No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. John 1:18
Christians often talk about having a “quiet time.” Perhaps you have made a commitment to have a regular quiet time this year, but here is the real question: What are you going to do in that time?
What was typically meant by having a “quiet time” in the past was a regular time of Bible reading and prayer. Christians believe that God speaks to us through the Bible, and that we speak to him through prayer. But as large parts of the church have drifted away from the Scriptures, many people have latched onto the idea that we can listen to God simply by being quiet.
It has become common among Christians to think that listening to God means being quiet and listening to your own heart. But the problem with that is God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways” (Isa. 55:8).
Let’s be very clear about how God speaks. If you do not have your Bible open, you are not listening to God. How are you going to know God? Not by listening to your own heart. You have never seen God! The one and only has come to make him known.
That’s why it is the entrance of God’s Word that gives light. We don’t have entrance to God through any other way, except the Word of God. You won’t get to know God by getting quiet on the sofa with some Christian music on in the background. You listen to God with an open Bible! God’s Word is truth. It abides forever. And those who trust in him will never be put to shame.
What is the difference between listening to your heart and listening to the Bible?
