The "checks in one's spirit"

The Bible tells us that God's sheep hear his voice. PERIOD.

None of this talk about "Well, God doesn't talk to me." or "I keep asking God for guidance but he never listens" blah blah blah.

God is not a man that he should lie. Therefore if he says his sheep hear his voice and you don't hear, AND you say that you do not hear his voice.....then you are not his sheep. PERIOD.

Let's face it, there are a zillion guidances and wisdoms we get everyday where we simply do not listen, stuff we simply disregard. Then when something bad happens, we say to ourselves, "Darn it! I kept hearing something in the back of my mind but..."

When I write my blog, I often ask myself, "What the heck will I write today?" And then I search what's in the back of my mind... just to see what's "in the back of my mind." When I edit, I check to see "what's at the back of my mind." When I decided to call someone, it's often because the person suddenly popped up "in the back of my mind" and I think God is calling me to pray for them. When I decide to suddenly do a certain thing it's because something was prompting me at "the back of my mind." Sometimes, discernment and guidance is merely about mindfulness, merely allowing one's self to be guided by intuition and that nagging thought. Yes, God has a still small voice. But we hear it anyway.

Oh, not everything in the back of our minds is God's guidance. Heck, there are a lot of nutty stuff in the back of my mind. But I'm aware that I'm a suspicious person... so I watch myself. Still, we dismiss a lot more of God's promptings than we should. Red Flags, are gifts from God... nagging feelings, sudden thoughts about folks we haven't thought about in a while... And the holy spirit never tells us to harm anyone. So the nagging thought at the back of our head...(if we're sanctified Children of God) is often powerful guidance, warnign us or leading us.

A classic example is what happened with David and his kids. (I'm sure David heard the still small voice in the whole Bathsheba debacle and didn't listen...but let's not get into that.)

Here is the situation. Amnon wants to rape his half-sister and does the following:

6So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.
7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat. 2 Samuel 13 6-7

NOTE: David didn't say, "Why should your half-sister bring you food?" Why didn't he ask this question? Oh, because it didn't occur to his rational mind that his son wanted to rape his daughter. But the still small voice doesn't tell you what's rational, it tells you what's true. So if David got a check in his spirit -- as we Christians call it-- he probably didn't allow the check to go too far. He just said to himself: (probably, cause...you know.. I wasn't there) Amnon likes Tamar's cooking. She's the best cook of all his sisters. Yeah, let him do it.

But later, after Tamar is raped by Amnon, up comes another problem. Absalom is royally pissed with his brother. He doesn't go around looking angry but he gives his brother the silent treatment for two or so years. Then he decides to have a party and he asks his dad, David, to let Amnon come to the feast.


26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? 27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 2 Samuel 13

Seriously? No, really...seriously? David gets a check in his spirit about this whole party business. And what does he do? He allows himself to be talked out of it. Mind you, David should've done something to Amnon long before this...and probably got a check in his spirit about that as well. But noooooooooo

Anyway, upshot: God gives wisdom to those who asks and does not upbraid!
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

If someone comes up to God and asks God for wisdom, God does not say to that person, "What an idiot you are! You should know better!"

No, God speaks once, yes, twice...

Job 33:12-33

Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

13Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

14For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

17That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

18He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

20So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

23If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

25His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

27He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

30To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

31Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.

32If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

33If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.