Hearing God: What Jesus Said

2.    A Message of Direction

In Acts 10 we read the story of a God-fearing man named Cornelius who had a vision from God one afternoon. In the vision God tells Cornelius to send some men to Joppa to find Peter and to bring him back to him so that he can hear what Peter has to say (in other words, so Peter could preach to him). The next day, at about noon, Peter has a vision from God. In the vision God shows Peter a sheet lowering from heaven with all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds on it.

In the vision, God tells Peter to kill the animals and eat them…to which Peter says no. Why? Because Peter was a Jew and Jews were forbidden to eat the animals that he saw on the sheet. These animals were considered “unclean.” But in the vision God says to Peter, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15). This happened three different times. Then, while Peter was trying to figure out the meaning of the vision, God said to him:

“Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them” (Acts 10:19b-20).

The next day Peter heads to Joppa with these men. When he arrives, Cornelius tells him about his vision and asks Peter to tell them everything the Lord has commanded. In that moment, Peter immediately comes to grips with the meaning of his vision and of Cornelius’ vision: The Gospel—the message of Jesus Christ—is a message that is not just for Jews, but it is for Gentiles too. In other words, the message of Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE.

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” (Acts 10:34-36)

As a result of Peter’s obedience to the voice of God, Cornelius, his family, and his close friends became the first Gentile Christians. What happened?

The right message from God, at the right moment in time, changed the momentum of the spread of the Gospel. 

Please hear this. God wants to speak direction into your life. He wants to give you direction at work, at home, and in other important areas of your life. He’s not simply observing your life from a million miles away. He’s actively involved in your life and he wants to speak direction into your confusion.

3.  A Message of Correction

This is the message most of us don’t want to hear. Correction usually isn’t fun. And yet, according to Scripture, God’s voice of correction is driven from a basis of love.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Several years ago I was working with a leadership organization that trained young leaders. It was a non-profit organization and each staff member had to raise our own financial support. I remember in the early days having one of those weeks where money had completely dried up. In fact, when I received my paycheck, I remember it was less than $300…and that was supposed to last for two weeks. Needless to say, when you have to go home and tell your wife that your paycheck wasn’t even enough to make the car payment, it’s not a very good day.

That particular week, our administrative assistant was out of town and so I was picking up the mail each day from the post office box. I was hopeful, because six weeks earlier a member of my support team promised to send me a check toward my personal support, but it had never come. So before I went home, I stopped by the post office, convinced the check would be waiting for me.

I rushed inside, put my key in the post office box, opened it up and grabbed the mail. I stood there with the box open shuffling through the mail as fast as I could. There was no check. And then, as clear as I’ve ever heard God, he said to me, “Stephen, man is not your source…I am.”

I don’t need you to tell me that God uses people to partner with him financially to advance His Kingdom. I’m fully aware of how that relationship works. But this wasn’t a word of theology, it was a word of correction. My trust had been misplaced, and God needed to address my heart. Did I feel like God was made at me? No! Was he firm? Yes! But God’s correction was not hurled at me in a voice of anger. Instead, it was whispered to my soul from a voice of love. What happened?

It was the right message from God, at the right moment in time, and it changed the momentum of my life in regards to trusting God. 

Whether it’s a word of encouragement, a word of direction, or a word of correction, in God’s extraordinary wisdom and love, he wants to speak to you and me. And what’s amazing about God is that when he speaks, it’s always the right message at the right time. And not only is it the right message at the right time, it has the power to change the momentum of your life.