The Way God Speaks
This past weekend, my family and I traveled to Lubbock, Texas to watch my brother graduate from college with a B.A. in business from Lubbock Christian. The graduation was the typical traditional formal college graduation ceremony.
The guest speaker was Mr. Mabee of the Mabee Foundation who is a big supporter of christian education. If you have ever been to Lubbock Christian University or Abilene Christian University, you have seen the Mabee name around campus. Mr. Mabee did a wonderful job with his challenging message for the graduating seniors. It amazes me time and time again the various ways that God uses situations and even people in your life to send you the message he wants you to hear.
Mr. Mabee told of one of my brother's friends who has Guillain-Barre' Syndrome in California. The young man, Rob Baker, is in his late twenties and is suffering from the same disease as I am, but his situation is so different. He is wasting away and still after months, can't walk. Rob is still stuck in dispair. Rob isn't a Christian and had made his body his temple. He was very athletic and even owned a gym in Lubbock for awhile, but feels that his body and God have betrayed him.
Mr. Mabee mentioned how young this man was and the lack of relationship he has with God. He stressed that life is precious. You never know how long you have to live so we need to make the most of our time on earth. Mr. Mabee, in his speech, talked about a fire in which his daughter had been in. Ironically, my brother several years ago had also been in an apartment fire. As we listened to Mr. Mabee we were amazed that he had mentioned both things that have such a vital part of my brother's life. It is wonderful to see how God takes situations, events and people in our life to send the message that we need.
Have you seen God do this very thing in your life? When? How? Do you believe coincidences are actually conincidences? Do you remember a situation in the Bible in which God uses one person's story to speak to another? Have you ever thought that God may be using your events and life to send someone else a message that they need to hear? How should this affect our situations, and events in our life both good and bad?
Kris I am proud of you.
We had a great time.
What do you think?
Share your thoughts.
posted by preacherman @ 6:47:00 PM
29 Comments:
If we believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in our life and that things don't happen just by pure coincidence, we allow ourselves to be used for ministry such as the type you mentioned.
God speaks in so many ways! May He richly bless you and your family today, preacherman!
:-) love to you and your family.
I do believe that God speaks to us through situations and people.
I also believe that some things DO happen by chance. That is, I don't believe that God controls every action in this world. I do believe that He is quite capable of doing so, I just don't believe that He chooses to do so. He offers people the opportunity to choose, and we don't always choose what He wants.
“I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
Grace and peace,
Tim
Bro',
Just as God is not limited by time, space, or any other condition, so the Holy Spirit unlimited too.
God by His Spirit uses his Word, the Bible, what others say (in your case now), dreams and visions, and circumstances to lead his people in the best path as they follow him. This is not an exhaustive list of how God works in his children but some of the ways he leads and speaks to us.
I don't believe that anything "just happens" in the life of a child of God who has living in him or her God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a spectator, He is God, He is Christ in you the hope of glory.
As he speaks by what ever means he chooses it is ours to make adjustments in our lives to conform to His will.
May God bless you as you follow His voice.
His peace,
Royce Ogle
Preacherman,
I believe nothing happens by chance. There is always a reason for something taking place. Whether you and I choose to use it for something that can glorify God.
He sends the rain on the righteous and unrigteous.
Hello Preacherman. I love it when God does this! It happens all the time, He uses someone or some circumstance to tell me something. Sometimes I feel that He does it to encourage me and sometimes He has done it to prepare me for something. We were at Pepperdine last week, and God was picking at my head and heartstrings a lot through the various teachers and speakers. Some were things that I needed to be reminded of, but some seemed to speak right to me about things that are happening in my life right now. Thanks for causing me to think about this and express thanks!
There is something special about God being mysterious. A lot of times we refer to events like you mention as "coincidences" but we also look back and say "that was a God thing." It may in fact have been God's providence that arranged certain situations, but I'd like to also point out the danger of always being in search for "God moments".
Example... last September I came down with a virus that lasted for weeks. Fatigue and low fever. I finally got better, but weeks later, I started feeling weak in my arms and legs. Then not long after that, Preacherman happens across my blog.
Having read his blog and seeing that he has GBS, I read up on it. It's interesting...my symptoms look a lot like GBS according to the Mayo Clinic site...and developing GBS from that virus is not a stretch.
Now, I don't believe I have GBS. I have been to the doctor since for other reasons, but he too doesn't think I have/had it. But...was I thinking coincidence? Was I thinking God thing? You bet I was.
My point being, we can freak ourselves out and make poor decisions in life by always searching for "how God works." Instead, we should trust that God is working, and when looking back, we praise him for those moments that did seem coincidental, whether God intended them to happen or not.
I guess all I am saying is that sometimes I think we try to force coincidences to happen.
Preacherman,
Great post. I am reading a new book that includes the topic of hearing from God. It is called "Walking With God" by John Eldredge. In this book John relates his own personal experiences of hearing from God and instructs his readers in practical ways in which, they too, can hear his voice. I recommend this book to anyone who needs encouragement to hear from God. John relates many personal anecdotes from his own life that stirs up memories for the reader. It is a very encouraging book and is very easy to read. It is like having a spiritual father discipling you on a personal level. It isn't a textbook but it is a very valuable resource. I highly recommend it. I am only part way through, but already I have been reminded of the many times God has spoken to me through circumstances, through other people, through his word, and yes even through pain. God is so good and he wants the best life possible for us all.
Blessings,
Gord
I'm glad that Mr. Mabee could be there for you. Sometimes, we just need to hear another voice...
...sent from God.
Morning PM,
how did the Doctor visit go?
blessings
I love that God still speaks. I think He is able to work through us in dynamic ways when we are willing to be known. The good, the bad and the still transforming.
I appreciate everyone's comments and adding wonderful thoughts to this disucssion. Ben, CIPD is also connected to GBS. It is amazing how God does use everyday life situations to talk to those who need it. It blows my mind when I start and think about it. He has communicated with me in countless ways that is so incredible when I look back on it. I am sure each of you can do the same.
I went to the Dr. today and had an ultra-sound on my gall-bladder and liver. I also did other test to see in my liver is functioning the way it ought to. I appreciate everyone's prayers. I still haven't heard back the results yet. So, please continue to keep me in your prayers.
I love each of you and greatly apprecaite your thoughts and disusssion on this blog and post.
God bless each one of you in a powerful way.
Today and tomorrow and on into eternity listen to God's voice. I pray that we will be still and know that He is God even today.
Isn't a wonderful thing?
Powerful.
Moving.
And the testimonies that we all have as God has used life situations to send us a message good or bad is powerful when we think about it.
Yes, sometimes it has been evident to me, but probably not as clear or as often because I'm not as in tune to God's voice as I want to be.
But good to hear here how God spoke on that day to you folks.
Preacherman,
Thank you brother for letting us know how God speaks. I am going to do all I can to listen and look at events and people to hear his voice. God bless you and hope you get well. You are in my prayers.
Preacherman,
Great post.
I hear God's voice regularly through the very things you mention in this post. I am glad that your brother was able to hear the voice of God this past weekend. It is a very moving testimony to what God does today through us and tragedies in our life. God be glorified and you blessed.
Thanks for stopping by. Not to sound arrogant or anything, but you need to correct your profile info. It's
"Dave Mustaine", not Dave Mustang.
Your compliance is much appreciated !
Thanks Heff. I corrected the spelling. I am honored that you have stopped by and hope to see you again soon.
hi kinney,
we knew each other when we were kids. my grandfather was Patrick Stephenson of Woodlawn.
i pray for you and your family.
and i pray for everyone that needs God's hand.
but your judgment of those who have beliefs that differ from yours greatly concern me.
please tell me that you are not saying that you believe that a man who holds different beliefs than you deserves his plot in life. your insinuation, of this coincidence, is difficult to stomach.
"Rob isn't a Christian". does this really matter? More that half of the world isn't Christian. Do they deserve what they get? 100,000 people are dead in Myanmar today. a mostly non-Christian population. did they deserve it?
coincidence?
Rubber Turkey.
In no way am I saying that brother. I am just stating the difference and pray that Rob will come to know Jesus through experence. I pray for rob daily and know that God is able to work in his life.
Rubber Turkey which grandson are you to Pat Stephenson? I think that is soooo cool.
I will be visiting your blog regularly and hope you can do the same.
I am his granddaughter, DeeAnne. My mother is Patti.
It was nice to find your blog here.
That is so great-Go Chaps!! (proud LCU alum) ;) I love it when you can hear and see God through people and lessons-I think the important thing is to keep your eyes, heart, and mind open...which I certainly do not always do.
Yet, God has spoken through many people to me and where I have been over the last year or so. There were a few months where every lesson I heard dealt with EXACTLY where I was-and none of them were from the same person or place. I knew God was telling me something and encouraging me through them, and I am thankful. I know there have been many God moments in my life, and sometimes it is hard to discern if they are just that...and sometimes you look back later and realize what God was doing.
I believe the most important is to always be listening for His still small voice-because He is always with us-it is we who have to acknowledge His presence and moving in our lives.
May God bless you, your family, your health, and your ministry~
i appriciate your veiws please pleacher could you vist our blog www.reachingoutforchrist.blogspot.com. we request you to come and evangelise to us please i need people who move with the word of God. we are looking for supporters to transform our community.
Your comments has tourched my minds and if God connects us togather, our community will be transformed.
Any body wishing to vist us are highly welcome.
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Pastor ALinaitwe moses Uganda,Africa.
As with many stories, Mr. Mabee's is incomplete. Any discussion of my brother's life without a discussion of the excruciating pain he was in is woefully incomplete. GB was merely the start.
I had always held out hope that he would be inspired by others who overcome paralysis and pain to live a reasonable life. Despite leaning differently myself, I would have been thrilled if he had found that anywhere, even in Christianity. However, that is not to be now.
I know that many of my brother's relationships were irreparably damaged by his pain, despair, frustration and rage, sad to all of us who grew up knowing him loving and happy-go-lucky, so I'm not sure whether your brother was still involved in my brother's life, but I thought he might want to know that Rob was found dead in his apartment this afternoon.
Also, I have to say how strange it is that one of few remaining records that my brother was a part of this world is merely a testament to how he didn't find God. And because I'm a record keeper: it was years not months that he couldn't walk, he turned 31 this past October and his body was a complicated thing. My brother started working out after we lived in Montgomery, Alabama. As a mixed kid in a private school, he suffered cruelly at the hands of kids who said horribly racist things to him. I've always seen his choice to build his body as a protection from the world. I remember him standing in front of the mirror when I was sixteen and he fifteen asking me what part of his body he should work on next. It wasn't just vanity for him. His body was his way to overcome. I can only imagine what a crushing blow it was to lose control over it and I will always remain sorry he wasn't able to rise above it.
I hope you forgive my intrusion on your blog, but right now I need my baby brother to be more than a passing mention in someone's anecdote.
Only God knows his reasons. Hopefully our interpretations of events will not be to far from the mark.
Only God knows his reasons. Hopefully our interpretations of events will not be to far from the mark.
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