The more notable of the falsifiers, such as Joseph Smith and Muhammad and their ilk have started world religions over such notions, these two even adding in that an angel had produced the revelation. We hear of angel revelations in our time too, but more likely it is just the broken record, "The Lord told me..."

Not that God cannot speak today, if He so chooses. Some say they have heard this Voice. Physical, audible. Can we just deny all of those who say this?

But consider this: All of God's children are to hear His Voice. "My sheep hear My Voice," said Jesus. Could He have meant audible, physical? If He had meant that, every true believer should have heard it at least once by now. I for one have not, and I believe there are a host of others who have not. Sometimes I just wonder if anyone really has...

What do we do with the statement of Jesus to Thomas that those who do not see (and I would add "hear", physically) are to be truly blessed? I think the implication here is that for the most part, that is how it will be until Jesus comes. No physical "proof" until He comes. Living by faith demands it.

For the most part. We do, don't we, allow for the powerful Jesus, Who so longs to be known, and Who so desires to be accepted, to come into our sense world from time to time and just do what He wants? Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Why not? Is it really against our theology to let Jesus be Jesus?

But though I speak this way, my heart is still grieved when someone says, "The Lord told me," when I know exactly what that person means.

It means this: I have this idea. This thought. This plan. This teaching. This understanding of Scripture. It came to me very suddenly one day. I could never have thought it up. But if I tell you it is just "mine," you won't believe me. So, wanting to be humble and give all the glory to God, I will just say from the beginning that "God told me."

How many a sincere believer has been trapped into that thought process, as its messenger or its hearer? When someone tells you "God said..." how in the world can you argue? Who wants to come against God, for goodness' sake! So you politely listen, then give it some time. It may take weeks or even years, but eventually this message "from the Lord" will be proved false.

Often the time that passes is so long, that the giver of it has forgotten. He or she has said "God told me" so often, it is impossible to pin down this solitary case. So there's usually no use quibbling over it.

Occasionally the person will admit the mistake and just say, "Oops, I missed it! Oh well, nobody's perfect."

Folks, if there's a chance of "missing it," why don't we just change our method altogether, and stop attributing our own thoughts to the Almighty? Try one of these next time:

"This idea came to me. Not totally sure about it, but..."

"I've been studying this passage, and it really seems to me... what do you think?"

"I've prayed long about what we need to do. Here's what I've come up with so far. Let me know if I'm not thinking right yet."

There's a word for this style. It's called humility. The prophets and apostles could truly say, "The Lord told me." I can't. Not unless I mean,

"I just read this Scripture, 'Be not wise in your own eyes.' Wow, the Lord is speaking to me clearly. Do you hear Him speaking to you too?"

Yeah, that works. God has already breathed out His Word, His Will, to His people. All we have to do is get under the sound of the words of the prophets and apostles, and God will start speaking to us too.

Hearing the Voice of God It's not always an instantaneous thing. Those "quickies" I have found often to be the flesh, and my own desire to be somebody or "do something for God."

Of course, we don't put God in a box and say He can never speak quickly, either. Often we know from the get-go what we are to do, but we don't like what we are hearing. The sheep hearing the shepherd's voice does not imply approval of that voice, or obedience. Stubborn sheep are stubborn sheep.

But His love is stubborn too. He'll keep calling. And the true sheep will (finally) not only hear, but obey.

Meanwhile, the next person that says to me, "The Lord told me," "The Lord impressed me," " I had this vision," I think I am going to just...