September 2024 – Hearing God’s Voice

HEARING GOD’s VOICE
Dear Friend in Christ:

September is a volatile weather month in North America as seasons begin to change between Summer and Autumn. Some will see snow while others will face tropical storms and hurricanes. Here in Mobile, we live in what is consistently ranked as “the rainiest big city in America.” (Sorry, Seattle.) Folks here say, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around, it will change.”

What we see in nature seems to echo what we are seeing in spiritual realms as well. Seasons are changing, and it’s dramatic. In recent years, the words I have heard most deeply have included   “pivot,” “re-alignment,” “discernment,” “integrity,” and “courage.” In fact, in last month’s Pastoral Letter, I wrote “Learn to Discern.” 

Who you believe will significantly influence what you believe. We must be careful to seek out and believe voices of wisdom, credibility, and integrity.  No voice is more vital to our lives than the voice of the Lord Himself.  In a time of multitudes of voices all constantly shouting at us for attention, we must be able to know and follow Jesus’ voice. How can we recognize His voice amidst the din of confusion?

First, we might ask, “Does God still speak today?” YES HE DOES! The Holy Spirit is here, He is speaking, and He invites us to go with Him. Jesus promised that He was sending a “Helper” — One Who would come alongside His followers and guide them in the ways they should go.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-14). 

This echoes the promise we read from Isaiah: “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).

My Dad often said, “Spiritual sensitivity is a matter of survival.” And he always rejoiced that God not only sends us a Compass (His Word), but also a Guide to walk with us in it. We have the Logos Word—the written Holy Bible. We also have the Rhema word, which is the “now word” that God is telling us in our present circumstances.  Authentic Rhema never conflicts with the Logos and will be confirmed by it. Anytime someone claiming a prophetic gift says, “Thus says the Lord,” check to verify if it lines up with Scripture.

We see immediately that knowing God’s Word is essential to knowing God’s voice. As I shared last month, “If you have never seen the real thing, you can easily be deceived by a counterfeit.” Reading and memorizing Scripture is a bulwark against deception and confusion. Start early with your kids and grandkids, your students, or anyone with whom you have influence. But it’s not too late for you to refresh yourself in the disciplines of knowing God’s Word. In fact, the best time is right now!

Less time inhaling cable news, social media, and talk radio, and more time fellowshipping with Jesus and His Word would be a healthy change for many of us. Our discernment and wisdom would increase, not to mention our peace and health. Fear and anxiety would subside and faith would arise. Also, reading books is wonderful, but when you read the Bible, you are also having personal communion with the Author.

KNOWING JESUS
Jesus calls us to not only know about Him, but to know Him; to not only believe He exists, but to believe Him when He speaks. And “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). True faith is hope in action. It’s tangible. It is substantial and evident. When we believe God, something happens in us that others see.  There is a transformation. We not only glorify God, but our transformation causes others to say, “Glory to God!”

Many books have been written about John 10. I only have a few paragraphs here, so I can only mention some highlights.  I strongly suggest regularly reading the entire chapter, as Jesus describes what it means to listen to His voice.

Jesus says, “he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:2-5).

But John tells us the Pharisees did not understand or believe Jesus, so He spelled out for them what it means to be a shepherd and what it means to be a sheep. The key is relationship.

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:14-16).

Jesus continued this dialog later in the Temple, as people demanded to know if He is the Christ. His answer was strong, clear, and very controversial.  Some wanted to kill Him for saying this:“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

The first thing I want to note is that Jesus says, “I know My sheep.” We belong to Him.  He ransomed us out of the chains of sin and death and paid the price with His own blood on the Cross.  The Father gave this precious flock to Jesus. And He knows us even better than we know ourselves.

About John 10, Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote: “Christians are here compared to sheep. Not a very flattering comparison you may say; but then we do not wish to be flattered, nor would our Lord deem it good to flatter us. While far from flattering, it is, however, eminently consoling, for of all creatures there are not any more compassed about with infirmity than sheep. In this frailty of their nature they are a fit emblem of ourselves; at least, of so many of us as have believed in Jesus and become His disciples….If Christ were not our wisdom, we should soon fall a prey to the destroyer. Every grain of true wisdom that we possess we have derived from Him; of ourselves we are dull and giddy; folly is bound up in our heart. The more conscious you are, dear brethren, of your own deficiencies, your lack of stamina, discretion, sagacity, and all the instincts of self-preservation, the more delighted you will be to see that the Lord accepts you under these conditions and calls you the people of His pasture and the sheep of his hand. He discerns you as you are, claims you as His own, foresees all the ills to which you are exposed, yet tends you as His flock, sets store by every lamb of the fold, and so feeds you according to the integrity of His heart, and guides you by the skillfulness of his hands. ‘I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.’ Oh, what sweet music there is to us in the name which is given to our Lord Jesus Christ of ‘the good Shepherd!’” – C.H. Spurgeon from “The Sheep and Their Shepherd.”

Notice that Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice.”  We can discern His voice above and beyond all other voices, because we know Him and He knows us. When my wife was pregnant with our daughter, I would talk every day to our little baby.  I’d put my face close to my wife’s tummy and tell our baby how much I loved her. I prayed over her.  I sang to her. I always said, in a high voice, “Toodle-Ooodle- Oooh!”

The time of birth came and there were some serious risks and complications. Both my wife and baby girl were very sick.  After almost 48 hours of labor, doctors decided to do a Cesarean Section, and immediately admitted our daughter into Pediatric Intensive Care. Everything was bright, noisy, and cold in the delivery room.  Our poor baby was agitated.  Nurses asked me if I wanted to carry her to PICU. Of course I did. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was screaming. As I took her in my arms and walked, I spoke to her: “Toodle-Ooodle-Oooh!” Her little eyes flew open.  She stopped crying immediately and stared intently right into my eyes. She knew her Daddy’s voice. She still does, and she celebrates her birthday this month, praise God!

Do you recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit above all other voices and noise? Get still and quiet. Listen to Him. Position yourself to receive His Word. He is speaking, if we will only hear.

Also, Jesus says that His sheep follow Him.  They are not only hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word (see James 1:22-25). Jesus saves His sheep and gives us eternal life. And it’s a gift no one can steal away from us because Jesus holds us firmly in His mighty hand. You can say, as young Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:7).

CHANGES
As we move towards Autumn, we are continuing in the biggest transition in the history of this ministry … and we’ve experienced many seasons of change before. A major part of our mission is “Restoring the Generational Bridge,” which requires great steps of faith. Some friends may decide now is the time to take a different path. In fact, some have.  We’re thankful for all who walked with us in the past. But, by God’s grace and leading, we are walking onward. We want to know if you who is with us for the journey ahead. (Fill out form below) If the Lord leads you to support us financially, then we are profoundly grateful. Some may not be led to give at this time, but you still want to journey on with us. You do not have to give money to be part of this ministry. All you need to do is let us know you still want to receive these resources, or to ask us to pray for you. We want to be good stewards of our resources, and we don’t want to bombard anyone with mail they don’t want to receive.  Can you pray with and for us?

We hope to see you April 29-May 1, 2025 for our annual CSM Gatlinburg Family Reunion. Our theme is “Restoring the Generational Bridge,” and we will have a wonderful ministry team there. Help spread the word and be watching our website, social media, and email for more information. CSM is launching a new series of weekly video devotionals and preparing a special tribute issue of One-to-One Magazine honoring the Lord faithfulness in my Dad’s life. We also have new videos on our CSMPublishing YouTube Channel. So much is ahead … so many new people are receiving the Good News of Christ’s Kingdom! Praise the Lord! We love you, pray for you, and give thanks to God for you each day.

In Jesus,
Pastor Stephen Simpson
President