Does God talk to people?

[jgrosshe]

Hello

My name is Joe and this is my first post to the forums so wish me luck
Im only 17 years old but have become deeply interested in my Faith recently and I’m here because I have a question that I want feedback from all religions… but specifically Catholic and Baptist…

Story:

My girlfriend is Baptist. One day she approaches me and says that God had told her something. I almost let out a laugh. She continued to say that she had prayed about our relationship and God had told her something so shocking that she couldn’t believe it. So she went to her parish and asked her youth pastor’s wife (without mentioning why) to pray for our relationship, and she miraculously came to the same conclusion.

God had told them both that her and I are going to get married. He said that somehow he would work it out.

When God talked to her she had been praying and she says she “heard a voice and then there was peace”. And then when her youth pastor made the same claim her conviction was complete.

I proceeded to ask others if God talked to them and it seems to be a common belief, particullarly among the baptists I have spoken to. In fact, some insist that God speaks to them on a regular basis.

So here’s my question: Am I missing something here? I’ve never heard of this before. Is this really God or is it all in their heads? Or is it maybe even some other spirit of a less “holy” nature?

To me this almost seems an infringement on our free will. I can’t imagine why God would tell someone who they were going to marry. Don’t we need to make choices without knowing the outcome so that we can learn and grow? I feel that if God just gave us road signs then… I don’t know what we’re living for…

Their defense is that even though God reveals to them His WIll that they don’t “have” to follow it. But if it’s all part of the Big Plan then how can you deny what God TELLS you is going to happen?

So uh, thanks for listening to my girl problems and you’re responses are greatly appreciated.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I wouldn’t put much stock in this.

Aren’t you just as capable of hearing from God on this matter for yourself?

 

[jgrosshe]

Thats what im wondering… Am I supposed to just be able to pray and hear God speaking back with me? Because thats never hapened for me…

 

[Convert66]

I wouldn’t discount it, but neither would I put any pressure on yourself to try to hear from God about it. In fact, your worry may cause you some damage to your own faith if you do not hear, or you try so hard you convince yourself you heard but can’t be sure, etc. Plus, she may bother you until she “forces” you to hear what she wants you to hear, so to speak.

Look at it this way . . .live your life. If you are to be married then you will be married when and if you are ready, and when (if) it happens then let your g/f believe what she will because you couldn’t prove or disprove that she has in fact heard from God. If it doesn’t happen, well, let her think you are being a rebellious jerk, which she would think anyway if you two were to break up.

Think of it as training for the day you do eventually marry whomever you marry. Nod, and say, “yes, dear. I’ll get right on it.”

Also, who knows what she told the pastor? She may have mentioned specifically what she thinks God told her, which could have unduly influenced what her pastor thinks he heard. Like I said, there’s really no way of knowing for certain on your end one way or another, so just let it play out.

All my best . . .

P.S. Of course, 17 is too young to be married anyway, so you have plenty of time to wait and see.

 

[Old_Convert]

Dear jgrosshe:

I am a Catholic, and yes, God does talk to us. I know this because He talked to me. But He talks to us “in our hearts” not through our physical sense of hearing. I’ll give you an example that happened to me.

On the morning of 9/11 I knew that my son, a Navy officer, was supposed to be at the Pentagon. Now, the plane that crashed into the Pentagon went into the Navy section of the building. I was lying face down on the floor in front of my television sobbing my heart out! I was in a state of hysterics! Over and over I prayed to God, “Oh, please, not my son! not my son!” Then all of a sudden I “heard” these six words “in my heart,” “I DIDN’T SAY NOT MY SON.” Nothing, nothing like these words had been in my mind before I “heard” them in my heart! All at once I found myself up on my knees, and I had completely stopped crying. It was as if I had never been crying at all! My tears were gone, my face was dry, and I knew without a doubt that my son was safe!

And I also knew a lot more. One of my big questions of faith had been answered. I always wondered why God chose to save us by sacrificing His Son in such a horrible and cruel manner as crucifixion. He could have saved us any way He wanted to. Would I, a human mother, sacrifice my son for anything, ANYTHING??? No way! Never! I’d rather die than have my son die! But God in His incredible love sacrificed His “only begotten son” for me . . . for me! to save me! Then I finally understood the overwhelming love of God. Those six words are carved into the flesh of my heart, and I will never, never forget them. I DIDN’T SAY NOT MY SON.

By the way, my son was driving a rented car with three other sailors in it on the Washington Beltway toward the Pentagon that morning when they saw the plane go in. They abandoned the car on the freeway and started running toward the Pentagon, but some Military Police turned them back and sent them to a bus staging area where a bus took them to Bethesda, Maryland. Mary’s land! Our Blessed Mother had Her hand in this, too!

But there’s a big difference between the way God “talked to me” and what your girlfriend is saying. When God really talks to us, He tells us something incredibly important for our further understanding of Him and His ways, something that will make our faith stronger and help us to live in peace. He doesn’t tell us things as simple, or “small,” as who we may or may not marry. Maybe one day He will choose to speak to you, and if He does you can bet it will be about something very, very important; something that will make you a stronger person and a stronger Catholic, something that will fill you with love and a peace like you have never known before, a peace that you will never, ever lose.

So live your wonderful life in peace, jgrosshe. Girlfriends come and girlfriends go, but God . . . and His Church . . . remain forever!

 

[apromisemade]

Think of it as training for the day you do eventually marry whomever you marry. Nod, and say, “yes, dear. I’ll get right on it.”

Classic.

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Yes, He does. According to forum rules, we are not supposed to discuss what are called personal revelations. But I believe that God speaks to our hearts and you have to be very silent in order to receive (not necessarily hear) what He is saying. There are many, many scriptural passages which speak about being silent before the Lord and I think that these days, we are so busy, and so surrounded by noise, that we are not able to concentrate on what the Lord might be saying to us. A priest once said in a homily, prayer is 10% talking and 90% listening. However, I think many of us use the opposite ratio in prayer–simply because we didn’t know that God would speak to us in our hearts. I discovered that journaling after prayer time was really helpful.

That being said, it is always important to test the fruit. Though God certainly can reveal a future event; I’m not sure how that information would aid you or your girlfriend in salvation. God isn’t our personal fortune teller. Sorry, it seems more like wishful thinking than God speaking and I am particularly wary that her youth pastor had the same revelation. Still, God can do anything. It just seems very strange, especially since you are only 17.

When God says He will arrange it, I hope that means that your girlfriend will be converting to the Catholic Church! If you are thinking about marriage, it is very important to marry someone within the faith. Though some couples can make it work, it is hard to be yoked to someone who does not have the same foundational beliefs-- and believe me, Catholics and Baptists are radically different.

Please be careful and better yet, be prayerful!

 

[pyropam]

**Old Convert, that was a beautiful story. That is exactly the way that I see it.

Just a few notes for jgrosshe…

1. God talks to each of us everyday. You may not know it was him. Sometimes he talks to us through the actions of other people. Sometimes through his written word. Sometimes in our hearts. Sometimes during prayer.
2. A wise Catholic Priest (Converted from Southern Baptist Minister) Father Gray Bean once told me…If someone tells you that God told them to tell you something, and it doesn’t sound quite right to you, then look at them and say this…I talk to him each day in prayer and he didn’t tell me that.
3. Don’t feel pressure to get married because someone says that God told them they would marry you. If God tells you that, well then thats a different story.

Take this advice from a recent Convert who is 45 years old and was raised in the Church of God and Baptist church.

**

 

[chaunceygardner]

Yes, God talks to us. Most Christians, especially Catholics, would say it is the Holy Spirit that is talking to or guiding them. However, I too would find it a little odd that God would communicate with someone about whom they will marry, unless it will have some significance (Think Mary and Joseph). I would think that in that case, God would also get that message to the other party as well.

As *Old Convert *so movingly said, people often hear God or feel God’s presence at times of stress or great need. Of course, that is usually when we need Him the most, and when we pray deeply for His mercy and comfort.

We also may hear from God when He is trying to get us to do something or make a change in our lives. Mother Teresa said this about her call:

The message was quite clear, it was an order. I was to leave the Convent. I felt God wanted something more from me. He wanted me to be poor and to love Him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.

Many people hear or feel a call from God, whether it is in the form of an inner voice or a feeling that one has. And if we receive that call, we should respond as Eli told Samuel to do:

"Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."

And go slow on this marriage thing. You are very young, and even if you are destined to be married, it doesn’t have to be next week. Good luck to you.

 

[Devi_Araelic]

Well first off, let me tell you that if you both get married there will be conflicts. First of all if you guys have kids you’re gonna have to decide what religion they’ll grow up with.

I dont think you should let that define your relationship with your girlfriend. I think that you should see what happens, if all goes well in the relationship I suppose you can get married. But I suggest you find someone in your same religion, it’s a lot less conflicting.

 

[apromisemade]

I should definately add that yes, I believe God talks to us.

There are times I have felt like He is speaking to me.

I decided to keep it to myself for the most part. But on the occasions that I have alluded to it, in, say, writing a poem or something, the best way I have been able to describe it is “feeling that voice inside my heart.”

On one occasion, this voice very literally saved my life, from my own hand.

I agree that He speaks to us more through thoughts, feelings, other people, and even experiences. I eventually decided to keep these experiences to myself (with the exception possibly of my mother) because I feel like everyone has their own journey to walk in accordance with Gods will and is unique in His eyes. Any message He might have for me may not be applicable to someone else.

 

[planten]

**This is a good and important subject / topic. So far only the christians have giventheir opinion in favor or against the belief that Gods speaks to his servants (mankind) in this age.

There was no need to give personal experiance or proofs that God speaks. That was an extra pleasure. The important point is that all faiths leaders (very senior persons) should tell:

1. Whether God speaks to mankind?
2. What is the official opinion about it?
3. What does the sacred book of each religion teach about it?
4. Does God speak to ordinary persons in this age in any way?
5. The Muslims and Jews and Hindus and Budhists and Mormons and JW’s and Baha’is may all please give their official view on this subject.
6. The question is: “Does God speak to ordinary persons who are not prophets?”

That, it seems, was the purpose of the OP. **

 

[Kalos]

Great question Joe! And wecome to the Forum

I wish that i had been as spiritually tuned in as you when i was your age! I’m 54 now and i know that my life would have been radically better if i had a personal relationship with God at that time. Believers really need to be led by the Holy Spirit if they want to experience all that God has for them. And now i understand that what He has for us is so much greater than what the world has to offer. This is really the big question of life, are we going to follow our own desires or do we yield ourselves to God? The choice is yours. It will determine your success in this life and the next.

I believe if we are yielded to God and are serving Him, then we will not need to worry about such things as who to marry, what is my career, how will i have enough money, where will i go to college, where will i live, etc. The wise man of God will live in the Spirit, not in the flesh. (Please study Rm. ch. 8) Life in the Spirit is the secret of the saints.

Now this is important, the key to this is prayer. I am not talking about the way most people pray, which is to get things. While this is not wrong, it is good to get a blessing, it is far better to LIVE IN THE BLESSING. This is actually the normal Christian life, but let me tell you that few people achieve it. While i have not yet made it there myself, fortunately i have known one or two who have, and i have determined to follow their example. What you need to do is seek God’s face and not His hand. This includes true worship which goes together with prayer. Neither prayer nor true worship are possible without the Word of God, the bible. You must be a diligent student of the Word. Without knowing and believing all of His word, God will not speak to you. Belief is faith and we recieve everything from God by faith. The Bible says “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing [His voice] by the word” (Rm.10:13).

Yes, i believe that God speaks to us and that He is more willing to speak than we are to listen. But , as i said, it takes diligent commitment on our part. It takes acting by faith on God’s word. For example, we must first believe that we are worthy to have our prayer heard. We do this by faith. By faith in what? In the promises that we are given in the Word. Many believe it is better to pray to a saint in heaven because they are more worthy than we or they are closer to God than we or God is more ready to grant their request. All these things are not faith and God will not honor such prayer. God always honors His promises when we stand firmly on them. You must find out what the word of God says about who you are and what you have in Christ. This is the way of spiritual progress.

Well let me say Joe, in reference to your girlfriend, that for women it is often easier for them to hear God’s voice because they are by nature more trusting than us guys. We tend to be more sceptical. See for example Acts 12 were Peter is released from prison by an angel, and goes to John Mark’s mother’s house where the disciples are hiding out and Rhoda believes right away that its Peter at the gate but the disciples refuse to believe. I think your friend has a Rhoda kind of faith to hear from God.

There is of course, much more to be explained about the how and why of hearing from God. It is a deep subject, and it is something you rarely hear spoken of from the pulpit in most churches. At least not in a way that would explain the mystery of it, yet i think it is the thing most basic to the Christian life. If you have more questions or would like resourses, feel free to message me.

 

[Reuben_J]

… This includes true worship which goes together with prayer. Neither prayer nor true worship are possible without the Word of God, the bible. …

What is it and how it is done?

…Many believe it is better to pray to a saint in heaven because they are more worthy than we or they are closer to God than we or God is more ready to grant their request. All these things are not faith and God will not honor such prayer. …

How do you know that one does not have the faith when saying this kind of prayer? How can you be sure that God will not honor or answer such prayer?

Thanks.

 

[Sam_777]

To me this almost seems an infringement on our free will. I can’t imagine why God would tell someone who they were going to marry.

** 6. The question is: “Does God speak to ordinary persons who are not prophets?” **

I personally believe that if the person is a holy one (i.e., strictly following the 10 commandments) then I believe God can talk to him, so if jgrosshe and his girlfriend never committed adultery in their pre-marriage relation, then I believe her, else I think she made up that story.

 

[planten]

I personally believe that if the person is a holy one (i.e., strictly following the 10 commandments) then I believe God can talk to him, so if jgrosshe and his girlfriend never committed adultery in their pre-marriage relation, then I believe her, else I think she made up that story.

Sam_777, it is a good test and a good reply from you. Also your first sentence that God speaks to holy persons, that is also correct. Thanks.

 

[KrazyKaiju]

Hello

My name is Joe and this is my first post to the forums so wish me luck
Im only 17 years old but have become deeply interested in my Faith recently and I’m here because I have a question that I want feedback from all religions… but specifically Catholic and Baptist…

Story:

My girlfriend is Baptist. One day she approaches me and says that God had told her something. I almost let out a laugh. She continued to say that she had prayed about our relationship and God had told her something so shocking that she couldn’t believe it. So she went to her parish and asked her youth pastor’s wife (without mentioning why) to pray for our relationship, and she miraculously came to the same conclusion.

God had told them both that her and I are going to get married. He said that somehow he would work it out.

When God talked to her she had been praying and she says she “heard a voice and then there was peace”. And then when her youth pastor made the same claim her conviction was complete.

I proceeded to ask others if God talked to them and it seems to be a common belief, particullarly among the baptists I have spoken to. In fact, some insist that God speaks to them on a regular basis.

So here’s my question: Am I missing something here? I’ve never heard of this before. Is this really God or is it all in their heads? Or is it maybe even some other spirit of a less “holy” nature?

To me this almost seems an infringement on our free will. I can’t imagine why God would tell someone who they were going to marry. Don’t we need to make choices without knowing the outcome so that we can learn and grow? I feel that if God just gave us road signs then… I don’t know what we’re living for…

Their defense is that even though God reveals to them His WIll that they don’t “have” to follow it. But if it’s all part of the Big Plan then how can you deny what God TELLS you is going to happen?

So uh, thanks for listening to my girl problems and you’re responses are greatly appreciated.

Ask her what her experience with God was like. If she felt comfortable, that might not be God. I think an apologist said that when you see God, you’ll be trembling, on your knees, etc.

I’m not sure what his source is, and I’m not sure if the same applies for hearing God. If you’re interested in listening to my source, it’s somewhere in a lengthy 8-part YouTube video starting here: youtube.com/watch?v=WKBjZ7KFhIg

 

[tbcrawford]

**Old Convert, that was a beautiful story. That is exactly the way that I see it.

Just a few notes for jgrosshe…

1. God talks to each of us everyday. You may not know it was him. Sometimes he talks to us through the actions of other people. Sometimes through his written word. Sometimes in our hearts. Sometimes during prayer.
2. A wise Catholic Priest (Converted from Southern Baptist Minister) Father Gray Bean once told me…If someone tells you that God told them to tell you something, and it doesn’t sound quite right to you, then look at them and say this…I talk to him each day in prayer and he didn’t tell me that.
3. Don’t feel pressure to get married because someone says that God told them they would marry you. If God tells you that, well then thats a different story.

Take this advice from a recent Convert who is 45 years old and was raised in the Church of God and Baptist church.

**

Quite agree pyropam
Hello Joe what a lovely young man you are.I wish like other poster here that when i was your age i had such a good relationship with God.
By the way my mum is a convert to catholicism from baptist
All i can add is God has answered my prayers and he sends people my way to help me.

Our parish priest told us a joke during one of his weekday homilies once…

There was a flood and people prayed to God for help.
Firemen arrived in a boat and rescued some people this one particular man refused to go and said “no thanks i prayed to God and He will save me”.
The flood got worse and the man had to sit on the roof of his house
a helicpoter cam to rescue him again the man said"no thanks i prayed to God and He will rescue me"
Eventually the flood was so bad the man drowned
when he got to heaven the man said to God “why didnt you save me?”
God said to him " i sent you the fire brigade a helicopter etc what more did you want?"

The moral of the story being…God may not talk words to each of us but He helps us by sending others to us who can help us.
I dont know about your girlfriend but she believes it.
You live your life and see what happens dont worry about it all your 17 enjoy life and pray to God for yourself.
God bless

 

[Jay53]

I personally believe that if the person is a holy one (i.e., strictly following the 10 commandments) then I believe God can talk to him, so if jgrosshe and his girlfriend never committed adultery in their pre-marriage relation, then I believe her, else I think she made up that story.

Sorry, Sam, but I don’t agree with this. I don’t think you have to be “holy” in order for God to talk to you. What if God wants to talk to someone to set them back on the right path - give them a “wake-up” call so to speak?

 

[planten]

Jay53:
Sorry, Sam, but I don’t agree with this. I don’t think you have to be “holy” in order for God to talk to you. What if God wants to talk to someone to set them back on the right path - give them a “wake-up” call so to speak?

** Jay, you are also right.

I may add my opinion as follows:

God always speaks, even in this age. He speaks to every one, good or bad. If God does not speak to any one now then He does not hear too.

The speech of God is considered as revelation (Wahi) amongst Muslims. Muslims believe there is no more wahi of any kind. That seems to be wrong. That is analogous to saying that God does not speak to any one any more.

I mention a few examples of God talking to different persons according to the text of Quran:

1. God talked to the mother of Moses. She was not any prophetess.
2. God talked to Hagar. (bibleOT)
3. God talked to Sarah. (BibiltOT)
4. God talked to Mary, the mother of Jesus (Al_Quran)
5. God spoke to the disciples of Jesus to help Jesus. (Al_Quran)

There are many other examples too.**