I don’t know where you personally stand on this idea as to whether God still ‘speaks to us’ today, because opinions on that can be all over the place.

But it really should not be that strange of an idea if you give it some simple thought. I mean, IF...He really is who He claims to be (our creator for starters), then why is it such an outlandish, off-the-wall concept to believe that He might care to speak to His children in ways we can understand?

And if you are going to point to all the ‘nut cases’ out there who claim ‘God told them this or that’, as a reason to quickly dismiss this idea...well, you are going to have to find a better excuse than that to prove God does not talk to His people. Jesus said His sheep ‘hear His voice and follow’. (John 10:27). The writer of Hebrews tells us three times in a row that if ...’we will hear His voice, not to harden our hearts’. (Heb. 3:7,15; 4:7)

The problem I strongly suspect is we really don’t want to hear what He has to say these days if we are honest with ourselves.

God wants to speak but not everyone wants to listen.

There used to be an old TV commercial about some financial advisor/guru named E. F. Hutton. And the familiar sound bite was “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” Sadly, the same cannot be said about God. Yet, He continues to speak...loud and clear.

His word would be a great place to start if you really would like to hear from Him but I must warn you that if you hold your personal church doctrines, traditions, and personal ideas more dear to your heart than wanting to hear what God has to say...well, that may be a problem. Now that is not to say both can’t be one and the same but it seems that would be more the exception than the rule these days. And Yes, once again I will admit that can come across as sounding a bit brazen and arrogant. But it would not be the first time the religious establishment at large got it wrong as we know what Jesus had to say did not fit with what they were promoting back ‘in the day’.

Historically speaking, God’s people being made privy to His will was never the problem. Hearing from God was not the issue; doing what He said was. The case could be made that still is a challenge today. And as usual, it always goes back to the heart. We can easily announce to the world that we ‘made Jesus Lord of our lives’, but the real test is not in what we say, rather in what we do. (Matt. 7:21; Tit. 1:16). That might explain why Jesus asked this poignant question of “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but not do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46)

I think that is a fair question; what about you?

In my post yesterday, we talked about this idea of spiritual darkness that we all found ourselves in. Truth be told, if you are not walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7), then you are still in...darkness; and hence, you have not ‘found’ yourself yet either. I know, deep stuff there. lol

We just celebrated the birth of the Savior of the world who came as a light to people sitting in darkness’. (Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:79). And as Jesus said in John 12:35, people in darkness don’t know where they are going. He even told us He was ‘the light of the world’, (John 8:12). I know this might offend some, but He did indeed specify that He was the light of the whole world as opposed to saying He was the ‘Christian Light’, or whatever other label you want to insert there.

God saw us in darkness, wandering about like lost sheep with no shepherd (Matt. 9:34-35) and He sent Jesus to ‘save us’ . (John 3:17). The tragic irony here is...even though He came as a light into a world of darkness, many choose not to come to the light because they loved the darkness more. (John 3:19). So what is one to do with that piece of info? There really is little you can do other than examine your own heart and make sure you are not loving the darkness more than you say you love the light.

IF...you do love the light more, you will ‘come to the light’ which is what any of us must do in order to experience the kind of life Jesus came to offer us. (John 3:20; 10:10; 5:40)

Oh, I forgot to mention the rest of what Jesus said when He claimed to be the ‘light of the world’ ...where He said: “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

You should make note as to what He did ‘not say’ there - He didn’t say ‘he who walks an aisle’ or ‘publicly accepts Christ’ or confesses to ‘strongly believe He is the Son of God and rose from the dead three days after dying on a cross for the sins of the world’. He said ‘he who follows Me’ shall have the light of life. That also lines up with Hebrews 5:9 where we are told that Jesus became the ‘source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him’. There really is a bit more to this salvation stuff besides just saying you ‘believe’. How on earth did we ever descend to a place where we are told this idea of teaching the importance of ‘obeying Jesus’ is ‘legalism’?

Peter reminds us in his first letter that we were ‘called out of darkness’. (2:9). That implies we have to respond to that call. And it’s not enough to just ‘turn from the darkness’ which is what true repentance is. We need to turn to and follow the light and ‘walk in the light as He is in the light’. That is what true believers do...they walk like Jesus walked. (1 John 2:6). And if we are serious about this, we will continue walking that way.

Which means we won’t have ‘anything to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness’. Have you ever read that before in Eph. 5:11? Paul wrote that right after he encouraged us to ‘find out what is pleasing and acceptable to the Lord’. (10)

This might be a good place to stop and ponder just what those ‘fruitless works/deeds of darkness’ are. For the sake of time, can I just tell you they are anything that has to do with the ‘evident deeds of the sinful flesh nature’ would fall in that category. (Gal. 5:19-21). And the reason this is so important to understand is because Paul underscores the fact that people who continue to live this way have no inheritance in the kingdom of God’. (Gal. 5:21). His words, not mine.

I guess that is why he continues on there in Ephesians reminding us as to why we need to ‘wake up’. (Eph. 5:14). Now go look at Romans 13:11-14 where the same somber and urgent admonition is made there as well...’knowing the time is now to awake out of sleep’ as our salvation draws nearer than when we first believed’. And what does he command us to ‘cast off’ there in vs. 12? (You can look it up; I’ll wait). Now read vs. 14 and tell me what that actually looks like? We will be making...’no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts’.

Do you know why this is brought to our attention? Because those who are actually following Jesus are putting those things to death (Rom. 8:13) as opposed to ‘dialing it down’ or putting it on a leash or in a cage. Those who do indeed ‘belong to Christ’ have (past tense) ‘crucified/put to death’ ...”all the passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24) because that is how we ‘once walked’ when Satan was working in and through us. (Eph. 2:1-3). But followers of Jesus don’t walk that way anymore. They have been set free...and been made free indeed. (John 8:32-36). How else could anyone possibly ‘go and sin no more’ unless the sin nature was dealt with.

Paul also mentions there in Galatians that “IF we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (5:25) which means we no longer fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16)

This is not idealistic religious jabber that we need only to be willing to aspire to...It is something that actually can happen if...we respond to His call to ‘come out of darkness’ and walk in the light as He is in the light. Seriously...this was the plan from the beginning. I’m sorry if you were taught differently, but the very fact you are reading this now, at this very moment, is evidence that God is wanting you to know it’s not too late.

If something in your spirit is bearing witness that what I am sharing here with you is ‘truth and light’, then allow me to point out one more urgent plea or warning that Jesus made in John 12:35 where He said: “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtakes you.”

And can I also tell you that it’s not really God’s ‘M.O.’ to give us ‘all the light at one time’. Just walk in the light He is giving you and if you do, there will be more light to follow. That, I can promise you. ;-).

Tomorrow, Lord willing, maybe we can expand on what that might actually look like for you.

Now that I think of it....I have to wonder if back when that TV commercial about E.F. Hutton was always being aired...if God ever thought to Himself...”Gee...I wish people would respond to me in the same manner and with the same enthusiasm.” (Making mental note to ask Him that someday).