Insight: Does God chat 24/7 – Text
Paul Thompson
On a notice board at a local Baptist Church a few suburbs from where I live in Newcastle, Australia are the words, ‘God chats 24/7.” They have got me thinking, is it true that God chats to us 24/7? In today’s world of social media chatting implies two way communication between individuals.
If God does chat to us his creatures there is a world of difference between what the bible says this communication is and what the fallacy on the notice board implies.
The simple answer is God does not chat 24/7 because He will not be trivalized or domesticated. It is an offense to Him to be treated this way and hence we sin when we treat him as trival and matey. And according to the Psalmist God can't hear us and want if we regard sin in our hearts. End of arguement.
God’s chatting to us is different in that it’s not a conversation of equals and it’s not some fire side chat or a sharing of opinions which is what social media often is.
No God speaks to us, He doesn’t chat like a mate. He is speaking now with overwhelming authority, words that are infallibly true, that supernaturally He breathed out of his very self and make everything. No that's real communication.
God's unique words brought out of nothing creation and our first parents. His are words of promise and threat, comfort, hope and love, grace and mercy. But they are also words of warning and judgement, anger and rebuke. In other words they can either be life or death to us and our hearers
Does God chat 24/7? No, He does a whole lot more and way better. His communication is perfect and life changing. It has the ability to bring about faith and repentance and the new birth. It brings conviction and conversion and new life. It can change a community through a costly Church Plant as the good shepherd finds His sheep as you and your mob go ba ba with the gospel through building loving relationship and doing deeds of mercy.
But what about from our side, do we chat with God? No God says and commands that we pray. Prayer completes the communication God initiates; it is our hearts response to His powerful word found in scripture. But more, it's our hearts echo to Him for all that He is in the wonder and glory of His character. It is the worship God deserves from us his creatures. After all he made us to communicate with Himself. We are image bearers made to speak with our creator and for Him. He deserves to be listened too. In fact by his very character He demands He be listened too. It is for our eternal good and His glory that we listen and respond to His word.
That’s why the sign on the church notice board trivializes who God is. He will not, nor must He be domesticated.
He is the God who has spoken and is still speaking words of life and death in a world of darkness and foolishness. His words are wisdom for our slowness of heart to believe all the Old Testament prohets spoke of Him. And the New Testament completes the story and brings it to a magnificent conclusion in a new heaven and a new earth where the Christian will enjoy perfect communication, complete joyous worship of Jesus the lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
So why should we not chat with God but rather pray daily to Him? Because He is a speaking God who communicates his character so we may know Him and enjoy Him and worship Him. How we have all gone astray like sheep without a shepherd in this. So daily He calls us to hear His voice and follow Him. We can only do this as we listen to Him speaking in His Word.
What has this to do with Church planting and being missional Christians. Everything. We need to communicate to non Christians who God really is according to His word not our or their misinformed words and ideas. We need to take time to learn their defeater beliefs. To learn their stories and make sense of them with the gospel. That's costly but so rewarding.
We who are God's people need to learn how to communicate by our words and actions that our God speaks with supreme authority and demands to be heard for salvation. Why it is He our creator who calls us into sonship and communion. He calls us to join Him on His mission. "We deserve nothing," says; Paul. (1 Corithinians 3:7 Berkely Translation)
Non Christians need to hear that this God is a just judge who must punish sin in hell but is also a loving merciful God in Jesus Christ who provides a unique salvation only found in Jesus Christ alone.
Don't plant a church that trivalizes God and domesticates Him. How could God ever smile on your labours? Rather plant one that is full of the sense of God's character and presence because your discipling people to be full of the presence and character of God. So when unbelievers meet you and the church they will be curious and shock by the radical of thinking and lifestyle of these; "Churchy Christians at that new Church meeting in the primary school."
Lets repent of our cultural heritage that; "God as our mate." He is not our mate and never will be. This offends Him greatly. That's a wrong defeater belief you can debunch the unchurched have in your community.
No, this God is our creator and therfore Lord and king.He know all, sees all and by his very nature demands we fall on our faces in His presence and shut up and listen. It is only by His mercy and grace He doesn't turn us into pillars of salt. Instead, lets humble ourselves and listen again to His words.
Let’s confess we not good at either listening or communicating with Him. We are often so cold and indifferent to our maker. There can be long silences in the relationship. We often ask and even demand but aren’t often thankful for all God has done for us in Jesus Christ and in our Church plants. We need a true two communication like of a Father and son or daughter with humility and respect not being buddies on equals terms.
He is speaking daily but are we listening through His Word? May God the Holy Spirit help us learn to be God centred communicators for the gospel and hence His overwhelming glory.
The reason to keep perserving in planting that much need Church in your community is so God will be known and worshiped not trivalized and domesticated as he so often is. We of all people need to communicate the God of the Word. Then through pray people will again be willing in the day of His power and tremble again at His Word. God bless you brother and thank you for your labours from us in the pews. It will not be in vain, He promises it so keep on keep believing it. ( 1 Corinthians 15:58)
Let’s now ask God to forgive us for being poor communicators with Him.
Father God,
Forgive us for trivializing our relationship with you. You will not be chatted to. You are not a God to be domesticated but to be worshipped and trembled at. Forgive us for our casualness with you. You demand respect and reverence, worship and obedience. We often don’t listen to you speaking in and through your word. We are often silent in our relationship with you instead of crying out to you in our need and weakness. Restore our joy and delight in you and help us to listen by the power of your Spirit to Jesus who is the spirit of prophecy. Speak again Lord because we your servants are listening. Help us in our disbelief to believe again for we are slow learns. Help us to plant Churches that thunder your supreme character and our inablility save either oursleves or our hears save through Jesus Christ. By your Spirit would you empower us to be true communicator with you then each other for the sake of your Church and your glory.
Amen
Further suggested reading:
Sustained prayer for a sustained revival - Gary North - Free PDF
The greatness of great commission - Kenneth Gentry - Free PDF
Paradise restored - David Chilton - Free PDF