Last year Doug Lee shared with our Men’s Bible study group about a young missionary lady he had met on a flight returning from Germany. We were enthralled with the miracles she had told him. Doug and his wife Becky recently had the group at their home as they were passing through Las Vegas. They have kept in touch ever since. This past week Doug sent me a video of the group and some of their personal journals.
The video showed these very attractive young people in their 20s or 30s at “The Open” golf tournament in Turnberry, UK on July 18th. They travel all over the world wherever Christ sends them. God provides their financing and they never know from where it will come or where they are to go until He tells them.
Along with the video, they e-mailed their daily journals. What is so amazing is that in every Journal they would write: Jesus told me to talk to this person; I was told to emphasis this; I wasn’t to talk or I was to just listen. Following are excerpts from a typical journal from three different young ladies that will give you an idea of their ministry.
“(This one guy was just listening to us talk to another man about faith. Then he came and sat down next to me and said, “I have a really hard time believing this. Because I was born in Ireland, I’ve lived in London, I’ve lived in Luxembourg, and I’ve lived in Switzerland. You live in those countries and you just walk away with no faith. What makes you believe?”
I was telling him some of the miracle stories and I explained about hearing from Jesus. I told him Scott’s chocolate milkshake story and he asked, “So, if I just sat and asked God, He would give me a chocolate milkshake or something to that extent?” I said, “Well, what’s something you really need or really want right now?”
He said, “Honestly? Just peace! I just really need peace right now.” I said, “That’s the best thing you could ask for, because only Jesus can give that to you. You can’t work it up yourself.” I prayed with him and asked Jesus to give him peace.)”
Here is another journal: “(Jesus said, “Just go to the club and sit down.” I sat down and a man came and sat down next to us with a beautiful little two-year-old girl. Jesus said, “You need to start witnessing to him.” So we were just talking a bit and I was helping to take care of the little girl. She was eating ice cream and getting it all over her face. As I was taking care of her he started asking questions, “What do you do? What makes it so easy for you to reach out and talk to people? You don’t even know who I am. I’m a complete stranger and you’re here with my daughter. How do you do it?” I said, “Well, I’m a missionary, but more important than that, I spend time with Jesus every day and He gives me that connection. And as I get filled up with love, then I’m able to pour it out to others.” He said, “Well, I understand that. I have love for my kids, but how do you love a complete stranger?”)”
Another – “(I’d asked Jesus who I was meant to talk to and Jesus pointed him out. I went and sat next to him. At first he was cussing at me, and then I just sat there and asked him about his life. He said, “Why do you care? Why are you even sitting next to me?” I said, “Because I know that Jesus loves you so much.” He started crying and said that his mom had passed away a month before and that he had nothing left to live for and that he was going to commit suicide. He said, “Before I ended my note to my relatives I said, ‘Look, God, if you’re real, send me someone to tell me that You love me’.” I said, “I don’t have the answers. I don’t know what will touch someone’s heart and what will give someone the hope and strength to go on, but I know that Jesus does and I know that His love can turn around and touch any heart.”)”
It is not uncommon for men and women who have been Christians for some years to find themselves frozen in place. They have made a solid beginning…and stopped! They are not running, walking or even crawling. They are the embodiment of the Christians Paul criticized in his letter to the Corinthians. I Corinthians 3:1 – “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.”
Hopefully, we can see the difference between these missionaries who have given their lives to Christ and serve Him daily and those who have little contact with Jesus. Whose life do you think is receiving the greatest satisfaction? Every time I think I am doing fairly well spiritually, God always gives me an example of how much more is available. I know that God inspires me to write but He doesn’t talk to me. Looks like I have a long way to go and I have been a Christian for many years. If we only knew what God has available for each one of us and we were able to take advantage of it, what a world it would be!
Don Boyd Blog 
Lu Bowen
/ July 31, 2009Stories like these make me feel like I am not alone. After my mom died when I was 9 and accepted Christ at the age of 10. My dad quit taking care of us even though he was in the home. Left to the streets and left to raise ourselves, I always had this voice inside that parented me along my way. I was un-churched and didn’t know what to call it. I didn’t know Christianese nor did I know anything but prayer and reading the word the best I could. I kept it a secret all my life because of the fact I was called “crazy” and I didn’t want to make it worse by saying I hear God. When I started leading women’s bible study, some of the things I presented with the study was directly from God who had me searching in trash cans at the school I worked for so I could get the items I needed for the craft or presentation for the table-talk. He gave me the teaching lesson to go along with the items displayed on the table to give the ladies a show and tell. But…how do you explain that you hear God like he was standing next to you and feels more real than any other relationship in life? I was called “crazy”. I was told to go talk to a Male Pastor to make sure I wasn’t doing a “crazy woman” thing. I did and guess I passed. When asked what do I hear….all I could say is it isn’t audible but it is loud within. Strong inside. Sometimes He speaks to me in soft terms like “Don’t do that, my child.” or he is strong and says “Do it now!” Those are times I am reluctant to do what He asks of me. When I found that others hear Him as I do….all I can say is that “I know within my knower” HE IS ALIVE!
donaldboyd
/ July 31, 2009Lu, I really appreciate your testimony. Very few people have this gift, but it is truly a gift!
rebija
/ August 4, 2009I can relate to what Lu said about not wanting to tell others that you hear GOD talking to you. I use to say, “Today GOD told me this or that…” or “GOD explained that situation so clearly to me when He said…” or similar statements in general conversation with other Christians because I assumed that every Christian could either hear HIM in the same way or could somehow relate to my experience. I stopped this practice when I noticed that others seemed to feel uncomfortable wth my candidness. Even as I’m writing this, I’m trying to choose my words very carefully because I’d hate for anyone to think that just because they don’t hear GOD in a certain way, that they are less spiritually mature than someone who does. I believe that spiritual gifting and spiritual maturity are two completely separate issues.
There was never a time (that I can remember) when I questioned whether or not I was hearing from GOD, because like Lu said, “it is loud within” or for me it’s a definite “knowing”. I know who is speaking to me and HIS direction or guidance is usally crystal clear. The only time I seem to experience uncertainty is when I’ve been rushed in my days and have neglected to spend dedicated time with GOD in full prayer and devotion. I think it’s wonderful that the young people that you mentioned in your article have the opportunity to practically apply their gifts in the area of missions as well as share their gifts openly with each other without the fear of offending or being misunderstood. I thank GOD that I am able to share much of what I hear from GOD with my husband and close Christian family and friends, but I honestly look forward to the day when I no longer feel like I need to hide a part of me from other Christians outside of my close knit circle.
Thank you for this piece, Mr. Boyd. It has really blessed my heart today and come right when I needed to hear it the most. (Sounds like you’re hearing HIM pretty clearly to me!)
donaldboyd
/ August 4, 2009When I accepted it as a gift rather than something that comes with being more spiritual, it made sense. Not everyone has the same gift. However, I believe more Christians may have that gift and could hear their inner Spirit if we were listening. Hopefully, we have made believers more aware to be alert and expect to hear from Jesus.
Lu Bowen
/ August 8, 2009Rebija said it so clearly. I was told by a Pastor to not say “God told me…” It adds an element of doubt and lack of respect…like I am crazy so I had to reword it but it always felt like I was lying or making less of what it was. About being more spiritual….(Laughing on the inside here) When I became an “orphan” and God stepped in to raise me. My teenage years looked nothing spiritual by any means except for my crying out to God at night. I cursed like a trucker and wild as a march hare. My outside did not match my inside…yet, God still spoke. So, it goes to show you, I did not earn it, I could not learn it, I didn’t obey to get it…it was there. Nothing to do with me.
Suzanne
/ April 11, 2012I have been hearing Jesus directly for 3 years now. I am so happy to find other who hear Him, too. I have had churches tell me it isn’t so. Now I am on chapter 80 of a book I hear Jesus telling me to write. No one seems to understand. I love that you hear, too. Thank you.
apassionategesture
/ November 21, 2010This blog entry has given me such peace. I too hear from God directly, in that loud inner voice. I usually know for sure that it’s Him, because it comes at random times, and the messages are not something I would have come up with. Sometimes it’s a sentence or two. Other times, a whole conversation back and forth. It must be a gift, and is one I am still investigating. I never would have thought in a million years that I would have been able to hear the Holy Spirit literally speak to me in clear English. It makes me wonder how many others have this supernatural gift. I do think it’s important to note as well, that having such a gift does not make one more spiritual or less spiritual. We all have our own walks and paths. Mine has led me in ways I never thought possible. I know I’m learning, as I’m being pushed out of my comfort zone at every turn, but despite being on the threshing floor, I never want it to end.
sean
/ February 1, 2012im 14 and the lord and jesus talk to me all the time not in a voice but a kinda gut feeling.He recently told me to kinda hlep other people to understand the bible and try to pull other people to him and away from satan and im trying.He told me to kinda read through the bible and translate it to a easyer understanding and to share it with my friends