Hearing the Voice of God

—Thanks for the many shared experiences. I had not read them carefully when I asked. It's amazing that a word or a few words heard can make such a profound impression. If they move you in the right direction who can say they are not from God?It is strange how things are repeating themselves on this post.

Yes, I have heard God call. I was back from my tour in Vietnam. I was awaked from sleep in the BOQ by someone calling my name. I went to the door and opened it to find no one there. It was a chilling experience. But one I have recalled on many occassions, "I have heard God call my name."

Re: TESTIMONY. I had multiple gunshots in the abdomen and on my right thigh on June 22nd 2006 around 11:45pm, of which one bullet is still lodged in my right knee(lower femur). Since the bullet is encased inside the bone the doctor said it is of best interest to leave it alone, hence it will stay there for the rest of my life. The whole episode began as I was about to open the security door lobby of my apartment building, when a stranger dark-skinned teenager appeared out of the darkness. The stranger pursued with great speed and swiftness towards me and without saying a word fired four rounds with rapid succession. Then he said "give me what you got" after shooting me. I instinctively reached in my bag as if pulling a gun, and the teenager fled like the speed of light to a dark tinted get-away car parked on the street Strangely enough when I was shot, I never felt any pain at all, I guess its because I never believed it was real. I didn’t believe I was shot even though I heard the sounds of the gunshots very clear, I thought it was some kind of a trick. All the time in the ambulance I still didn't believe it even though I could see my own blood oozing. I was just amazingly cool, calm and collected. I knew it was real when I woke up at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee Wisconsin intensive care unit in the morning and found myself hooked up with an NG tube(nasogastric) - a tube inserted through the nose, extending into the stomach for emptying the stomach of gas and liquids. I was also hooked up with blood transfusion, oxygen and a foley catheter. My first surgical operation was done at midnight June 23rd 2006. I was brought in the operating room and placed under general anesthesia, prepped and draped in sterile fashion. Midline incision was made, and abdominal cavity was entered with moderate amount of blood found. They fished out the bullet. The small bowel was run, and there were 4 holes in the small bowel, two in one segment and two in another. These were over-sewn with running lembert sutures. There was a defect in the left colon mesentery with no clear indication of the track of the bullet across midline. The hole in the right colon mesentery was over-sewn. The abdomen was irrigated, and the fascia was closed with running looped #1 PDS. The wound was irrigated, and the skin was closed with staples. However three days later, my blood count was still low despite the fact I was receiving blood transfusion. I was put in a CAT scan, and a leaking artery was detected. Hence on June 26th 2006 I had a second surgical operation, they had to remove the staples and re-cut me open again for a missed injury. There was internal bleeding due to the leaking artery. I was taken back again to the operating room and placed on the table in the supine position. After adequate general anesthesia was achieved, the abdomen was prepped and draped in sterile fashion using Bedatine scrub and paint. The staples were removed. When they re-opened the incision there was moderate amount of blood in the abdomen, approximately 1200cc, and this was all aspirated [drawn out by suction]. Large amounts of clots were taken out of the pelvis. They identified the iliac artery, dissected up and down from the course of the bifurcation to where it bifurcated to the internal and external. They identified a bleeding point on the medial side on the right common iliac a centimeter above the bifurcation. The lumbar artery was ligated[tied] with a 5-0 prolene hitch suture. At that point the bleeding was controlled. They explored the rest of the abdomen. The liver, spleen, duodenum, stomach and gallbladder all appeared normal. The previous small-bowel repairs of the first surgery were identified and felt to be intact. They irrigated the abdomen out with copious amounts of normal saline and then closed the abdomen in layers using 0 Maxon in the fascia and staples for the skin. The second surgery went very well and the doctor's tied the leaking blood vessel. I was hospitalized for 13 days, for I was discharged on July 5th 2006.On June 29th 2006 I had an out of body experience and a dreadful, horrendous vision around 8:00pm. Doctors and visitors were visiting me just like any other day asking about my developments and the like, daily routine questions. Then all of a sudden a powerful dreadful vision[not a dream for I was fully awake] came from nowhere, out of the blue and I saw the whole world burning in front of my eyes to ashes, and I was disappearing with it, burning in it, dying in it. I saw missiles fired from all over the seven continents and the entire world was at war and was reduced to ashes, it was like a globe where I could see the whole world at once in an apocalypse of a nuclear disaster[Armageddon]. There was nothing left except for a huge pile of ashes. Nothing survived, no buildings no humans, and there was one final blast and the entire world was unbelievably gone. And I smelt death the odor of sulfur. I was terrorized by this powerful vision, the kind of terror I have never experienced in my life. This horrendous vision disappeared as abruptly as it had come, and I was surprised that the world was still here and I was not dead. Then in a twinkling of an eye, I was enveloped in darkness again, but this time the darkness came with great inner peace. I was so relieved and felt very light,[feather-light] it was as if somebody had lifted the whole world off my back. I was floating in the air with total inner peace. Then somewhere in the horizon of the darkness, I heard a very clear audible voice which said “I AM GOD and I will show you a sign. The doctors will bring in an electrocardiograph machine, and the first test will indicate you are having a heart attack, they will do a second test and you will be as perfectly as normal.” And that’s exactly what happened next. The doctors rushed out to get an ECG machine. They did the first test, and no pulse was found. They were panic-stricken thinking I was dead. I could see panic in their eyes and panic on the face of my friend Sia Prosper who was also visiting me at the time. They did a second test and my pulse was perfectly normal. Everyone was asking me what was the matter? But I could not respond to them for I was busy talking and responding to this voice. It was as if they(doctors) were talking to a stone, for I was only paying attention to the voice, and not the doctors. And amidst the darkness there was a small green light dot moving in circles. Now the voice came again and said “Now do you believe Me”? I was shocked by the miracle just performed and amazed beyond reach for it was far more convincing beyond reasonable doubt, and yet strangely enough, I never gave an answer for a yes or no to the voice, I just said “I do believe in the Bible” Then I tested God for the first time and said “ If you are God what are the names of everyone here in this room” The voice mentioned every doctors name and there was a female nurse whose name tag was backwards so I flipped her name tag to check if the name I was given by the voice was correct. I was totally thrown off balance with such accuracy of her name. The nurse later on admitted to me that there was some kind of supernatural powers going on, for they were mystified with the first test reading of the ECG machine. The voice also mentioned my friends name Sia Prosper, he was the only one without a name tag. I tested God for the second time. “I said if you are God, let me move out everybody in this room without touching or telling them, and that’s exactly what happened next.” I moved them and could also move other objects without touching them like the phone and other things in the room. Then the debate with the voice resumed like four five times and yet I still stood firm with my final answer that I believed in the Bible. But yet strangely deep down at the bottom of my heart and at the center of my spirit soul I believed the voice100% as truth and yet one part of me made me to stick with the Bible answer for that’s the only thing I was sure of the written word of God[The Bible]. I had no means of checking that voice out so my only tool was to lean on the Word, for the Word became flesh which is Jesus Christ, the eternal ultimate expression of God. In (John 1:18) the Bible says “No one has seen God” Also in (John 6:46) Jesus Himself said “No one has seen the Father except He who is from God; He has seen the Father”. Hence I was in a dilemma to give a yes or no answer to the voice but deep in my heart I knew it was God. Then the voice seemed very very frustrated with my final answer-the Bible. But with the second miracle of being able to move people and things around, I was going to admit “Yes God I do believe You” but I was timed out and once again I was enveloped in total blackness. This time the blackness was absolutely darker than before and there was complete silence like the original silence. I could see nothing but total blackness like ten minutes I wasn’t existing it was just absolute blackness. I stopped breathing and I was dead. Then the blackness faded a little bit, and now I could breath again. But I was still in the spirit form and could see nothing but absolute blackness, and the silence was broken with the same voice which now said “This day you will be in Heaven and the doctors down there won’t even be able to figure out what happened and your death will remain a mystery to them”. As my spirit was hovering above the horizon, I could see my own body and the doctor's down there trying to figure out whats going on. Instantaneously in a split-second I said “No I am waiting for my Mom who is now in Africa for she is coming to visit me here in the United States”. And that’s how I got back. But one strange thing about the voice, was that it was absolutely crystal-clear. I have never heard a voice with such clarity in my life, its clarity was as if it was being spoken from my inner ear, but it was actually coming from above. And amazingly enough the voice was so humble and gentle, down to earth neither proud nor arrogant but meek in tone, soothing and pleading to the soul. Now that I am back in my human nature I sometimes wonder whether and as to why I denied God’s choices. And sometimes I wonder why would God tell me in advance that I will be in Heaven, instead of taking me right away. And sometimes I wonder whether He does not break his own rules by snatching our choice(free-will) which he gave us when He created us. For deep down at the center of my spirit-soul I strongly believe that He allowed my request and choice. Sometimes I regret why I chose this fallen world over Heaven. However I am glad for I have found my purpose. And that is to have undoubting faith in God and have a personal relationship with Him, and bringing others to Christ. When the voice announced "I AM GOD" there was absolute power in the room and indescribable peace. But one thing I do know for sure is, I will carefully read and listen to the Bible and become increasingly aware of my sins. I can pray and I can plead with God and beg for his mercy and for some understanding of what I am reading. And I can pray for Him to make me more obedient to his law book the Bible. I will become increasingly aware that the words of the Bible are God’s voice speaking directly to me. And I must patiently wait upon the mercy of God. Just like we are told in (Lamentations 3:26) “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” In the Bible, conversion is represented as a miraculous, life-transforming process- a process that is impossible without the direct, active intervention and participation of God. In fact, He initiates the conversion process. He first opens the minds of those He is calling, or inviting, to conversion so they can begin to understand the scriptures with a clarity and depth they could never attain on their own. This wonderful, miraculous process usually begins when the individuals God is calling hear, or read the truth of God accurately explained from His true servants. Our Creator begins to open their minds at that time to comprehend the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s word now begins to make sense to them. Just as a picture emerges when the pieces of a puzzle are fitted together, so those whom God is inviting to be converted begin to understand the Holy Scriptures. This is a miracle of God’s calling. Although He clearly encourages human beings to “Choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19), God does not force anyone to make the right choice. But as we shall soon see, the consequences of our choices are enormous. Many a people have asked me if they ever caught that boy who shot me, I honestly tell them that, I have forgiven him and I am praying for his salvation. And I will always try to bear 3 things in my mind which are 1: Believing 2: Repenting 3:Obedience. When I stood firm with my final answer that I do believe in the Bible, that answer was insufficient before God. I had faith in the Bible but I lacked saving faith, the kind of faith that saves[Abraham’s Faith]. It was okay to believe His book, but He wanted me to extend and stretch my faith further and believe in Him[God] Himself. But I doubted God. To believe in the Bible and to know God are two different things. Even the devil believes and trembles(James 2:19). But to obey the Bible and to apply the faith expressed in the Bible is to know God Himself. Obeying Jesus Christ is different from simply believing in Him. A change of heart through rebirth and an obedient walk of faith are the real signs of a true relationship with God. We need faith because it is the only way by which we please God. Listen to Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” For many people believe in the Bible, but do not obey its commandments. We need faith because it is the channel through which we receive His blessings. Many human attitudes, such as love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, humility, courage and mercy can be somewhat worked up by our own effort. But faith occurs when we cease trying to do something by our own efforts, and trust someone else to do it for us. Faith is the one attitude that is exactly the opposite of trusting ourselves. Apparently this is why God decided that faith would be the attitude of heart by which we could obtain Salvation, that it might be according to grace, that is, that it might be an entirely free gift of God, not dependent on any merit of our own. I am so grateful to God, for I reported back to work 3 months later on October 2nd 2006. At first I learned how to walk with crutches, then a walker, eventually I graduated to a walking cane. I limped for 11 months, but as of June 2007 I have no limp at all in my gait. It’s as if nothing happened to me, only for the remaining evident scars which are always covered in clothing. It’s like a dream. Praise the Lord. THE BIBLE AND THE WORD OF GOD. The Bible is one of the results of God speaking. It is the unique written word of God, and with conjunction with it God presently speaks to the devout heart ever anew. It is inerrant[not liable to error] in its original form, and infallible on all of its forms for the purpose of guiding man into a saving relationship with God in His Kingdom; and it is thus infallible because God never leaves it alone. The Bible is the written word of God , but the word of God is not just simply the Bible. The word is much greater than the Bible, though inclusive of it. The Bible is the Word of God in its unique written form. But the Bible is not Jesus Christ, who is the living Word. And the Bible is not the word of God that is settled eternally in the heavens, as the psalmist says(Psalm 119:89) and expresses itself in the order of nature(Psalm 19:1-4). The Bible is not the word of God which in the book of Acts expanded and grew and multiplied(Acts 12:24). It is not the word which Jesus spoke of as by being sown of the active speaking of the ministry(Matthew 13). But all these are God speaking. The Bible is the unique, infallible, written Word of God. But the word of God is just not the Bible, and if we try to dignify the Bible by saying false things about it-we do not dignify it. We betray its content by denying what it says about the nature of the word of God. God reigns in His Kingdom through speaking. That “speaking” is reserved to Himself and those who work in union with Him. The Bible is finite, written record of what the infinite, living God has spoken, and reliably fixes the boundaries in the principle, though it does not provide the detailed communications which God may have with individual believers. The Bible has a special and irreplaceable role in redemption. We can refer any person to it with the assurance if they approach it openly, honestly, intelligently, and persistently, God will meet them through its pages and speak peace to their souls. This is assured to any person whose deepest self cries out. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that man and God may be adequate, equipped for every good work(2 Timothy 3:15-17). The written word is the expression of God’s mind. As we read and study it intelligently, humbly, and openly, we come evermore to share God’s mind. We will be spiritually safe in our use of the Bible if we follow a simple rule: Read it in a repentant attitude. Remember your aim is not to become a scholar or to impress others with your knowledge of the Bible which is quite a deadly trap for so many Biblical fellowships, which only cultivates pride and lays the foundation for the petty, quarrelsome spirit so commonly observed in students of the scripture. Your aim is to nourish your soul on God’s word to you. Secondly do not try to read a great deal. If you read quickly, it will benefit you little. You will be like a bee that merely skims at the surface of a flower. Instead, in this new way of reading with prayer, you must become like the bee who penetrates deeply into the depths of the flower. You plunge deeply within to remove its deepest nectar. Better in one year to have good ten verses transferred into the substance into our lives than to have every word in the Bible flash before our eyes. Remember the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life(2 Corinthians 3:6).