I’m taking this from Bill Hybel’s The Power of a Whisper¹ verbatim.  I want to post it here to serve myself as a reminder if what I’m hearing is truly from God or if I’m going crazy and telling myself what I want to hear. (My apologies to Zondervan if this is a little too much quoting…)

1. Is the Prompting Truly from God?

Whenever you receive a prompting—whether from God directly or through the lips of another—take whatever time is necessary to ask, “God, is this message from you?  Does this square with who I know you to be?  Is it consistent with your character? Is it aligned with your attributes? Is this you trying to convey something to me, or are there voices getting into my head?” Before taking a single step to obey the whisper you’ve received, be sure you get thee all-clear that the voice you have heard could be from God.

2. Is it Scriptural?

Scripture is replete with examples of how God would behave in any given life situation, and the Example’s name is Jesus Christ.  Whenever I sense a prompting from God, I ask myself if I could imagine Jesus doing whatever action the prompting is suggesting I do.  If I can’t envision Jesus Follow suit, I fear my wires somehow must have gotten crossed.  Check every prompting you receive against the thematic teachings of Scripture.  Messages that contradict Scripture are not from God

3.  Is it Wise?

God’s whispers rarely go against wisdom and common sense.  The entire book of Proverbs is devoted to dissecting wisdom and all her attributes.  For example, the wise one loves knowledge, while the fool hates it; the wise one practices gentle speech, while the fool uses harsh, incendiary words; the wise one lives blamelessly, while the fool is utterly corrupt; the wise one follows a straight path, while the fool rejoices in the perverseness of evil; the wise one inherits honor, while the fool is held up to shame.  Scripture is relentless in exhorting us to be wise in all our dealings, to be wise in all our ways.

God’s direction rarely violates the wisdom test.  Be sure you’re not sidestepping what is wise in favor of acting quickly on whispers.  If God is indeed in the plan, it will likely not involve blatantly unwise action.

4. Is it in Tune with Your Own Character?

I caution people against running headlong into a field that is totally foreign to their writing patterns, their education, their expertise and their experience in life thus far.  It’s not that God can’t endorse a dramatic 180-degree turn.  It’s just that typically when does so, it gets affirmed through a series of whispers, from several sources, in a variety of different ways.

5. What Do the People You Most Trust Think about it?

Whenever you sense that God is speaking to you, find two or three veteran Christ-followers—preferably people who know you well and who are further down the spiritual path than you are—take some time to describe the situation to them in detail.  Humbly ask them, “Do you think God really did speak to me?  Is this the voice of God I’m hearing, or in your estimation did I get my wires crossed?” Then, listen openly and intently to the answers you receive, because they might just save your hide.

Subject every prompting to the godly counsel test.  It will save you from boatloads of heartache and just might affirm God’s best will for your life

- Bill Hybel

I do not take credit for these ideas.  Again, this is from Bill Hybel’s The Power of a Whisper.

1. Appendix 2 from The Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybel [↩]

I’m still referencing to Bill Hybels’ The Power of a Whisper.  In his last chapter, he writes a simple prayer we should use when asking to hear God’s whisper.

You say it, and I’ll do it.
You say it, and I’ll follow it.
You say it, and I’ll obey it.
You say it and I’ll carry it out.
Whatever it is you want done in order for your kingdom to advance, God, you whisper the word and consider it done

For me, personally, if I truly believe that our Creator is sovereign over everything—which clearly includes my own life—I will never hesitate to obey his commands.  At least that’s how I want to aim to live.  Go and do as commanded with faith like the centurion in Mark¹.  Really.  If I truly believe He’s God, I trust Him fully.  I will listen to His whisper and do what He asks.  For He is Good.

1. Mark 8:5-13 [↩]

FYI, I cleaned out the entire user/subscriber list from Word Press.  Majority, if not all, looked like it was from spambots.  If you were a legitimate reader and subscriber to the site, sorry!  Go ahead and register again.  This time around I’m using reCAPTCHA for the registration page.  I’m hoping that curbs the bots that are out there.  I can also tell that  you’re a legitimate subscriber if you have any comments to the site.  Registration isn’t required for commenting anyway, so my guess is that all users registered are from spambots

That said, if you do register and like to lurk, please at least modify your profile to include your first name so that I know that you’re legitimate

I’m trying to get reCAPTCHA working on the comments as well, but my current anti-spam filters seem to be working properly for now.  Oh, and in case you’re wondering why reCAPTCHA is different than normal CAPTCHA: http://www.google.com/recaptcha

Oh! give me Samuel’s ear,
An open ear, O Lord,
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of Thy Word;
Like him to answer to Thy call
And to obey Thee first of all.¹

I finished reading Bill Hybels’ The Power of a Whisper.  The primary reason why I started my daily devotions was due to forgetting what God’s voice sounded like.  Months would go by and I still couldn’t recognize what His voice even with the daily devotions.  I felt my distant from Him felt even further during this period of trying to get closer.  When I read the first chapter from Bill Hybels’ new book, I knew I had to pick it up immediately.  What caught Hybels’ attention (and mine too) is the story of Samuel as a young boy hearing God’s voice.

Here I am, you called me. [...]
Speak, for your servant is listening²

Just thinking that God felt He would get to a little boy’s ear while asleep caught my attention.  God didn’t try to get little Samuel’s attention once but 4 times!  And the response that Samuel gives Him, “Here I am, you called me,” and then, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”  God did and he still does speak when you’re willing to listen.

Daily, I end my prayer with that.  I ask Him to speak because I, a servant of His, is listening.

1. “Hushed Was the Evening Hymn” by James Drummon Burns [↩]
2. 1 Samuel 3:9-10 [↩]

I may have mentioned it in the past, I don’t go out much and I’m not very active.  I keep telling myself I should really work out—running, weightlifting, mountain biking—something, anything.  This morning, I went hiking for the first time in 10 years.  I believe the last time I went hiking was the Haleakala Crater back on Maui.

I knew it wasn’t going to be easy hike.  Garcia Trail in Azusa is a short 1.2 mile hike.  The problem with these 1.2 miles is that it ascends 1100 feet in the process.  That steep elevation is what makes the hike challenging—especially if you’re from the out of shape crowd.  When I started the hike, I knew I was in bad shape when I already felt my heart racing in the first 100 ft (distance, not elevation).  At that point, I knew this was going to be a long morning.

I quickly breathed in the cool morning air.  It was pleasant at first, but the speed of inhaling created a burning sensation in my lungs.  My body didn’t know where the need for all this sudden energy came from.  My heart beat as fast as possible to pump fresh blood to my legs at the start of this hike.   I looked towards the top of the hill and pointed, “I’m going to make it to the top.”  I looked up to the sky and asked God to give me the strength to do this.  I know, it’s just a 1.2mi/1100ft hike/climb.  One could say I only needed the will power to do it.  My heart alone wasn’t conditioned to take on this task by itself.  No, instead, I prayed and asked him for the strength I need to conquer the hike to the top.  That was the plan.  Get to the top.  He reminded me that He will determine my steps (Proverbs 16:9).  He will be with me every step of the way.

Hikers of all ages and experiences passed me on the way up.  I was a bit discouraged at first.  Maybe it wasn’t worth seeing the top.  Maybe I should take it one small hike at a time—complete the plan in increments over the course of a week.  No.  I remained focused.  God kept taking me up one step at a time.  It took me close to an hour to climb the 1100 feet in 1.2 miles.  I didn’t care.  I got to the top.  I made it.

At the top of the hill was a white cross.  Behind the cross was a mailbox with a couple of notebooks and a Bible.  The notebooks was a log of people who made the climb.  There were prayer requests.  Some wrote stories about their hike to the top.  Some of them profess their love for one another.  Not all were Christian, but there were many that witness as one.   Even though the overcast hasn’t quite burned off for the day, it was still a sight to see overlooking the San Gabriel Valley from atop that hill.  I honestly believe that I, personally, could not have made that hike on my own.  God helped me step by step with such a simple plan; I should expect that kind of help in my grander plans in life.  God’s power is limitless.  That first hike is a reminder: He’s there with me every step of the way.