Does God really speak to us today?  Many would say that throughout the years He has spoken only to a chosen few.  Steve Sampson disputes this in his book You can Hear the Voice of God: How God Speaks in Listening Prayer.  Sampson and other authors believe that He speaks to each Believer--that is, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior with the commitment to act on His Word.  I'd like to venture further in that I believe God speaks to all mankind; however, most don't know (or bother) to listen.



For those who are new to this topic of hearing God's Voice, You can Hear the Voice of God is an excellent work.  It is 127 pages of information, written in a simple, easy to read format. Sampson begins by explaining the meaning of Deuteronomy 8:3 where Israel was told that they should be living by words proceeding from the mouth of the Lord.  This scripture is as true for us today as they were in the days of Moses.

We've all heard people say "God told me...." I have to say, I have often wondered what was His method for speaking; rarely does anyone say they actually heard a voice like Moses did in the story of the Burning Bush .  Sampson explains the various ways that God communicates with His people. This can be as simple as peace about a decision.  Some people have dreams, similitudes and visions.  There is the still, small voice in one's spirit as opposed to a voice coming from outside the head.  One needs to learn to recognize the various forms of communication from the Godhead. The difficulty is "being tuned in." That's a struggle most of us have because of lack of knowledge, distractions, disbelief, materialism, etc. We should expect to hear from God; He isn't a silent partner.  Sampson offers practical guidelines to recognizing God's voice in order to build a new relationship with God.  A relationship that is built not only on prayer coming from ourselves but on receiving input from God.  

This is called Revelation, a deeper understanding of how God's Word applied to your life or the lives of others.  God's idea isn't to give one "new truths" most of the time, but to broaden the understanding of what has already been said.  God wants to share himself with us.  The only way we can do this is either by studying His Word, the Bible--or by listening to what he has to say through the Holy Spirit in communion with our Spirit.

On page 127, Samson asks:  "The bottom line is--do we really want to hear?  We all have a tendency to run from God at times.  In fact, if we're honest, there are times when we are not sure we want to hear the Lord--especially if we think he is bringing correction.... He knows us better than we know ourselves.  When we seek Him for direction, he always has our best interest in mind..."

Therefore, we don't have to be afraid.  As we come to have a deeper relationship with Him, we will come to understand him in new ways.  We will realize that he is a loving Father who will help us through life if we let him.

You can Hear the Voice of God  was recommended to me by an employee at the World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs.  Many books have been written on this topic; each book that one reads adds to the complete picture of hearing from God.  I believe that this two-way communication can only enhance one's Life in the Lord.

On the back cover: