The Last Word

      Before we get started on what the learned people say, I just have to tell you this. I know many if not all of you have had this same experience in your lives, but I thought it was just like God to let me experience it again today when He knew I was going to be writing. I am knee deep in fireworks at our family stand in Republic. Living in such close quarters can be challenging to say the least. At home, my husband and I have given each other plenty of space since retiring, and that works pretty well. He does his thing, I do mine, then we do OURS. Up here though we're together 24-7 and besides that it is bloomin' hot! Needless to say, we are not on our best behavior. My husband is a very talented man, and can fix or make almost anything we want or need. He even maneuvered a way for us to be able to sit in the air conditioning and hear a beeper when someone walks into the tent so we can go out then,staying cool most of the time. Anyway, along with all these talents comes a dose of perfectionism. A big dose. He doesn't usually hesitate to give all of us directions on how to do just about anything . I even got a lesson on how to brush my teeth last night. I tend to  take that with a grain of salt, knowing Who gives me all the strokes I need. However, this morning, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine ('the devil made me do it' .....remember that phrase?). I layed it on pretty thick and it felt SO GOOD! Unfortunately, (actually fortunately) within less than 20 seconds a voice inside my head repeated, "Do not repay evil for evil...." now mind you I am not such a Bible scholar that I know a bunch of scripture by heart (although I should). I had to do a search online to find the exact scripture ( Romans 12:17 "Do not repay Evil for evil; consider what is good before all people". My point is this: in my human state I would not think of a bible verse at that particular time. It was feeling too good to recognize my nastiness. But the Holy Spirit within me had other ideas. Example number 1. If you are saved and the Holy Spirit is within you, God uses the voice within us to speak to us and let us know His will.
        Of course the Bible is a great reference to discern Gods will. Nothing will ever be in His will for us that contradicts what He has given us in The Word. And because the Bible is an instrument of God that is active and alive, He can also lead us to parts of the Bible that specifically answer a question we have.
      People can also be used by God to give us answers or direction.  When you hear something totally unexpected that is most likely a "God Thing".  Sometimes it happens that we meet up with someone we haven't seen for a long time.  Sometimes it's a friend we see often that would not usually EVER say what they have said to you.  Sometimes it's something we hear in church or on a radio show.  Sometimes it's even a song heard on Christian radio.   The strongest messages from God can come in these ways.
      Henry Blackaby talks about God speaking to us in circumstances.  Many times, if it is a negative circumstance, we cry out with a loud "WHY???" to God.  We feel like He is far away, not answering and/or speaking to us at all.  Blackaby suggests that we can get into spiritual difficulty if we look at God and make a judgment about His love and direction for us in the middle of circumstances.  He reminds us to always remember WHO God is, and what God desires for us.  He asks us to pray that God would reveal his prospective in our circumstances.  Sometimes that revelation doesn't come until those circumstances are in the past.
      So , there you have it.  God can give us His will in many ways.  Does He do this without our participation?  Nope.  You probably won't even recognize what He is trying to say without daily (if not moment to moment) communication with Him. Just be sure and give Him the 'last word'.