"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7
God uses other people to talk to me. When I listen to those who have integrity and are actively following Jesus, he uses them to speak to me, either by their actions or words. I have listened to a sermon that I felt was created just for me. As if, I was the only person in the room and the pastor was talking directly to me. The message moved me to action, to change something, to go talk to someone, to repent. This is God SPEAKING, giving me a push!
Other times I have seen a person serve with humility, unselfishness, and love that gave me an example for what I should be doing. People who would go on a missions trip they could not afford, to a country that no one wants to go to, leaving their family behind because God told them to go. He speaks through them by the way they courageously acted. (The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26) God has used my son to set an example of boldly proclaiming His name to his friends and not be ashamed. When I asked him if he felt silly or was scared to talk to his friends on the playground about God his response put me in my place, "Mom, why would I be afraid? I have God on my side what else do I need? I want them to know Jesus." Yes, God can speak through a child.
I have seen a man stand before others as they were tearing down his character and not reply in anger but in grace. When I asked him why he didn't stand up for himself or put those people in their place his reply was, "Who I am does not come from what they think. Who I am comes from the one who created me. He holds my reputation in his hands. Yelling back gives others power and takes away His glory in me." After that God definitely spoke to my heart about how I respond in certain situations!
Other times I have seen a person serve with humility, unselfishness, and love that gave me an example for what I should be doing. People who would go on a missions trip they could not afford, to a country that no one wants to go to, leaving their family behind because God told them to go. He speaks through them by the way they courageously acted. (The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26) God has used my son to set an example of boldly proclaiming His name to his friends and not be ashamed. When I asked him if he felt silly or was scared to talk to his friends on the playground about God his response put me in my place, "Mom, why would I be afraid? I have God on my side what else do I need? I want them to know Jesus." Yes, God can speak through a child.
I have seen a man stand before others as they were tearing down his character and not reply in anger but in grace. When I asked him why he didn't stand up for himself or put those people in their place his reply was, "Who I am does not come from what they think. Who I am comes from the one who created me. He holds my reputation in his hands. Yelling back gives others power and takes away His glory in me." After that God definitely spoke to my heart about how I respond in certain situations!
I know there are many people out there proclaiming falsehoods about our God and we do need to guard our hearts. But God does use others to speak into our lives whether it is a pastor, friend, child, coworker, or even a stranger. Again we have the choice to listen, filter it through the truths we know from the Bible, and act upon it. Will we CHOOSE to be foolish or wise? Because my friends, it is definitely a choice whether to listen or not.
"....if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding" Proverbs 2: 1-3
and cry aloud for understanding" Proverbs 2: 1-3
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