This thread has just proven to you that you DO have something to give the Body of Christ; people do hear from the Lord…God is NOT impressed, depressed or concerned with what “we” think…and that people are interested in meaningful discussion that is not attacking (at least I am!) But at the same time I’m with Tom…I don’t have time to argue just for the sake of having an argument.

It’s funny…just when you thought you had everything “calmed down” in your life, God starts using you in the prophetic. You saw the gooffyness you saw in order to get you open to the genuine.

You are learning the difference between the baby and the bathwater:)

I was genuine in my farewell to Jonah. The little I have seen of his blog tells me that he is reacting to some errors that he has seen an in fact the pendulum swing both ways.

I do appreciate the comments of Ruben and you made several points.

I have made it a concious decision to make myself vulnerable so that others can know that there is such a thing as a balanced relationship with God. I hear God. I minister prophetically. I see lots of goofy stuff that people do in the name of Jesus that God is not in. I get it from both sides.

I will never put up for debate what God ahs told me. It’s not up for discussion. But I do realize that part of what my role in the Body has to do with laying out my relationship with God with the goal that others will be provoked to have a more intimate, dynamic relationship with Him. I know that and more importantly, He knows that. There are many things he has told me in private that I have not even shared with my wife. Many others I have shared with no one but her.

I was particularly moved by your comment on God so wanting fellowship that He speaks as soon as I wake up. He is always desiring fellowship. I really love the Lord.

Ronnie - Thanks for checking in.

David - You make me laugh. From what I have read from Reuban, you two would have some interesting discussions.

I believe that God is constantly attempting to speak to us. Just the other night I had a wonderful dream that I am sure was given as a gift from the Holy Spirit. Over the past several months, I have enjoyed many treasures as God spoke through a systematic men’s Bible study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians and Philippians. Two of those books I have memorized, yet, there was fresh manna every time we met. In fact, there were two powerful understandings that I had never before considered (even though I have the passages memorized!), which gave me much to ponder. One, the Spirit revealed to me as we were discussing the background of Philippians and reading a chapter in Acts, and the other came through something the Lord showed one of the brothers in his study. Both are examples of God speaking. Someone invited my wife and me over to their home to celebrate my birthday, and in the process gave me a birthday card. To my astonishment, the card said something that the Holy Spirit spoke earlier to my heart. The birthday card suddenly was transformed into a most precious gift, and it served not only as confirmation of that which was whispered to my heart, but also of its importance. When I wrote the last post, several verses in Psalm 139 “jumped of the page” (as they say). I received a call that same day from a couple who want to get together and have specific questions about a difficult situation, and the Holy Spirit “quickened” those verses to share with them in answer to their dilemma. I belive this is an example of God speaking. A brother emailed me with a “word” he received for my son. He woke up at a certain time, and he finished praying at a certain time. He believed that the time on the clock when he started praying and the time on the clock when he stopped praying had prophetic significance. While I have known others to whom God has used this as a method of speaking to them, God has never spoken to me through such a medium – yet, the prophetic insight he offered proved to be true. Even my prayer life has changed. I don’t speak as much – I listen more. It is much more exciting!

I simply share the above examples as encouragement for some of the others who commented earlier. What is prayer? Is it simply a monologue? Or is it two parties sharing their hearts and love which each other?

Two quick hits:

(1)I once heard a Bible teacher who said that the first few moments upon wakening from sleep are critical. It is one of the premier opportunities that the enemy attempts to use to plant a suggestion in the mind to disparagingly color the rest of the day.
(2)I heard a different Bible teacher who offered this advice: When you read the New Testament, whenever you come across the word “grace,” substitute the word “Holy Spirit” in your reading. This simple device can open new vistas of wonder with God.

What you need to know is yes, it has happened to me. I’ve also been woken up in the middle of the night, waited a few minutes and had God tell me that I had to do something… so I wrote it down and went back to sleep. Every time it was something that I later learned someone had prayed for.

I’ve also heard him in my car, in traffic, and watching tv.

You aren’t weird. You aren’t crazy. You aren’t alone.

So I hope it was something awesome…

See Carl…we do read this blog!

“Many, O Lord my God, are your wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you. Were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

The part that the Holy Spirit has been emphasizing to me is … “were I to speak and tell of them.” As I have pursued intimacy with the Beloved and have pondered His ways, I am learning that His love for His children is more profound that can be humanly expressed. That love is desperate to communicate to us. And, I emphasize the word desperate – the desperation of desire. Consider Psalm 139:17-18:

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I am awake, I am still with you.”

I can picture the Beloved standing by our bed, knowing we need our rest, but wishing to wake us to talk. He is so excited with the heart and desires of His child that He can’t wait to speak as soon as we awake. If His thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand in on the seashore, certainly His desire to communicate with us burns in His breast. Thus, a clear expression of His heart upon wakening from sleep is not strange at all. In fact, those who are in love with Him would welcome such exchange! “When I am awake, I am still with you.”

The question is … how much of one’s personal relationship with the Beloved do you share in the public square? Ps. 139 17 – “… were I to speak and tell of them.” When doing so, that which is precious can easily be trampled. Intimacy is a highly personal thing, and in my opinion, should be guarded carefully. This discussion began with an intimate moment and changed to the place of the prophetic in believer’s meeting and other stuff. How sad. Does one share the intimacy enjoyed in the bedroom with one’s spouse in the public square? Is it “odd” for God to speak to one of His children as they awake in the morning? Not at all. What I am learning is that trust works both ways. As I grow in my relationship with the Beloved, I am able to rest and exercise an increasing level of trust. As the Beloved shares with me, His trust level increases with me as I protect the risk He takes with what He shares with me. The Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:4) said he heard things that he was not permitted to tell. I see the current “signs and wonders” (gold dust, gem stones, etc.) not only as a tangible expression of His love for us, but also as a test. If we desire the “weighter” things of the Spirit, how are we handling that which we currently have?

As to degrees, I could boast of them, since I have them; however, I consider them as dung. One moment with the Beloved is worth more than a world of degrees. And, since I don’t interact much on blogs (though I do have a particular interest in this one), I will leave with this thought. On this particular site, someone wrote about what they learned in one year of blogging. I would recommend it to anyone!