Have you ever wondered if God was speaking to you in the midst of a serious decision? Have you struggled with the idea of believing that God can speak to you? Today, Jeff shares 10 ways to know if God is speaking to you.
Snippet from the Show
“Connection is more important than perfection.”
Shownotes
“God often speaks to us not in commotion, but in the silence of prayer.”
Shownotes
John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”
Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart”
General Audience of Pope St. John Paul II, p.1 – “The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “the human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his reason, he is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By free will, he is capable of directing himself toward his true good. He finds his perfection ‘in seeking and loving what is true and good’ (cf. Gaudium et spes, n. 15)” (n. 1704). The Holy Spirit, who “searches the depths of God”, is at the same time the light that illumines man’s conscience and the source of his true freedom (cf. Dominum et Vivificantem, n. 36).”
Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
John 7:17 – “if any man’s will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
CCC 1 – “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.”
Proverbs 16:9 – “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
10 Ways to Test Your Thoughts Concerning the Will of God!
- Does it agree with Sacred Scripture?
- General Audience of Pope St. John Paul II, p.2 – “Adhering to God’s plan for man revealed in Christ Jesus and fulfilling it in one’s own life means discovering the authentic vocation of human freedom, as Jesus promised his disciples: ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and truth will make you free’ (Jn 8:31-32).”
- John 15:14-15 – “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
- John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
- CCC 112 – “Be especially attentive ‘to the content and unity of the whole Scripture’. Different as the books which compose it may be, Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since his Passover.”
- Does it agree with Sacred Tradition?
- CCC 113 – “Read the Scripture within ‘the living Tradition of the whole Church’. According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God’s Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (‘. . . according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church’).”
- CCC 114 – “Be attentive to the analogy of faith. By ‘analogy of faith’ we mean the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation.”
- Will you become more like Jesus?
- Luke 6:40 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.”
- John 15:5 – “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
- Is it consistent with your vocation
- Paul went to a difficult place because it was part of God’s plan for his life.
- 1 Cor 16:8-9 – “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”
- Is it consistent with how God has made me?
- Prov. 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
- Is there a peace deep within your heart?
- Col 3:15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.”
- 1 Cor 4:21 – “What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?”
- Would those who know you confirm what you are about to do? Get counsel
- Does it build up the kingdom of God?
- Matt 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”
- What is the fruit of your action or decision
- Spend some quiet time with God
- 1 Kg 19:12 – “and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”
Matthew 14:28-33 – “And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30 but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘O man of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”
Resources
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- The Great Adventure Catholic Bible
- General Audience of Pope St. John Paul II
Meet Your Host: Jeff Cavins
Jeff Cavins is passionate about helping people understand Scripture and become disciples of Jesus Christ. Though he was born Catholic, Jeff went to Bible school and served as a protestant minister for twelve years before reverting to the Catholic Faith. Jeff then received his MA in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Since then, he has become a leading Catholic evangelist and author.
Jeff created The Bible Timeline learning system, which revolutionized Catholic Bible Study for millions of Catholics. Since its introduction, Jeff has developed The Great Adventure series of Bible studies to help people better understand Sacred Scripture and its meaning for their lives.
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