I was recently talking to a friend about our support of James Robison’s ministry, Life Outreach International. I mentioned James’ book My Father’s Face and how it so changed my life when I first read it many years ago. She asked me to explain, but I couldn’t remember what it was that so affected me, so I decided to reread the book. I’m so very glad I did.

This morning as I was reading, I came across a paragraph I wanted to share with you.

People have said to me from time to time, “James, you seem to be able to hear God’s voice in a special way. You talk about conversing with God as you would about leaning over the back fence to talk to a neighbor. I just don’t hear God speak the way you do.”

No, not everyone will. But I believe with all my heart that every believer can. In fact, God told a prophet of old that if we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him. In my life, missing my own father’s voice as I did, I so hungered for conversation with my heavenly Father that I have pursued and pursued it. And as I did, I found that He had been pursing me and calling me all along. (excerpt taken from My Father’s Face, by James Robison, Multnomah Books 1997)

I have found that to be so true in my own life and in the lives of others who have hungered after God. Finding their deepest need for fellowship unsatisfied by anything or anyone else.

Often times I have seen husbands and wives, parents with their children, and friends, sabotage their relationships, because they are trying to get from people what only God can give. Some examples are trying to get their identity, security, constant companionship and perfect, unconditional love from others.

I discovered long ago that as wonderful and satisfying the relationships in my life could be nothing compares to my relationship with Him. He is the source of my strength, my life, my joy and the overflow of that is what makes my life and my relationship with others so wonderful.

In His book James Robison mentioned a very important key to this kind of fellowship found in Romans 10:17.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (KJV)

Hearing comes by the Word. Start there and never depart from there. Listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to you through His Word and then act on it. And you will find that more and more you will recognize His voice in the scriptures and then when He speaks to you in the car, in the grocery store, in the mall, you will recognize His voice from those times in His Word.

But you will also have the word to judge whether it’s God or not. I’ve heard Him say things that so challenged my theology that many times I’ve asked Him, “Show me that in the Word.” Then scripture after scripture would come to me confirming what He said. Or the pastor would minister on that very thing from the Word of God. Or a friend would put a book in my hand that explained that very thing on the basis of scripture.

Every time you pick up your Bible to read it, don’t just pick it up to check off your daily reading assignment. Don’t pick it up just trying to get information. But pick it up pursing God. Pursue God in the scriptures and you will soon find that through the scriptures He is pursuing you.