This answer would seem to indicate that "hearing" from God, other than reading scripture is Gnostic. I certainly would want to say that "hearing" from God should be confirmed through community and things that are clearly contrary to scripture are probably wrong. But the above definition seems WAY to narrow. After all if we do believe that God speaks to us then we have to allow for him to speak, and the above definition seems to lock down almost every way that we might hear from God outside of reading scripture.

It's kind of hard to decipher what Nihil Fit really thinks. Sometimes I think we shape our theology to fit our experience. If I don't hear the voice of God then God doesn't speak today. If I haven't seen healing then God doesn't heal today. Why arbitrarily give the pejorative label "gnostic" to any communication from God outside the Bible?

Jesus expects us to recognize His voice. He said His sheep hear his voice and will follow no other. There were prophets and teachers at Antioch "and the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Agabus the prophet in the New Testament approached Paul and "Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' "

Annanias says the Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
This was a private word to Annanias.

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you.

The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

Jesus knew the secrets of men and women's hearts. He told the woman at the well she had 5 husbands. This is called a word of knowledge.

I know God speaks today. He gives comfort, direction, correction and words of knowledge. Usually it is not audible, but it's often clear as a bell. Of course prophesy ought to be tested by other prophets or leaders. But let's admit that there is such a thing as prophecy today.

God does not give new revelation or doctrine outside the word of God, but He is personal and speaks to His children if we will listen.

Blackaby has a book, "When GOD speaks," and there were points raised by observation in the bible by the author which I believe may help us understanding how GOD speaks...

1. The key is GOD spoke, not how HE spoke. We should focus not on the burning bush, but the message.
2. When someone hears GOD speaking, they know that it is GOD. It is also indicated in the Word that we know the voice of our Shepherd. (John10:4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.)
3. The problem is not knowing what GOD is saying but in our willingness to obey.
4. If GOD has spoken to someone, usually, we cannot prove it we can only wait for the results to testify to GOD's work.
(When GOD speaks, Blackaby)

GOD bless!

This is an interesting debate. Obviously, protestants hold a high view of scripture, but what about when certain scriptures contradict (or are at least not easily reconcialable)? What do we do when Jesus doesn't follow the Old Testament purity codes? It seems like such a no brainer for us, but it would not have been for those people who held the Torah so dearly. We really have to consider these things because it is ultimately a question of how highly we hold the canon.

I totally agree. Many say that God does not speak anymore and that all that is gone when the Bible canonization was complete, but that for one is no where in scripture. To subscribe to a theology like that is to read into the text of the Bible something that it does not say. We have God's Holy Spirit, to lead us, direct us and help us witness. We now have the mind of Christ. We may not hear an audible voice, but it is through prayer and the echoing voice of scripture in our minds that God speaks to us. We may read a verse, and the Holy Spirit Calls it to our memory at the right time. Furthermore, although debatable is the gift of speaking in tongues. I was a in a service that a former Muslim was speaking at. He was radically saved, and woke up one night and began speaking in tongues and had no idea what it was all about, as in he had never been to a service that subscribed to this type of thing. To sum this up, God does in fact speak to us in many ways, but in NO WAY should it conflict with scripture. If it does, then it was not from God. If it is from him, it will in every way echo the teachings of scripture.

Tell me what you think.
Alexander Ehrich
doulovejesus@gmail.com

So what if I heard the voice of God. But in general I hate religion. Did he speak to me because he's unhappy with religion? Do I question what I heard? If I question what I heard I must question my entire existence. Maybe I am just a character in someones dream.

One night while going to sleep I heard a voice, three words, more of a riddle than a statement. Three words, the may as well have been 'figure it out' (the were not, I'll keep it to myself because it's personal). So what's the first thing I thought, "I did not just hear that". There it was again, 'figure it out'.

I just happened to be seeing a counselor at the time, (or maybe it happened because I was) so I asked him what it meant. He said one day you will figure it out, or not. Not to worry, if it is to be, it will come.

I forgot this happened for twenty years.

I remembered this 6 months before my job dictated I spend a great amount of time in semi isolation. Just me, my dogs, and a job to do. For 9 months I had many conversations with god, I never heard voices again, but I may have learned why.

I often thought the question "If you could ask God anything, what would you ask?" Personally the only question I have are maybe 'why are we here?' (I suspect that answer will reveal itself in time) and "Why me?"

My world makes sense to me.

Why me? Maybe because I hate religion, and so does God. Don't get me wrong, spirituality is an incredible thing. It guides us during tough times. It changes the lives of those unhappy and lost. It can help us to have faith in confusing times.

But religion is a creation of man. It is a tool for those who desire power to manipulate others. Religion has been prostituted and distorted into some test for the mindless to just accept that one has morals.

The harder one tries to convince you they have morals because of religion, the more they are lying. Faith is a personal thing, not a badge of honor.

Maybe my purpose is that I am destine to be a preacher. (A preacher who hates religion, right) During my 9 months of isolation (possibly forced meditation), A thought reached me, "If you are going to preach you better have something to say". Maybe today I have something to say. That would make this my first sermon.

God told me there is but one commandment.

CREATE BEAUTY