HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO US TODAY?
Did you ever hear anyone say, "Well, God talked to me in a dream:" or another say, "I had a vision:" or someone declare, "Well, God talked to me while I was driving my car down the highway;" or maybe, someone vows that God spoke to him and forgave his sins while he laid his hand on the radio? When you hear someone making such claims, you may be sure they are mistaken.
Did you know that God tells us plainly in his word how He speaks to us today? Would you not like to know how God speaks to us? If we do not know how He speaks to us today, we will not know when He speaks.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1-2). In this inspired text, the writer declares that God had spoken. The question is, how does He speak to us today?
Yes, there was a time when God spoke to man directly from heaven, man heard the voice of God. God talked with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Later, God revealed His word to the prophets, who, in turn, spoke to the people. God told Moses that the time would come when He would no longer speak through the prophets, but He, God would raise up one prophet, referring to His Son, Jesus, and He would speak the words which God would place in His mouth. This prophetic teaching is found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.
While Christ was on earth, He taught the Word of God. Actually, God put the words in His mouth. But, before Christ ascended to His Father in heaven, He chose His apostles. Jesus made them this promise: "Howbeit when, He the spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: And He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: For He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:13-14).
God revealed His word unto the apostles by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided the writers of the New Testament as they revealed in writing, God's message to us. God speaks to us today through His Holy Word. We do not need Him to talk directly to us. Paul declared, God's word was inspired and complete (II Timothy 3:16-17).
What we need today is to allow His Word to speak to us and to obey what it says. --- Charles E. Burch