Is That Really You God?

I've always said a prayer God loves to answer is "Lord, are you there? Can you make yourself real to me?"

And the Lord doesn't always answer this prayer in the way we expect.
But He does answer it according to what He says in the Bible.
He'll never contradict His Word.

That's awesome, if you think about it!
Take for instance these two verses:

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) 13 "You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.."

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV) 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

It took me a long time to realize God really wants to guide us as Christ followers.
And it's not like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Yes, His timing may not be our timing.
But if you really want to know His will, and you're committed to doing it, that pleases Him.

Here's what Jesus said:

John 7:17 (ESV) 17 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God ..."

But we need to keep in mind the Bible is the benchmark.
Beware of the trap of hearing someone say something and buying into the message right off the bat.
Listen to the Apostle John:

1 John 4:1 (ESV) 1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Here's that principle in action in the early church:

Acts 17:10-11 (ESV) 10 "The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."

We don't have to be Bible scholars to find out what God has to say.
But we do have to make the effort to pick it up and crack the spine.

And yes.... some say the Bible is just an old, out-of-date book.
How relevant can it be to me today...in the 21st century?

Here's a good case in point:
We're all going to die.
The Bible tells us how to get to heaven:

John 14:6 (ESV) 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 3:16 (ESV) 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

I would have to say that's ETERNALLY RELEVANT wouldn't you?
But we worship a God of the details too.
And the God who sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins and rise from the grave wants to show up in all kinds of ways.
Have you talked with Him about it lately?
Have you blown the dust off of your Bible?
If you haven't already guessed...... I'm speaking to myself today.