Looking Deeper

When Does God Speak?

God speaks to people through the Bible in many ways, which I call “whispers from heaven.” Here are some of the ways God speaks.

• He spoke through the Word (Bible) in the book of Hebrews, recounting many prophets in the Old Testament who by faith followed the Lord (Hebrews 11:1-40) and to Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-21) who referred to Joel in the Old Testament (Joel 2:28-32). In fact, the whole Bible is a progressive revelation of the Lord to His people.
• He spoke through answered prayer to Nehemiah who was allowed to go back to rebuild the Jerusalem wall (Nehemiah 1:4-11, 2:12); to Peter who escaped from prison (Acts 12:5-17); and to Paul and Silas. While they were praying, God sent an earthquake, prison doors flew open and Paul and Silas’s prisoner chains came loose (Acts16:23-34).
• He spoke through circumstances to King Darius who had Daniel thrown in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:10-23) and to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19).
• He spoke through people, such as Moses, who addressed the Israelites on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:3-6, 20:22-24); Peter when speaking to the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8-13); the Lord’s prophets (Hebrews 1:1-2), for example Zechariah, who prophesized that Jesus would ride a donkey through Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9) and Isaiah, who sends the Lord’s message to good king Hezekiah (Isaiah 37:5-7, 14-20)
  or even an animal such as Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:27-33).
• He spoke through dreams and visions, that is, through dreams to Joseph, betrothed to Mary (Mathew 1:20, 2:13, 2:19-20; 2:22) and to Joseph in the Old Testament who had a coat of many colors (Genesis 37:1-11); and through visions such as to John who the Lord told to “write what you see” which became the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:19).

Grief Resources

The GriefShare program – Journey from Mourning to Joy – was pivotal in my grief journey. I recommend this program. GriefShare.org

• Find a GriefShare support group or event near you (check online)
  • GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk beside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You need not go through the grieving process alone.
  • Thousands of GriefShare support groups meet weekly around the world. Visit or join a group at anytime and attend as many meetings as you like.
• Free daily email signup for ongoing support
  • Receive an email message every day for a year. These short messages will inspire you and provide practical information as you grieve the loss of your loved one.
  • One member said, “Helped me simply get through each day.

Other Study Resources