voice Archives – Sonshine's Journal

February 26, 2025February 26, 2025

Numbers 7 God Speaks

Moses recounts his interaction with God with this famous verse: “Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atonement lid that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim. Thus he spoke to him.” [Num 7:89]

The fact that Moses heard God’s voice speaking to him from the most holy place indicates God’s acceptance of these gifts (v. 89). Moses, as the representative of the nation, and God enjoyed a close relationship because of this sacrifice of worship. This is not the first time God spoke audibly to Moses, but it is the first time when God spoke to Moses from above the atonement lid. As we continue our reading we will find that Moses recorded the words of God in the next chapter.

Have you heard God speak? He now speaks through the written Word and the Holy Spirit. Sit quietly and listen for His still, small voice. The Apostle John wrote, “Joh 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Are we listening for His voice?

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023

Be Still to hear God’s Voice

Numbers 7 Over two thousand times in the scriptures, we find the words “listen” and “hear.” A hymn writer Emily Crawford captured those truths as she wrote: “Speak, Lord in the stillness while I wait on Thee;” Moses and Samuel are examples of men who heeded that counsel. God clearly marked Moses as his chosen leader and spoke to him audibly. Do we experience this on a daily basis? In Num. 7:89, we read, “Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so He spoke to him.” In addition, later, the priest Eli told Samuel when he heard God speaking, he was to answer: “Speak for your servant is listening.” [1 Sam 3:10]

As you sit down to read each day, quiet your heart so you can hear the voice of the Lord speaking.

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022

The heavens and creation are God’s voice

Psalm 19-20 “God in all of His Glory!”

In reflecting on this psalm, Dr. Henry Morris wrote: “The 19th psalm is one of the most magnificent writings in the Bible and indeed in all literature.” As we stop, ponder, and then meditate on the beauty of the world around us, we are without words to exclaim this marvelous beauty. We see the grandeur of the mountains, the raging rivers, the expanse of the plains and the desert, and we stand in awe. Just think, we have the privilege to live and move and exist here for one reason: His glory. [Acts 17:28]

God is sovereign, and He is revealed in the glorious expanse of the heavens. Thus the words of Paul resonate with our spirits: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made.” [Rom 1:20] God has revealed himself that we may bow our knee in humble adoration and praise him for who he is and for his glorious majesty and we surrender all of ourselves to Him.

October 15, 2015

Sacred Moments

Yesterday I had one of those sacred moments. It was not in a time alone in my closet, but I had prepared my heart so when the time came for me to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit I was ready. It was an awesome experience, one I will treasure as a lesson in heart preparation for the unexpected. Have you had one of those “aha moments” when you realize that it is not your inner voice speaking but the true Holy Spirit? In some ways, it sends chills up our spine and it should for this is the God of the universe through the Holy Spirit speaking!

These become our sacred moments; moments in which God has chosen to converse with the one he loves. Sacred moments happen when we are so in tune with the Holy Spirit that we are overwhelmed with His love, His tenderness, His breath, His whispers. It is in these times that the Holy Spirit quietly speaks to our heart so we hear him whisper to us: “This is the correct way, walk in it…” [Isaiah 30:21]

As Paul was writing to the Corinthians he shared that he experienced a time so sacred that he wrote I “heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.” [2Corinthians 12] That is why Paul understood when the Holy Spirit said: “my grace is sufficient for you.” Have you experienced a time like this?

We can have those sacred moments when the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our walk with Him. He speaks to us regarding sin and the need to seek forgiveness; about righteousness affirming our standing before God. Other times He speaks and directs our steps lest we stumble. However He speaks we know that “he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment –concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness.”

Take time to step apart from the hurry of your day; listen for the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit.

May 22, 2015

The Question is this…

Let me ask you; Do you know God? Let me tell you about my God because He can be your God too! He is “great and certainly worthy of praise,” He is the defender of both the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong, the young and the old. You may have heard about his mighty deeds, but have you seen them? Observe His fingerprint of lovingkindness upon the lives of those he calls his own. It is because of this that we are to “go and tell” that the next generation may also know and be known as children of the Almighty God.

Are you rich? Are you poor? It matters not your station in life. What matters is that you are certain about your future destiny. If you fail to listen and heed, your destiny will be the same as fools whose shepherd is death and separation from the Almighty God. But if you listen, heed and accept the Living Word, your destiny will be in the eternal heaven and you will be guided on your journey by the Good Shepherd whose voice you hear and know saying this is the way walk ye in it. [Is 30]

Are you Jew? Are you Gentile? Are you male? Are you female? Are you slave or free? In this present world we make distinctions but “there is no partiality with God.” [Rom 2:11] Those who hear his voice and follow, to them the promise is this: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.[ Rom 8:14]

Are the mountains your habitat, the ocean, the desert or the cityscape? Wherever you are—God is there too. Stop to praise and worship him today.

The question before us is this: Do you know HIM?

March 30, 2014

Divine Protection

God’s chosen and redeemed people have this promise found in Psalm 34:7 “The Lord’s angel camps around the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.” As NT believers we have the indwelling Holy Spirit that will encamp around us as if we had a hedge about us. Even Satan said to God about Job “Have you not made a hedge around him…” Yes, Beloved, we can trust in our God that because he loves us he has chosen to put a hedge about us to protect us just as a parent puts a hedge about their child. But, as believers we are given a choice to stay behind that hedge of protection or we can step out and then we are left defenseless against the foes of darkness.

Exodus 23:20 “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries.”

There are some principles we can glean and practically apply to our lives today from these verses in Exodus. One is that we are to beware of him–or to fear him. We remember from Proverbs that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Secondly, we are to obey his voice for in his voice are the words of wisdom. Again this is the voice of wisdom and discernment. Thirdly, we are not to provoke him for “my name is in him.”

So how does this fit with the NT indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit? We recall two verses: 1Thess 5:19 “Do not quench the Spirit;” and Eph 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Thus the same OT principles apply to the NT believer. The Holy Spirit is given to us to guide and protect us. He is within us speaking “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Beloved, is there some place you have stepped out from behind the hedge of protection that the Lord has placed around you? Know this: you are now open and vulnerable to the arrows of the enemy, the adversary. Quickly run and hide behind the loving protection of the Holy Spirit. Put your armor on Beloved and stand strong. The indwelling illuminating Holy Spirit is your protection and he desires one thing: obedience that he may bring you into God’s loving presence pure and holy. Will you take heed of his voice? Will you obey him?

January 12, 2014

MY GOD…..

From chapter one in Luke we have come across the question that was being asked about Jesus by the religious leaders, the political leaders, and the followers of Jesus. All were asking “who is he?” The psalmist in Psalm 7 had no problem with this question whether in times when he was at peace within himself, recognizing sin within himself or facing foes. Always he could say “O Lord “my” God”—-Jehovah, the existing one. God was his personal and close confidant to whom he could turn at all times and at all seasons of life.

God was his shelter and his deliverer but also God who disciplined and chastised when sin was noted. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”[ Heb 12:6] Although it is painful at the moment it brings us closer to holiness for it is then that we see our depravity in sharp contrast to His holiness.

God was faithful who rescued David from himself as well as outward enemies. He knew that God would be as close as a whispered prayer or a song sung or a voice proclaimed loudly. Boldly he came to God to change him from within that he might live a righteous life and that should be our goal as well. “The righteous by faith will live.”

As we ponder and meditate upon these attributes of God and see ourselves may we come boldly before the throne of grace seeking His deliverance from sin that we may emulate His righteous character so that when people ask us “Who is God?” we can boldly answer as David: He is “my” God whom I Iove and serve.

“Our Father, we pray that we may immerse ourselves in this marvelous book of experience and find here not only that which speaks of our own moods and attitudes, but also that which answers them in grace. We thank you for this revelation, written not merely with pen and ink, but with blood and sweat and tears, heartache and sorrow, happiness and joy—in the lives of men and women like ourselves. In Christ’s name. Amen.” [R. Stedman]