when we ask Him for things, or ask Him why?

    We had a scare with my second pregnancy because we thought the baby wasn’t growing as he should and we were waiting to hear back on my blood test results and I was crying out to God to protect my baby and I felt I heard Him say ” Your baby is fine, but you need to pray”.

    And my baby was fine, nothing was wrong with him, just as I heard.

    I’m not trying to be contentious, just trying to understand the concept behind this article.

    Also, words of knowledge, popular among Pentecostals, are these also not hearing God speak?

  4. I’m going to weigh in on this knowing perfectly well I’m sticking my fingers into the meat grinder of unpopular opinion.

    I must respectfully disagree with this post. While I fully acknowledge that Lori stands comfortably in the majority of Evangelical Christian opinion in this view of “God speaking” I do not think it is correct. There has been a backlash in the last few years against what is popularly called the “Charismatic Movement” and its frankly unbiblical excesses.

    However in our zeal to defend Gods word I fear too many have gone to the other extreme to deny any supernatural working by God in the post new testament Church. As this is a massive topic on which entire books could be written I will restrain myself to a single verse that Lori herself used to make my point.

    1 John 4:1
    Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

    1. Read this verse careful. Note it does NOT say “Do not believe any spirit: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” rather it says “believe not EVERY spirit”

    Had the inspired writer wished to exclude the idea of God speaking further to his people individually then this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Yet he does not give a blanket command to ignore a spirit, but rather to test them.

    2. We are told “but try the spirits whether they are of God” Now the first question we must ask is what does this “trying” mean? Here the answer is obvious; how do we know anything about God? He has spoken about Himself and His will through his word. And we can confidently trust his word because God does not change. Thus his word never changes. So for example a spirit says “go steal that loaf of bread” well that would be a contradiction of…

    Exodus 20: 15
    15 “You shall not steal.

    Thus we may known that as God never changes, thus his word does not change, that the spirit speaking to you is not of God.

    3. We are warned “many false prophets are gone out into the world” Here we are clearly told there’s an abundance of wolves out there looking to gobble up God’s lambs. So we are to be VERY cautious. However although false prophets have ALWAYS outnumbered real prophets the existence of false prophets was never grounds to reject ALL prophecy. (Note: just to be perfectly clear because I’m trying to be brief I do not believe in new revelation. The Canon of scripture is closed, we’re not adding books after the book of Revelation.)

    Does the bible say anything about the Holy Spirit speaking to his people?

    Acts 13: 1-3
    13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,[a] Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

    Acts 5: 3
    But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
    Question: How did Peter know Ananias was lying except the Holy Spirit told him?

    Acts 8: 29
    And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

    I’m going to stop here. I only wish to point out that God speaks through his Holy Spirit. The Spirit being God will never contradict the Word of God. God never changes, his word never changes. Gods word is our guide in ALL things.

  5. I agree that if it contradicts the written Word it’s obviously wrong, but what about when Jesus says His sheep will HEAR His voice. When it says Jesus speaks to us, it doesn’t just say through His Word – which is amazing, but that Jesus SPEAKS to us. If you speak to me that is very different than reading a letter from you. I think He does have a beautiful relationship with believers in that He does speak to us- through His Holy Spirit to ours.

    But again, very true about “words” that contradict the Bible. There needs to be an emphasis on reading, believing, and doing what His Word says.

  6. Absolutely! It is too easy to ‘hear’ god’s voice in your mind. It is NOT God and is too often deceiving. In fact, claiming that God told you to do something is what I call blasphemy. It is using God’s name wrongly. You are claiming to know God’s mind and you can’t know it. I run every time I hear “the Lord told me this.” I met this guy who opened a restaurant because ‘God told him to’ and now the restaurant is failing. Naturally, the guy will blame God. Any person could have told this guy that the restaurant had many factors that contributed to the failure. Now God gets the blame because this guy misread ‘God’s’ intentions. I feel really bad for the guy, but he was so set on opening that restaurant.

    That little voice in your head is not God and should be ignored. Further, how far do you continue down that path? God told me to open a restaurant. God told me to only offer Coke products. God told me to arrange the tables in rows. I think that is a very dangerous path to go down. Or the other side of the equation; God told you to open a restaurant but the rest is up to you? The truth is that the guy wanted to open a restaurant, which is perfectly fine, but it didn’t have anything to do with a command from God. I think speaking for God is extremely out of place and is a form of blasphemy.

  7. I’m reading “‘Another Jesus’ Calling” about the deceptions in Young’s book. He makes quite a good case against it.

    When Young’s book was given to me I knew it was false because she said her favorite book was God Calling, which was given to two listeners through automatic writing (a book I read and rejected at age 16). The thing that is most repulsive to me is her using Jesus’ name in the first person…that would make her book equal to scripture.

    However, Lori, what about Holy Spirit nudges? Like change lanes, here, move your purse, etc. These have happened to me many times. After changing lanes due to the “voice” in my head telling me to, l avoided a head on collision with a guy crossing into the lane with no lights, in the rain, on a curve.

    “Here” is equivalent to the times I feel the Holy Spirit nudge of a name… usually a person to call, and usually they have just suffered a tragedy.

    Move your purse, was the first time I heard this “voice” in my head, ignored it and my window was smashed and my purse grabbed from my kitchen table. I’ve obeyed that rare “voice” ever since.

    Since the Holy Spirit is God, wouldn’t that be hearing from God?

    What about people like David Wilkerson who started Teen Challenge, a country preacher who obeyed the impressions and nudges of “go to NYC. Talk to that person. Get out of car here.” Many missionaries hear voices like this. We read books about them and it seems a common occurrence.

    I think God talks to Christians, but we should never write a book saying ” Jesus says to you…”

    But when people say, God placed on my heart to visit the orphans and I’m going to…; God nudged me to visit the prisoner so and so; Jesus said to me, ‘You feed them’; The holy spirit nudged me to pray for the person with me in the room, etc….is that not God?

    Difficult subject to cover in a few lines, I know!

  8. Nudges and hearing “voices” are no certainty of being from God. He gives us His Word and tells us that we have everything we need for life and godliness. He tells us that all wisdom comes from Him and asks us to ask Him for it. We ask Him to lead and guide our steps and trust that He will close and open windows along the way. We live by faith and not by sight. Many Christians have been killed in car accidents. Did they not feel that “nudge” or hear that voice? It’s hard to say but I believe that all of our days are numbered before we were even born. God gives us free will to obey Him or not. Believing in Him and obeying Him are what matters to Him. In this way, we bring glory to Him.

  9. I agree with you. God has spoken through His Son Jesus Christ and left us with His powerful Word. It’s all we need for life and godliness.

  10. When Jesus walked this earth, those who believed in Him did actually hear His voice! Those who believed in Him were His children. Now, He speaks clearly to us through His Word. He has given us His Spirit which dwells within us and He has given us wisdom. This is enough.

  11. Not one single male Bible teacher I have ever heard has said, “God spoke to me…” No, they teach the Word of God as commanded by God. Unfortunately, there are many female Bible preachers/teachers who say that God spoke to them. I wonder why this is? It’s because women are more easily deceived. We don’t need God giving us new revelation. When someone says, “God told me to do this…” it’s the end of the discussion even if they are wrong. They won’t listen to anyone who tells them that God wouldn’t have said this.

    Oh, and using the Apostles as examples is much different than those of us who are not apostles. God worked with and through them in miraculous ways to start the Church age, even writing a lot of the Bible.

  12. Hi Isadora,

    We can ask the Lord anything we want but it doesn’t mean that He will answer it the way we want. Not my will but Thine be done. Many have pleaded with the Lord to heal them from terminal diseases, bless their womb, etc. but God didn’t answer their prayers in the affirmative. Why? I don’t know. I am not God and I don’t presume to know all but I trust Him. I know that He is good and His plan for us is good so I rest in this.

    “Words of knowledge” should come from God’s Word and be centered around truth. If it doesn’t match up with the Bible, it’s not words of knowledge.

  13. Women are easily deceived and need to know the truth found in God’s Word concerning this matter.

    It’s simply amazing how every woman who says that “God spoke to” her and “told [her] to [do XYZ]” is told by God to do something that she WANTED to do, but couldn’t justify, and is almost ALWAYS something that is in clear violation of Scripture.

  14. That’s right and as someone brought up, it’s VERY dangerous to add or subtract anything to or from God’s Word.

    18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

    19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev. 22)

  15. Cherokee, you are dead wrong. You need to research the American Christian church of 200 years ago. This nonsensical “God spoke to me” did not exist.

    Why?

    Because drug use was nearly nonexistent, television didn’t exist, and p*rn was illegal. These three mind warping practices have led to the mass deception of the church today.

    While Biblical illiteracy is at its height, so are the “Gifts”.

    I can’t begin to say how many women I’ve spoken to who want to tell me about supernatural happenings in their lives and how God “spoke” to them.

    I immediately stop pursuing them for marriage.

  16. Thank you Lori for teaching on that! So refreshing and exciting to read that today! You are one of the few teachers today, that believes and teaches that truth! God bless you for standing up for what’s right! It is very grievous how many women today love “Jesus Calling”.

  17. Amen, thank you Lori for teaching that truth! So refreshing and exciting to read that today! You are one of few preachers/teachers that teach that truth! It is very grievous how many women love “Jesus Calling”..
    I used to struggle with the concept of God talking to me, because He didn’t, in that still small voice, and so I wondered If I wasn’t a very good Christian yet. Other people said He talked to them a lot! Finally I found some biblical solid teaching that exposed those errors! Praise God!

  18. Interesting discussion, for sure. I don’t ever recall hearing God tell me something, but I’ve certainly wondered about answered prayers to which I’ve thought, “COincidence or GODincidence”? I think of several offhand. I’ll be brief lol.
    #1 was buying our first house. We knew exactly which house model we wanted but it was rare and we weren’t sure we could afford it. We prayed. We went on to look at homes for nearly a year. We finally gave up on even finding anything remotely close and I let the realtor know we were open to several. The next morning, he called to tell me that the exact model we wanted went on the market and it was much less $ than we were expecting. I laughed and said, “Well, if it has dark green carpet and ivy shelf paper in the kitchen, I’ll know it’s an answer to my prayers!” (Realtor told us at one point that he was an atheist). He chuckled and told me not to hold my breath. We went to look that night and walked in to see beautiful forest green carpet…and yup, ivy shelf paper in the kitchen! Our realtor looked at me, then leaned back against the counter and held up his arm, “Look. You’re freaking me out. My hairs are standing on end. I’m an atheist, remember?”

    #2 was when we were desperately wanting a vacation. It was 4 yrs. since our honeymoon and we hadn’t been anywhere. I told my husband I’d pray about it daily. And, if we managed to get $100 from an unexpected source, I’d know that was God’s way of giving permission. A couple of months went by and one day, there was a check for exactly $100 in the mailbox. Months before, I’d been very mildly injured in a store and the manager asked me to fill out an accident form. I got a tetanus shot and it was over. I forgot all about it. Well, apparently they decided to mail me $100 to cover my trouble!

    I always considered those to be clear answers to prayers- clearer than most lol- to prayers. I called them “GODincidences” since I’ve always felt that He had a direct hand in them.

    Any opinion? That isn’t what you mean by God talking to me, is it?

  19. Do you believe that Jesus and the Holy Spirit speaks to us?
    I was reading a post from Nancy Campbell’s encouragement blog today. She wrote about how the Holy Spirit spoke specific swords to her one day as she walked through the threshold of her home as she was bringing in groceries.
    I was just wondering what your thoughts are.

  20. Lori, I have truly appreciated your articles and have grown significantly in my understanding of God’s teaching and calling for a Christian woman/wife/mother. I cannot completely agree with the statement that God only speaks through His Bible (although He does); however i do believe there are times that the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes in ways other than the text within the Bible although any leading by the Holy Spirit must be tested against God’s written and inerrant Word. If we were to say He only spoke through the Biblical Text and in no other way, one would have to willingly turn a blind eye to a large portion of the Book of Acts! A question i would ask of the woman who was ‘called by God to go to school’ would be-if God did call you to attend school, perhaps He was calling you to do it at a slower pace and one where you paid as you went rather than taking out debt-not all opportunities of education to grow are negative as a stay at home mother with an education could essentially meet the qualifications of the Proverbs 31 woman; however, it is clear that any decision to take out student loans at complete the courses in ‘our timing’ speaks more about the woman’s not applying biblical principles regarding debt into her act of ‘obedience.’ Again I cannot say if this woman’s calling was of the Lord or not but we are called to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1-6) thereby implying that there is an opportunity to hear from God that is not only from the words written in the Bible.

    God bless you and please continue your ministry as it has certainly been a blessing to myself and my husband and i would venture the same is true for many other women!

  21. (no need to post this – just getting your thoughts)
    I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone’s posts on this topic. I love that it is intelligent and civil even while debating the topic. I’ve learned from everyone’s perspective. It prompted the following questions.
    What are your thoughts about praying before football games or other sports? Both teams are praying for a win or at the very least, both teams are asking for protection from injury.
    It seems a bit disingenuous to be playing a sport where you know injuries occur then ask God to protect you from injury.
    I think it is completely selfish to ask for a win. You are effectively asking God to choose you over the other guy.

  22. God “speaks” to me by words from hymns popping into my head, or by Bible verses coming into my head or even by my questions being answered by preachers in church.
    I feel His peace upon me, but He has never spoken to me as a voice in my head, no. That sounds like schizophrenia, to me.

  23. This is all a result of the Azuza Street ‘revival.’ All of this is purely Pentecostal and Evangelical ideology and void of theology. The ancient Catholic and Orthodox Churches have no room for such blaspheme. Every Pentecostal service I attended had Male preachers say God told them this and that. This is not a female preacher problem. It is exclusively Pentecostal and Evangelical. The Holy Spirit guides us within the parameters of the word. Its not hard. God is done revealing to the Christian world. Christ is the last chance. Stop making up chances. This is what makes mega Churches with preachers performing as though they were prophets.

  24. All the women in my family follow new age christian teachings. They claim god is telling them all these words but the word is never they are wrong about anything. And typically directly against the bible. They are all single mothers. They think god is giving them messages to teach men they are instructed to teach. Every facebook post is deceitful.

    This is self worship. Gods profits were extreme men. Most were completely poor-homeless abandoned their wives for substantial periods of time or were single. They would tell anyone they were wrong. Jesus spent his life criticizing people.

  25. They are free to pray for a win but it sure doesn’t mean they will win. We actually lose more through our disappointments, loss, and sufferings than we do our victories. Not our will but Thine be done.

  26. God can and does answer our prayers. Sometimes in the way we want and sometimes not. As you said, these aren’t God talking to you and there’s no way to really know if they are coincidences or God ordained. However, we rest in Him and know that He is in control.

  27. I remember listening to Beth Moore years ago and she often tells how God speaks to her. I wonder how many women feel inferior to her and put her on a pedestal because God talks to her but not to them. This is where I want women to rest assured. God speaks to us every single time that we open up His Word and read it. If we want to “hear” His voice, read His Word out loud.

  28. How can women believe Jesus Calling? First of all, it’s a woman pretending to be Jesus! This alone should make women repulsed by this book. Sarah Young didn’t think Scripture was sufficient. This is what all believe who think God needs to speak to them personally. They don’t think Scripture is sufficient but it is!

  29. The gift of prophecy is not given to people in this modern age. If anyone says they are a “prophet” they are doing so to either manipulate a congregation, abuse children or deceive.
    Look at the FLDS church and the decades long abuse they have inflicted upon children based on the supposed gift of “prophecy”. God speaks to us in our heart.

  30. I was raised in a “Jesus spoke to me,” “the Spirit is leading me to…” type church. Many of the people in these churches, myself and my family included, love the Lord. They love His Word. And they do not mean to offend the Lord or lead people astray when they share these “revelations.” However, they are in the wrong.

    Well-meaning, but wrong. Looking back on my own “I heard from the Lord” experiences (when I was young and didn’t know better) and those of others, no good has come from them. None. Many, so called, prophecies never happened. Many people did things, because they believed that the Lord was directing them to, but they were against the Scriptures, and unsurprisingly, they made situations worse. God’s Word is sufficient. We don’t need any other guidance or direction or revelation. Our problem is we (the modern church as a whole, at least in the U. S.) don’t know God’s Word, because we don’t read and study it. We read so-called “devotionals” and “spiritual” books that sound “Christian-ish” and pious, but are actually, many of them, filled with ear-tickling garbage. Christians, you don’t need to buy the latest, trendy, “devotional” book with a catchy title written by a photo-shopped, air-brushed, chic-dressed charlatan. You need to dust off your Bible and read it.

  31. People will ask me what devotions I recommend. I tell them the Bible. It’s the only “devotional” that is living and active and sharper than a two edged sword. It is the only thing that has the power to radically change lives.

  32. Amen. I heard a preacher (or maybe I read it) once say that Satan will do almost anything to keep us from reading our Bibles, because he knows that God’s Word changes us, strengthens us, equips us. The preacher went on to say that Satan might even misguide us to a devotional, because many of them (probably most of them) are so diluted of Scripture that they aren’t really a threat to him.

  33. Supernatural happenings are definitely a thing. I’ve experienced several of them. But they’re not from God.
    The only “supernatural” type thing I’ve ever had happen that was from God, was a feeling of immense peace and comfort on the morning on one of the most awful days of my life. It wasn’t words, but a cloak of peace and comfort.

  34. I like this post a lot. If people have read the bible and continue to, God will bring a relevant verse to their mind but even that has to be handled with care. Our feelings some times confuse us. Walking home alone at night, if you get a feeling someone is following you to do you harm, then most likely you are correct but not because God is speaking but because of the atmosphere we and others create around us. I like the advise that, if it contradicts the word of God you should not do it. That is the best guide. Having said all that, I appreciate how hard it can be if you are a new Christian and don’t know the bible very well.

  35. Lori,
    I am a newer follower & have learned so much from you regarding being a biblical wife and Mother. I am in my 30’s and have been struggling with my faith & who to listen to as I’ve spent the past 15 years learning about faith from the type of female speakers you mention as well as reading books such as “Jesus Calling”. I am now attempting to navigate how to move forward and where to begin unlearning much of what I’ve believed.

    What do you think of this article & its interpretation of what you’ve written above? Is this in line with what you are saying?

    http://www.intouch.org/Read/Blog/3-ways-we-can-identify-god-s-voice

  36. God speaks to us clearly through His Word, TB. Keep focused upon knowing, studying, and even memorizing His Word since it is the only thing that has the power to convict and change people’s lives.

  37. Good day Lori,

    Many blessings to you, your husband and family of children and grandchildren and …many blessings to you, your husband and children and grandchildren.

    When I saw your harsh and firm comment regarding “Jesus Calling”, I was thinking – Wow…maybe God wants me to throw out that book ?…I was into a 3 hour journey into quiet contemplation and seeking the Holy Spirit presence. As I sit here, I am comfy and crowded with oodles of beloved books,
    pens, pencils, journals and markers and a glimpse of my fat mug that says LOVE – but is empty of the once almost-overflowing-hot-Java inside. I also have my yellow journal that is full of renderings and beloved pencil and marker scribbles of things that have been quietly and loudly spoken to my soul through the years.

    I grabbed my beloved JESUS CALLING and started to review its contents and was so incredibly inspired by something I wanted to make you aware of:

    Jesus Calling, Enjoying Peace in His Presence, Sarah Young introduction:

    “…my journaling changed from monologue to dialogue…of course, I knew that my writings We’re not inspired end as only scripture is – but they were helping me grow closer to God this became a delightful way to encourage myself in the Lord ( One Samuel 30; 6 NKJV)….

    She clearly offers, confesses and EVEN AFFIRMS the following:

    “ The Bible is the only infallible, inerrant word of God, and I endeavour to keep my writings consistent with that unchanging standard I have written from the perspective of Jesus speaking, to help readers feel more personally connected with him so the first person singular (“I”, “Me”, “My”, Mine) always refers to Christ; (“you” refers to you, the reader)

    Sarah ends her little interaction introduction to her readings with:

    “The devotions in this book are meant to be read slowly, preferably in a quiet place – with your Bible open. Remember that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. May you enjoy his presence and his peace in ever increasing measure.”

    As I had grabbed the book, I prayed aloud to the Holy Spirit before indulging in a lovely book that had actually taught me how to connect with Jesus as my Personal Saviour – since being raised in a sterile faith and also experiencing a lot of desperate searching for God because of that, had impeded my from knowing or appreciating or imagining that my walk with Jesus could be as close as a cup of tea.

    Jesus Calling was an instrument God use(d) in the development and leading of my faith journey that lead to me “enjoying Peace in His Presence”.

    I actually skimmed the book and littered among its pages are Highlights of yellow and scribbles of my own thoughts as I sat and heard the Holy Spirit gently loving me.

    Instead of throwing it out and deeming it unworthy or bows Blasphemous, I will cherish it as a beautiful introduction for me knowing who Jesus was and is for me and all others and I will will recall how the Holy Spirit used her sentiments to draw me closer to understanding the personal relationship that Jesus died today give us… through his Holy Spirit, we are delivered into the Compassionate Wisdom “Within” (The Spirit of God)

    Jesus said to the woman at the well who experienced such harsh loneliness from religious and spiritual exclusion and confusion:
    “…one day you will worship me in spirit and in truth.”

    Look at what Sarah says: …with your Bible open.

    She doesn’t ever instruct or say that Jesus told her to SAY THIS – DO THAT…it is even named “Jesus Calling”…I wanted to encourage you to maybe get a copy and put your bible with you – right along side of it. And ignite the Holy Spirit to chitchat with you in that way. Just as artists and poets and musicians and singers and and and have creative freedom to explore and express and experience Christ, so too has Sarah Young been inspired to share how Christ through the Holy Spirit came today be with her.
    She, after all, is a writer…God usually will use the methods and interests and gifts within us to SHOW HIMSELF more.

    I am a writer and God, in my awakening and awareness of experiencing Him personally – as He sought out all those Jesus experienced in the gospels…from Mary to the woman at the well to Nicodemus – He is a Personal Saviour.

    He knows and loves Lori as much as he knows and loves Sarah Young as He knows and loves All Whom He Loves: “…for God so LOVED …the world…” (you know the gospel so can fill in those words)

    I just wanted to share with you about my experience and perspective and to also clarify for you using quotes from her devotion and her actual proclamation that her journal doesn’t replace the Word of God.

    My perspective is that her work can enhance someONE knowing Jesus more than they did.

    The bible is a difficult book to understand. And if you were raised in a strict, religious faith or without a faith journey, I believe that Christ does and will use many authors, styles, painters, poets, speakers, singers, blog writers (AKA LORI ??) to “draw others to Himself”

    The Spirit is always the One who can use anything created to “make it all work for His Good Purposes”…as long as others are not engaging and insisting that God spoke or twisting scripture, we should not be to quick to judge and scrutinize other forms of visual expression . I am so glad that I actually reread Sarah’s open introduction and saw her clarify what I have quoted above…and then took a trip down memory lane as I read some ways that her devotional helped me gain a more Intimate Perspective of the Perfect Saviour who comes to meet me personally as He did seek out the woman at the well.

    Just as others get filled with your blog perspective and their relationship with their Christ may be experienced better by something you say or suggest,
    I believe that Sarah has shared a method God used to experience Him – to be experienced by millions around the world. My Bible is yellowed and highlighted and scribbled in and on – just as my Jesus Calling Is and was…

    I will share an entry I wrote May 22 way back but looking at it brings a gentle reminder and assurance of Christ being “with me” – not Sarah Young.

    These are the words I highlighted from the “Jesus Calling” Journal entry that day – May 22:

    “When things don’t go as you would like, except the situation immediately. …

    I am sovereign over your circumstances… Rejoice in what I am doing in your life…

    in Me, you have everything you need, both for this life and for the life yet to come…

    don’t let the impact of the world shatter your thinking.”

    Those are the words I chose to nightlight that day with my highlighter.

    WOW: underneath it in pen I wrote the following:

    “YOU MATTER!

    Shattered ? Scatter – seeds of trust. Splatter – love & Light ? “

    I am also so “refreshed because in that reviewing, I was and am hearing the small Voice of the Spirit highlight the “REJOICE” in those words on that page. REJOICE is a theme God has been Coaching me through all throughout these past years. So to see “REJOICE in what I AM doing in your life”…I will embrace that as a whispering CHEER for me today – as much as if I got from the bible and the Woman who touched Jesus his garment – Jesus said: “ Daughter be of good cheer, your faith has made you well.” And now, I am even recalling and reminded of a graffiti wall I once saw as I was driving through traffic. It said in colourful CAPITAL BLOCK LETTERS:

    “ YOU’VE CHANGED!” I remember being so shocked that the billboard could speak to me so fragrantly as it reminded me of the profoundly painful process and journey of change that God had invited me on and into for years in the spoken Words of Living scripture: “Be NOT conformed to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove the good, acceptable, perfect will of God. “

    When I saw that billboard, it was like the Spirit was telling my personally in my car, on that road, at that time with that spray graffiti…

    Janine: YOU’VE CHANGED.

    It refreshes and renews and Re establishes my perspective as I recall it now.

    “In Him, we live and move and have our being.”

    And there was a hip hip hooray in my spirit that day…and I even pulled over to take a picture of it. Simple words on the side of a building where the Spirit cheered me on :
    YOU’VE CHANGED! ??

    That is how I believe and have come to experience that, the Spirit speaks. And He can do it when we least expect it. In a hundred billion ways (just like that famous song by Hillsong : So Will I)

    What a process writing this has been. The Process of that shows me what a true Personal Saviour, EVER- loving Heavenly Father and powerful Living Holy Counselor , we , who have professed faith in Christ actually have…on the “inside of all of us.”

    Yes…let us LOVE and seek God through His Living Holy Word but just as we can experience Divine Love through the Vision of His STUNNING CREATION “ in a hundred billion ways” Re sunrise sunset birds bees flowers.. . So, too does and will God use His “emblems of His Divine Image” (Creative man and women) to speak to others.

    Just as he uses you through Transformed Wife… in specific ways, He uses others different and unique ways and perspective to …lead others “to Him”. To draw others to Himself.

    The Spirit who hovered over the waters in the beginning is the same Spirit in the Universe who can contrive and speak and use and astound and encourage and direct and indulge and infuse and and and…

    As long as we are careFULL that the Person of Jesus is being exposed as the Ultimate sacrifice and the Triune God and the Holy Word is aligned and respected, that can keep us safe to enJOY the many ways that we can experience God personally, creatively, relationally.

    Someone below wrote:” it is very grievous how women love Jesus Calling.” Maybe now that I have expressed my experience, you won’t be so quick to exclude or excuse others as having a negative experience – God can and does and will continue to use any and many for “His Purposes” which are exceedingly endless – because He is God. And the Holy Spirit knows what we need and He knows how to do it. We maybe should not be so quick to condemn and judge others process but examine our own reasons.

    And on another note, The Chosen is a very new and beautiful and refreshing artistic expression of “sharing Jesus” with the world. The Director uses gifted script writers to develop stories but he maintains a strict code of allegiance to Scripture. Yet, he still exercises the beauty of his creative talents to expose others to Jesus…. I highly recommend it. It is eight episodes of beautiful cinema available on YouTube.

    Have a blessed day and thank you I could share with you.

    Kindest Regards from Canada ??…and many blessings to you and your family.

  38. What should women do if the Holy Spirit falls on them and gives them a word to share with the congregation? At the church I’m in there’s been many times where during reflection time during a song where the Holy Spirit had fallen on one of the women in the congregation, and the Holy Spirit spoke through her. Are women supposed to suppress those feelings or are we to allow the Holy Spirit to use our voices?

  39. God is VERY clear on this, Abby, in 1 Cor. 14:

    33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

    34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

    35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

  40. How would you interpret Joel 2:28 where it says that “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”? If it’s true that women are supposed to be silent why would God pour out his Holy Spirit on women and give us the opportunity to prophesy for The Lord?

  41. This was foreshadowing when the Holy Spirit would be poured down upon the people after Christ’s resurrection. The Churches weren’t even set up at this time. The Apostle Paul’s instructions to women in the churches is VERY clear to those with eyes to see and ears to hear truth.

  42. So the words daughters prophesying means what exactly in your mind? If the Apostle Paul gave his instructions for women in the church, why does the Bible talk about women prophesying in that passage?

  43. What do these verses mean to you, Abby?

    From 1 Cor. 14:

    33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

    34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

    35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

    From 1 Tim. 2:

    11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

    12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

    13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

    14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

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