Communicating With God - Hearing God's Voice

What should we call God?

When you're communicating with God, how do you refer to God?

Do you call Him Father? God? Lord? Yahweh? Some see God as feminine - so perhaps Mother?

The thing is many people have some very strong ideas about how we must refer to Him to be successful in communicating with God. Some folks go so far as to say that if you call God by any name other than His correct one He won't hear you. There may even be a few people who believe there is some sort of punishment associated with calling God something other than whatever they perceive His correct name to be.

So what are the names of God? Or perhaps what is THE name of God?

Personally I use "Father". I don't view God as masculine or feminine anymore. Spirit is neither and God is spirit. I was raised with that terminology and I'm comfortable with it. In my relationship with God what I call Him isn't important.

Let's assume that you've never tried to communicate with God before and now for whatever reason the events and experiences of your life are creating a desire within you to connect with God. You're wondering about names for God.

How should you go about calling out to God?

Well, there are a few things that need to be understood first.

1. God created you. You are in His image.
You could read the story of the father and two sons in Luke 15. That's a story that Jesus told about a son who spent much of his life away from the father and then returned. Jesus told the story to help you and I understand the great love the Father has for his children.

2. You are one with God.
Your spirit and His spirit are intertwined in such a way that it's impossible to tell where one starts and the other begins.
Scripture teaches that our spirit returns to God who gave it. Jesus's final words on the cross "Into Thy hands I commend my spirit". Spirit is the "real" you. It's not limited by physical constraints of any kind. It's that aspect of you that is one with God.

3. Bible characters didn't seem to stress over what to call God.
I can't think of a single place in the Bible where there was a question about how to address God. There were different approaches to communicating with God - from prayer to sacrifices to casting lots. If Bible characters didn't worry about it and Jesus didn't specifically address it - I don't think it's anything to worry about.

There's another issue that comes into play here as well. The God we read about in the Bible was defined in the Hebrew language. So there's a language barrier to some extent.

I suppose we could all learn Hebrew, read the scrolls and try to better understand God in that way - but the reality is there are folks doing that and - well it doesn't appear they're any better off in terms of communicating with God. A relationship with God doesn't come by studying scripture, Hebrew, Greek or anything else.

Let's imagine for a moment that the language of the Old Testament was English. Let's imagine that the King James Version of the Bible was the original text. Would it really make any difference? Would you suddenly be connected to God?

What if it was Japanese, Spanish, French or some other language?

Alright I'm getting a little off track here and you get my point.

Let's remember that we are dealing with Infinite Spirit here. God isn't a being that becomes upset if you call Him something other than what someone else thinks He should be called.

If you're God is the sort that does, then I guess you'd better figure out what He wants to be called and stick with that.

My God, however doesn't care. He just wants to communicate with me, and does. We just don't sweat the small stuff. Sometimes He calls me Robert and sometimes He just calls me without a name.

I like it just the way it is.

If you're still worried about what to call God, try this.

Get still. I mean really still. Still all your ideas and thoughts about God - even the ones about what to call Him. Then ask God what He would like you to call Him.

Whatever comes to you will be your answer. Go with that. That is something between you and God. It may be a personal name just for you to use.

When you get your answer, realize that every other person may be getting the same or different answer. God by any other name still wants a personal relationship with you. It doesn't matter what your name for God is.

What matters is that you're communicating with God!

How do you know when you're hearing God's voice?

Perhaps you've been praying or meditating and you sense you've heard God's voice - maybe.......... but how do you know it's God?

I've been asked "Is God's voice a thought or an actual voice that we hear?"

I'm not going to place limits by saying God's voice is one or the other or only these. I will say that I've personally experienced both.

The thoughts are more common for me. It may be that I'm just too uncomfortable hearing voices!

I mean people are thought to be crazy for that right? And here we are trying to hear God's voice!

But back to the question - How do we know it is God and not our own thought or perhaps the enemy?

Ok. I'm going to be very blunt here so don't take offense.

If you're praying to God and feeling like you're getting answers then they're from God. You ARE communicating with God.

Someone asked me one time - How do you know that the answers you're getting aren't from the devil? I replied "I don't pray to the devil".

If you're praying to God my friend, you can believe with all your heart that God will answer and those answers will not be coming from ANY OTHER SOURCE. You MUST believe that. God isn't playing games and doesn't expect you to either.

You will have people second guess you and test your confidence in your relationship with God. Don't mess with those folks. Best advice I can give. People that create doubts for you aren't helping you - you can probably create enough doubts yourself without finding help!

Now that's out of the way!

I think it's good to make sure if the voice you hear is God's - but in my experience it's been very obvious and I'll attempt to explain.

Let me say first that it's not easy to explain this via the written or spoken word - but I'll try.

One thing I've noticed is that the thoughts come fast when God speaks to me. I mean it's like a flood. I've used the term "download".

I'm probably a little slow but it's hard to keep up! And there has been NO doubt.

One particular time it was so obvious that God had spoken because I was so energized. I was ecstatic! The thoughts that came were not mine - it was an understanding of Grace - which I had asked for. I never really understood Grace. After that experience I did.

I can't really explain the feeling - but trust me when I say that you will know when God speaks to you!

It's not going to be condemning, accusing, judgmental, etc. You won't feel depressed, tired, etc.

Remember: God is Love. How does love make you feel?

If you've haven't experienced this yet - ask for it! Ask believing and you'll receive.

Now you may have a lot of stuff blocking communicating with God - and it may take some time for that stuff to get cleared away. Be patient. You have plenty of time and there's nothing to worry about.

How do you actually communicate with God?

This question brings up another for me - is it anything like communicating with another person?

Yes indeed. The skills we use for communicating with God are the same ones we use for communicating with each other.

So what defines good, effective communication?

Great communication is a two-way street right? I mean communication isn't too great if you're doing all the talking! If of course the other person is doing all the talking - you're in for a lecture - which isn't communication either.

How do you establish two way communication with God? You desire to hear God's voice and you want God to hear yours as well. A few years ago I learned that communication has more to do with listening than I had ever realized. Think about it. You want someone to listen to you when you speak - why is it so hard to return the favor?

You want to be fully understood when you talk to someone - why is it nearly impossible to put the effort into understanding the other?

This is where the breakdown occurs in communicating with God - and anyone else for that matter. God is not a spiritual Santa. So don't think you can offer a daily goodie list to God and get showered with everything you ask for. If you've tried this technique you know it doesn't work. That may be the reason you're reading this right now!

To avoid explaining further what doesn't work I'm going to give you something to try. The reason I'm giving you this exercise is because it works for me! It's outside the scope of this article to really go into great detail but it really is easier to communicate with God than you think - in fact - that may be the first hurdle to get over!

It does take commitment and determination - and the rewards are great!

Okay here's your exercise:

1. Find a quiet spot where you can relax and you will not be disturbed for an hour or so.

2. Sit comfortably and allow your mind to do whatever it does, but for this hour don't engage with it. Let it play and don't chase it. Just observe from a distance - don't get totally absorbed in observing either.

3. When you're relaxed and not thinking about anything in particular - begin to formulate the question or request you have for God.

4. Now just wait in that state. Don't try to think. Don't try to come up with the answer or solution. As they say - Let go and let God.

The verse in Psalms suggests "Be still and know that I am God". This exercise will help you to become still to communicate with God and hear God's voice.

Expect a miracle!

There are so many ideas about Grace in the world today - and all serve those who believe them. Christianity has complicated the concept of grace - much as it has done with all the doctrine of Christ. Fortunately the teachings of Christ are simple and if we seek the simplicity of Christ, the doctrine of Christ is revealed to us free of the obfuscations of men. While I appreciate you reading what I have to say about grace, I want more than anything for you to develop your connection with God so that you will receive your own understanding. There is no substitute for this connection!

I remember hearing grace described very powerfully. I even spent some time with the speaker asking them to explain it again. I had this sense that I was seeing and hearing something wonderful but I just couldn't get a grip on it for myself - it just wasn't mine yet.

That experience created such a desire in me to understand grace that I became rather desperate. In asking God to reveal it to me and waiting for the answer, I was richly rewarded. When the revelation came, it was so amazing. Grace was made so clear to me. I had to share it with others. I found that everyone I shared it with appreciated it, but didn't get it.

I then realized something very basic - I couldn't give people an understanding of grace.

There is a verse in James 4 - God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble.

Humility is letting go of all your thoughts and ideas about God. It's only when that baggage is left behind that God can give the revelation of grace.

Understanding grace and holding on to old ideas about God is like putting new wine in old wine skins. The old ways of thinking cannot contain grace. When you proudly hold to those old thoughts, God mercifully witholds the revelation of grace - to avoid the bursting that would result.

I'm going to take you on a brief diversion here. There is a fair amount of concern in the world today that grace is license to sin. Many staunch Christians really fear the concept of grace - they view it as some sort of free living that leads a person away from the principles of Christ.

This is the old wine skin trying to contain the new wine.

So what is Grace anyway? What is a Grace definition?

The original Greek word that became grace in the English translation of The Bible is charis. The definition of that word in Strong's Concordance is: The divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.

This grace definition is awesome in its simplicity and power.

The Divine influence (grace) upon your heart needs no rules, church structure or belief system. All it needs is humility. Once that need is met - the influence of grace produces results in the life.

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal - until the whole was leavened.

That influence of leaven was reflected in the whole lump of meal. Grace is that way. There isn't any aspect of the life that is unchanged. Grace leavens the whole lump!

The divine influence never produces sin - period. The divine influence isn't subject to your church's rules either. Divine influence isn't subject to any rules or limitations. That's why people fear it so much. Freedom - true freedom is a frightening thing. Most people are afraid of the personal responsibility that true freedom requires. It's much more comfortable to have rules - codes to live by - even if it keeps a person stuck and bound to foolish traditions and ideas.

Grace is a divine influence. That influence produces true freedom. That's why Jesus could say You will know the truth and the truth will set you free. There is no bondage in grace. There is no fear in grace. There is no lording over another in grace. Grace is not a system of power over large groups of people.

People who are under grace are not subject to anything except the divine influence - that was the example of Christ - and people feared it in his day just as they do today. That divine influence produced a perfect life then just as it does now.

So - if you're after an understanding of grace, be warned that there will be many close to you who probably will not be comfortable with your new understanding and deeper relationship with God.

Now I'm going to give you my grace definition.

It came to me after nearly a year of meditation and asking for an understanding of grace. I have no doubt it came from God to me.

Now you can decide for yourself if my definition is relevant to you.

It's simple. The ramifications are enormous.

Without further discussion here it is:

God gave you and I His Son. When you and I accept that Gift our sin is forgiven and we are reconciled to God.

The key to understanding grace is in the nature of a gift.

When a gift is given there are two responses available. Either it is accepted or it is rejected.

If it is accepted there is often gratitude expressed. In human circles a gift requires a gift - right? Just like Christmas - you give and receive gifts.

The thing with the gift of God is - there's nothing else to be done. That gift takes care of everything. That's what the Divine Influence does. Nothing you can improve it, make it better, greater or more powerful.

In fact anything you do to make it more than it is devalues the gift. It may even become the equivalent of rejecting the gift.

We as humans struggle with accepting the Gift of God because we feel obligated to return something. What happens is that we are so overcome with a sense of obligation that we consume our lives with giving back to God - the creator of all who needs nothing - not even whatever it is we strive to give back.

What happens when you graciously receive the Gift and rest in the provision of it you experience a change in your life that requires no effort on your part. You receive an inward work. A renewing of your mind. A change of heart. Power in your life. That is the result of the Divine Influence.

You cannot manufacture these results. You cannot duplicate them. All the years of reading and studying the bible, church attendance, etc. will not produce them.

Acceptance of the Gift will. It is the ONLY thing that will.

You may find religious activities enjoyable and helpful to you and that's good. but they will not and cannot change your life in the sense that accepting the Gift of God - the Divine Influence will change your life.

Here are a few more verses about grace for your consideration.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (KJV)

Moses provided a very structured set of rules for God's people to follow. They couldn't do it, but they tried and failed, tried and failed. God knew something had to be done so He sent Jesus to show us a better way. Jesus brought grace and truth.

Hebrews 8:10-11
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (KJV)

Laws put into our minds and heart are the divine influence. You need no external constraints. No one needs to tell you what to do, where to go, etc. That's grace and truth. You are done with the old try and fail, try and fail. There's no longer a fight between what you know to do and what you do. When the writing is done in the heart, it's like the program written on a computer's hard drive.

I'll leave you with some scripture in Romans about grace:

Romans 5:10-6:2
10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned
13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

CHAPTER 6

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (NIV)

What is communication with God?

Perhaps the better question is - What aspect of communicating with God are we most interested in?

Obviously we can talk to God. Anyone with a touch of spirituality talks to God. So talking to God isn't the problem - may not even be very interesting to consider.

The part that is of interest is hearing God's voice right? I mean we kind of know how to talk to God. There are examples of prayer in the scripture and most religions provide some type of direction for talking to God.

The piece that seems to be missing is the piece that allows us to hear the voice of God.

How to hear God - That is the question really. If we can hear God then we feel we're communicating with God.

I'll tell you here how you can hear God's voice. This is from my experience. This took a lot of years to learn.

There are a three things that will help in hearing God's voice.

1. Forget everything you know about God.
2. Tell God you want to hear from Him.
3. Wait patiently and expectantly - you will not be disappointed.

Let's look at each one of these a bit more.

1: To forget everything you "know" about God is to drop all your assumptions, expectations, training, ideas, - everything. Guess what? You don't need any of that stuff - in fact - it's getting in your way.

You know all about God - yet you cannot hear his voice. Does that make sense? Maybe you are assuming too much about your knowledge of God.

To forget everything you know about God will not be easy - but it will bring freedom - and it will deliver you to a place where you can hear God's voice.

2: Step two is putting God on the alert - and it also places you on the alert - creates an expectation. If you believe God is capable of hearing you and speaking to you and you never ask God to speak to you - how much faith do you really have that God will talk to you? So ask - and do it believing.

3: Wait. Here's the hard part. You may think you hear something. Your mind may receive a thought that causes you to wonder - was that God?

Let me pose a question. Do you think God is incapable of letting you know it's Him when He speaks? In other words - Do you really think there will be any confusion?

If there is confusion God hasn't spoken yet. Here's the deal: When God speaks to you there will be NO DOUBT! Trust me on this one. God doesn't mess around. He doesn't speak in ways that confuse. He doesn't give messages that leave room for second guessing. God is definite. His messages are powerful.

It will be the most thrilling thing you've ever heard.

Someone told me recently that I needed to figure out if I was a Christian or a spiritualist.

I was trying to explain to them that I believe in Christ but also find that Christianity today is not serving the needs of people who are looking for something more spiritual.

After looking up the meaning of spiritualism I know I'm not that.

So here's my question:

Do I have to fit into some pigeon hole? Some predefined, definitive category?

If I don't do I exist?

I read the beliefs of modern day Christianity - I'm not exactly that either.

Strange. Somehow it doesn't bother me.

Gets me to wondering......

If we had to pigeonhole Jesus where would we stick him?

Maybe the first thought is "Christian". But that seems a little strange. The term wasn't even invented until he was long gone.

He was kinda New Agey in some ways but that doesn't seem to fit. Besides He lived a long time ago - hardly "new".

"Healer" might work but it has some negative connotations which would probably make a number of believers cringe.

"Preacher", "Evangelist", same thing.

I think "Spiritual Leader" would be good. Some may confuse it with spiritualism - so that's out.

"Rebel" might be a good category for Jesus. He was against most of what the religious leaders of his day stood for. In fact, he had some ideas that were thought strange by most of his peers.

I guess you could say he was all of these and more.

Son of God may be the simplest category to put Jesus in. But then he'd be lumped with everybody else and what's the point of a category if it includes everyone?

Which brings me to a point.

Why do we feel so compelled to categorize? Even the posts on this blog are categorized.

We're talking people and their beliefs here though.

Somehow if I can slap the label of Christian on you then I feel like I understand you - or at least know enough about you to stay away from you!

And so it goes - the constant labeling and categorizing.

And none of it really sums up the wholeness of the individual getting pigeonholed.

But we don't care - we're not doing it for them. We're doing it for us.

We need all the help we can get trying to understand others with our limited ways of thinking so we categorize and label.

So what am I?

Good question.

If you're looking for a category to stick me in, you'll probably find one.

I kinda hope you don't try but ultimately it is up to you, isn't it?

Perhaps you've been praying or meditating and you sense you're hearing God's voice - but you're not sure - how do you know?

I suppose we'd all like definitive answers all the time. In spiritual matters it doesn't always work that way. There is a reason for this. In our human/physical way of thinking we only see a few of the options available. Spirit is open to all the possibilities - even the ones we can't accept in our limited way of thinking.

Often while we're praying or asking from our limited perspective, God is reaching out to us from His infinite perspective and we simply feel disconnected - as if we're not completely understood by the Almighty.

When we let go of our ways of thinking and limited expectations for the solutions to our problems - we can be more open to God's unlimited possibilities and we'll simply stand in awe of God's amazing answers and work on our behalf.

Therefore, the first thing you need to do when wondering if you're hearing God's voice is become open to the possibility that God is speaking to you in all kinds of ways - audibly, through events, by other people or by giving you words or thoughts that seem to come from beyond your own understanding - to name a few.

Remember we're dealing with the infinite here. As the scripture teaches - With God all things are possible.

Relax your preconceived notions about God as best you can and then consider a couple examples from The Bible where a man wanted to be sure that he was hearing God's voice.

In the Old Testament book of Judges there's an amazing story about a man named Gideon. God's people were suffering under the Midianites and God sent an angel to speak to Gideon.

When God gave Gideon the message, Gideon asked for a sign that it was truly from the Lord. Then when Gideon brought food, the angel touched it with his staff and fire consumed the meal Gideon had prepared.

Perhaps a more familiar story is the one about the fleece. Gideon laid a fleece on the ground and asked God to make the fleece wet and the ground around it dry. Then for confirmation Gideon asked the next day for the fleece to be dry and the earth around it wet with dew.

One might think that God would be upset because Gideon didn't simply trust. That wasn't the case at all. Gideon just wanted confirmation, God gave it and Gideon obeyed.

Obviously if you're seeking to hear God's voice, you will want to know for sure when God speaks that it is from God.

So ask God to give you a sign. It can be anything you believe is possible. Of course you will probably want it to be something a bit unusual or unexpected. In other words don't ask God to prove he's speaking to you by making the sun come up in the morning!

The key to any communicating with God is to be completely open and willing for the communication and the action required.

What I mean by that is if you feel that God is asking you to do something you really don't want to do and you ask for confirmation and question and wonder and waffle around - You will not get real clarity from God regarding your dilemma. Ultimately you are creating your own mess by not being completely willing to do whatever God directs you to do regardless.

Often we find ourselves emotionally attached to a particular outcome and we pray and seek God's advice, and direction - but we're not really in a place to allow the infinite mind of God to have free course. We're consumed with what we think is best.

In this state we prevent clear communicating with God. Though God is speaking out to us, we disallow anything that isn't in alignment with our limited thinking.

So reduce your limits on God, be prepared for anything and put God to the test! He will reward you!

Hearing God's voice is the desire of many - but few seem to feel that it's their personal experience.

Why is God's voice so difficult to hear? Or is it?

There are some verses in 1 Kings 19 - I encourage you to read the entire chapter to get a feel for the context - but I'll paste in a portion that helps us understand a little about God's voice.

IKings 19:11-12 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (KJV)

These verses are the experience of Elijah - a prophet of the Lord.

After the tremendous display of natural force God spoke very quietly to Elijah. The verses indicate that perhaps Elijah was looking for a message from God in the wind, the earthquake, and the fire - but the message came as a still small voice to Elijah.

Suppose that Elijah had assumed that there was a message in one of those natural events - he might have left his cave intent on a mission of some sort - and missed the voice of God altogether.

Perhaps there's a little lesson for us here as we seek to hear God's voice.

Often we want to think that God gives us signs - and perhaps he does. Maybe we rush about doing one thing and another - feeling fairly certain that God is behind it - yet how often do we suffer from a sense that something isn't quite right?

Perhaps we didn't wait to hear the voice of God. Hearing God's voice may not be possible while we're doing everything we think we need to be doing. I'm not dogmatic about this - I'm just throwing out the possibility.

You know, there's a verse that says simply "Be still and know that I am God." There seems to be a thread running throughout the Bible and other spiritual books as well that indicates that stillness and quietness are essential for hearing God's voice.

Consider the example of Jesus - he often went out alone into the mountains to pray - it makes sense that he was finding a place of quietness so he could hear that still small voice.

Becoming still seems to be an increasingly difficult task in the noisy world we live in. If we're going to experience success in connecting with God we must find the time and place to practice stillness!

The story of Adam and Eve is viewed as myth by many and fact by some. I wasn't there and it really isn't important to me to worry about that kind of thing. I do feel that there are some vital lessons to be gleaned from the record of our first parents - lessons that can affect our life and relationship with God today.

When looking at relationship with God or as I like to term it - communicating with God - it's helpful to look at all angles. There is always something for us in the experience of others perhaps. That's why I like the story of Adam and Eve so much.

It's difficult to imagine, but think about the newness of everything - a new world, new garden, and two brand new people to share it. Two new people in relationship with God - able to walk and talk with Him - perfect communicating with God.

Let's get a little background and then get into it.

At the end of Genesis chapter 2 it says that Adam and Eve were both naked and were not ashamed.

In chapter 3 we have the story where Eve is beguiled by the serpent, eats the forbidden fruit, gives it to Adam and he eats as well.

Now the forbidden fruit was plucked from a tree about which God had said: Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

The serpent came along and told Eve "Ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil".

Verse 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.

God came walking through the garden and Adam and Eve hid themselves. God called out to them and Adam told God that they were afraid because they were naked.

It is interesting to me that nothing really changed regarding the state of Adam and Eve. What I mean is that they were naked before they ate the fruit and they were naked after they ate the fruit.

Let's think about it for a moment.

Here they are in a perfect world - naked, eating of wonderful fruit growing all around them, talking and walking with God on a regular basis and suddenly they are ashamed of themselves and separated from God.

What actually happened when they bit into that forbidden fruit?

The received exactly what Satan said they'd receive. They received the knowledge of good and evil! And who wouldn't want it? It was irresistible! So desirable! They couldn't help themselves!

So what is this irresistible fruit? Simply put it's judgment! Anytime we partake of the knowledge of good and evil we put ourselves into a place where a choice is required, a judgment must be made.

There is something in the human heart that longs to be right. It is so important - it's more important than life itself. Many will gladly give up their lives for a cause - something they feel is right. Adam and Eve did as well.

If we are going to be right about something - anything really, we must partake of the knowledge of good and evil. There's no other way. We must have that knowledge before we can act and become right.

There's just one teeny problem. Communication with God is sacrificed when we become consumned with the knowledge of good and evil.

Let's consider the story of Adam and Eve further.

Their nakedness didn't bother them before they ate the fruit. Now they're ashamed of their bodies and won't allow their creator to see them.

Before they enjoyed walking and talking with God. Now they're not good enough to be in his presence. Once they were free to just be with each other. Now they're blaming.

What changed? Their perception of their situation changed. That's all. God didn't change. He showed up to walk and talk with them as before.

The garden didn't change. Their nakedness didn't change although they tried to cover it with fig leaves.

While before they were in an amazing place of acceptance of who they were, where they were and knowing oneness with God now they're in a fearful place of judgment, feeling that something is wrong with them and feeling separated from God.

Fear and separation is always the result of eating the fruit of knowledge of good and evil and that's hell.

God intervened in the story but nothing was ever like it was before. That's what judgment does for us. Even though the moment is past the memory of the judgment stays with us. That memory prevents us from ever experiencing the state of bliss we knew before.

We can't shake it somehow. No matter what God does to make things right, we can't allow ourselves to forget that original sin.

What do you want? What does God want?

Is it what Jesus prayed in John 17:20-23?

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (KJV)

The story of Adam and Eve really points to the basic tendency we as humans have of getting into judgment. It's a field we're just not designed to play in! That's why Jesus taught "Judge not".

Following Christ is all about realizing our oneness with God. It's about communicating with God - walking and talking with God - just as Adam and Eve did in the garden of Eden.

I know it's counterintuitive but have you ever wondered if you just might be able to deepen your communicating with God by reading The Bible less?

Christians are taught that the Bible is the inspired word of God. For them, The Bible becomes the last word on almost every issue. The teaching persists that if you want to know God you must do it through The Bible.

Many believe that all Godly communication must be compared to scripture - and accepted if and only if it is in alignment with the written word of God.

There's a lot of logic in that approach and it appears to be safe. It has been the approach of mainstream Christianity for hundreds of years. During that time churches have split multiple time, new ones have developed and today we stand with over 30,000 denominations around the world that call themselves "Christian". (So I've read. I haven't counted but I know the number is quite large.)

For myself I'm no longer in favor of the idea that Godly communication must be compared to scripture. Actually if you spend much time reading your Bible you will find that God spoke very personally to people and the messages were never the same. Those folks in the Bible didn't have a book to compare the message with. They had to depend on something called faith.

Now I'm going to say it here and it may offend some folks but it's the truth as I see it. The Christian systems of religion are set up in such a way that faith isn't needed. Everything is set out like a mathematical formula. All you must do is A + B and multiply by C and you get Salvation. It all seems scriptural and spiritual and safe - and it is to a certain extent.

The problem is that such systems eliminate any real need for a deep spiritual connection to God and they leave many people feeling a unsatisfied longing for something more. Often those folks feel locked in to their religion and fearful of seeking God outside that form. So they carry on feeling unsatisfied, wondering if something is just wrong with them and hoping that someday everything will turn out okay - just trust the formula - right?

I have even heard people talk about how terrible it would be if government were to take Bibles away. Apparently this has happened in some forms of government.

Let's be clear. Your relationship with God is not Bible dependent. If it is you don't have a relationship with God.

I would say to you - Put your Bible down and communicate with God! Try it! Instead of reading what God said to Paul or David or Martha, find out what God says to YOU! Are we as Christians living in such a state of faith deprivation that we think we have to take what God said to someone a couple thousand years ago and apply it to ourselves today? Do we really think that God CANNOT speak to us today?

The answer to that question is largely a yes. We have lived so far from God for so long that there are very few people who really believe that God really will speak. I'm here to tell you that God WILL speak to you just as He spoke to Isaiah, Mary and yes, even Jesus.

You don't need any paraphernalia. Not even a Bible. You don't even have to be a member of a church.

There are a few requirements - and yes I found them in the Bible. You see the Bible is an awesome resource. I highly encourage you to study it and read it. Just don't mistake that for a relationship with God.

Scripture indicates that humility of spirit and pureness of heart will bring you close to God. Another thing is key. It is stillness. When we become still and wait on the Lord we will be rewarded. Scripture promises that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Perhaps we could say that diligence is one of the keys. It's a way of intentional living - living with the intent to be close to God, know God, have a relationship with God and communicate with God. Not just once in a while but constantly.

With constancy, diligence and stillness you will experience a deeper communicating with God.

How do I it's God and not my own thoughts?

In my efforts to help people with communicating with God, this question and variations thereof are asked most.

This is not a simple question to answer. I have written several essays on this topic and will most likely write more.

The reason I say this is that communicating with God is an individual experience. It cannot be otherwise. For me to define in specific terms what communicating with God is for you is to put myself in the place of God - and for you to accept that would be YOU putting me in the place of God. I will not take God's place and I ask you not to put me or anyone else in God's place.

Remember that God is Spirit. You and I are spirit as well.

Communicating with God therefore takes place on the level of spirit. We are so inundated and stimulated with the constant noise of the physical that it makes it very difficult to even be aware that spirit exists. In order to have clarity it seems best to silence the "noise" from the physical plane. This is what being still is all about.

When you still the body, quiet the mind, and focus on the spiritual connection you have with God, more than likely you will have thoughts come to mind.

Some of those thoughts may be "from God" and some may not.

Now, here is where you get to decide.

Your expectations of God will play a large part in how you determine which thoughts are from God.

Your "image" of God will have an effect as well. You see, we each have some ideas about how God speaks, what God says, etc. These ideas whether true or false define what we accept as "coming from God".

You may study the Bible extensively and that is good. The ideas about God you develop from your study will also impact how you define what is "from God".

These constraints and others determine what you will "allow" as thoughts from God.

You may find someone that would be happy to tell you which of your thoughts come from God but ultimately whether you believe them or not is up to you anyway. As helpful as that may seem, remember that individual has expectations, ideas and other constraints that impact what they see as thoughts from God.

Is this cause for alarm?

Absolutely not!

There is absolutely no need for anyone to have some sort of definitive scale to measure what is "of God" and what is "not of God".

The desire for that sort of thing - even though we may feel it's needful at first blush - gives rise to all sorts of religious systems of control and oppression that ultimately push people farther away from God than they were in the beginning.

Fortunately we are dealing with an unlimited, infinite God. No system we could ever develop could possibly allow for the infinite possibilities that God is.

Treat your thoughts with care. Don't be too hard on them or yourself. You may not always know precisely which thoughts are from God, but you can get a pretty good idea as you practice stillness and learn to allow your spirit to communicate with Infinite God.