Want to Talk to God? By: Johnny O. Trail Throughout history, people have expressed a desire to speak with God about various events in their lives. Typically this has been done through prayer. In the Bible, there were occasions where God spoke directly to various people in an effort to disseminate His will to them. In the movie Bruce Almighty, God tries to contact the main character by leaving His number on his pager. Most movies that quote or use phone numbers use a “555” prefix with the idea of avoiding the problem of movie goers calling actual people or businesses. The movie producers made the error of using an actual, functioning phone number in their final production cut. The number belonged to a glass blower in Florida named Dawn Jenkins. As CBS news reporter covering this story in 2009 stated: Dawn Jenkins isnt in the new Jim Carrey comedy Bruce Almighty. Her phone number, however, is — and thats a problem for the Pinellas Park, Fla., glassmaker. In the film, the nations top movie over the weekend, Carrey stars as a regular guy who receives the powers of God (played by Morgan Freeman) after complaining too much about life. God tries to reach Bruce Nolan, Carreys character, by repeatedly leaving a phone number on his pager. But instead of the usual 555 prefix most television shows and films use in phone numbers, Gods number is a common exchange — too common for Jenkins liking. Its her cell phone number. Shes been getting about 20 calls per hour, with callers asking for God before hanging up. While I never saw this movie, nor would I recommend it to others, this leaves one with some interesting thoughts about God and communication with Him. It seems odd that people would attempt to talk to God using a phone number that was obtained in a fictional story about His interaction with humanity. Surely, people do not really think that God can be contacted in such a fashion. In reality, God has already spoken to mankind in a straightforward and easy to understand sort of way. God spoke to Adam and Eve in a direct fashion. God put the first couple in the Garden of Eden to work and keep it. Genesis 2:15-17 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Unlike the vast majority of people in the ages to come, Adam and Eve enjoyed uninterrupted fellowship with God. Sin would forever alter that relationship. The next time God speaks to them He punishes them for their disobedience. Genesis 3:8-11 says, “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, Where are you? And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” These passages speak of the Father walking in the garden in the presence of humanity’s parents. Their transgressions would change God’s interaction with humankind. God spoke to Moses from a burning bush. The holiness of Jehovah God becomes immediately evident as Moses approaches the bush. Exodus 3.2-5 “And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. Then he said, Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. Moses would receive many other words from God, and he would be the one who provided the provisions of the Old Covenant to the children of Israel. He was destined to become the greatest lawgiver until the time of Christ. God spoke to Isaiah from His throne room. Isaiah 6:8-10 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here I am! Send me. And he said, Go, and say to this people: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. The inspired prophet Isaiah would have more to say about Christ than any other Old Testament prophet. The prophecy that Isaiah offers reveals the identity of the Messiah in minute terms. Thus, those who rejected Christ during His earthly ministry and in our age are without excuse—scripture revealed Christ hundreds of years before His arrival. By the same token, scripture reveals Him today. God spoke regarding the primacy of Christ at His transfiguration. Matthew 17:2-5 says, “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. Moses was symbolic of the law, and Elijah was symbolic of the prophets. Christ was greater than both of these significant Old Testament characters combined. From this, it becomes clear that God’s intention for the disciples and for humankind today is for us to listen to Jesus. God speaks to us through His word today! II Timothy 3.16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible contains writing that was provided by men who were inspired of the Holy Spirit to record the things that are preserved for us to this very day. For this reason, we do not need the ability to make a phone call to God nor does He need to contact us through additional means (Jude 3). He has provided us with all that we need that pertains to eternal life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” The word of God, the Bible, gives us all that we need for successful living upon this earth and for obtaining eternal life. While many people want God to talk with them directly, He has spoken to all human beings. In addition to this, those who are His children can speak to Him through the avenue of prayer. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. God listens to the prayers of the Saints and answers our supplications. There is no greater or better means of contact than the Bible and believing prayer.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 03:54:23 +0000
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