Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9/6/2021
Does God speak today?
Does God speak today?
I was raised in a very serious Catholic family Which included three years at a Catholic Salesian boarding school before graduating from a Catholic high school.
The only relationship that I had spiritually was with my catechism book and what I could see and touch but I lacked the language to define what I was sensing in my spirit. Don’t get me wrong I loved God, I was devout, I was an altar boy, I served mass every day of the week and two and three times on the weekend. They offered a diet of conservative, foundational, biblical Christian teachings but limited discussions concerning the spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. And the lack of that seriously defined my spiritual boundaries.
I believe there are many whose spiritual boundaries are defined by the same things that defined mine back then. The truth is I wanted more but I didn’t know how to get more other than just doing more for God. When I graduated high school I was done with religion. Hard to believe that at one time I wanted to be a priest and in just a few years I didn’t want anything to do with religion at all.
At 25 when I moved to Denver I started visiting a different church almost every Sunday trying to find something that was meaningful. I started listening to sermons by people like Jack Hayford, Jerry Seville, the Hunters and started visiting a round church that was pastored by Marilyn Hickey and her husband Walley. They confirmed for me that spiritual gifts did not disappear when Jesus ascended into heaven. I learned that God still speaks today and his gifts are very much alive and working in the body of believers. (Do not misunderstand me I am not talking about a name it and claim it mentality.) I felt as though my conservative church upbringing gave me a recipe for life, but some key ingredients were missing. Maybe this is your story too, maybe you are on the quest for more of God and a deeper relationship with him as I was when I was 25 years old. interestingly almost 50 years later
I am still looking for deeper because I can’t seem to get enough.
When my son Ryan was six years old we lived in the Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque when we found a quaint little Baptist Church at the base of the mountain. We started going and I learned very quickly that the raising of hands in worship or saying amen was not only discouraged it was off-limits. When I asked him about the gifts of the spirit they said we don’t really teach on that here and perhaps you should find a different church with different beliefs.
I couldn’t believe it, I was actually asked to not come back.
Shortly after that, I went to a Catholic weekend retreat at the bequest of my mother-in-law. It was called a Christo, and was led by a spirit-filled priest. Rome had started to let a few priests journey into that more spirit-led life. Amazingly, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that day! When I went back to the office Monday, I had already informed God that I wouldn’t be talking to anyone about my weekend. (they would have to ask me.) I had no sooner entered my office when my secretary asked what I did over the weekend. Everywhere I turned I was forced to either lie or tell them what I had been doing. I had never heard God speak so clearly to me…ever! It was like hearing his voice in action. It was the first time I made a declaration to God that he answered clearly and concisely. I will never forget it. It changed my life.
The Old Testament tells a similar story in 1 Samuel 3: 1:10 Audible words from God were very rare then as they are now but Samuel as a young lad heard someone call out his name, not once but three times. Finally, the prophet Eli understood and told him how to respond. (Read it.)
We must understand that God doesn’t look at age or position but at faith and obedience. What I learned and what Samuel learned is there is a difference between having knowledge of God and knowing God. Most people never hear an audible word from God, instead, it is more of what happened to me that was clearly God calling out to me through circumstances. Through our thoughts, impressions, or pictures in our mind. They are no less valid than that audible voice! They are no less real and should not be any less impactful on our lives.
So how do we fine-tune our hearing so we don’t miss hearing God? The first is knowing, then listening, and finally responding in obedience to His voice, in whatever manner it comes. Do as Samuel did and respond in faith and do what the Prophet Eli said for him to do; “Speak, Lord, for your servant listens.”
And then? Humbly submit yourself to listen to the Lord and respond in obedience to what He says.
Josh Groban You raise me up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJxrX42WcjQ
